Leopard 02 - Wild Rain

and the others?” Rachael had planned her escape so carefully. She had planned to live her life alone. She hadn’t even been that afraid, yet now everything seemed different. She didn’t want Rio to leave her.
    Eight
    “We can’t leave any of those people with Tomas,” Rio answered with aheavy sigh. “I don’t think we have a choice in the matter.”
    “This isn’t going to be like the other times,” Drake cautioned. “We’ve always done the smash-and-grab and gotten them out of the country while we scatter into the forest. The reward money changes everything.”
    Rachael could feel four pair of eyes on her. She kept her face averted. She should have known the reward would be too large to ignore, especially in countries where people had very little. “Money talks.
    That’s the motto in my family. El dinero pavimenta la manera. ”
    “Money paves the way,” Rio translated. He had heard the phrase before, but the origin eluded him. He glanced at Drake, arched an eyebrow in inquiry. “Interesting motto for a family.”
    Drake shrugged and shook his head. He thought he’d read the motto before, perhaps in the papers, but he couldn’t remember anything about it.
    “Yes, well, I have an interesting family. Sooner or later, they’ll send a representative to bribe your government officials if they haven’t already. I’ll have to leave the country fast.” She tightened her fingers around the waistband of Rio’s pants. If he was going to lie across her and hold her down while Tama smeared his foul-looking concoction over her leg, he may as well be of use. Deliberately she brushed her fingertips over his skin, hoping it was a punishment.
    “You can’t leave the country now, Missy.” Tama shook his head. “Tell her Rio. The bandits will close the borders. They have spies all up and down the river, along the borders, everywhere. Most of the people are afraid and just want the bandits to leave them alone. With the reward so high, they’ll have more help than usual. It will be better to just hole up and wait until the storm blows over.”
    Kim nodded his agreement. “My brother speaks the truth, Miss Rachael. There are good people up and down the river, but that much money would bring prosperity to an entire village. It would be easy to justify such a small thing as passing information along. Better you stay unseen in the forest and wait until it is believed you perished in the river.”
    Rachael went very still beneath Rio. She studied the four men carefully. “I suppose you’re right, Kim.
    It would bring prosperity to an entire village. The government would want the money. Any of you could probably use it too.”
    Rio’s hand went to the nape of her neck, his fingers beginning a slow massage as if to comfort her when they both knew there could be no comfort. Not with the kind of money being offered to betray her.
    “You have nothing to fear from my people, Miss Rachael,” Kim said.

    She smiled at him without really looking at him. “Keep telling yourself that, Kim, and sooner or later you’ll be disappointed. People who love you will betray you for less. Money buys everything from food, medicine and education to freedom and power. People kill each other for fifty dollars. Even less than that. Anyone in this room might want that money, and who could blame them? I’m a stranger to all of you.”
    Rio sat up, adjusting her pillows into a more comfortable position. “No one in this room will betray you, Rachael. Drake and I have prices on our heads. If we tried to betray you to any of the bandits, they would kill us on sight. Kim and Tama have no need of money.”
    Rachael’s dark eyes met Rio’s gaze in challenge. “I’d be willing to bet you wouldn’t have to deal with any of the bandits. If you give me up to a government official, you’d most likely get your reward.”
    Rio wasn’t going to continue to argue with her. And he wasn’t going to admit, even to himself, that her suspicion bothered him. He met her eyes steadily. “I’m sure you’re right, Rachael, but for all you know I’m wanted by the government too. You said yourself I was running away from something or I wouldn’t be here.”
    Rachael couldn’t pull her gaze away from Rio’s stare. He was always direct and focused. Always intense. She felt as if she were falling into the depths of his brilliant green eyes. He was sheer black magic, a product of voodoo and love potions. She was a grown woman with a price on