The sickening sway of the boat, mixed with the tension between her and Blake, had stretched nearly an hour according to Kara’s cell phone clock, but it felt like an eternity. Each second passing should have given her the peace of mind they’d survive this trip, but it didn’t, and she had Blake to thank for that. His willingness to kill Alvarez, the only person she could be certain could deliver her sister back to her, cut deeply. She’d opened up to Blake. She’d told him her torment over losing her family and her need to save her only sister, and he’d dismissed it in a blink of an eye. And for what? Vengeance. He’d lost someone and didn’t care if she did, too.

She glanced at his profile, cursing the flutter in her stomach created in her by just looking at him. Once again she wondered why, of all the men she’d encountered in her life, her work, that it had to be a man with a death wish that got to her. But then, maybe she understood. What did she have left without her sister? Him? No. She didn’t have him. Not for more than sex and a spanking if she wanted one. He could hold his breath forever. There would be no spanking. There would be no more anything for them. After what he’d pulled tonight, that should feel like the right choice.

Why didn’t it?

Suddenly, the door to the cabin opened and Kara jumped to her feet, aware of Blake doing the same beside her. Ignacio appeared and didn’t make even one wise remark, which struck her as unusual. Ignacio didn’t seem likely to miss a chance to prove he was “boss” to everyone, especially Blake.

Whatever the reason, Ignacio was quick to tell them they were back in San Francisco. In fact, he seemed like he couldn’t get them off the boat fast enough.

“Ignacio sure was eager to get rid of us,” Blake muttered as they stepped onto the dock, a deep scowl on his face.

“There was something he didn’t want us to see,” Kara agreed, putting her anger at Blake aside and letting the agent in her take over. “Either drugs or girls, I assume.”

“Something was off with him,” he said as they tracked a fast pace down the dock toward the parking lot.

“Like your priorities tonight,” she commented. Okay, so maybe she didn’t put her anger aside.

He didn’t comment. He didn’t even look at her. That only ticked her off more. In order to work with him, she had to know she could trust him—and right now, she didn’t. His betrayal bit so hard that she was only remotely aware of the cold wind crashing over them, lifting her dark hair from her shoulders and piercing the thin layer of her silk dress.