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eyebrow in a
clear show of derision. “If you believe that, then I obviously know
your friends a hell of a lot better than you know mine.”
    Sugar felt just enough contrition for her
earlier words to offer him an apology. The man had been wounded and
captured. Antagonizing him would get her nowhere. Insulting him was
unnecessary and mean. “I’m sorry. I’m sure you have lots of
friends, somewhere.”
    His answer to her apology was more laughter
and sarcasm. “My, my, you are sweet, aren’t you?”
    “Not really,” she said, feeling foolish. The
man didn’t need her sympathy, and she’d do well to remember it.
    “No?”
    “No.” She was emphatic.
    “Ah, then you’re just in it for the
money.”
    She gave him a wary look. “What money?”
    “The ransom Shulan wants for dragging me off
that beach before her mother’s lackey dog could get another shot at
me.
    “She better be asking for a bundle,” he went
on. “I would guess Baolian’s maternal instincts will be running on
empty if she ever finds out what her little girl has gone and done.
The Dragon Queen wanted me dead. She’s not going to be happy to
find out I survived her ambush, and she isn’t going to be happy
with the person who helped me, blood relative or not.”
    “You’ve got it all wrong,” Sugar said,
turning toward the table to repack her medical kit. “Shulan is
saving you for the same reason her mother wants you killed, because
you are Sun Yi’s son. There is no ransom.”
    “Right,” he drawled, clearly calling her a
liar yet again. “And you don’t have the kind of legs men dream
about in their sleep.” He rose from the chair and walked over to
the window overlooking land’s end, leaving her speechless behind
him. “He’s still out there, wandering around.”
    “Jen or—or Henry?” she asked, wanting to
prove to him he hadn’t stunned her senseless with his
matter-of-fact summation.
    “Henry.” He laughed softly. “Jen doesn’t
wander, physically or mentally. That’s what makes him such a good
watchdog. He’s got the tenacity and focus of a heat-seeking
missile. Which is great, unless you’re the damn target.”
    He swore, a rude word, and turned to face
her, dragging his hands back through his hair. He stood staring at
her, his gaze raking her from head to foot, his expression a
mixture of resentment and fascination.
    “I don’t know where she found you, but
Shulan chose you well. So damn well, it makes me wonder if the
drugs she used gave her access to my fantasies . . . because you
are it, lady. But that’s not enough to keep me on this rock.”
    If he expected an answer from her, he was
going to be sorely disappointed. She didn’t have anything to say to
such an outrageous statement—or so she thought. The longer he stood
there staring at her, looking like he wanted to either beat her or
eat her, the more inclined she became to speak.
    “You’re w-wrong again,” she stammered.
“Shulan isn’t asking for a ransom, and she knows better than to ask
anything like what you’re suggesting of me.”
    “Sex is the oldest lure on the face of the
earth.” He took a step forward.
    “Not on my corner of it,” she said,
inadvertently stepping back.
    His half smile and the satisfaction
darkening his eyes alerted her to what she’d done. She cursed
silently. She couldn’t afford to let him have the upper hand, and
when he took his next step forward, she held her ground.
    “There are a couple of things you need to
know before I leave you to eat your dinner,” she said, stiffening
her backbone in the face of his slow, predatory approach.
    “Such as?” He cocked one brow in
question.
    “You’re nine miles from the nearest
inhabited landfall. Off the leeward point of the island is a deep
ocean trough that’s called Shark Alley for a reason, and you’re
bleeding. I wouldn’t be going for any midnight swims if I were
you.”
    Her piece said, she turned and walked out
the door, barely clearing the porch