Fatal Pursuit (The Aegis Series) Read Online Free PDF Page B

tinged with an element of danger she remembered from the first time they’d met. But though a rational thinking woman would be scared, or, at the very least, intimidated by him, Marley wasn’t. Because she knew he wasn’t at all what people thought. And the fact he’d dropped everything to rush here and help her only confirmed that belief.
    “Guess I got lucky, then.”
    The bartender set her beer and two glasses of whiskey on the table, then left.
    Ronan huffed and reached for his new drink. “You’re on the edge of the jungle, sweetheart. Nothing lucky about that.”
    Marley lifted her drink and took a long swallow. “I can hold my own, don’t worry about me.”
    Ronan’s brow ticked up as he brought the glass to his lips. “I don’t doubt that. Does your father know you’re down here?”
    Marley didn’t want to talk about Mason Addison, at least not with Ronan. She lowered her beer. “No, this doesn’t concern him.”
    “What about that boss of yours? He know you’re getting ready to tromp through the jungle?”
    Marley thought of Jake. He’d throw a complete hissy fit if he knew she’d not only come to Columbia, but taken his plane to do it, but she only mildly cared. If Jake fired her, so be it. It was probably time for her to move on anyway.
    “No, and this doesn’t concern him either.” She folded her elbows on the table. “This is personal.”
    Ronan took another sip of his drink and lowered the glass with a clink. “In my experience, personal can get you killed. Especially in a place like this.”
    Marley hoped the hell not. She didn’t want to die for this. But she did owe Gray her help.
    Ronan finally shifted in his seat and sat forward. “So tell me about this McKnight character. I never liked the look of the sonofabitch, but I want to know just what the hell your father did to the guy and why he’s down here. And then I want you to tell me how you’re involved.”
    Marley tightened her fingers around the beer bottle. “You’re not going to like the answers.”
    “Tough shit, missy. Start talking.”

    Jake raked a hand through his hair and eyed the fifth and final hotel on his list across the dark street. If Marley wasn’t here, he wasn’t sure what his next move would be. She hadn’t responded to his calls, hadn’t checked in to any of the local hotels under her name, hadn’t used her credit card since she’d landed in Colombia, and she hadn’t made any calls from her cell. He knew she was still in Puerto Asis because he’d finally gotten a hold of Tony Hughes, the pilot who’d flown her to Columbia. Tony was currently hunkered down in a hotel near the airport awaiting Marley’s instructions, but he didn’t know where she’d gone, and at the moment, she wasn’t answering Tony’s calls either. Jake knew if Marley left the city before he found her, he’d wind up chasing her through the jungle, and right now, he did not have the patience to play her little game. Or to deal with the fallout.
    He moved into the lobby, swiped his forearm over his sweaty brow, and stepped up to the reception desk. A portly Latino man emerged from the back room and lifted his hand. “¡Buenas noches, señor! ¿Le puedo ayudar?”
    Shit. Today was one of those days he really wished he hadn’t been flirting with Misty Swanson all through his high school Spanish class and had actually paid attention. “Buenas noches. Habla Inglés?”
    “Sí, sí.”
    “Thank God,” Jake muttered. He pulled a photo from his pocket and held it up. “I’m looking for this woman. Have you seen her?”
    “You are American?”
    “Yes. She is as well. I just need to know if she’s been here.”
    The man chewed on his lip while he studied the picture. “ Sí , but she not here now.”
    If Marley had been here, that was a start. Hopefully she’d be back. He slid the picture into his back pocket. “Is she staying here?”
    The man’s eyes narrowed. “We no want trouble.”
    Jake held up a hand. “No