Dirty Empire: A Dark Romance Read online

  “Damn straight; it won’t.” Miles patted Miguel on the back. “Now, you have a nice day and send love to the familia for me.”

  “Will do, sir.” I saw Miguel quiver. I experienced that same fear when I looked at my husband back then. I had watched the whole scene from the upstairs window.

  After that, I noticed little things such as a scarf the maid brought to me, thinking it was mine. I don't own any scarves. I could smell the aroma of sweet perfume on it. From that moment, I realized Miles was cheating on me. He started as a very affectionate and caring. After we relocated to Hawaii, he became distant, only wanting quickie sex from me, leaving me dissatisfied and feeling lonely as hell.

  I wipe at the remaining tears and take a breath. I need to get myself together and get out of here tonight.

  Maverick

  Her tits were shaped like two perfect raindrops resting against her flat stomach. Her pussy was completely bare like she recently got a wax. She’s fucking perfect, so why the fuck was she in a relationship with Miles? Money, probably. That’s the only thing that makes sense, but I can’t focus on her any longer. She’s not my concern, and now Miles has become my enemy instead of my business partner. I follow the path down to my yacht, where Miles men are unloading the last of the oil drums. There are enough weapons in there for world war three. I already have the money, but if I knew Miles liked to hit on his wife, I would have told him to shove it up his ass.

  “All cleared out?” I ask the last man who's rolling out an oil drum.

  “Yes, sir,” he says before continuing his path to the estate.

  Thank, fuck. I’m ready to get out of here. Bill, my captain, appears, leaning over the railing so he can look down at me.

  “Should I get Legacy ready?” he asks. I look behind me just to make sure Miles hasn’t told his goons to stab me in the back.

  “Get ready. I’ll be back in an hour.” I turn away, tuck my hands in my pockets, and start walking. It doesn’t take me long to find a small high-class bar with the help of google maps. Of course, it isn’t far from Miles's property. I wonder if this is where he found his beautiful wife. There is no shortage of beautiful women inside with drinks in their hands. I make my way to the bar and order a three-fingers of Whiskey. I could've gotten on the yacht and been gone already, but I sailed to Hawaii from Tahiti. Every once in awhile, I need a break from the gentle sway of the water. The bartender sets the drink in front of me, and I take a swig.

  The liquor burns my throat as it goes down, and I can’t help but let out a sigh of relief as my shoulders relax—this is what I need. Being one of the biggest arms dealers in the world means I don’t often get a second to myself so that I can think. After the shit that just went down, I need a minute.

  The door chimes as someone walks in. I force myself not to turn around. This is why I hate making enemies; it makes me paranoid. I’m tired of this damn business. Arms dealing has been kind to me so far, but I know my time will run out. Most people are dead by forty, and I’m getting pretty damn close. I can buy anything I fucking want in this world, but that doesn’t matter when your life is consumed with work and the fear that someone's going to take it all away. I look up as a young blonde takes the seat next to me. Her hair is done up, and she has on a thick layer of make-up.

  “Hey, handsome,” her voice comes out low and sultry. If I have to guess, she’s a high-class prostitute. She can probably smell the money coming off of me. Women have a sixth sense about that shit. I don’t have anything against sex work. I’ve paid my fair share of women to suck my cock. Not because I have to, but because it makes things easier. Sometimes I don’t feel like dealing with the hassle of picking up a woman.

  An image of the dark-haired woman flashes in my mind. None of the women at this bar hold a candle to her. I could have killed Miles for leaving handprints around her throat. Downing the rest of my drink, I leave cash on the bar. The woman next to me smiles, obviously taking my action as an invitation. If I wasn’t eager to get back to the yacht and get far away from this island, I might take her up on the offer. But, it wasn’t safe to have my boat sitting on Miles property, and I wasn’t going to make a special trip to Hawaii again just to drop this lady off.

  “Not tonight, sweetheart,” I say before getting up from the stool and walking out the door.

  Hazel

  I know I need to get off the island soon. At the sound of an engine starting, I turn my head. Through the trees that surround the property, I can see a stretch of the road. The taillights of Miles’s Land Rover flash as he drives off the compound. This is my chance to go back to the house and gather a few of my belongings.

  Taking the golf cart back to the house, I re-enter through the staff entrance and quickly run upstairs to our bedroom, a bedroom that once held memories of laughter and hope but now just feels cold. I pack my things, throwing everything I can think of into a backpack along with an additional duffle bag. With my heart pounding in my chest, I hurry down the hall and out the back door. As I’m exiting, I feel a hand tug on my arm. Terrified, I yank my arm away. “What the-“

  I relax as I realize it’s just Juan, my driver.

  “Sorry, ma’am. I just want you to know that Mr. Miles has gone into town. I...I don’t know what he’s planning, but he says he’d be back in about an hour, so please hurry and get away now,” he begs in a shaky voice.

  I nod my head as a lump forms in my throat. I’ll miss Juan and some of the housekeepers. They are the only ones I could talk to when Miles took his turn for the worse, and I felt utterly alone. Sweat beads start to form on my upper lip. My body threatens to shut down entirely as I realize I don’t have any allies, no one I can call to help me. All I know is that I have to stay focused enough to form a plan to flee. Otherwise, I’d be floating in the water.

  “Thank you so much.” I briefly squeeze Juan’s hands and continue out the door. I jump in the golf cart and head back to the property’s edge toward the marina, hoping to find a way off this godforsaken island.

  A few minutes later, I spot Maverick, tall and sleek with dark features and jet black hair that frames his face. A man who exemplifies a tower of strength. His demeanor appears agitated. He’s muttering underneath his breath as he throws a rope out, preparing to launch out to sea on the biggest yacht I’ve ever seen. The outside is jet black, and it looks like there are at least two floors. I’m not an expert on yacht’s, but I know it has to be worth at least three-hundred million dollars, if not more, because it looks customized.

  This is my chance.

  I park the golf cart off the path near the trees and quickly jog to the marina’s edge, approaching the intimidating man.

  Maverick see’s me drawing near and sighs heavily, “What are you doing here?” The frustration evident in his tone, but I don’t miss the way his deep blue eyes scan over my body. He’s probably thinking about my naked body that he got a full view of not too long ago. My cheeks heat up at the thought.

  “I just need to get to another island, and then I can take it from there,” I beg. “As long as I stay on this island, he will find me. Please let me onboard, and you can drop me off at the first island we come to.”

  He starts to massage his temples as if I’m giving him a headache. “Ma’am-”

  “It’s Hazel. My name is Hazel.”

  “Okay, Hazel, I stepped in as an instinctive reaction, but I can’t let you get on this boat with me. I’ve done a lot of business with your husband. I know what kind of man he is. If he finds out I’m helping you run away; it’ll start a war that I don’t have the time or patience to be a part of.”

  “Please!” I plead, cringing at how desperate I sound.

  I look like a hot mess, but what else can I do? I just need to get somewhere safe. Maverick walks to the back of the yacht, ready to pull the anchor up and take off.

  “You’ll have to find another way off the island. I’ve already gotten too involved in this whole damn thing.” Maverick’s sinewy arm reaches down to pull up
the walkway to the water’s edge. He moves swiftly to the front of the boat, signaling to the captain before walking out of sight.

  I stand on the dock feeling dejected and desperate as the boat’s engine cranks. Tears rim my eyes, threatening to spill over. The yacht starts to move slowly, but the end is still close to the shore. I see a small gap that exists at the rear. Small enough that I can jump across. I have an opening...if only I can reach it. I have nothing to lose at this point except for my dignity. And that was taken from me long ago. With no time to think, I grip my two bags in my hand as tight as I can and sprint at full speed. I jump aboard with my two bags. My body tumbles onto the boat with a thump. I hit the deck a little harder than I want, but still…I'm on the yacht. I hurry across the teak flooring to the back stairs of a lower floor. This seems more like someone’s house than a boat. In front of me is a small cabin door. Please don’t let there be someone on the other side. With a deep breath, I slip inside and sigh with relief.

  My heart sinks back into my chest. The room is sizable with a plush king-sized bed and ensuite bathroom. This room has marble floors instead of the teak flooring on the deck above. There’s a large flatscreen TV mounted on the wall opposite the bed. The room smells like a mix of seawater and mint; it's oddly comforting.

  I drop my bags and start sobbing. Isn’t my body out of tears yet? The mattress dips as I sit on the edge of the bed. I’m safe now. Wherever this yacht stops, I can sneak off and figure out what I’m going to do. Hopefully, wherever I end up, I can find a job waitressing or something so that I can make quick cash. Everything will be ok.

  Heavy footsteps creak against the floor above. I slow my breathing so I can hear where they’re heading. It sounds like a door closes and then… stairs. Oh shit, they’re coming down here. My body tenses up as I will my brain to think of what to do.

  Son of a bitch, what am I going to do now?

  Rushing away from the bed, I open the closet door. Men’s dress shirts and jeans hang from the black hangers. I push them aside so I can crouch down in the closet and close the door. I try to control my breathing. I want to run, but there’s nowhere to go.

  The door to the bedroom opens before the sound of footsteps move to the bed. Through the cracks of the closet door, I see my mistake. Dammit! He trips over my bag strap but catches himself before hitting the floor. Shit, why don't I move the bags into the closet? I clamp a hand over my mouth to try and quiet my breathing. Maverick peers down at the bag strap, and then to the closet door. He grabs a handgun from his waistband.

  “Whoever the fuck you are, come out now, or I’m shooting!” He points the gun at the closet door, his arms strong and steady as he holds the gun. Does he have to hold a weapon often? My heartbeat picks up again. I’ve never had a gun pointed at me before. Haven’t I had my life threatened enough for one day? Fuck, so much for going unnoticed. With shaky hands, I slowly open the door. His cold demeanor melts from his face as he stares at me. His dark, blue eyes soften, and his shoulders visibly relax before he tucks the gun back into his jeans.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” He asks with a sigh.

  I unfold myself from the crouched position, feeling mortified that I’ve let this stranger see me so desperate. I tug at the bottom of my shirt, making sure I’m completely covered, not that it matters, considering he’s seen me butt-naked.

  “I’m sorry… I saw you pulling off from the dock. I panicked and jumped on board.” My throat burns as I speak from a mix of being choked almost to death and the amount of crying I’ve done since then.

  He rubs his hand over the top of his silky jet black hair. Heavy silence hangs between us. He places his hands in his pockets and starts to pace the room. It’s a decent-sized room, but he seems to take up all the space, making me feel claustrophobic.

  “Listen, if you would just drop-”

  He stops pacing and puts a hand up, cutting me off. His face is a mask that I can’t read. What if he takes me back to Miles? I hold my breath, waiting for him to speak.

  “I just sold your husband over five-hundred-thousand dollars worth of guns. Once he realizes that you’re gone, and I’m gone, he is going to assume I took you. All hell's going to break loose. I should just take you back. Tell him that this is all a misunderstanding.”

  “No, no! Please. No! Have a heart.” I plead with him. I have no defenses. I just want a safe haven. Miles will kill me the second he sees me. Going back to Hawaii is suicide.

  Maverick sits down on the edge of the king-sized bed and starts to take off his shoes as if the conversation is over. So that’s it? He’s going to feed me to the wolf.

  “Lucky for you, I’m not a man to apologize, even if I accidentally took another man’s wife.” He lets his shoe fall to the floor with a thud before untying the other and dropping that one too. It takes a while for me to process what he’s saying.

  “So you’ll drop me off? At the next island?” I ask, hope filling my chest for the first time today.

  Maverick shakes his head before standing up and unbuttoning his dress shirt. A slight grin coats his lips. “Oh no, Pumpkin. Miles is going to come after me, and without you, I have no leverage.”

  He takes off his shirt and leaves it in the middle of the floor. His washboard abs are on display, each one perfectly sculpted in a way that could only be achieved by hours spent at the gym. “I’m not a knight in shining armor, Pumpkin. I’m a villain.”

  He turns and walks to the ensuite bathroom, leaving me more confused and anxious than before.

  Chapter Two: Truth

  Maverick

  That intense guilt I’d felt in leaving her with that depraved monster has lifted. I should have been able to walk away without feeling bad, but as soon as we set sail, I regretted not letting her on. Then, I found her on board. She’s courageous. I mean, what would I have done? Probably something similar. Then, on the other hand, I probably would have taken the punk’s life with my bare hands.

  I hear her jump as I knock on the door. I hope she’s had a nice long sleep. I’m not much for crying, but when I saw her red-rimmed eyes last night, I was half-tempted to turn this boat around and kill Miles myself. I can’t let her know that; don’t want to give her false hope. I’m not a good man. I sell guns and ammunition to people who use them to kill their enemies. Nothing in this life is black or white, but if it were, I’d lean more towards the black. After I showered last night and gotten dressed, I’d given her some space by leaving her alone in the master bedroom. I’d slept in one of the guest rooms.

  Her sea legs haven’t kicked in, so she looks woozy when she opens the door. It makes me smirk a little. Surely she’s been out on the water with Miles before? She’s changed into a pair of pajama pants and a tank top. She must have packed them in her bag. I can’t help but notice her bra is missing. Her nipples poke through the fabric. Her black hair falls across her shoulders, slightly ruffled from sleep. She’s beautiful. I’ve slept with a lot of women, but I’ve never been so caught off-guard by one woman’s beauty. It must have been why Miles kept her locked up in his mansion like a dragon guarding the princess. Up close like this, I notice the freckles that decorate the bridge of her nose and scatter across her cheeks.

  “Did you sleep well?” I ask.

  Her blue eyes reveal the truth. They’re sprinkled with fear, and she looks like she’s been crying.

  “Yes, strangely enough, I did. Just so much to deal with.”

  I walk past her and into the bedroom. “Once we dock, it’s about a ten-minute drive to my house. We can go there and figure out what we’ll do next. Tonight, you can stay in one of the guest rooms. In the morning, we can make some plans.”

  She stares at me. In my mind, she’s sizing me up to decide whether she can trust me or not. I don’t blame her. The odd thing that struck me is why anyone would want to put their hands on her. She’s truly beautiful and incredibly sexy. She crosses her arms over her chest as if reading my mind. I push my dirty thoughts down. There isn’t time
for that. Miles will realize soon enough that she’s with me.

  “Okay. I can’t thank you enough for saving my life, Maverick,” she says.

  Her beautiful azure eyes still hold a sparkle, despite what she’s gone through.

  I clear my throat. “Well, I’m just glad you’re here, and it all worked out. How the hell did you end up with that guy?” I ask, my curiosity getting the best of me. Hazel’s entirely out of Miles’s league. Nothing about their relationship makes sense.

  She plops down on the edge of the bed before dropping her head. Her silky black hair falls in front of her face.

  “He wasn’t always like that,” she mumbles, twisting her hands.

  “Are you sure? Because I’ve known about the man for quite some time, and he’s always been that way.” Miles has been a part of the criminal underworld awhile. Even though I’ve never met him in person until yesterday, he’s almost as well-known as me. When I heard he was looking to purchase a large number of guns, I jumped at the opportunity. I’m regretting that now. If I’d known he put his hands on his wife, I would have never reached out. Usually, I can turn a blind eye to the undesirable behaviors of my clients, but putting hands on a woman was a new low.

  She coughs, clearing her throat. “Well, he didn't treat me like that in the beginning…” she spoke quietly.

  “Oh, so you did see the snake come out at some stage?” I don’t mean for it to come out as an accusation, but that’s what it sounds like.

  “Yes.”

  A solitary tear rolls down her tan face, and I feel like an asshole for even asking. It won’t be long until we dock. I’ve grilled her enough. This whole thing just brings back bad childhood memories that I don’t want to think about now. I run a hand through my hair. It’s still damp from my morning swim.

  “You said something last night… About selling guns to Miles.” She looks up at me and puls her bottom lip in between her teeth. “Why would Miles need that many guns?” she asks.