Under the Surface

He grinned at her, a cocky half smile that only made her growl long and low.

“Let me go.”

“Not until we discuss why you’re on this island, Loralei.”

She stilled, her entire body going taut with attention. “I didn’t tell you my name.”

“No, you didn’t.”

“So how do you know it?”

“I know a lot of things, including what you’re here to search for. Let me promise that you won’t find the Chimera. You can’t. Your dad didn’t manage to steal enough information to actually find the wreckage. You’re going to waste time and money, and my team will get there first.”

She blinked up at him, but it wasn’t a deer-in-the-headlights expression. Nope, she was thinking. The wheels in her brain moving at lightning speed. It was intoxicating to watch.

He’d always been drawn to intelligent women. He wanted more than a beautiful face and rocking body. He needed someone who could challenge him. Thrill him.

Which was why he stuck to inviting the uncomplicated ones to his bed. No fear of getting attached with them. Until recently, his life hadn’t been conducive to long-term anything. Hell, he’d barely been willing to sign more than a one-month lease. He never knew how long he’d be in any one place, especially when assignments could last months at a time.

Since joining the Navy at eighteen, the past year and a half had been one of the longest stretches he’d spent in one place. And he’d been too damn busy to think about anything aside from a quick release of tension.

If Loralei Lancaster hadn’t been part of the team that had stolen his research, both his body and brain definitely would be interested. So maybe it was better they were adversaries. He didn’t need any distractions right now.

“Trident,” was the first word she uttered.

“Brilliant deduction, baby.”

“Don’t call me baby.”

Jackson shrugged.

“Which one of the assholes are you?”

“Assholes?” He took offense at that. Especially considering she was the one throwing the term around so blithely.

“Assholes, owners—same difference.”

Jackson laughed bitterly. “I hardly think so, princess. Ask your good friend Brian all about assholes. He came about thirty seconds away from blowing me and everyone else on your father’s team sky high eight months ago.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Suit yourself. Either way, you’re wasting your time here in paradise. Go back home to Chicago where you belong.”

Her arms crossed over her chest, Loralei glared at him. “If that was true you wouldn’t be bothering to tell me. You’d just laugh at me from the deck of your ship like the world-class prick you are. What do you have against me?”

“You personally? Nothing.” Yet. “But your dad and his crew? Plenty. They nearly got me killed, fired me and then stole from me.”

“They stole from you? According to Brian you’ve been stealing our clients for months.”

“It isn’t stealing, princess, if they want to leave. And I promise, taking them was so damn easy. I didn’t even have to undercut your price by very much. Most of the clients were more impressed with our professional, experienced and safety-conscious company.”

Her mouth worked for several moments, no doubt holding back the stream of words she wanted to fling at him. He had to give her credit for controlling her reaction.

“But let’s go back to the stealing issue. Where do you think your father got his research on the Chimera? I can promise you it wasn’t by spending every spare moment over the last decade tracking ocean currents, researching historical records and meticulously plotting out potential courses for the ship.”

Loralei shook her head. He could see the denial clouding her eyes. She didn’t want to believe what he was saying, not about her father.

He understood. There was a time in his life, long ago, when he hadn’t wanted to believe his own mother was capable of abandoning him without a second thought or glance back.

Sometimes reality wasn’t fun. That didn’t make it any less true. And everyone had to learn to deal with the dirty truth. He certainly had. Loralei would survive learning that her old man wasn’t who she thought he’d been.

Or she’d reveal that she was just like him.

Either way, he’d at least know where he stood with Lancaster Diving and could plan his next move accordingly.

“Leave,” she said finally, her lips barely moving on the low, menacing word.

Pushing slowly out of the booth, Jackson did as she’d asked. He watched her take a deep, calming breath as the space between them grew. He understood the instinct, felt the urge to clear her from his own lungs so that he could think again.

Instead, he stood at the end of her table and stared down at her.

“Think about what I said, Loralei. Your dad didn’t get all my research, so the chances are you won’t be looking in the right location. You’re wasting time and money. And if my information is correct, you can’t afford either right now.”

* * *

LORALEI WATCHED THE brute of a man walk away from her. Her mind spun drunkenly, as if she’d had several of those damn drinks instead of a few measly sips before wasting good alcohol to soak his head.

She assumed Jack was short for Jackson Duchane, one of the owners of Trident. Brian had told her something about each of them. If she’d been paying attention and not trying to drown her neuroses in alcohol she might have clued in to who he was before giving him the chance to humiliate her.

Just remembering the way her body had reacted to him sent a wave of embarrassment across her skin. Great. Just what she needed.

The things he’d said about her dad... They’d hurt.

Could they be true? She’d always thought of her father as a big, distant, honorable guy. On the few occasions he’d come inland and spent time with her, he’d always admonished her to be a good girl. A good person. Stay away from drugs. Don’t let boys pressure you into doing anything stupid. Follow the Ten Commandments. Listen to your grandparents.

What part of those rules allowed him to steal from Jackson Duchane and his partners?

None of them.

But she was old enough to realize parents sometimes said one thing and did another. She’d just never gotten that impression with her own father. Not that he’d been around enough for her to really know.

And that was the damn kicker.

She couldn’t look Jackson in the eye and call him a liar because she didn’t know.

Her gut told her it was possible. Lancaster Diving was in serious financial trouble. And, according to Brian, her dad had blamed Trident for that situation. If that was the case, would he have felt justified in bending the rules?

Possibly. Probably.