“But isn’t it worth trying even if we save only one?” Rocco asked, his voice irritatingly calm.
“No! It’s not,” Jemma said, throwing her hands in the air.
A sexy smile spread across Rocco’s face. “Maybe we should agree to disagree on this one, too.”
“I would like to change your mind on this,” Jemma admitted.
“There’s some things I’d like to change your mind on, too,” Rocco said as he stood. He reached a hand toward her. “But we should grab dinner before it gets too late.”
Jemma glanced at her watch. Two hours, and he didn’t seem to be tired of her yet. She placed her hand in his. “Fine. But I’m choosing the restaurant.”
Chapter 8
Slipping a hand in his pocket, Ike da Costa removed the folded note written on the finest linen stationary, which was now marred by dirt stains and frayed at the edges. He’d lost count of how many times a day he’d pull it out, staring at the words written that had brought him back to life. Yanked him from misery and propelled him toward a new path. One that had given him a reason to live … again.
He flipped the note open and stared at the words etched into his memory.
If He used a drunkard, an adulterer, a liar, a coward, a deceiver, a criminal, a trickster, and a prostitute to bless others, surely He can use you to do good in this world. Believein this.
Ike ran a finger along the name signed at the bottom of the note—Pastor Peter da Costa. The man who’d given him life had been the same one to infuse him with the will to live it again at the perfect time. At a time when one of his oldest and closest friends needed him the most?—
“Ike! Ike!” A woman’s shrill voice pierced through the clatter of construction and the distant murmur of the ocean.
Ike tensed and stuffed the note into his back pocket. He turned to see a woman wearing a t-shirt dress that stopped mid-thigh and hugged all of her assets, which she had many. Tatiana Williams, a force to be reckoned with, stalked across the construction site, followed closely by Adonis Williams and Bobby Zaniewski. He’d invited the men to view the progress on the Stingray Security headquarters and training facility. Tati, as she was affectionately called by her cousin Adonis and everyone else except for Ike, had not been on his guest list.
Tucker, the white Labrador laconically resting next to Ike’s feet, jumped up and barked at Tatiana in a foolish attempt to defend him. Before he could stop him, Tucker raced toward the woman in full attack mode.
Ike hated the damn dog.
Taking off, he caught Tucker before he got to Tati, yanking him back.
“Tati, good to see you. How’d you like the tour?” Ike began, then raised an eyebrow at Adonis, who gave him a sheepish smile.
Bobby chuckled, then wasted no time allowing his gaze to linger on Tati’s round ass. He made a crude hand gesture that mimicked squeezing her butt cheeks from behind her. The man was a bonafide pervert, but they all loved him anyway.
“Keep your mutt away from me,” Tatiana warned, pointing a long, bright pink nail toward Tucker.
“He’s not my dog,” Ike muttered, not that it mattered. Tuckerhad been following him for years. Despite every attempt he’d made to get rid of him, the dog was surprisingly persistent.
“I didn’t come here to do the tour. I came to get Kane.” Tati’s voice dripped with annoyance.
“Kane?” Ike repeated. “Why would you think he was here?” Ike hadn’t talked to him in a couple of days and hadn’t seen him in a few more.
In response, she grabbed his arm and jerked him toward the opposite side of the Stingray Security construction site, overlooking rolling hills that led to a rocky cliffside overlooking the Caribbean Sea.
“That’s why …” She pointed in the distance.
Ike frowned as he stared at Kane Ambrose, one of his oldest friends, swiping a device over the earth in methodical arcs. “What the fuck is he doing?”
“Looking for buried treasure,” Adonis said with a chuckle.
“You’re joking.” Ike turned to Adonis.
“You know Palmchat Islands folklore. The old story that pirates stole from a Spanish ship carrying a shit ton of gold, raced up this mountain and lost most of the loot along the way,” Adonis said. “There are still folks who believe that’s how your family got rich. Billions of pirates gold.”
“That’s ridiculous.” Ike laughed.
A series of shrill beeps from the metal detector pierced the air. Fueled by curiosity, Tucker raced across the grass as Kane stopped to dig into the earth. Ike rolled his eyes as the stupid dog joined in, digging frantically next to Kane until the man lifted an object toward the sky. Seemingly pleased with what he found, Kane dropped it into his bag.
