He pursed his lips, took another swig of water, and looked up at the sky. Was he calculating?
“Eight digits.”
“Eight digits?”
“Each.”
“Each?” Ice ran through her veins. “Low eight or high eight?”
“Thirty-something.”
“Thirty-something million?”
He nodded. “That’s without investing it.”
“Wait, wait, wait. Is that what you’re worth total, or is that what you get back per year?”
“First year was rough. Managed to break even, maybe? The three of us didn’t take a salary. Second year was better than the first year, and we just keep growing. Each new club adds to the pot. Not all of them have been open that many years, so it’s not as ridiculous as it sounds.”
She murmured blankly, “Not as ridiculous as it sounds, he says.” What the ever-loving fuck? The clubs he was part owner of had been open for three years. If they made ninety million dollars over that time—something which didn’t sound possible, and that was just what the three owners took in—he was easily worth over that if he’d invested any of the money. What the hell was he doing out in the fucking jungle, running from a cartel, saving her ass?
Capping his water jug, he met her incredulous look. “Does that change things?”
“I’m going to pretend we didn’t have this portion of the conversation.”
“It’s just money, Glennon.”
“Oh my god, he’s delusional and gorgeous. What the hell?” she squeaked.
The grin that spread across his face made him look like he’d gotten the best birthday gift ever. “Gorgeous, huh? I’ll accept the delusional if you really think I’m gorgeous.”
If she didn’t shut down the crazy, spinning thoughts in her head, she was likely to have a panic attack. Maybe he couldn’tdo math. Maybe he was plain lying. That made as little sense as what he’d confessed.
“C’mon, Mr. Moneybags. Let’s get going.”
She redirected her attention across the shallow, swift-moving water. Up the bank on the opposite side, there was a washout that would serve as a path. While they’d be able to see their steps more easily, which meant less chance of twisting an ankle or worse, especially in a place where no help would be found, there were other dangers on this type of route.
Before crossing, he dug into his backpack for a bandana that he twisted into a single strip to tie back his hair. He attached his water jug to his backpack, then hefted it back over his shoulders and stepped into the edge of the water, holding a hand out to her.
As she stepped into the water, she found a second reason to be grateful they hadn’t entered the flowage at the border. Had they chosen to cross the river immediately, they would have had to swim as the water was higher there. While this wasn’t the main river, it fed into that body. Wet shoes and pants weren't fun, but wet everything was worse.
They continued along the washout for several hours before finally coming through a break in the trees. A small herd of cattle stood in a crudely fenced-in area, quietly chewing their cud, and a small farm sat on a hill in the distance.
“Is all of your cash in one place?” she asked. Voices would carry over the open expanse, so she kept her voice barely above a whisper.
“No. Didn’t think that was wise. I’ve got some stashed in various places so no one sees exactly how much I have.”
He was smart. Mostly. The amount of money he was carrying would be a temptation to anyone, let alone someone attempting the crossing, guiding travelers, or patrolling the gap itself.However, the fact that he’d spread it around showed he’d been thinking ahead.
“How much do you think we’ll need to get water?” she asked.
“Difficult to say. Shouldn’t be more than twenty dollars American, but… since we’re American, it could cost a lot more. I’ve got a hundred in small bills in my vest pocket, and they’re in twenty-dollar folds.”
Another smart move. He wouldn’t need to pull out all his cash from his pocket, luring the farmer into demanding more. Not that anyone could pull fifty grand out of a pocket. Holy Mother of God, he was crazy. Gorgeous, but crazy.
They began trekking up the hill toward the farmhouse. “How many people do you think they see each day?” he questioned.
“Depends on the day, I suppose. The number of people who have amassed enough money to pay for their passage probably varies. Guides take groups every day, so it could be anything from a small private party to a group of a hundred.”
