Her Forbidden Love (Indigo Island Book 2) by Kaira Rouda Page B

too-bright flashlight into Jack’s eyes. “Dorsey isn’t in her cottage. Have you seen her?”
    “As a matter of fact, I have,” Jack said, opening the door wider, pointing to his couch. Steve’s light followed. “I’m sleeping on the couch there and she’s asleep in my bedroom. I know it’s against resort policy, but as a senior staff member, I needed to be there for her. She was freaked out by the storm.”
    “Damn right it’s against resort policy, Jack,” Steve said, leaning forward until their faces were inches apart. “You don’t want to jeopardize your promotion, now do you, pretty boy? Your momma is so proud of you and all.”
    “I have an employment contract that you are bound to honor. I could have sued you already, so back off,” Jack said, his anger at the boiling point.
    “You cashed the check, son, so you’re mine,” Steve said, tiny eyes threatening. “Everything around here needs to run according to my excellence plan. You fit into that nicely. Good eye candy, good for the morale of the staff. I don’t even mind all your one-night stands with the summer staff. But don’t mess with my Kids Cottage girls. You got close to Lila last summer and she left. Now here you are with Dorsey. Do you want to see her go, too?”
    Jack stared back at Steve, seeing more to him than he’d ever noticed before. The realization that he was more than just a control freak was beginning to sink in. Steve really believed everything and everyone belonged to him on Indigo Island. He wondered what had happened to Steve in his childhood. Jack shook his head, still angry but disturbed at the insight. He saw Steve suddenly as a boy in middle school – skinny, squeaky voice and the easy target of every bully. But, even so, he didn’t have to turn out this way. Jack’s eyes widened, absorbing the reality of what Steve had said.
    “Did you send Lila away? What did you do to her? You bastard. She loved it here,” Jack said, disgust and anger mixing into a powerful adrenaline rush. Lila was a beautiful girl, always happy and smiling. Jack had been close to falling for her, close to opening up to her during their two picnic dates together. But suddenly she was gone. “Don’t you dare do or say anything to Dorsey. I saw you touch her at the Kids Cottage,” Jack said as Steve rocked back and forth laughing his high-pitched laugh. “I’m going to be watching you, as much as you’re watching me.”
    “No need for that kind of threat, son. Just keep out of little Dorsey’s panties, and we won’t have a problem,” Steve said, shining his flashlight directly into Jack’s eyes, blinding him, before turning and walking into the night.
    If Jack had been frustrated before, now he was frustrated and pissed. Still blinded by the bright light shone in his eyes, he fumbled his way back to the couch after locking and chaining the door. How dare this guy check on them like they were kids away for summer camp? And what had he done or said to Lila?
    Screw him, Jack thought. When he moved into management he’d get his revenge. He’d report Steve and his practices to the heads of Top Club, and Steve would be fired. Until then, Jack knew he just had to outsmart him, and protect the young woman in the next room whom he couldn’t stop thinking about.
    He settled back onto the couch, adrenaline still pumping through his veins. Less than three months until Steve would be neutralized, but that seemed like an eternity tonight with Dorsey in the next room.
    Jack knew he’d have trouble sleeping for more than one reason tonight.

    Jack panicked when he woke up.
    Looking around, he realized he was on his couch. The sun was fairly bright, and a quick check of the clock told him what he suspected. Only half an hour to get to the pool. He opened the door to his bedroom, expecting to see Dorsey asleep, but she was gone. The sweatshirt she’d borrowed the night before was folded on his bed. He picked it up and smelled it, and breathed in