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They should have been arrested for kidnapping her and Jasmine, but given how corrupt everything was here, that wouldn't have happened, and if it had, Modana would have arranged for his people to be released. She used to think that stuff like that happened only in third-world countries, but things were not much better in the US or the rest of the so-called first-world countries. Money talked much louder than justice, and corruption was the norm rather than the exception.
Kalugal's method was much better.
Turning the evildoers into Samaritans wasn't normally possible, but when it could be done, it was the better solution.
Negal's arm around her tightened. "Don't worry about them. They are all on Modana's estate, making plans for all the good deeds Kalugal compelled them to do. But even if we bump into some of them, and even if they have somehow shaken off the compulsion, you have nothing to fear. You are with me."
From anyone else that would have sounded like boasting, but from Negal, it was a mere statement of fact. He'd told her about his ability to take control of human minds with the same effect as Kalugal's compulsion, just on a more limited scale. Where Kalugal could compel anyone within hearing distance, Negal could seize control of the minds of up to about a dozen humans at a time. Also, he could move much faster than any human, and his body was impervious to bullets. Well, that wasn't quite accurate. He could get injured, but his body would expel the bullets immediately and heal the injury.
That was how Dagor had saved Frankie, shielding her with his body from the many bullets aimed at them.
Frankie hadn't told her the whole story about her and Dagor's run-in with the traffickers in Acapulco, only that they had saved a group of women from their clutches and that she'd been injured during the altercation, but not seriously, thanks to Dagor's intervention. Margo couldn't wait to hear the full story, and she intended to pump Frankie for information tomorrow.
The plan was for the three of them to meet up on the Lido deck.
She smiled up at Negal and then leaned her head on his bicep. "It's nice to have a god by my side." She saw yet another woman gawk at him and glared at her until the woman looked away. "But there are downsides as well."
He chuckled. "Oh, yeah? Like what?"
"Every woman we pass, and even some of the men, are devouring you with their eyes, and I feel like punching them in the face."
Negal's smirk was all about male satisfaction. He was smart enough not to say anything, but he strutted like a peacock.
She had to take control of this new jealous streak she'd developed since meeting Negal. She had no right to feel possessive over a guy she hadn't even kissed yet, although she planned to remedy that as soon as possible.
With every moment she spent with Negal she was getting more and more drawn to him, and the need to touch him, to kiss him, was growing along with her attachment.
If he were just a guy, Margo would have been alarmed at the rate at which her response to him was intensifying and would have sought to put some distance between them, but given the unique situation she found herself in, she welcomed the rapid development.
The sooner she got over her hesitance to get intimate with him, the better.
"Do you see any store you would like to visit?" Negal asked.
"Not yet."
She'd been so busy thinking about how she felt about him that she had barely paid attention to the beautifully designed outdoor mall.
La Isla Shopping Village seemed more like a lavish resort than a collection of stores. High-end boutiques showcased the latest fashions in their storefronts, and as they meandered through the open-air corridors, Margo admired the water features and lush greenery.
Her eyes were drawn to the Apple Store, where the latest technology was displayed like works of art, but she hadn't come here to shop for a new phone or a laptop. She needed evening dresses for the upcoming weddings.
"They have many nice stores here, but not what I'm looking for. Perhaps we should check out Liverpool, like the taxi driver suggested."
"No problem. Let's go there."
Liverpool was a high-end department store, supposedly known for its upscale products and great service, or at least that was what the very helpful taxi driver had claimed.
Once they were inside, it didn't take Margo long to zero in on the right section of the store. Judging by what was on display, though, she might not be able to afford what they were selling.
"This one looks good." Negal pointed at the dress in the display.
"It also looks expensive."
"Don't worry about it. Just find the dresses and shoes you like, and I'll take care of the rest."
"Thank you for the very generous offer, but I can't accept that. I can buy one dress and wear it to all the remaining weddings. Let's keep walking. Perhaps we can find a store with nice evening dresses that don't cost as much as my monthly rent."
He didn't argue with her, but given the tight line of his lips, he had no intention of giving up.
