But the thing that had her frozen where she stood was the fact that she knew this man.
Leonardo Zanardi. Leo.
Once upon a time, she’d had the worst crush on him. He was a senior when she was a freshman in high school, and she’d written all over her notebooks Cassidy + Leo = LUV.
She wasn’t sure if she was hallucinating or if she’d finally gone crazy, because there was no way Leo was in Jamaica, being hosted as an honored guest at a drug lord’s house.
“Does she talk?” asked the man Michael called G, one eyebrow raised.
Cassidy saw Lloyd take a step back from his spot at the table and knew if he got his hands on her, she’d regret it.
“I’m sorry, sir. Yes, I speak. It’s very nice to meet you.”
Cassidy had no idea what was going on, but until she did, she wasn’t going to say anything that might get her—or Leo—into trouble.
“She’s pretty, yuh nuh tink?”
Over time, Cassidy had gotten used to Michael’s little habit. He would speak patois, the native creole language of Jamaica, then the next second, he would speak perfect, grammatically correct English. She figured it was one more way he kept people on their toes around him.
“Yes. Very. It’s nice to meet you,” Leo said with a small nod.
Finally, everyone pulled their chairs out and sat. Cassidy’s heart was beating a million miles an hour. She was extremely confused about Leo’s presence, but kept her thoughts to herself. He didn’t give any clue that he recognized her, but she couldn’t help thinking he was aware of exactly who she was.
As she ate her jerk chicken with callaloo—a green, leafy vegetable similar to spinach—Cassidy listened intently to the conversations going on around her. She learned that Leo—who Michael was still calling G, for some reason—was there on a special trip. They were negotiating something, and Cassidy could only assume it had to do with drugs.
That thought disturbed her immensely. She’d hoped Leo was one of the good guys. That maybe he was even there to save her. But the longer the talk went on, and as she noted how chummy he was with both Michael and Lloyd, the more depressed Cassidy got. Indications were pointing toward Leo—the man she’d wanted practically her entire life—being heavily involved in drugs.
All Cassidy wanted was to go back to her room, cuddle with Mario, and sleep. At least when she was asleep, she didn’t have the weight of all her horrible decisions bearing down on her. But Michael had other plans.
“Take a walk with Cassidy,” Michael told Leo. “Get to know her.”
Leo smiled lazily and nodded. “I think I will, thank you.”
“But stay on the grounds. It’s dangerous out there dis time of night.”
“Understood.” He pushed his chair back and came toward Cassidy with a smile on his face. Without asking, Leo wrapped a hand around her arm and lifted her to her feet as easily as he would a child.
Cassidy generally didn’t think about her height. She was fairly tall for a woman, but around Leo, she’d always felt small. He towered over her by at least six inches. She’d asked him once why he didn’t play basketball, and he’d merely snorted and told her he had no interest in the sport.
She noticed that he didn’t ask if she wanted to take a walk with him. When Michael Coke gave permission, it was a done deal. Hating the situation she was in all the more, and still worrying about Mario, Cassidy stumbled as Leo led her out of the dining room. He steadied her by firming his grip. His hold reminded her of the way Lloyd and all his security cronies manhandled her on a regular basis.
She jerked her arm out of Leo’s grip once they were out of sight of the dining room. It was one thing to be headstrong, but she wasn’t willing to risk Mario’s safety with such blatant disrespect in front of Michael. He could make both their lives a living hell. Well, more than they already were.
Most people would think she had it good living in the mansion. She had food to eat and a warm bed, and pretty much all her needs were taken care of. But looks could be deceiving. If she didn’t do what Michael wanted—namely, take a walk with Leo—she’d eventually pay the price.
“Easy, Cass,” Leo said in a tone so low, she thought she’d imagined the words. “You’re safe with me.”
Cassidy couldn’t help but snort at that. She wasn’t safe with him. She wasn’t safe anywhere. She couldn’t go where she wanted, when she wanted. She had no money, everything she earned went toward her “room and board.” Basically she was working for free, with little hope of being able to escape her current situation. And what made it all worse was that she’d done it to herself.
Leo didn’t say anything else, but he didn’t touch her again either. They walked side by side down the hall toward a door that led outside, into the walled gardens around the mansion. He held open the door for her and gestured to the left once they’d cleared it.
Cassidy was terribly confused. She had no idea what in the world Leo Zanardi was doing in Jamaica. Talking to Michael Coke, one of the country’s most ruthless drug lords. Out of all the people in the entire world who might show up at her employer’s dinner table, she never would’ve guessed it would be her lifelong crush.
She desperately wanted to ask if he’d help get her and Mario out of the country, but Cassidy had no idea if she could trust him. He was, after all, extremely chummy with her captors.
“May I hold your hand?” Leo asked in the same deep, rumbly voice she remembered. When she hesitated, he went on. “I’m sure there are cameras out here, and it would look better if it seemed as if we were getting along.”
Still not sure of his motives, Cassidy nodded anyway. He was right, cameras were everywhere. One of Lloyd’s security staff would surely be watching them as well . . . and it was clear Michael expected her to be nice to his guest.
“Thank you, Cass,” Leo said, wrapping his hand around hers.
It felt good. Way too good. And safe. Cassidy wanted to latch on to him with both hands and beg him to help her, but she pressed her lips together, not willing to risk it until she knew what the hell was going on.
They walked in silence toward the outer wall of the complex. They couldn’t go anywhere on the grounds without being in line of sight of one of the cameras, but Cassidy was fairly certain this far away, they wouldn’t be overheard. She’d taken Mario out here more times than she could count to talk to him without the threat of someone listening.
Did Leo somehow know that? Or was his stopping here, almost the exact spot where she spoke to her son, merely a coincidence? Had he chosen this out-of-the-way spot to try to take advantage of her?
Cassidy was ashamed of the thought. This was Leo, after all. But she’d learned most people had ulterior motives. She couldn’t trust anyone.
“I’m here because of your letters,” Leo said in a tone barely above a whisper.
Cassidy stared up at him, startled. She took a step closer, but he squeezed her hand.
“Steady, Cass, they’re watching.”
Blinking, she inhaled deeply through her nose, trying to compose herself. “So you’re here to . . . what?” she asked after a moment.
“Get you and your son home. Kill Coke if possible. Spare someone else from being in your shoes.”