But he's laughing at something the blonde woman is saying, and then he wraps a hand around her bikini clad body, and before I know it, it reaches downward, squeezing her pert ass.
A gasp escapes my lips as I stare at the scene in front of me, and then anger starts boiling in my blood. While a voice keeps telling me my Blane would never, ever do what I just saw, I have to face the hard facts, which are right in front of me.
Finally, I've had enough of looking at them and I storm back to our room to change.
Dressing in my prettiest and sexiest outfit, I head downstairs for lunch. And only a few minutes after me, Blane comes through the door and joins me at our table with a kiss and that cheeky grin.
I furrow my brow when he sits down, noticing he's managed to change and dry his salty hair since the last time I saw him. I have no idea how he did that, since I was just in our room, but I swallow my pride and deny the fact that something is wrong.
We go through our meals, my moves robotic, my heart pounding. Finally, I can't take it anymore.
"I saw you at the beach today," I say coldly, staring him right in the eyes. But all Blane does is return a completely blank look, devoid of all emotion.
"With that blonde woman," I clarify, making it perfectly clear what I did and didn't see.
"Doll, I have no idea what you're saying," he says with a confused grin. "I was in the reception area talking to them about the internet service. It's utter shit here."
I can see his brows knitting together in worry, no doubt already thinking about work. But I know what I saw, and I know where his hands were. I also know Blane wouldn't lie to me, unless he wanted to protect me ... or would he?
Doubt settles in and though I don't say anything else about the subject, I'm twitchy and nervous for the rest of the day.
There's this nagging feeling in the back of my head, like someone is watching. I feel like a pair of eyes is glued to my head and every time I turn around swiftly, I'm just a split second too late to catch them. And it's seriously starting to bug me out.
The feeling doesn't dissipate, but only grows stronger and stronger as the day goes on. Blane sees something is wrong, but doesn't push me to tell him what it is, which I both appreciate and resent at the same time.
Finally, he announces he'll go check some e-mails in the lobby which is apparently the only place where he can get good reception. I accept that with a grunt, and as soon as he's gone, I change into my nightgown and start getting ready for bed.
But I can't resist stepping out on the balcony again, and when I see the sparkling water in the moonlight, I can't help it - it's like the sea is calling me home.
Choosing not to care what anyone might think, I sneak my way downstairs until I'm on the beach. It's completely empty, and I enjoy the moment of solitude, though the annoying feeling just doesn't seem to fade.
As I'm admiring the reflection of the moon on the crystal water, a pair of arms wraps itself around me and my heart jumps up to my throat.
Turning around swiftly, I find myself in Blane's arms and I laugh nervously. Despite my confusion at what happened on the beach, I'm more than thankful to see him.
"Don't do that," I scold him. "You scared me ..."
He looks me deep in the eyes the moon playing tricks with his irises, making them almost completely black. He looks like a devilishly handsome demon ... and I don't mind at all.
"Scared you, did I?" he whispers softly, the words like a caress on my skin. He murmurs something else under his breath that I can't hear, then leans in closer for a kiss.
And even though I've kissed Blane a thousand times before, this time it feels different.
As romantic as the picture might seem, there's something in his kiss ... Something dark and sinister.
Shivering, I let him kiss me passionately and deeply, claiming him with his tongue and pressing his body so close to mine I can feel the length of his thick cock against my thigh.
"Blane," I whisper softly, and he moves away at the sound of his name.
He gives me one last grin, but this one seems more ominous than the cheeky smile I'm used to from my love. I feel utterly confused as he salutes me goodbye, then disappears into the darkness.
My heart pounding with fear and confusion, I wrap my hands around my body to keep myself warm and head back into our suite.
Chapter 3
At first, I thought this vacation would be a breeze - a welcome distraction from our busy everyday life. But with each day that passes, my anxiety grows. I'm having trouble breathing, and the nightmares have returned after that one night of blissful, uninterrupted sleep.
Blane can tell something isn't right, but I'm still sulking about what I saw on the beach that day - something he still refuses to acknowledge.
Today is a terrible day and I've been in a foul mood since I woke up at 5 a.m., my scar throbbing and unnerving me with its mere presence. Blane has been gone for most of the day, surely dealing with another work emergency.
When we left for Hawaii, he promised me he wouldn't deal with work while we're here, but I've barely even seen him since our arrival. Left to my own devices, I've been walking around the beach aimlessly and reading more than I do at home.
But everywhere I go, I feel a pair of eyes on my back, gone as soon as I look over my shoulder. The feeling is so overwhelming, I've chosen to stay in our suite most of the time, too afraid to venture outside for fear of that gaze on my back.
I'm reading a book in the window seat when I hear Blane walk in our suite. He walks over to me, setting his laptop on the coffee table and giving me a sweet grin. Even though I don't want it to, it manages to melt all of my insides into mush, making me remember just how much I love this man ... my stepbrother, my once-tormentor, now-lover.
"Got a surprise for you," Blane says, and his smile widens. "Know you're a sucker for those."
He's full of surprised lately, and as much as I try to fight my expression of glee, a smile eventually appears on my face as I set my book down and join him on the couch.
He immediately wraps me in his embrace and I settle in his arms, the only safe place I've ever known. I've lost my father, my mother, lost a brother ... And Blane is the only one that can comfort me since everything went down.
Blane produces a brochure from his bag and lets me have it. My eyes scour the colorful pages, the words on the thick paper jumping out at me.
Secluded ... Romantic ... An adventure ... Beautiful and unforgettable.
"What is this?" I ask Blane, the excitement easy to hear in my voice. I thumb my pendant between my fingers and look at him expectantly.
He chuckles and smoothes my hair down. "I wanted to apologize for being such a dick."
I look at him, waiting for him to admit it was really him I saw down at the beach with that blonde woman, but no such luck.
"I've been working a lot, and I promised you a holiday. Thought we could spend some time really alone, just you and me, if you want?"
His eyes are hopeful, but I can see the mischievous grin hiding right under that expression. And I can't help it - my gaze mimics his and I grin widely, nodding at his question.
"Awesome," Blane says, kissing me deeply and affectionately. He shows me the brochure again, explaining what we'll be doing there.
"There's an island off the shore, you can see it from our balcony. The hotel has two houses on it, each on one side of the island. They suggested this retreat - they have electricity, but no internet signal. The receptionist assured me it was all very luxurious ... But a real nice experience, being on your own there. One house's already taken, but I got us the second one."
Clapping my hands excitedly, I meet his grin with one of my own. "Can we go now?" I ask excitedly, and Blane laughs at my happy face, grabbing me in his arms and pulling me down on the couch.
And as soon as his hands start roaming my body, I'm gone - going down the rabbit hole again ...
***
Next day, we land on the shore of the island. We're taken there with a yacht that belongs to the hotel and I'm immediately stunned by the beauty of nature here.
Last night, I didn't sleep again; but at least this time it was because I was so excited, and not plagued by nightmares. I immediately take my sandals off when we land on the shore, burying my toes in the warm sand. A blissful smile lightens up my face and Blane's expression mirrors my own.
"You will find everything you need on the island," the guide explains to us. "The food pantry and fridges are stocked, and I believe you will truly enjoy the beauty of the island. A ship will arrive in a few days, and there's a direct line for the hotel in your kitchen."
We nod enthusiastically, our thoughts already preoccupied with exploring the beautiful island we've landed on. When the guide finally finishes, Blane is quick to tip him and walk me to the house where we'll be staying.
Though it is quaint, it's still luxurious with gorgeous, Egyptian cotton linens and towels, expensive champagne waiting for us when we arrive and every other luxury I thought I might miss during my stay here.
"I can't wait to go outside!" I exclaim, looking through the curtains at the beautiful sunny day. "There's so much to explore ... Do you think there are any wild animals here?"
I turn to face Blane, but as soon as I see his face, I know I'm in trouble.
And I don't mind it one little bit.
He makes his way over to me, gently tucking a strand of hair behind my ear as my eyes flutter closed, enjoying his sweet gesture. He tips my head back with one finger and I offer my lips to him.