The Billionaire's Baby Bargain(5)

Who was he? She bit her lip, trying not to think about the kiss and just how much it had stirred her.

She was nearly back to the path to the hotel when she realized someone seemed really close behind her. She cast a quick glance over her shoulder to investigate and her pulse jumped.

A man. Mostly in shadow. Biting her lip, she tried to increase her pace.

The hotel was closer now and was within view of the path up ahead. Chloe gathered the length of her sarong and started to run. Footsteps rushed behind her and she knew she was in trouble. Her heart slammed against her ribcage when a hand grabbed her arm; his painful grip spun her around.

“What’s your hurry, baby?” he asked, his voice slurred.

Chloe recognized the man immediately. He was one of the guests at the resort, an American. Oh, no. No, no, no.

“Let go of me,” she said forcefully, hoping her panic didn’t show through.

That policy Estella Martinez had instilled at the Diablo’s Paraíso resort, or the Devil’s Paradise, was catching up with her in a big, nasty way.

“I thought we could pick up where we left off this afternoon, when you were serving me drinks.” He pressed himself closer to her and the alcohol fumes from his breath nearly burned her nostrils. “Damn, but you’re a pretty one. You’re an American, too, aren’t you honey?”

She tried to jerk away, fear in her gut, but it was impossible.

Flirt with the guests. Make them feel important. Do whatever it takes to ensure they are satisfied, Estella had ordered. Flirting didn’t come naturally to Chloe, but she managed to force herself. And until now it had never posed a threat to her safety.

Her throat went tight with fear, her heart pounding a mile a minute. “Please, let me go. I’m not interested,” she protested, trying to free herself from his grip, searching around for someone on the beach who could help.

“You sure seemed interested this afternoon, baby.” He grinned and then grabbed her bottom.

“Stop it.” Panic hit full force and her voice rose.

She managed to pull free enough to stumble backward. Her relief was short-lived when her foot caught in her sarong and she went sprawling onto the sand. The man was on top of her in an instant, lips burying against her neck, hands tearing at her bikini top.

Chloe screamed full force, terror clogging the air in her throat while she fought to free herself. But she was no match for his drunken dead weight.

The weight of the man suddenly lifted, the smell of sweat and alcohol removed from her nostrils, and she sucked in a desperately needed breath.

She scurried backward in the sand, fearful he would grab her again, but then she looked up and gave a sob of relief.





Chapter 2



Andrés let out a snarl of rage as he gripped the American’s shirt, lifting the man off the ground. He drew back his fist and smashed it into the man’s face. His snapped back and he gave a groan of pain.

“Leave before I kill you,” he muttered savagely, thrusting him to the ground.

The man stumbled to his feet, gripping his jaw, but fearfully ran in the opposite direction.

Andrés turned to find Chloe, his throat tight with fury and regret. She cowered just yards away, arms wrapped around her legs and her head lowered on top of her knees.

“You are safe now, cariño.” He knelt down beside her and lifted her chin. Her eyes brimmed with tears of shock and fear. Muttering a soft curse, he scooped her up into his arms.

“Please,” she whispered, shaking her head. “I’m fine. I can walk back myself.”

“Basta. Enough,” he said fiercely and lifted her petite frame higher against his chest.

He managed to grab her backpack before carrying her toward the resort.

Still, her body trembled and tears spilled down her cheeks. She’d been lucky he’d been swimming nearby and had heard her screams. To think of what could have happened… When he’d seen Chloe pinned beneath the bastard, heard her cry of terror, he’d snapped. Never before had he experienced such rage, nor had he wanted to snap a man’s neck more than in that moment.

A growl sounded low in his throat, and Chloe stiffened in his arms. With a silent curse, he forced himself to relax, to ease the fury from his face. The last thing he needed was to frighten her any more than she already was. Chloe rested lightly in his arms, and when she stared up at him through damp long eyelashes she looked achingly vulnerable. Entirely too beautiful.

Some of the anger faded. Desire stirred in his loins and he shook his head in disbelief. How could he be having such thoughts when she was obviously traumatized?

He needed to take her somewhere private. Have her sit down for a moment and take a sip of brandy to calm her nerves. His thoughts turned to the cabana on the resort’s property. It was near the beach and had been set aside for his own personal use, but he had yet to take advantage of it. Damn, did he even remember the code to enter it?