A Distant Shore by Karen Kingsbury (books for students to read .txt) 📕

“Hold on. I need to talk to you.” Jack faced her and took her other hand. He kept his voice low. “Don’t kiss me again.”

The directive stung. Eliza released her hands from his and told him what she wished were true. “You liked it.”

“No.” He looked as serious as she’d ever seen him. “That was part of the deal, Eliza. Unless it’s absolutely necessary, we don’t kiss. This is a mission… not a vacation.”

She wanted to come back with something smart. What was he going to do, send her home? “Let me guess, Luke.” She stood a bit straighter and kept her cool. “At least you can’t accuse me of being inept.”

“Eliza.” His eyes pierced hers, even through her sunglasses. “You said you were ready to come to Nassau. Which means we do the operation by the rules.”

There it was again. His doubts about her ability to do this. “I had to prove myself.”

He didn’t blink. “Prove yourself… by following the rules.”

There. Her walls were intact again. He clearly didn’t care about her. She shot a mean look at him. “I get it.”

She turned and pushed the elevator button. Why did I say that? She didn’t want anything from Jack Ryder. Not friendship, not admiration—least of all love.

In the elevator he took her hand again. When another couple joined them halfway to the lobby, he whispered near her face, “You look beautiful tonight. If I haven’t told you yet.”

Don’t believe it, she told herself. This is a job. Nothing more. She gave him a plastic grin. “Aren’t you sweet.”

They strolled through the Reef lobby, outside and up the stairs to the Cove, the property adjacent to the building where they were staying. Eliza had thought the Palace was nice. It was nothing compared to the opulence and grandeur of Atlantis.

The outdoor walkway meandered under stunning massive chandeliers. Jazz played along the pathway from speakers hidden in tropical landscaping, and water spilled from ornate fixtures. They took another turn and after ten minutes walking in silence they were inside the Royal Tower.

He moved a little closer to her side. His smile was brighter than she’d seen it. “Rumor is Michael Jackson used to rent out the entire top floor here.”

“Really.” She took off her sunglasses and slipped them into her purse. Her smile was in place, but only on the outside. “Interesting.” What was she feeling? Like she hated him and never wanted to see him again? Or that all she wanted in all her life was for him to kiss her? To find her attractive, for real?

They were about to enter the casino when an enormous guard stepped in front of them. He looked like Asia from the Palace. “Hey! You have to be twenty-one to be here.”

“I… I’m sorry.” She pressed in close to Jack. What was the darkness circling around the man’s head? Or were those spots in her eyes?

“She’s twenty-three.” Jack stepped up. “Let us by.”

Again the man scowled and Eliza couldn’t look at him. The darkness around him was as terrifying as it was familiar. Finally the man turned and walked off.

Eliza could feel her body shaking. “C-can we go another way?”

“Of course.” Jack put his arm around her and led her away from the casino and out a side door. When they were a few feet down the path, he stopped and faced her. “I’m sorry. I have no idea why he would—”

“I do.” She was trembling harder now. “He’s… in the business. I could… feel it.” They were alone on this dimly lit part of the resort path. She leaned her forehead on his chest. “Did you see it?”

“See what?” Jack stroked her hair and held her. Like he really cared.

“The black spots. Little black clouds.” She lifted her eyes to his. “They were all around that man.”

Jack only searched her eyes. Finally he shook his head. “No. But I believe you.”

And the walls around her heart began to crumble again. No one was watching them, no tourists or workers or guards to give them a reason to keep up the façade. But still he held her. Her heart was still pounding. “He knew, too. That’s why he stopped us.”

“Knew what?” Jack took a step back and brought his hand to her face. “Your age, you mean?”

“No.” She felt filthy, like damaged goods. “That I used to… that I lived at a place where girls were trafficked and that I helped lure them into the Palace and that… that I’m a…” She hung her head.

“A victim?” Jack’s tone was tender in a way Eliza hadn’t heard it before. “That’s why you still need counseling, Eliza. So you can believe what all the rest of us believe.” He cupped her face in his hands. “That you’re a victim. In a different way from the other girls, but a victim all the same. Nothing about your last eleven years was ever your fault.”

Eliza nodded and after a few seconds they started walking again. Jack kept his arm around her and she stared through the palm trees to the starry sky above. Why was he so nice to her? No matter what he said about her being a victim, it wasn’t true. She had been good at her job. Even against her will, she had no trouble convincing other girls to come to the Palace. She was a terrible person.

And what was this vulnerable feeling she had around him? Whatever it was, she didn’t like it.

At Marina Village, they walked past a dozen ostentatious yachts, boats with helicopter landing pads and open dining rooms where staff served their wealthy guests. The very sight of the yachts made Eliza sick to her stomach. The Palace customers all came off yachts.

They kept walking. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe it was too soon to be on a mission. She drew a deep breath and kept her eyes forward. No, she wasn’t wrong. This was where she needed to be. She remembered Rosa and Alexa. Forget about the yachts