Secret Agent Sheikh

Tarik tamped down on the automatic rise in his blood pressure. He knew the truth of what his family had done and who they were now. The Kadir family’s past was not spotless. But in more modern times they had become contributing members of civilized world society—unlike their counterparts the Taj Zabbar.

“I don’t have to defend my family to anyone. Everything you said may be true, but it was done long ago. Before either of us was born. And it’s no excuse for the Taj to behave the way they do today.” His eyes hardened. “They’re terrorists, killers and brutes. They deal with drug lords and mobsters the world over. They’ve tried to annihilate my family by blowing us up, and never mind that fifty innocent people were caught in the explosion.”

He took a breath and let the words roll out. “They kidnap vulnerable women and sell them to the highest bidders. They run their own country like a medieval fiefdom, even with all their new wealth. And worst of all, they are secretly planning to become the world’s newest nuclear power before any of the civilized nations can take notice.”

“How do you know that last part? About their nuclear ambitions.”

She had genuine interest in her eyes for the first time since he’d begun speaking. The new expression made her look young … vulnerable, and made Tarik damned curious about getting to know this part of her a lot better.

“My middle brother Shakir went into Zabbarán covertly a few months ago to rescue the woman who has since become his wife. She and their son were being held for trade to the highest bidder,” he explained. “I was part of my brother’s backup team. While we were there, we found an underground nuclear centrifuge facility and …”

“What?” Jass leaned in close and pinned him with a doubtful look. “From what I understood the Taj are too backward and couldn’t possibly have that kind of scientific know-how.”

“Just listen,” he began, instead of counting to ten to calm his temper. “I have in my possession a few satellite photos of the area under construction. And the images seem clear enough to people in the know. But we blew the place up before we left the country. I figured why not take the opportunity and save the rest of the world a hell of a lot of grief.”

Jass leaned back in her seat. “So you don’t have any real proof. Only wild speculation and fuzzy pictures.”

He bristled but kept his voice down. “I was there. And our family’s intelligence units have been picking up further mentions of nuclear subjects in the current Taj communiqués. We’re sure they haven’t given up their ambitions.”

“How so?” she probed.

“Look at the other night. They sent a couple of representatives to that auction and stole the briefcase bomb, didn’t they?”

“Did they? We only have your word on that. I wouldn’t know what they look like. The Taj aren’t on the world intelligence radar screens.” She smirked at him. “Those Middle Eastern men in the room that night could’ve just as easily been members of the Kadir clan for all I know.”

Frustrated, Tarik sat back and stared out the window before he made a few remarks that would be totally inappropriate for anyone who intended to become her lover within the next few hours. He was usually much better at capturing a woman’s attention and interest than this. In fact, he was always better at convincing people of his honesty and sincerity. Ironically, that was part of what made him such a good covert agent.

What was with Jass O’Reilly? He’d known she was slightly different than most women. But she wasn’t even responding to him like a normal human being.

He was foundering here, trying to find some common ground. What the hell would happen when they had to pretend to have an intimate love affair?

Jass was a pro. She didn’t need Tarik Kadir to remind her of their mission. But he’d tried to do exactly that as they left the plane and entered Rio’s Galeao Airport. She’d sniffed at his ridiculous attempt to rile her and brushed out past the flight attendants.

Throwing her tote bag over her shoulder, she sidled up close to him on their walk to retrieve the baggage and whispered low, “Don’t forget Zohdi wouldn’t let Celile carry anything heavy—or walk too far ahead. It’s part of his macho personality.”

Tarik’s body jerked, almost imperceptibly, but he slowed enough to reach around and take her tote with a huge grin. “Here, let me, my darling.” He used a clear, slightly accented voice. “Wouldn’t want to tire you before we reach the hotel. I have big plans for us later tonight.”

She ground her teeth and smiled seductively. “Of course, sweetheart. But business comes first.”

Fortunately for her, another part of Zohdi’s personality was deeply rooted in his Middle Eastern background. He did not indulge in sentimental bodily contact in public. No pawing or slobbery kisses for him. She almost reminded Tarik of that, but decided to keep her mouth shut for now.

Zohdi never let his gaze stray from the love of his life for long. And he never let her talk to another man without putting himself close enough to feel her pulse beat.

Jass thought that last part might’ve been romantic if the two people in question weren’t such a dangerous duo. And if her undercover partner on this romantic assignment wasn’t Tarik Kadir.

The Rio airport terminal was a madhouse. Crowds descended from every corner and surrounded them as they walked. Jass felt the tension building in her every cell. While she was undercover, she never cared for crowds. An assassin could easily attack from any direction and she wouldn’t recognize the threat until it was too late.

When they finally reached the baggage carousel, they found the crowds impenetrable around it. This much congestion in the Rio airport on a Thursday evening seemed strange—and she wondered if it could potentially signal a glitch in their mission.

The two of them stood motionless at the edge of the crowd for a moment as they silently pondered their best plan of attack for reaching the luggage.

“Ms. Kocak. Sheik Zohdi.” Suddenly a man who seemed to be a native Brazilian spoke to them with a heavy accent. He’d appeared out of nowhere right beside them. “I am your driver. Your luggage is being sent ahead. Please follow me.”

Jass raised her shoulders along with her gut instincts. Ed had told her they would be contacted by someone from the CIA station chief’s office with further instructions. But she hadn’t expected anyone this soon.

She glanced at Tarik, who also seemed to be on alert, but then he gave her a cockeyed grin and inclined his head. “After you, love. I am yours to command.”

He was silently signaling that he was leaving the choice to follow this man up to her. Her whole body trembled with pride and an odd sensual awareness as she forced herself to turn and make her way through the throngs behind the stranger.

That grin of Tarik’s might end up becoming her undoing before their assignment was over. The man was impossibly handsome all dressed up as a modern sheik in his Versace suit, white linen boat-necked shirt and head scarf. Jass shook off the sensual pull she’d felt and worked her mind back to the persona of Celile.

She had to remember that Ed said not to trust Tarik despite his glib manner and sincere looks.

They reached the curb in front of the airport and found a sleek black sedan waiting. Their driver paid two thugs who were obviously carrying concealed weapons and, with a few words in Portuguese, sent them on their way. Then he ushered her and Tarik into the backseat.

As they pulled into the stop-and-go traffic, she asked the driver, “What’s going on here? Why all the people and congestion?”

Suddenly their driver didn’t have even a slight accent. “You’re kidding, right? Tomorrow is the start of Carnivale. The tourists are pouring into the city. Expect the crowds to get a lot worse over the next four days.”

“Smart.” Tarik relaxed back into his seat and propped an ankle over his knee. “The Russian picked the best time of year to hold this little auction. His buyers will be tough for us to pick out from the rest of the tourists.”

She turned to see Tarik in the dim light filtering in through the car’s windows. “Have you ever been to Rio’s Carnivale before?”

“Several times. You’re going to love it. All sensual music, body heat and very little clothing.” He chuckled under his breath. “It’s guaranteed to warm up the chilliest woman on earth. Even the ice queen Celile Kocak doesn’t stand a chance during Carnivale.”

Oh hell. The man was doing his damnedest to unnerve her. Well, no matter what Tarik Kadir sent her way, she wouldn’t let him throw her. She would remain in control.

After all, Jass O’Reilly was a pro.

Chapter 4

Tarik led the way through the grand lobby of the Copacabana Palace Hotel. The towering sixty-foot columns and ornate glass chandeliers were familiar, but the feeling of being watched was unique.

He liked crowds. Liked the anonymity of getting lost in the confusion. When their driver had first reminded him of Carnivale, Tarik’s brain began processing new ways of completing their mission over the next few days. He’d thought of the festivities as a terrific idea for a cover.

But he hadn’t counted on having the exotic and stunning faux Celile Kocak in tow. Every male head in the cavernous lobby turned to stare as she walked past. No wonder Sheik Zohdi seldom let more than a few feet pass between them in public.

Tarik tried to control the possessive urges he felt toward her. In reality the woman beside him was not the ice queen. Instead she was Jass O’Reilly, every bit as gorgeous as Celile but ten times more annoying. Everything he said seemed to strike her the wrong way. Despite his usual charm and glib small talk, she’d refused to warm up.

But that didn’t mean his body didn’t grow too warm every time he looked her way. Damned woman was hot. Both in the guise of Celile and out. And he figured she was going to make him sweat a lot more before this mission was over.

“We’ve already registered you two,” their driver said quietly. “And your suite’s checked and clean. We’ll be able to go over mission specifics without being overheard.”

So … while they’d been in the air, the Task Force had been busy devising a plan. Good enough. Tarik needed to keep his head in the game—and off his partner.

After they settled into the three-room suite and double-checked for listening devices and cameras, the driver nodded toward the dining table. “We couldn’t secure a penthouse suite on such short notice at this time of year, but I hope you’ll be comfortable here.”

Jass removed her jacket and plopped into one of the chairs around the table. “It’ll do for Celile and Zohdi. They’re not on vacation.”

“Well,” their driver began as he set up the rest of the chairs around the table. “This is the honeymoon suite. Part of your cover story is that the two of you are taking a romantic interlude while you wait for the upcoming auction.”

“Uh …” Jass jumped up, looking a little green around the edges. “Excuse me a moment.” She grabbed her jacket off the back of a chair and headed straight for the bedroom.

“Do we know yet when the auction is supposed to take place?” Tarik gladly reached for any excuse to put the spotlight back on the mission and take it off his errant libido.

The driver turned to him with his hand outstretched and not a trace of accent in his English. “We haven’t met, Kadir. The name’s Joäo Bosque, CIA station chief. Have a seat.”

Tarik joined him at the table. “What do we know?”

“Coincidentally, we’ve been keeping an eye on this Russian character you’re after. His name is Andrei Eltsin. He blew into Rio several months ago and immediately took over the territory and operation of one of our bicheiros—those are the gang operators of this city’s illegal lottery.” Bosque scooted his chair closer.

“We inserted a man inside Eltsin’s bicheiro about a month ago. Their headquarters is in a penthouse above a nightclub in the Lapa district.” Bosque poured himself a cup of the strong Brazilian coffee that had been placed on the table along with a basket of fresh fruit. “Our inside man is there gathering intel on their money-laundering operations. We’re sure some of those billions are going to fund terrorism operators in the U.S.”

Tarik nodded and sat back. “Okay. But what about the auction?”

“Our man isn’t positive where, but he believes it’s to be held on the last night of Carnivale. Fat Tuesday.”

“Makes sense. But …”

“It’s supposed to take place in Eltsin’s retreat in the mountains right outside the city.” Jass added the new info as she floated back into the room, looking light and airy in a floral silk pants outfit. “I received a message from Ed. He’s on his way into the country, taking a military transport. Seems the real Celile was … convinced … to contact Eltsin and put her name on the bidders list for Tuesday. We’re in.”

“Fast work.” Tarik couldn’t keep from staring. His real-life partner, the covert agent, had become a real-live piece of art in cool shades of green and blue. And her movements were those of a lithe dancer as she crossed the room.

“The CIA has a convincing team of interrogators working with Celile and Zohdi.” Jass picked up an apple and took a bite with relish.

Drooling at the sight, all Tarik could think at that moment was that he was glad his name wasn’t Adam. This Eve was already tempting him enough to send him straight to hell.

The honeymoon suite. Jass’s knees still wobbled at the idea, but she wouldn’t give Kadir the satisfaction of seeing her sweat. They could straighten out the sleeping arrangements later—when she’d taken control of the mission again. In the meantime she would sleep on the couch or in the bathtub if necessary.

“Do we know what item we’re supposed to bid on?” Tarik looked slightly annoyed.

What did he have to be annoyed about? He was on this mission despite her reservations. He should be grateful.

“No,” she managed past another bite of apple. “Celile honestly doesn’t know. And our interrogators couldn’t devise a way for her to ask Eltsin without sounding suspicious either. We’re going to need—”

“Reconnaissance,” Tarik interrupted. “Our intel unit will continue gathering info from the underground.”

And by our intel unit he meant the Kadir family? She opened her mouth to complain when Tarik stood and backed away from the table.

“Come on,” he said as he took her hand and pulled her to her feet beside him. “Put on your dancing shoes.”

He drew her into his arms and pulled her close. Too close.

“How rusty are your samba skills, darling?” He’d whispered those words into her temple, but she could swear she felt the pounding of his heart right through both their clothes. “Need a few quick lessons?”

With the way he was holding her, that question could have a double meaning. She tried to pull away, but he held her fast.

“I’ll match my samba skills to yours anytime, darling.” She could barely believe how parched her voice sounded.

Tarik chuckled and released her. “We’ll see about that. Now go put on your sexiest shoes—and take off most of your clothes. Nightclubbing in the Lapa district is always undertaken with a lot of skin showing. Especially during Carnivale. You need to be nearly naked to capture the true beat of the samba.”

Two hours later, Jass decided she hated a know-it-all. As they entered the nightclub and found a table, she could feel Tarik’s so-called true beat of the samba right through the soles of her shoes. Even with a skintight red dress and dangerously high stilettos, she almost felt overdressed inside Carioca da Lapa, one of the Lapa district’s pioneering samba clubs and Eltsin’s headquarters. People should be naked when experiencing music this sensual.

Looking around, she discovered many people in the club came close to that description. Some women wore shirts made out of thin metal strips with nothing underneath. While other statuesque mulatas wearing glittery Carnivale garb clung to their partners as if they couldn’t stand on their own. Even by glancing twice, Jass would not have been able to swear to the true gender of every woman she saw on the dance floor.

As it turned out, however, it was Tarik who looked overdressed with a lightweight linen jacket covering his sleeveless T-shirt. All the other sweaty young men in the joint were clad only in their undershirts. And as the evening progressed some of those T-shirts had come off in time to the beat. Everyone in the place seemed to have begun their drinking well before noon.

Tarik ordered them the local drink: cachaca, sugarcane alcohol tempered with crushed ice, sugar and lime juice. Then he held out his hand. “Couples come to Carioca da Lapa for only one reason, love. Let’s check out those samba skills of yours.”

She let him pull her into his arms. “I thought we were here to do recon,” she whispered. He hugged her tightly against his body as they moved onto the crowded dance floor.

“Oh, but we are. Let’s see if anyone here recognizes Celile and Zohdi.” Tarik pulled her even tighter to him, until she felt completely surrounded by his masculine presence. Hot and spicy and full of rigid male power.

The samba in this club played in time to a reggae beat. Slow. Sensual. Steamy. Keeping the beat with conga drums, cowbells and primitive sticks that thrummed the music right to her bones. Tarik began to move, swiveling his hips like a pro. He took her by the hands and pushed her an arms’ length away. But his eyes locked onto hers, sending the hypnotic rhythm straight through her veins by the force of his formidable gaze.

She felt it in every inch of her body. The sexual gaze, the heat, the noise. Her nerve endings came alive in a dull burning flame.

Jass had been in a lot of tricky situations on those missions when she was acting the part of a girlfriend. But she had never felt so completely wrapped up in the moment as she did right now. Shaking her head, she tried to throw off the spell of Tarik’s personality. This mission should be no different than all the rest—despite her having to work with rogue agent Tarik Kadir. She wouldn’t let it get to her.

She tried closing her eyes, but that was little better. She could still smell his virile musk and feel his gaze raking over her body, making her sweat in places no one could see.

He pulled her close again and swung them around. “Your samba act is fine, love,” he murmured in her ear. “But your reactions to your lover aren’t quite up to the mark. Remember to behave like Celile would on the dance floor with the man she loves. Loosen up.”

He was telling her how to behave undercover? How dare this outwardly charming reprobate tell the best under cover operative in the business how to do her job?

Straightening her spine, Jass pulled back and smiled, though she let her eyes tell the truth of what she was feeling. “I’ve studied the woman for years. Celile Kocak is never loose, love.”

She’d gritted out the words so only he could hear. But Tarik’s reactions to what she’d said weren’t what she’d expected.

He manhandled her back against his chest and plundered her mouth with a kiss that was deep and hard and took her breath away. “I’ll bet she comes undone in bed,” he whispered against her lips. “Wanna go practice?”

Jass’s first reaction was to jerk away in panic, but Tarik held her fast. “Remember your act, darling.”

Exasperated, Jass narrowed her eyes at him and spoke in a loud clear voice. “You’ll need to excuse me for a moment, darling. I must use the restroom.”

Tarik stepped back and opened his arms, holding up his palms. “Of course, my love. But hurry back. I’ll count the minutes.”

Swearing under her breath, Jass headed through the throng of dancers toward the back of the club. This was mission impossible. But their assignment should’ve been her salvation, making up for the fumble with the Nigerian.

Instead of her usual feelings of control and being ready for anything, when she moved across the room and looked for a back entry, she felt the solid premonition of doom.

You’re one intense little cookie, aren’t you? Tough guy. One cool agent. More alpha than most of the men you meet.

That was Jass O’Reilly. Still, Tarik had clearly felt her response to him while he was holding her in his arms. Jass might believe she was invincible and she put on a harsh front, but underneath everything else she was all woman.

The sexual tension had shimmered between them, drawing them together like a magnet. Precisely what he didn’t need at this stage in his life. Loyalty to his family called for him to avoid any kind of entanglements during this all important mission.

Stalking back to their table, he kicked back to watch the crowds. But he couldn’t keep his mind off of Jass.

She’d flinched when he’d touched her. Flinched like a school girl. And she’d given him a challenging look full of—As he thought about it now, that look in her eyes could’ve been vulnerability.

That was it, he decided. Jass was tough on the outside to hide a defenseless inside. Like one of those hard-candy-covered chocolates. She was used to taking charge, taking risks alone and getting her orders from only her bosses at the CIA. She wasn’t used to anyone challenging that rigid outer shell.

Jass was an excellent operative because she was intelligent and perceptive and had nearly total recall of anything she’d ever read. But she wasn’t a team player.

Then again, he didn’t need a team on this mission. He hadn’t even wanted a partner. But he was willing to bet his life that Jass would step up and do whatever was required to get the job done.

All he had to do was keep his own mind and hands in the game. Easier said than done.

A while later, after ordering his second round of drinks, Tarik realized she’d been gone too long. Was she doing a little side reconnaissance on her own? Or had she run into trouble?

Either way, he’d better quit sitting on his butt daydreaming and find her.

He got to his feet and asked the waitress to direct him to the ladies’ room. She threw him a skeptical look but pointed him in the right direction with a small laugh.

Yeah, he would bet she saw a little of everything during Carnivale.

Tarik thanked her and made his way through the tangle of sweaty, dancing bodies all moving to a bossa nova beat. In a darkened corner of the main floor, he found a staircase to the penthouse above. He made a mental note of its placement but moved on into an alcove that held what was loosely called the public restrooms.

The alcove was crowded with lines of people waiting for a turn at the toilets. He thought about asking someone to check the stalls for Jass but decided against it. No telling who was a real patron of the club and who was here on some kind of criminal business.

As he stood toward the rear of the lines considering his next move, he heard footsteps on the stairs behind him. An argument reached his ears, and he had just enough time to duck for cover under the open stairwell. The conversation was taking place in the Taj Zabbar language and the two men speaking were making no attempt to keep their voices down.

They stopped on the landing right above his head to continue their disagreement. “I do not like the idea of staying in the country for the next four days, Excellency. It is not safe. Too much frivolity in this place.”

“Nonsense.” With that one word, Tarik recognized the second speaker’s deep voice. “The Russian … uh … Eltsin is a powerful man. He will protect us while we are in Brazil. Has he not already told the elder that we have no risk of losing anything in this little charade of his?”

“But what about the other bidders? I am concerned about our main mission and the other item. The one we were sent to Rio to claim.”