Love and Let Die (Masters and Mercenaries #5)(110)

The king of Loa Mali would find out that Ian could pull off royal balls just as fast as he could common ones. He helped Charlie into the boat and hopped in after her. Sean and Taral shoved the boat back into the surf. Sean leapt in and Taral hauled himself up with a practiced hand. Now that he had his boss’s permission, it seemed he was all smiles.

“Welcome on board. My king wishes to see you. Thank you so much for coming with us and for not shooting me in the kidneys. I have heard this is very painful."

He turned on the motor and started to ease the boat around.

Sean pulled his earpiece out and pocketed it. “Brother, Ten was just explaining all the ways he’s going to roast your ass. He seems to be very creative when it comes to hot pokers. You should watch your backside. I don’t think he intends to use any lubricant, if you know what I mean. He’s also pissed about the monkeys. According to Simon, they’re as sexually aggressive as Ten himself.”

Charlie smiled slightly. “It sounds like they have as much discrimination as Ten, too.”

Ian turned back, looking at the beach. It was still calm and peaceful. Once Damon and the others realized there was no way to stop him, they would slow down and try to keep their eyes on the ship. He didn’t give a shit that the Agency would be pissed. This was his op. His wife was at risk, his people, and he wouldn’t let Ten or anyone else tell him how to handle it. He needed this man to trust him, and he wouldn’t get that by lying. He had one shot and one shot only at getting King Kash on his side.

Charlie was standing at the front of the boat, her hair whipping behind her. He moved in. Since he’d realized that he was being a stubborn prick, he wanted to touch her all the time, wanted to be close. He didn’t fight the urge. Not anymore. She was his. If she didn’t like the fact that his hands were always on her, then she shouldn’t have chosen him.

When he wrapped his arms around her, she immediately leaned back, her body fitting into his.

“Ian, do you think he’s watching?” She had to raise her voice to combat the sounds of the speedboat as it hit the waves, bringing them closer and closer to the yacht.

Nelson. She wanted to know if Nelson was watching her, probably getting ready to jack off at the sight of her. God, he was going to kill the f*cker for making her feel self-conscious. She should always feel safe, always secure knowing that her husband would take care of her. He cuddled her close. God, how had he lived without this feeling? “Don’t worry about it. I’m going to handle him.”

He would have to because he knew damn well Nelson was watching. Now he knew they were here. It would force his hand, and Ian had to be ready. Nelson would come at him and he would come hard. The minute he could, he was going to make sure Charlie was someplace safe. They would talk to the king and then he would hide her away with Sean.

Then he could be the bait.

Her hands came up, covering his, holding him close. “I know you will, Master.”

This time she was trusting him with her life, with her sister’s life. With everything that was important to her. She wasn’t running away from him or trying to control things. She’d trusted him, the way he would trust her when it came to the Russian mob. She was smart and her instincts were good. He would lean on her, but he so needed her to lean on him.

He put his mouth right by her ear. “Do you know how much I love you?”

It was so easy to say now. He loved her with everything he had.

He felt her smile against his cheek. “As much as I love you. God, Ian, I love you so much.”

“And you look ungodly hot in that suit.” He squeezed her tight as the boat pulled up to the yacht.

A group of well-armed security men were waiting above on the lower deck as Taral expertly parked the speedboat. It was tiny compared to the massive yacht. He had the faintest moment of worry in his brain, but Sean was at his back. Sean knew what to do. He turned back to his brother and a long look passed between them. He kissed the top of his wife’s head.

Sean nodded, obviously understanding that Charlie came first. Her life was more important than Ian’s. Sean slapped his brother in a show of affection. They had learned a lot. The brotherly bond they shared now included their wives and children and those precious beings came before everything else.

“Surrender your weapons!” a large guard with a semiautomatic weapon ordered in heavily accented English.

Ian moved Charlie behind him. If they were going to have a heavy finger on the trigger, they would have to go through him, but he doubted they would open fire.

He would never have put his wife in the man’s way if he thought for a second Kamdar would hurt her. No, the king of Loa Mali had a thing for women. All of them. He’d enacted laws against domestic violence that would make the West look misogynistic. He encouraged the women of his country to go to college, to seek high-level jobs.

The king had a reputation as a lover, not a fighter. He routinely ditched his security detail in favor of chasing after a woman.

Ian handed up his SIG, but didn’t bother to mention the knives he had on his body or the small pistol he’d hidden in his boot. He wasn’t going to give up everything.

Sean handed his primary weapon up as well, but then his brother was deadly with knives and he had them all over his person.

“Let the woman come up now,” the guard said.

He shook his head. He couldn’t let Charlie up until he was sure he would be on that boat with her. No way. No how. “I come up first.”