Depths of Salvation (Love on the Edge) Read Online Free Page B

my reasoning. He’d backed me into a corner until I was so pissed I’d snapped. I usually wouldn’t have behaved that way, but the guy got under my skin. He used his money and status to intimidate people into doing what he wanted, and only what was beneficial to him . I hated his type. I’d given him the benefit of the doubt going to him personally first, before approaching the Head of Government, and he’d thrown that in my face like I was an annoying bug to be crushed.
    Not going down without a fight.
    “Someplace special you want to go, boss?” Nemo asked over his shoulder.
    I wanted a decent meal and a large, ice-cold rum and orange juice. My stomach rumbled just thinking about my favorite dive on the island. But it had to wait. “Henrick’s office.”
    Nemo nodded and cranked the accelerator. I let the sea air whip through my hair and calm the anger twisting my muscles. I wouldn’t let all my research—all my team’s efforts—go to waste because some billionaire wanted to save a handful of cash he could easily earn back in corporate tax deductions. This wasn’t just business to me. It was intimately personal. That site was dear to me.
    I rotated my neck to soothe the knot forming between my shoulder blades, my gaze locking onto a pair of jet skis a few hundred yards to the right. I held onto the cool metal rail of the speedboat, sitting up straighter as I shamelessly stared.
    The men from Mr. Slade’s office, the sandy blond-haired one, Ryan, kept pace next to Connell, who I couldn’t take my eyes off. He’d garnered my attention in the office but it wasn’t just his tall, broad frame or his ripped arms with colorful, decorative tattoos laced across his skin that warmed my blood. It was his eyes that had struck me. They barely showed behind the mess of black hair that hung just below his ears in jagged sections, but what had shown of the hazel tone had been enough to make my heart stutter. And looking at him now, the black tank top clinging to his carved muscles while he controlled the jet ski like a man would a motorcycle, had a heat pulsing low in my belly.
    Damn. It had been too long since I’d felt a spark like that. Not that I had time to entertain the idea of looking him up, but he wasn’t bad to look at now. Not at all.
    I watched him effortlessly take the jet ski to full speed, weaving in front of Ryan enough to throw him off course a bit. The pair laughed and challenged each other, going faster, hitting the waves in hard breaks, which sent them flying high above the water only to crash back down. Connell looked much less intimidating riding the jet ski, having fun, than he had in the office, barely speaking two words or even looking at me. Not that I’d noticed.
    I jolted as Nemo slowed the boat the closer we got to land. Connell and Ryan’s path had altered to come closer to ours. They docked only two slips down from us, and I swallowed hard as I climbed the ladder on our side, wondering if either one of them had caught me staring.
    Nemo followed close behind me as we made our way down the dock, my flip-flops clacking against the wooden planks.
    “Greetings, Ms. Sadie.” Nigel smiled at me from his small wooden hut at the end of the docks. He maintained them, as well as selling some of the most delicious roasted nuts on the planet.
    “How’s business today?” I asked, genuinely glad to see the man. I’d never seen him unhappy, and he was always a highlight of coming inland.
    “Can’t complain, Ms. Sadie. You here for fun? Or more work?”
    I tilted my head. It was sad when the dock-keeper knew how much of a workaholic I was. “Both,” I said, having already made up my mind to dine on the island tonight. As well as get roaring drunk if things didn’t go my way with Henrick.
    Nigel shook his head. “I don’t believe you, but I hope for you.”
    “Thanks, Nigel. We’ll be back for her later.” I glanced toward the speedboat, only to catch Connell’s eyes on me. He was a few