A Silverhill Christmas. Carol Ericson

hers, as if to protect her from the occupants of the car, and deepened the kiss.

      Her heart, which had started pounding at the appearance of the two men, now raced. She clung to Rio’s shoulders to keep from sliding to the ground, and he hitched an arm around her waist as if he knew she needed his sup port.

      As the sound of the car’s engine died out, Tori sagged against Rio’s body, his hard muscles still primed for action. He relinquished her lips and released the hand cupping the back of her head, but stroked his fingers through her tangled curls.

      Closing her eyes, she rested her forehead against his chest.

      He kissed the top of her head and mumbled hoarsely, “I don’t think they saw you. Probably thought we were another honeymooning couple.”

      She leaned back in his arms, looking into his face. Deep lines creased his handsome features. Oh, yeah. The protective streak that ran through the McClintock men hadn’t bypassed Rio.

      “Did you recognize them? We didn’t see their faces on the hillside.”

      “Don’t forget, I’ve been watching the compound for weeks. I’ve seen those two patrolling the grounds.”

      “D-do you think they were looking for us?” Despite her determination to face Alexi and bring him down, she shivered. She hadn’t been able to let go in a long time, but here in this man’s arms she allowed herself to crumble just a little.

      Rio ran a hand down her back. “I don’t think they know what they’re looking for, probably not a couple kissing on the sidewalk.”

      “Quick thinking, McClintock.” Her lips ached to feel the pressure of his sweet, cherry-flavored kiss again, but they didn’t have any more excuses to engage in another lip-lock.

      Tugging her out of their cozy alcove, he said, “Let’s get you back to your hotel, and then you’re checking out and getting on the first flight back to…wherever it is you came from.”

      She didn’t figure Rio would send her packing before he tried to interrogate her further about Alexi’s business deals, habits and friends. She planted her bare feet on the sidewalk. “Oh, no you don’t. I’m not leaving until I get what I came here for.”

      “If the guy divorced you, he’s not going to be too happy to see you again, especially if he figures out you have revenge on your mind. An unhappy Mad Prince Alexi is a dangerous Mad Prince Alexi. You of all people should know that.”

      “I do know that, but it doesn’t change a thing. I have to carry out my plan.”

      Rio stuffed his hands in the pockets of his new shorts. “What exactly is your plan?”

      Tori scooped in a deep breath. “I’m moving into Alexi’s compound.”

      “Are you crazy?” Rio’s fists bulged in his pockets. “What makes you think he’ll let you in there?”

      Lifting her chin, she squared her shoulders. “Oh, he’ll let me in.”

      “Then what? You’re going to try some revenge scheme? You’ll be putting yourself in extreme danger. It’s worse than it was two years ago. Back then he was moving drugs and dabbling in arms. Now he’s a full-scale arms dealer, working with the most lethal terrorist groups in the world.”

      “That’s why it’s more vital than ever that I move into the compound.”

      He grabbed her shoulders and shook her. “Why? Why is it so important for you to do this?”

      She caught her bottom lip between her teeth as tears flooded her eyes. “My son’s in there.”

      Chapter Three

      Tori’s words twisted a knife in his gut, and his grip on her shoulders melted into a caress. As her bottom lip trembled, he pulled her back into his arms, where she’d felt so right before.

      His contact hadn’t told him about a child, and Rio hadn’t seen any evidence of one at the compound, although he hadn’t been able to spy on the south wing as it lay on the other side of the property. All of the guests and the parties congregated in the rooms and terraces on the north and northwest ends of the compound, which placed them right in his line of fire.

      Even a poor excuse for a father like Alexi would want to keep his son away from that crowd.

      Tori sniffled against his chest and Rio stroked her wild curls. How had a woman like this, bright and feisty as all hell, gotten mixed up with a lunatic like Prince Alexi?

      And what idiot at the CIA had told Alexi’s ex-wife about the operation against him?

      Tori stepped back, wiping the back of her hand across her cheek. “That’s why I have to get into that compound. I haven’t been allowed to see my boy in almost two years.”

      From what he knew about Alexi, that didn’t surprise Rio. An arrogant, possessive man like Alexi wouldn’t readily relinquish custody of his son.

      “What makes you think he’s going to let you see him now?”

      Lifting her shoulders, she said, “He’s in the U.S. now. I could cause some legal trouble for him if he tries to keep me away from Max. Alexi doesn’t like attention like that.”

      The lights up and down the street began to blink off as the shops closed for business. Rio laced his fingers through Tori’s. “Let’s finish this discussion in my car.”

      Rio had parked his rental on a side street behind a truck. After he tossed his backpack into the trunk and settled behind the wheel, he turned to Tori.

      “Where has your son been all this time— Glazkova?”

      She nodded. “And if you think the security is tight at his spread here in Maui, you should see it at his palace in Glazkova.”

      “Can’t you visit your son there?” Rio cranked on the engine and pulled onto the darkened main street. He figured the Hummer would be heading back to Alexi’s property, and Tori’s hotel lay in the other direction.

      Rolling down her window, Tori snorted. “I’m persona non grata in Glazkova. I’m not even allowed to step foot in the country or I’ll get tossed into prison. There’s a war rant for my arrest.”

      Rio’s brows shot up. “For what?”

      “Adultery.”

      “What?”

      “Adultery is a crime punishable by at least two years of hard labor in a lovely Glazkova prison, but of course it was a trumped-up charge. Even if I’d wanted to cheat on Alexi, he made sure I’d never have an opportunity to do so.”

      Rio’s jaw tightened at the hardships this woman had endured at the hands of that criminal. “Why did he put you through all that?”

      “Because I wanted a divorce. I wanted to take my son, Max, and go home.” She rubbed her hands together as if a sudden chill had grabbed her on this sultry, tropical night.

      “So he accused you of adultery? Don’t the Glazkova courts require some proof, or are they wholly under Prince Alexi’s command?”

      “They are, but even so the courts have to at least pretend there’s justice for all, so Alexi made sure they had proof. He paid off or coerced members of his staff to come forward and admit they’d slept with me. By the time Alexi was through with me, everyone thought I’d serviced the entire security force of Glazkova.”

      Rio slanted a glance at Tori, her eyes bright with tears. He’d despised Prince Alexi for spreading misery around the world through drugs and weapons. Now he wanted to kill the man.

      “So he drove you out of Glazkova and kept Max there.”

      “Yeah.” She rubbed her nose. “I had three choices. I could go to a labor camp for two years or more, and probably not be allowed to see Max after. I could stay married to Alexi and live as a prisoner