High Seas Deception (Adventure Cruise Lines) by Loucinda McGary

Author:Loucinda McGary [McGary, Loucinda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2012-01-29T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

In one fluid movement, Malone yanked his adversary from the cab of the bakery truck to the ground, and pounced atop him, knee buried in his windpipe. But as he reached to deliver the vicious twist that would break the man's neck, a harsh command in Spanish stayed his hand.

The faint shuffling of feet on the graveled pavement drew Malone's eyes to the front of the truck while the same voice shouted, "Basta! Enough! Or I shoot her."

Skylar stumbled into view, her arm wrenched behind her back and the muzzle of a nine millimeter Beretta pressed to her temple. Her green eyes met his for a moment and then she lowered her lids, resigning herself to her fate.

No!

As Malone fought back the red haze of fury threatening to envelope him, rob him of his senses, he carefully eased his knee off his intended victim's throat.

This is why, the sarcastic voice inside his head taunted him. You never get involved. Never let yourself care.

But it was too late because he did care, and he would do whatever he could to protect Skylar. Mind racing, he rose slowly to his feet. "You don't want to do something so stupid, my friend," he called out in Spanish.

Still wheezing and clutching his throat, the man on the ground got up. "Why not?" He spat. "She's your whore."

"She's also the daughter of Dr. Cranston, and worth far more alive than dead." Malone saw the slightest waver of hesitation from the man holding the gun to Skylar's head and he knew he was on the right track.

"Don't pretend," he continued. "If you didn't know something of Cranston, you wouldn't be here. He's the only one who knows I have his merchandise."

Keep talking. Keep them distracted… Malone shifted imperceptibly toward Skylar, intent on getting her away from the knacker with the gun.

Movement on the edge of the steep drop-off made him hesitate a millisecond too long. As he lunged, chaos erupted.

He watched Skylar perform a perfect duck and jab, but the man she'd pitched over the embankment reached the top just in time to grab her ankle and pull her down.

Amid shouted obscenities, his fist connected to jaw bone right before a hard object thunked into his temple. Malone grunted at the moment of blinding pain before he sank senseless as a stone.

He had no idea how long he remained unconscious, but his mind slowly registered the throbbing ache in his head and jarring movement caused pain to ricochet all around his body. The overly sweet smell of sugary baked goods clogged the air. Then very close by, a soft voice whispered to him.

At first, the words seemed garbled, but gradually he sorted them out. "Wake up, Malone. Oh, please God, wake up!"

Skylar.

He wrenched his lids up just enough to confirm that she was alive and not some auditory hallucination. From not more than a hand's span away, her beautiful green eyes stared back at him. The smear of dirt across her left cheek looked far

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