Heated Pursuit (Alpha Security #1)(20)
Rafe introduced, “This is Nell Hanlan.”
At the brush of Diego’s lips, Penny nearly vomited her internal organs on the man’s thousand-dollar shoes. Screw boiling water and gallons of disinfectant. To feel clean again, she’d have to skinny-dip in a vat of flesh-eating acid and then rinse off in a pool of bleach. It took the man forever to release her hand, and when he did, she barely refrained from wiping it on her barely there dress.
“Americana?” Diego’s wandering eyes made her skin crawl. “With hair as brilliant as a ruby and skin as flawless as I have ever seen, you are no doubt a model? An actress?”
She forced out a small string of giggles. “Actually, I am an actress, but I’ve been waiting tables until something that suits me comes along. Rafael’s helping me.”
“No doubt he is a good ally to have, sí? Please, join me.” Diego swept his hand toward his table, whose only occupant was a dark-haired young woman.
Penny smiled at the brunette but got nothing in return as Rafe ignored the extra chairs and pulled her onto his lap. The woman was an empty void—not a twitch of lips or a jealous sneer, and only after a full minute did the woman finally blink. Once.
“Tell me, Rafael,” Diego said as he dismissed a nervous waitress after she appeared with two more glasses of whatever brown liquid was in his tumbler. “Your business seems to have come quite a long way in such a short period of time. One who has his hand into exports cannot seem to have a business conversation without Manuel Shipping mentioned. Have you ever thought about expanding?”
Casually resting one hand on the inside of Penny’s thigh, Rafe stroked his fingertips over the sensitive back of her knee. An arousing combination of innocent touch and gentle caress, the contact would’ve awoken every flammable cell in her body if it weren’t for the fact that they sat with the monster who had Rachel and God only knew how many others.
This was the exact direction they’d hoped to go in, yet Rafe looked as if he hadn’t a care in the world. He lifted a shoulder in a barely noticeable shrug. “I already own one of the largest shipping companies this side of the hemisphere. Why would I need to expand?”
“A shrewd businessman is always looking for new ventures. What would you say if I informed you that I have the perfect arrangement already planned for the two of us?”
The corner of Rafe’s mouth lifted. “I’d think it would be a little presumptuous, but I’d hear you out. I should warn you, Se?or Fuentes. I maintain high expectations in my business relationships. Both my name and my company’s hold quite a bit of weight in the import and export business. When involving both in arrangements, I make absolutely certain the payoff is worth the risk of ruining my reputation.”
“That is understandable. And smart.” Diego nodded.
“So you understand why I’m going to have to demand a show-and-tell—everything from the manufacturing process to your testing facilities. And it goes without saying that I’ll be critiquing the distribution means you already have in place. In order to make this worth the risk, I need to know for certain you possess a top-of-the-line product from start to finish.”
“I assure you my product is pure—and unlike so many out on the market.” Though he was smiling, an underlying edge crept into Diego’s voice.
“I didn’t get to where I am today by relying on unproven assurances.”
“I’m afraid I cannot do as you ask, my friend.” Diego kept his posture relaxed as he sipped his drink. “If it is a sampling of the product you request, of course. I will have some to you within the day. But your other wishes I am afraid I cannot grant.”
This was it.
Penny feigned preoccupation with the softness of Rafe’s hair while silently screaming at him for playing too damn hard to get. This was their opening, their chance to get on the inside. But his face was a blank slate as he slid his hands to her hips and gently guided her off his lap.
Rafe gave his head a faint, disappointed shake. “I’m truly sorry to hear that, Se?or Fuentes. I really am. But I can’t go into business with a man who can’t see beyond his own challenges—and for you that would be the Honduran government and the American Drug Enforcement Administration.”
Their imminent departure startled the older man to his feet. Lips curled into a snarl, he looked five seconds away from bursting the bulging blood vessel at his temple. “To whom do you think you are talking? Some inconsequential street urchin?”
Rafe tucked an arm around her waist and stated blandly, “I thought I was speaking to a savvy businessman, one who understood that you’re the one in need of a new avenue to export your product. I may be fairly new to this game, Se?or Fuentes, but I assure you that I didn’t start yesterday. Money is negotiable. My reputation is not. Before putting it on the line, I need to make sure the benefits far outweigh the risks. If you can’t agree to those terms, then we’re done here.”
Penny hissed under her breath as he led them away from the table, “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
Rafe mumbled back, “Wait for it. Three, two…”
Six steps from the table, one of Diego’s seven-foot watchdogs blocked their exit.
Fuentes slowly approached. Penny didn’t know what was worse, the man’s sickening smile or his blank, cool stare.