Soldier of Fortune Read Free

“We’re not sure that the kidnappers still have Martina in Italy. Roberto thinks he knows one of them—the son of an acquaintance, who also happens to own land in Central America. I don’t have to tell you what a hell of a mess this could turn into if they take Martina there, do I?”
    She felt weak all over. “But how are they dealing with Roberto?”
    “One of the group, and there is a group, is still in Italy, to arrange the handling of the money,” he answered. He let his eyes fall to the jacket of her suit, and he studied it absently with disturbing concentration. “We may do some traveling before this is all over.”
    “But first we’re going to Italy,” she murmured dazedly.
    “Yes. To meet some old friends of mine,” he said, his chiseled mouth smiling faintly. “They owe me a favor from years past. I’m calling in the debt.”
    “We’re taking a team?” she asked, eyebrows shooting up. It was getting more exciting by the minute.
    “My, how your eyes light up when you speak of working with a team, Miss Darwin,” he mused.
    “It’s so gung ho,” she replied self-consciously. “Kind of like that program I watch on TV every week, about the group that goes around the world fighting evil?”
    “The Soldiers of Fortune?”
he asked.
    “The very one.” She grinned. “I never miss a single episode.”
    “In real life, Miss Darwin,” he reminded her, “it’s a brutal, dangerous occupation. And most mercenaries don’t make it to any ripe old age. They either get killed or wind up in some foreign prison. Their lives are overromanticized.”
    She glowered at him. “And what would you know about it, Mr. Criminal Attorney?” she challenged.
    “Oh, I have a friend who used to sell his services abroad,” he replied as he sat back in his seat. “He could tell you some hair-raising stories about life on the run.”
    “You know a real ex-merc?” she asked, eyes widening. She sat straight up in her seat. “Would he talk to me?”
    He shook his head. “Darwin.” He sighed. “What am I going to do with you?”
    “It’s your fault. You corrupted me. I used to lead a dull life and never even knew it. Would he?”
    “I suppose he would.” His dark eyes wandered slowly over her. “You might not like what you found out.”
    “I’ll take my chances, thanks. He, uh, wouldn’t be one of the old friends you’re meeting in Rome?” she asked.
    “That would be telling. Fasten your seat belt, Darwin, we’re approaching the airport now,” he said as the flight attendant collected his cup and put the tray table up before moving on.
    Her eyes lingered on his dark, unfathomable face as she complied with J.D.’s curt order to put her seat belt on. “Mr. Brettman, why did you bring me along?” she asked softly.
    “You’re my cover, honey,” he said, and smiled sideways at her. “We’re lovers off on a holiday.”
    “The way I look?” she chided.
    He reached over and took the pins out of her coiffure, loosening her hair. His fingers lifted the glasses from their perch atop her head, folded them, and stuffed them into his shirt pocket. He reached over again and flicked open the buttons of her blouse all the way down to the cleft between her high breasts.
    “Mr. Brettman!” she burst out, pushing at his fingers.
    “Stop blushing, call me Jacob, and don’t start fighting me in public,” he said gruffly. “If you can remember all that, we’ll do fine.”
    “Jacob?” she asked, her fingers abandoning their futile efforts to rebutton her buttons.
    “Jacob. Or Dane, my middle name. Whichever you prefer, Gabby.”
    He made her name sound like bowers of pink roses in bud, like the softness of a spring rain on grass. She stared up at him.
    “Jacob, then,” she murmured.
    He nodded, his dark eyes searching hers. “I’ll take care of you, Gabby,” he said. “I won’t let you get in the line of fire.”
    “You meant it, didn’t you?” she asked. “You’re going to try to rescue