Heavy Turbulence Read online

  Dex slips on his headset, and I slip on mine as well. It’s loud in the plane with the engine on, and the headsets allow the pilot to speak with the air traffic controllers watching over the airspace, and it also allows everyone inside the plane to talk to each other.

  Marv doesn’t bother putting his set on. He’s too interested in his phone, and Kara has her iPhone buds in her ears.

  I have no interest in speaking with Dex after what he just pulled, but I want to make sure he doesn’t mess anything up with the air traffic controllers, so I put mine on. I have to keep this mongrel on a short leash.

  “Where are the maps?” I ask through the microphone when I don’t see them anywhere.

  Dex pulls out his phone and thumbs through it. “In here.” His deep voice crackles in my ear.

  “The physical maps,” I say, holding my breath as I wait for his answer, which I’m sure I’m not going to like.

  “I don’t use any of that shit,” he says, opening an app. “I have a GPS on here.”

  I grind my teeth as I try to control my anger. The Global Navigation Satellite System is a very practical and useful tool, but it’s not sufficient in navigating an aircraft. The GPS, or Global Positioning System, is owned and operated by the US Government. They make it freely available to anyone with a GPS receiver, but they can shut it down at any time, which they’ve done once to the Indian military in 1999 during the Kargil War. Physical maps must be onboard the aircraft.

  “What if your phone dies or the GPS system is shut off?” I ask, waving my hands around as I talk. “What if the app fails or a storm system interrupts our—”

  Something gets interrupted all right, but it’s not our navigational system, it’s me. Dex shuts off my microphone. The switch is on the left side of the instrument panel. It’s out of my reach.

  Whatever. It’s not like he was listening to me anyway.

  A worker jogs over and unties the rope that’s keeping us secured to the dock. He pushes the plane away and waves as we bounce up and down on our way toward the open water.

  My eyes are locked on Dex’s hands as he flicks switches and pushes buttons. I’ve done this a million times on my flight simulator game, and even though Dex seems like he wouldn’t be able to fly a kite in a hurricane, he doesn’t miss a step.

  “Welcome aboard, Dex Airlines,” he says as the plane picks up speed. He looks down at my legs and grins. “Where our passengers always come first.” He drawls out the word come, making the tiny hairs on my arms raise.

  It’s weird hearing him through the headset. It’s like he’s in my head, penetrating my thoughts, taking over my brain, invading my mind. I couldn’t get him out of my head this morning, but this is much worse. It’s physical now.

  My heart starts hammering in my chest as the plane shoots across the flat water like a rocket. Dex is distracted with the take-off, so I lean back and carefully look at him with a sideways glance.

  He’s such a cocky asshole, but watching him so relaxed and in control as he pilots the plane, slowly lowering the yoke until the pontoons leave the water, has me breathless. He does it with such ease, such grace.

  He’s in total control the entire time, and it’s making my body tremble.

  “Control yourself, Riley,” I whisper to myself as the plane flies off the water and climbs through the sky. Don’t get distracted by this guy. Just get your money and run.

  Dex is flying me into the sky now, but if I’m not careful, he’s going to take me crashing down with him.

  An hour and a half later, we’re circling the most spectacular island that I’ve ever seen. In between the cover of a tropical forest is an enormous villa that snakes across the private island. I count seven white sand beaches around the island, nine inground swimming pools, and only four people.

  With all of the yachts and jet skis parked on the beach, the helicopter on the roof, and the numerous tennis courts, it looks like a Disney World for adults.

  I’m shocked, really. I don’t know what I was expecting from a man about to buy sixty yachts, but this is incredible. It’s hard to imagine that one person can have so much wealth when all I have to compare is my mom’s little two-bedroom apartment that I grew up in.

  “Whoa,” Dex says as he looks down at the island. “This guy makes you look like you’re on food stamps, Marv.”

  Marv and Kara had put on the headsets about ten minutes ago when Dex announced that we were close. He also flicked my microphone back on with a warning that he would turn it off if I doubted his genius one more time.

  He didn’t say anything against giving him the finger, so I did that instead.

  Marv snorts out a laugh from the back seat. “Please,” he says through the headsets. “That’s all royalty money. I clawed my way up from the inner city.”

  “Yeah,” Kara says, the annoyance clear in her voice. “The inner city of Bel Air.”

  My hands are glued to the window as I stare down at the island. “Oh, my gosh!” My mouth flies open when I see a crazy fuck surfing in the tsunami-sized waves on the north side of the island. He looks like an ant who’s getting flushed down the toilet but is somehow still in control as he surfs the crests of the waves.

  “That must be the prince,” Marv says, chuckling as he watches. “I heard he’s quite the surfer.”

  That’s an understatement. He stands up tall on his board when he spots us and waves. I can’t look. He’s on the crest of a liquid skyscraper, and he’s waving to us like any wrong move won’t mean his immediate death and the immediate death of my six hundred thousand dollars.

  Dex dips the wing of the plane, an aerial wave back to him, and circles around to the south side of the island to land on the smooth water.

  Again, I’m on full alert as I watch Dex’s every move on the way down. I hate to admit it, but he is a skilled pilot. He lands the plane as softly as a leaf landing on a lake in autumn.

  He turns to grin at me, but I’m not about to give him any satisfaction. I turn away, marveling at the mini mall-sized villa as Dex steers the plane toward the beach.

  The villa staff rushes out of the front door as Dex beaches our plane on the white sand. As soon as the engine is off, Marv grabs me and Dex by the arms. He gives our arms a hard squeeze to let us know he’s serious.

  “If you two fuck this up for me with your bickering,” he says, his tight voice making me gulp, “I will use all of my wealth and influence to destroy you, your future kids, your future grandkids, even your fucking pets. Got that?”

  We both gulp out a ‘yes sir’ at the same time.

  “I mean it,” he warns. “Even the birds and squirrels living in your backyards will be drowned in debt and litigation when I’m done with you two.”

  Marv storms out of the plane and I quickly follow. “Sir,” I say, giving him my best smile. “I promise I will do everything I can to make this deal go through.”

  “Everything?” he asks, raising his eyebrow. “With Prince Kalib, your faithfulness to the company may be tested.”

  “What do you mean?” I ask, taking a worried step back.

  He shrugs as he takes off toward the villa, kicking up the white powdery sand as he goes. “Don’t worry. You’ll be fine. Probably.”

  I’m wanting to crawl back into the plane and hide under the seat when Kara taps me on the shoulder.

  “Yes, Mrs. Gladstone?” I say. My smile is so tight that I’m worried my lips are going to snap.

  “What did I tell you about flirting with my husband?” she asks, flexing her CrossFit arms as she folds them across her chest.

  “Not to do it,” I say in a flat voice. “And I still haven’t.”

  She reaches out, grabs my nipple, and squeezes it hard, turning her hand until I scream out in pain.

  “I don’t like you,” she hisses before spinning on her heels and marching up the sand, trying to stay upright in her long heels.

  What is wrong with these people?

  It’s like I’m stranded on an island with no es
cape. Like I’m on Jurassic Park, but instead of man-eating dinosaurs, I’m trapped with way more vicious beasts.

  “Ready?” Dex asks, grinning as he holds out his arm. “Wifey.”

  I glance over at the rainforest, hoping for a T-Rex to come rushing out and end this torture quickly, but I’m not that lucky.

  So, I go with the caveman instead.

  Chapter Eight

  Dex

  “Dex!”

  It’s Kara. She wants something. I can tell by the way her tits are thrust up in the air.

  “Go on ahead,” I say to the feisty girl on my arm. “I’ll be up there in a minute.”

  “Take your time,” Riley mutters as she unhooks her arm from mine and walks up the sand. I take a second to admire her perfectly round ass before I turn back to Kara.

  She’s trying to smile sweetly at me, but I can smell the venom boiling behind those luscious lips. “What is she still doing here?”

  Kara is leaning against a palm tree, looking pissed as usual. She’s so hot when she’s mad. She’s so hot all of the time.

  “The big man needs her,” I say, shrugging as she bites her bottom lip. “We have to pretend to be husband and wife for the prince. He wants us to act like we’re happy owners of one of his yachts.” It sounds like a stupid idea to me, but when it comes to business, Marv always knows what he’s doing.

  “Can I be your mistress?” she asks, tucking a finger between her tanned shoulder and pink bra strap. Her pouty lips part as she gives me some killer fuck-me eyes.

  “Of course,” I say, stepping in with my hands out, reaching for her. She spins away before I can touch her.

  “Get rid of her first,” she says, kicking up white sand as she skips away. “And then I’m all yours.”

  I can’t help but laugh as she jogs up the beach. This chick wrote the book on teasing cock.

  I’ve been dreaming about her for years, and now I’m so close. All I have to do is help Marv get these yachts sold and she’s all mine.

  I walk up the beach, admiring the view as I go. I’ve seen a lot of stunning places while working for Marv, but this one is definitely at the top of the list. Marv’s private jet could fit in the lobby of the villa. It’s not like the prince needs it. He’s got an Augusta Westland AW101 helicopter parked on the roof. It’s basically the Lamborghini of helicopters.

  I wonder if he needs a pilot? I’ll probably be looking for a job after I nail the boss’s wife.

  My three passengers are already talking to the prince by the pool. He’s dripping wet in only a bathing suit and has a surfboard tucked under his arm.

  He’s got his eyes fixated on Riley.

  My stomach hardens when she laughs at his words, and I move a little faster, clenching my teeth as I go.

  “I wasn’t expecting such beauties,” he says, glancing at Kara quickly and then turning to openly stare at Riley once again. Her cheeks redden as she smiles shyly at him. “You remind me of a girl that I fell in love with when I went to school in America.”

  Anger surges through me as I picture grabbing his surfboard and breaking it over his pretty boy head. He’s a good-looking man with olive skin and a short cropped beard. He’s fit with an athletic body and a smile that I can tell the girls would like.

  I step beside Riley and wrap my arm around her shoulder possessively before she gets any ideas.

  “Hello,” I say, glaring at him in a challenging way. “I’m Riley’s husband, Dex.”

  He smiles easily at me as he reaches out to shake my hand. I give him a firm grip just in case he doesn’t realize who the real alpha male is. These two guys may have bigger bank accounts and own more toys than me, but I’ve got the real stuff. I’m the real alpha wolf here.

  “Good afternoon, Dex,” he says with only the slightest accent. “I was just saying how beautiful your wife is.”

  “She is a looker,” I say, wrapping a hand around her waist and yanking her in close. I have to stifle a laugh when she puts a palm on my chest and tries to push me away.

  “Honey,” she says, staring up at me with tight eyes. “We’re guests here. Let’s not act inappropriately.”

  “Nonsense,” Prince Kalib says, waving his hand at her. “We’re in paradise, and this is a palace of love. Your body is a masterpiece and deserves to be treated as such.”

  “That’s right, honey,” I say, grinning as I slide a hand over her gorgeous ass. “Your body is a masterpiece. Your tight ass should be in a museum.”

  She smiles at me, but there’s fire brimming behind her eyes. “Your ass is going to be in a mausoleum if you don’t get your hands off of me,” she hisses through clenched teeth.

  “Your breasts are magnificent,” Prince Creep says, openly staring at her chest. “Are they real?”

  Riley turns, looking like she’s about to slap him, but I hold her back. This opportunity is too good to waste.

  “Let me answer this one, honey,” I say, smiling at her. She finally relaxes after the shock of the question has worn off. “They are real,” I say, nodding at the prince. I gently cup the bottoms of her tits as she glares at me. “They are so soft and supple, yet firm and perky at the same time.”

  She gives me a look that lets me know I’m going to pay for every tap, squeeze, and caress later. I don’t care. Right now, this feels fucking amazing. I just wish I didn’t have an audience staring at us.

  “Can I touch?” the prince asks, stepping forward.

  To my surprise, Riley turns to me and grins. “I’ll let my husband decide that.”

  A low growl escapes my throat as I turn to him. “Don’t touch my wife,” I hiss through clenched teeth. The way he’s reaching for her is making my nostrils flare.

  It’s not like I’m jealous over a stuck-up girl like Riley, but for some reason the thought of another man’s hands on her is stirring me into a murderous rage.

  Marv is quick to diffuse the mood by pulling the prince away. “So, Prince Kalib,” he says, slipping his arm over the prince’s shoulder as he guides him back to the villa. “I hear you need some yachts.” His voice trails as they walk away. Kara follows behind them, looking bored as usual.

  Riley spins, baring her teeth at me when we’re alone. “What. The. Hell. Was. That?” she demands, her legs planted wide, and her hands squeezed into fists.

  “Just playing the part,” I shrug, feigning innocence.

  She crosses her arms as her lips flatten into a straight line, her heated eyes making me wish that I wore SPF 1000 sunblock. “Groping your wife in public is playing the part?”

  I can’t help but grin. “If you were my wife, I would grope you at every chance that I got.”

  Her shoulders loosen as she exhales long and hard. “I can believe that,” she says, biting her bottom lip as she stares at me. “No more touching my breasts. Or my ass. Or anything on me, really. You stay just out of arm’s length.”

  “Six hundred thousand dollars,” I say, reminding her of what’s on the line. “I thought you wanted to enroll in flight school.”

  “I do,” she says, sighing as her arms fall to her sides. “But I don’t want to prostitute myself to get there.”

  “It’s not prostitution if you like it,” I say, raising an eyebrow.

  “I don’t.”

  “Are you sure,” I ask, grinning at her. “I could have sworn I felt your heart beating harder.”

  “It was,” she says, swallowing hard. “From anger.”

  “I have to touch you one more time,” I say, digging into my pocket.

  “That better be a gun that you can put to my head,” she says, watching my hand with a guarded look. “Because that’s the only way I’m letting you touch me again.”

  Her face tells a different story when she sees what I have: two diamond rings.

  “What’s that?” she asks, her eyes transfixed on the huge diamonds.

  “You don’t think I’d let my wife walk around without some bling on her ring finger, do you?”

  Her sexy lips
part as I gently take her left hand and slide the rings on. “Just don’t let Kara see them,” I warn. I stole them from her jewelry box in her room when I went to go see Marv earlier.

  She doesn’t snap her hand back after I put the rings on so I hold it, enjoying the warmth and softness of her skin.

  “These are Kara’s?” she asks, still staring at them with wide eyes. They look so shiny in the bright sun.

  “Just a placeholder,” I say, hooking her arm and guiding her along the pool to where the rest of the group is sitting down at the patio table. “Until I can buy you them for real.”

  I don’t know why I say it, but it just kind of comes out. It’s not like I’d want to marry this girl. I couldn’t imagine moving in with her. I’d be booking a moving truck to get the hell out of there before the cable and internet were even set up.

  “They’re beautiful,” she says, ignoring my comment. She’s too busy admiring the insanely expensive rocks on her finger.

  They suit you perfectly.

  All kinds of servers surround us as we sit at the table. In the blink of an eye, the table is set with placemats, tropical flowers, candles, and freshly cut fruit, and a bartender is wheeling a clinking cart of alcohol over.

  He pours us each a drink, starting with the ladies. Riley orders a Sex on the Beach, and she kicks me under the table when I tell her I can provide her with that.

  “These yachts are pure luxury,” Marv says, laying it on thick. He looks as desperate to get the sale as a teenage virgin begging his girlfriend to touch his dick. “The floors are Macassar Ebony, the finest hardwood flooring on the planet, and the bathrooms are all fitted with Balinese marble from the—”

  “So,” Prince Kalib says, ignoring Marv’s sales pitch. He turns to Riley as he sips his eighty-year-old whiskey. “Do you like to eat marlin?”

  “Yes,” she says, taking a sip of her drink as she looks around, probably wondering why he’s asking.

  “Perfect,” Prince Kalib says, lighting up in a smile. “We’ll go catch some tomorrow and have them for dinner.”