‘You will resign tomorrow.’
A death knell sounded somewhere in her head. ‘Please, don’t do this, Reyes.’
His eyes narrowed. ‘Resign. Or I’ll take pleasure in informing your superiors of the true depths of your character. After I hand you over to the authorities.’
‘Are you saying that if I resign you won’t tell them I’m—’ She stopped, unable to speak the hated word that sealed her guilt. But he already knew she was guilty. His eyes narrowed scornfully.
‘Afraid to say it out loud? A thief, Jasmine Nichols, that’s what you are,’ he condemned through clenched teeth. ‘You not only stole from me, you stole from my people. You single-handedly set back years of trade negotiations.’ His eyes blazed at her, grey fire that stripped her to the bone.
Her heart lurched as her sins were laid bare in front of her. The heat of shame burned through her, from the soles of her feet up through her body until the acrid taste of it flooded her mouth.
‘Rey—I’m sorry. What happened wasn’t supposed to happen.’
His laughter mocked her. ‘You mean the sex was supposed to addle my brain so much I’d suspect someone else of the theft?’ he snarled.
‘No. I mean I shouldn’t have taken the treaty in the first place.’ Jasmine couldn’t contain the sob that rose in her throat. Tears flooded her eyes. To hide it, she turned away and plugged a fist to her mouth.
But he heard it. Of course he heard it. ‘Tears, Miss Nichols?’ he taunted. ‘How original. Almost as original as your pick-up line in Rio.’
Her sob emerged, thick and broken. Desperately, she tried to gulp it down.
His scorn reached her from across the room. ‘Spare me the histrionics. You cry as if your heart is breaking. Which cannot be because you don’t have a heart.’
Her head whipped round at the cruel assertion. He stood against the window, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. She deserved every accusation he threw at her, but she needed him to see she wasn’t all bad.
‘What I did was wrong, I know that. And I have a heart, or I wouldn’t be here, trying to make amends.’
A cruel smile curved his lips. ‘Well, that’s a shame and a curse for you. Because I aim to make you pay for your betrayal. And by the time I’m finished with you, you’ll feel that heart you claim to possess ripped from your chest!’
* * *
Reyes watched her eyes widen. The same eyes had gazed adoringly up at him that night on his yacht, then darkened as passion had gripped them both. Eyes he’d drowned in as he’d sunk deep inside her.
Deceptive, duplicitous eyes that had taken his lust and turned it against him. Played him as a virtuoso plucked at willing strings. Deep down in a place he rarely liked to visit, it still burned him that he’d never seen it coming. That he’d been so completely and utterly duped for the second time in his life.
Duped by a woman who’d proclaimed to be one thing and turned out to be another.
And this time, the consequences threatened to be worse.
Anaïs had ruined one life, devastated one family. Jasmine’s actions threatened thousands.
He’d been willing to bide his time. But he’d never been one to miss an opportunity. And while he hadn’t expected the opportunity to arise so soon, he was perfectly willing to take his revenge now.
Jasmine Nichols had walked into his life, brazen and unrepentant. He had every intention of making her pay for her sins. Seeing the tears on her face only strengthened his resolve.
Reyes didn’t doubt they were genuine, but he knew they were born of self-preservation rather than a show of repentance. He’d witnessed it many times before. From Anaïs. From his mother.
One hand came up and scrubbed at her face. In the blink of an eye her tears were wiped clean. As if they’d never been there. Just like in Rio. She’d charmed her way into his bed for long enough to get her hands on what she’d wanted. Then she’d vanished like a spent tornado, leaving devastation behind.
His jaw tightened. ‘Who hired you to steal the treaty?’ He hadn’t meant to question her here, like this. But the need to know burned fiercely inside him. ‘Was it Mendez?’
‘No. I didn’t...no one hired me.’
‘So it was merely an opportunistic theft? The moment presented itself and you thought, why not? To what end, though? Blackmail?’
He caught her wince and felt a sliver of satisfaction. At least it showed she wasn’t as unfeeling as he’d thought. Or maybe she didn’t like her flaws pointed out to her. Tough. Before he was done, her every flaw would be exposed to the light of day.
She lifted a hand, as if to beseech him. ‘No... Yes, it was blackmail, but you don’t understand—’
He snorted. ‘Theft is theft, Miss Nichols. It can’t be explained away.’
The knock on the door made her jump. Reyes barked out an order and a member of staff walked in with a tray.
He took it and walked to the bed. Waiting until Jasmine sat up against the pillows, he set it down across her lap.
‘I will force-feed you if necessary, but you will eat this meal, understood?’ He didn’t want to look at her, see how pale she was. Or remember his gut-churning anxiety when he’d been unable to wake her earlier.
Her head bowed as she looked down at the tray. ‘No force-feeding necessary. I seem to have my appetite back.’ Her stomach rumbled and one corner of her lush mouth lifted.
Reyes looked away and stepped back.
‘Your things are being collected from your home. My plane will be ready to leave in the morning. Make sure you’re packed and ready to leave.’
He headed for the door before he was tempted to do something idiotic. Like watch her eat.
‘IS THERE REALLY no other way for me to make amends?’
Reyes took the empty tray and handed it to the member of staff hovering nearby.
‘No.’
He glimpsed a touch of rebellion in her eyes and something fizzed through his blood, almost an anticipation of his battle with her. Which was curious. And ridiculous. All he was interested in was making her pay for her actions. ‘You’ll come with me—’
‘Or you’ll report me to the authorities? Have me thrown in jail?’ Her fingers twisted in her lap. ‘I know. Maybe that’s a better option than...’
‘Facing my brand of justice? You know, I think that’s the first sensible decision you’ve made since we met. But seriously, do you want to take your chances locked in the basement again? You didn’t last half a day. The bureaucracy before you’re brought to trial alone would take months, if not years. On the other hand, a Santo Sierran prison is so much better. We deliver justice swiftly. If nothing else, you’ll have wall-to-wall sunshine all year round; you can acquire a permanent tan during your lifelong incarceration.’
Fear clenched her heart. ‘Is that where we—you’re going?’
‘Eventually. You have until morning to decide. Then I abandon you to the ambassador’s mercy.’
She paled further. ‘I’ve suffered worse, I’m sure. But I really don’t think it needs to come to that.’
Surprise sparked through Reyes at her reply, then he berated himself for his reaction. Obviously his wasn’t the first threat of punishment Jasmine Nichols had received in her life. Curious,