-Author-
LEE STORM

PROLOGUE​​

 

         Mack had been attracted to Carly when he first saw her in the Miami Airport.  They were both headed to the Dominican Republic, or the DR, as frequent visitors to the island called it.  She was headed to a job at a resort.  A job she had signed on for with no idea of what to expect.  She just wanted to have an adventure in an exotic warm place.

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          Mack was headed to the DR to pick up the new boat he had purchased to start his new charter business.  He brought along his four-legged companion, a black lab mix named Maddie that he had raised from a puppy. 

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          Mack was delighted at the great price he got on an almost new boat.  It was a forty-five foot catamaran ideal for chartering.  The broker had told him that the couple that had purchased it in South Africa had sailed it to the Caribbean and almost divorced after the experience.  Sailing turned out not to be the fun they had expected and the wife threatened divorce if they didn’t sell the boat immediately.

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          What Mack didn’t know was that the boat he bought was still legally owned by an infamous drug smuggler, Don Emilio, who had hired the couple to deliver the boat secretly filled with over 15 million dollars in cash, gold, diamonds and cocaine to the Caribbean from South Africa.  Mack was also unaware that pirates had killed the couple and resold the boat to the broker clueless of the booty on board.

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          Mack’s dream had been greatly enhanced when he met Carly.  He was delighted when she decided to join him after a disastrous start to her job at a resort in the Dominican Republic. 

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          Both Mack’s and Carly’s dreams had been shattered when they found themselves being hounded and attacked by thugs sent by Don Emilio to recover both his boat and cargo.  During the first attack the thugs found the treasure.  Mack and Carly were in shock at the wealth they discovered after having to kill the two thugs.

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          After finding the treasure on their boat, Mack and Carly buried a cache of three million in money, diamonds and gold on a small island in the Ilse des Saintes before continuing their escape of the pursuers.  Their escape landed them in the Mediterranean on their boat in Monaco.

The initial attractions that both Mack and Carly felt for each other turned into love.  It wasn’t just love from being thrown into a desperate situation and needing each other.  It was the love they had both always dreamed of having.  They had great sex, a lust for adventure and enduring commitments to bind them together for life. 

         

Chapter 1

          The harbor in Monaco was relatively quiet this time of year.  Nearly all of the big yachts were sitting empty except for bare bone crews who enjoyed the luxury of wealth that they didn’t have themselves.  Carly snuggled into Mack’s arms and scratched Maddie’s head.  The lovable black lab mix starred up at her with huge brown eyes and what everyone swore was a smile on her face.

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          Carly looked up at Mack and said, “Are you doing ok?”

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          “I’ve got you and Maddie and we have this great boat to sail around the world.  Why wouldn’t I be ok?  I’m great.”

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          “I mean about having to kill Don Emilio,” Carly answered.  “I know we really had no choice.  Even if we had given back what we have left of the treasure, he wasn’t going to be satisfied.  I think he would have killed you and likely taken me for his entertainment before tossing me overboard in the ocean.  But it wasn’t like those thugs he sent after us in the Caribbean.  That was self defense.”

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          “So was killing Don Emilio,” Mack said and took another sip of the perfectly chilled Chardonnay.  “We couldn’t just wait for him to send some more thugs to kill us.  You think he would let us live when we knew he was a drug smuggler, not the owner of a legitimate import export business?” 

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          They were enjoying their glasses of wine as they savored their evening sunset ritual sitting in the cockpit of their forty-five foot catamaran.  The huge yachts in the harbor dwarfed their boat, but they didn’t care.  It was perfect for the charter business that Mack had hoped to start in Caribbean. 

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          “I still can’t believe our bad luck,” Carly said.  “Only in a paperback thriller would we run into that Don Emilio guy halfway around the world here in Monaco.  I thought we were so far away from the Caribbean he would never find us.”

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          “Yeah,” Mack frowned.  “I love Alex and Sophia and I wouldn’t want to have missed out on their friendship.  It was just bad luck that Alex’s father did business with Don Emilio.  And more bad luck that we went to that party and he spotted us.  One of his thugs must have gotten pictures of us and sent them to his boss.”

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          “Yeah, just bad luck,” Carly said as she snuggled deeper into Mack’s arms.  “Except for meeting Alex and Sophia.  That was a fun little experience swapping partners in the Saintes.  I still see you lusting after her cute little body, at least until she started showing her baby bump.  Speaking of which, do you think there is any chance that might be your baby?  Timing is sure suspicious.  And they did insist on naming us as godparents.”

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          “What?  That never occurred to me,” Mack said with a shocked expression.  “I just assumed she was on the pill.  Why do even ask that?”

          Carly looked up at him, “Well I asked her point blank and she almost had a heart attack.  She said never to even suggest it or Alex’s father would disown Alex and the baby.  He is a really macho guy you know.”

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          “Well, I’m not going to mention it,” Mack said.

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          “Me neither,” Carly said.  “They are so happy about the baby, I wouldn’t do anything to upset them.  Now how about making some plans for the rest of our trip around the world?”

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          Mack looked at her thoughtfully and replied, “I think we just need to wait a little longer until the death of Don Emilio has been ruled an accident and we are not under any suspicion.”

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          Three weeks later, after stocking up the boat, they invited Alex and Sophia to join them for their last dinner out in Monaco.  Alex insisted on treating them at a very expensive restaurant.

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          Alex and Sophia met Carly and Mack at the restaurant with mixed emotions.  They always enjoyed each other’s company and they were very sad to have their new friends leaving Monaco.  But they also envied the adventure that they knew lay ahead for Mack and Carly. 

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          “Can’t you stay a little longer,” Sophia pleaded.  Your godchild needs your support even in my tummy.  He will know that you are not around.”  She rubbed her tummy and they all laughed.

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          “We will be back for the big event Sophia,” Carly promised.  In fact we will come back at least a couple of weeks before you are due just to be sure we don’t miss it.”  She took Sophia’s hand and squeezed.

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          Mack nodded his head in agreement and said, “Alex you know how to track us on the Internet.  I set it up just so someone knows where we are in the world, but you are the only one who knows how to track us.  I don’t want there to be any chance that Don Emilio’s thugs can take up the chase again.  Which is another reason we need to get out of Monaco.  He might have told someone in his organization that he had located us here and they could decide to take up the pursuit again.”

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          “Don’t worry about anyone else being able to track you down on the Internet Mack.  I will keep it in my head only and delete any tracking I do from my computer.  But please email us occasionally so we can stay in touch.”

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          “Of course we will Alex.  And, you also have our satellite phone number.  If our godchild decides to come early let us know as soon as possible.  We will put Maddie in her crate and all of us will fly here on the first available flight.”

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          After dinner they all walked out to the boat so Alex and Sophia could say goodbye to Maddie as well.  They had grown attached to her and she was excited when they came up the dock, barking excitedly and wagging her tail.  Sophia bent down and scratched her head, “You know you will be our baby’s goddog don’t you Maddie.  Our baby will love playing with you.”  Maddie smiled like she understood every word.

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          They shared one last bottle of wine on the deck and talked until after midnight.  Sophia groaned a little when she had to settle for a glass of Pellegrino.  None of them wanted the evening to end, but Mack and Carly planned to set sail early the next morning, so they said tearful goodbyes and hugged each other.  As Alex and Sophia walked away Carly turned to Mack and said, “They are such special friends.  I wish they could come with us.”

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          “When the baby gets old enough, I bet they will join us in our travels.”  He gave Carly a reassuring hug. 

 

Chapter 2

 

          Catalina sat on the veranda in what had been Don Emilio’s home overlooking his vineyard and enjoying the morning sun as it warmed her body.  Don Emilio had been dead for three months now and she had fought hard to keep control of the empire of his drug cartel and his many other ‘legitimate businesses.’  Being a woman had made it very challenging in this male dominated and very dangerous business.

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          “Good morning Catalina,” Juan said as the burly ‘butler’ led him out on the veranda.  Juan had been the recently appointed second in command for Don Emilio’s drug operations in the Caribbean just before Don Emilio died.  He had no idea of the extent of Don Emilio’s operations, but had expected to step into Don Emilio’s shoes. 

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          Juan had only met Catalina once and thought she was just Don Emilio’s mistress.  He had no idea at that time that she was in fact the most powerful person in Don Emilio’s organization.

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          Catalina was a highly educated and sophisticated businesswoman.  She had an undergraduate degree in finance and law degree from Stanford.  She had become Don Emilio’s mistress after they first met at a party in Bogota. 

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          Catalina had been invited to visit Colombia with a classmate from Stanford when they both graduated from Stanford.  Her classmate’s father was a wealthy businessman who had started out in the drug business and still had interests in it even though he had insulated himself very well.  Don Emilio was a young aggressive player in the drug trade and well on his way to starting his own cartel in Columbia. 

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          Emilio and Catalina fell in mutual lust at first sight and he talked her into staying in Columbia with him.  He gave her a great life with luxuries, servants, travel and a life style she could never have had back in the states. 

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          Their relationship had lasted up until Emilio’s death, but it had grown far beyond sexual.  Don Emilio had even considered marrying her, but his lust for young women with firm bodies was too strong to settle for marriage.   Catalina was beautiful and still had a great body, but it was not the body of a twenty something year old.

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          Catalina’s brains and business skills had become too valuable to Don Emilio to dismiss her.  And, he still cared for her more than anyone else in his life.  He had made her executer of his estate and given her power of attorney over all of his affairs.  She alone knew the extent of Don Emilio’s empire.  She alone held the knowledge to keep the empire intact and operational.

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          Juan’s knowledge of the operational side of the drug cartel was valuable, but Catalina knew she could easily replace him if he became a problem.  He had not been happy when he realized he was not the heir apparent to the drug cartel, but he knew he did not have the control or the money to take over the operation. 

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          “Come.  Sit down and have a drink, Juan.  We have much to discuss.”  Catalina said with a smile and a look that was as seductive as Marilyn Monroe.  Catalina was older than the women Juan was attracted to normally, but she was beautiful and she dressed to show off her voluptuous figure.  She was wearing a clingy silk dress with nothing underneath.

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          “I was pleased when Don Emilio appointed you to take over the operational side of our business in the Caribbean,” Catalina said with all of her charm.  “That fool Sebastian couldn’t even handle the simple task of recovering the boat that was stolen.  We lost more than fifty million in cash, gold, diamonds and cocaine due to his incompetence.”

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          She paused to let her words sink in.  “I could blame you for Don Emilio’s death, you know.  I believe the couple that has the boat killed him.  You should have caught them before Emilio foolishly took matters into his own hands.”

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          Catalina took a sip of brandy and continued.  “Yes, he called me the day he died and told me he had stumbled upon them in Monaco of all places.  He said he was going to handle it personally and recover his property.  I am sure that somehow they were able to kill him, but I am not going to pursue them any more.  Keeping the cartel running smoothly is worth billions.  Whatever is left of the treasure on board that boat is insignificant and a distraction to my responsibilities.  I hope you agree and will get on board with my efforts.”  She leaned forward and placed her hand on his thigh showing ample cleavage.

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          “Of course I will,” Juan replied as enthusiastically as he could manage.  It did not sit well with him that he was taking directions from a woman.  He smiled back at Catalina and sensed the sexual offering that she was presenting.  I think I can have you and with you all of Don Emilio’s wealth, he thought.  You are just a woman and I can own you. 

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          “Thank you Catalina.  I am so pleased that you and I will be working together to take over Don Emilio’s business.  We will make a wonderful partnership.”

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          Catalina smiled at him and stood up.  She reached down and took his hand pulling him to stand up.  When he did she pressed her body against his.  You are a fool my little ignorant peasant, she thought, but I will enjoy putting you in your place.  “Shall we go inside?” she said and walked into the bedroom just off the veranda.

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          When Juan followed into the room behind her she slipped the straps of the dress off her shoulders and let it fall to the floor.  He took in her naked body and grew hard immediately.  She lay on the luxurious bed and stretched her body, caressing her breasts for his enjoyment.  “I hope you are not just going to stand there and stare at me.”  She moved like a cat on the silk sheets.

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          Juan proved a clumsy lover, but his youth and vigor made up for it.  Catalina enjoyed having the power to dominate him and use him for her pleasure as Don Emilio had used her.  For their final act, she got on top and straddled him.  When he reached for her breasts she pushed his hands down and teased him by swaying her breast just out of reach of his mouth and brushing the nipples across his face. 

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          After she climaxed, Catalina smiled down at Juan and slapped him hard across the face.  “You are a lousy fuck, my little boy.  I hope you can prove more useful in your job.  We are not going to be partners.  You have nothing to offer me that any number of others cannot do just as well.  If you want to keep your job, you will do as I tell you.”  She climbed off of him and wrapped a robe around her.  “Now, get out and get back to work.”

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          Juan’s anger flared and he leaped to swing at her.  She was too fast and had anticipated his move.  He was facing a small berretta pistol in the hands of a deadly female.  He quickly put on his clothes and left feeling disappointment, hatred, and fear for his future.  I will show you bitch, he thought as he left.  I will take the cartel away from you, whatever it takes.