Dominance Never Dies (Masters and Mercenaries #11)(24)

He didn’t particularly like her either, but he wasn’t sure what to do about it. “I think you can handle it for a few hours. Did she hit on you? Just send her over to Hutch. He’s been horny lately.”

Fain sat up, his voice going low. “I’m not talking about her being my type, *. Watch her. Something’s wrong.”

Case looked toward the front of the plane where the attendant was looking down at a tablet. “What’s wrong with her?”

“I don’t know, but I don’t like it. I didn’t like the pilot either.”

So he was one of those insanely paranoid *s who’d seen way too much action during his service and now thought everything was a bomb waiting to explode. Still, he could use the guy’s paranoia. Maybe if Case gave him a job to do, he would stop trying to get close to Mia. “Then I think that should be your job. Watch the stewardess and make sure she doesn’t spit in our coffee or anything.”

“I’m not eating anything she puts in front of me.”

Like the jerk or not, if he’d been Force Recon, he had to consider that Fain knew something. He wasn’t going to let his distaste for Fain’s boss blind him. “You honestly think something’s wrong?”

Fain’s jaw went tight. “I do. I feel it in my bones. She’s not used to wearing heels. You can see it in how tight her eyes get when she’s forced to walk. She kicks them off the minute she can. From what I can see there’s nothing wrong with her feet, so I have to conclude she’s not used to wearing heels. Also her makeup’s off.”

He had noticed that. “Her eyeliner’s screwed up.”

“When was the last time you met a professional flight attendant to a billionaire who didn’t look absolutely perfect?”

He’d ridden the 4L jet before, though it had been one of the larger ones. The attendant had been flawless. Flight attendants on regular people planes—both men and women—took extreme care with their appearance. Whether or not they happened to be beautiful, they always looked professional. And they would know damn well not to wear heels on a six-hour flight if they couldn’t handle them.

But what the hell did that prove?

She looked up from her tablet and smiled his way. It didn’t reach her eyes. He hadn’t studied her closely before. Now he could see how chilly she was despite the smile and saying all the right things.

“I’m going to go and talk to Mia,” Case explained, keeping his voice down. “I’ll keep eyes on her. You slap Hutch awake and see if he can get an Internet connection. There has to be a satellite connection on this sucker. He’s got facial recognition on his phone. Maybe it can pull something up. And talk to Michael. He’s a former SEAL. He knows what he’s doing.”

Fain nodded. “Will do. I don’t particularly like the fact that we’re with the sister of a billionaire going into a country where it would be easy to hold her for ransom. Lots of jungle in Colombia to get lost in.”

And cartels who made money on the side in just such a fashion. Kidnapping had decreased in Colombia and the country was considered safe, especially in the tourist towns. Thousands of Americans flocked to its beaches and cultural centers every year. But thousands of Americans weren’t Mia Lawless Danvers. She was a ripe target. The truth was he would be concerned with her anywhere she went.

Case stood up, sending Michael a look as Fain moved to join him.

Likely there was no trouble. Mia had booked the flight at the last minute. It was entirely possible their slightly unkempt flight attendant simply hadn’t been prepared, but he couldn’t leave that to chance.

He eased down the hall. To his left was the private dining room that Fain absolutely wouldn’t be sharing with Mia tonight. No f*cking way. He might be willing to work with the dude, but he could only be pushed so far. To his right looked like a private office. That might be where Hutch ended up. He might cry a little at the thought of sitting at Drew Lawless’s desk.

This place probably made Air Force One look clunky.

Maybe he should have taken a couple of million off that jerk. It wasn’t like he would miss it. Not at all. Mia’s brother could write a check for ten million and never notice it was gone.

How much, Mr. Taggart? Don’t get me wrong. I like your brother. I like you, but you’re obviously wrong for my sister. How much to get you to leave her be?

I haven’t touched her.

But you will. I can see the chemistry between you quite clearly. Do you honestly believe she belongs in your world? Take the money. If anyone asks it’s a bonus for doing your job and doing it well. But we’ll know what it’s really about. Name your price.

Humiliation burned in his gut. He could still remember how he’d felt when he’d gotten up from the chair and calmly explained to Lawless that there wasn’t enough money in the world to buy him off. He could hear Lawless calling out and trying to stop him.

He’d sent the man his happy middle finger and walked out.

Drew had sent him several e-mails and tried to call, but Case was done. He deleted the e-mails without reading them and consigned the calls to voice mail hell.

It had been six weeks since Lawless made his play. Case didn’t get why he’d done it. Seven months had passed and he’d worked off and on with 4L trying to get a better layout of the mysterious group known as The Collective. He’d pretty much left Mia completely alone. Oh, he’d seen her in a couple of meetings and they’d had a single, fairly heated argument over what had happened between them.