He studied her, and each second felt like nails on a chalkboard grating on Blake’s nerves before Alvarez replied, “Indeed,” and then looked at Blake. “Find out who is stealing from me in the next two weeks and there’s half a million in it for you. Since Kara seems to work well with you, her compensation is in your hands. If you succeed, then we’ll talk about a bigger paycheck and bigger role in my operation.”

“I’m contract and I plan to stay that way. If you can’t live with that, then you might as well find someone else now.”

“I can be highly persuasive.”

“Aren’t we just two peas in a pod, then? Because so can I. How do I reach you when I have a list of your thieves?”

“Mendez.”

“And if he’s part of the problem?”

Alvarez considered Blake for several lingering moments, before he said, “I’ll contact you.” His eyes moved back to Kara and narrowed slightly, before he announced, “You remind me of someone.” And then he turned away and started to walk.

The air in Blake’s lungs lodged at what had to be a reference to Kara looking like her sister. Warning bells went off in his head. Ignacio had mentioned metal detectors, which they’d never encountered, which meant Ignacio had expected them to go on to Alvarez’s home. Blake had to assume the worst, that Alvarez had recognized Kara, and had ended this night early. In other words, they were as good as dead.

The kingpin headed up the steps and Blake reached for his boot, ready to yank out a blade he’d hidden inside a leather flap. Suddenly, Kara was squatting at his feet, her hand covering his. “No,” she ordered in a hissed whisper. “This isn’t the end game.”

Blake tried to get up but Kara used her body to block him. The door slammed shut and Blake cursed, picking Kara up and moving her out of his way, and then charging for the door. It was locked and he tried to kick it open. He had to get them out of here. For all he knew, they were the only ones left on a boat about to be blown to pieces.

Abruptly, the cabin door burst open and Ignacio shoved a gun in Blake’s face—and for once, Blake was damn glad to see Ignacio. They were not alone and the boat was not about to be blown up. “What the hell are you doing pounding on the door?” Ignacio barked.

“Kara wants a Diet Sprite,” Blake explained dryly. “You didn’t answer when we knocked nicely.”

“A Diet Sprite?” Ignacio asked.

“It’s called Sprite Zero,” Kara commented from behind Blake. “But anything diet works. The boat movement is making me sick.”