“Here is one of the rooms, sir,” Mahana says as she stops in front of a cottage.
“Thank you,” Brock answers.
“Go get cleaned up and then reach out to Yugi. I will call Brevnech,” Robert says. Brock takes off my bag and goes to hand it to Robert, but I intercept.
“I’ve got it, thanks,” I say, totally capable of carrying my little duffel around all by myself.
Brock nods and Robert doesn’t even say anything. Progress? Surely not.
Mahana continues down the wooden walkway suspended over the sea. The water is the same peachy blue as the sky and a soft breeze makes it ripple and dance. Mahana leads us to the largest, most private bungalow. “The honeymoon suite,” she says, unlocking the door with a key card and stepping inside. “Would you like a tour?”
“No, thank you,” Robert says. “You’ve been very helpful.” He hands her a tip and she smiles and nods before leaving us alone.
“Let me guess, this was the only room available?” I ask as the door clicks shut.
“No,” Robert answers. “It was the room I wanted.” He puts down the gun case and turns to me. “I’ll leave you to shower and dress—do you have any more clean clothing?” He eyes my small bag with mistrust.
“Yeah,” I answer. “What about you?” He’s still wearing the outfit he showed up in. “Where is your luggage?”
“I am going to go pick up something in the lobby shop. I’ll get something for you, too.”
“I’m fine.”
“Please.” He steps closer and I resist the urge to flinch back. “Allow me to buy my wife a gift.”
I roll my eyes. “Whatever, I’m starving. So just be fast.”
“Your wish is my command.” I snort and Robert’s lips twist in a subtle smile. But he doesn’t leave. He just stands there staring at me. Blue sits by my side, sensing we are going to be here for a while. Don’t act like you understand our dynamic, Blue.
I clear my throat as if to speak but have nothing to say.
“I will leave tonight, instead of you,” Robert says.
“Huh?” I answer dumbly.
“I am the danger here. Fernando wants me dead. Not you.”
“I don’t know about that,” I say. “Wouldn’t killing your wife be some kind of awesome revenge? Or even better, kidnapping me and—” I stop because the look on Robert’s face is terrifying. His eyes are molten and the rage in them… “You okay?” I ask, my voice coming out almost a whisper. Like I’m afraid to rattle the beast staring back at me.
Robert swallows, his Adam’s apple bobbing and jaw clenching. “You’re right. You should go.”
“Robert.” I smile at him, trying to look reassuring. I put a hand out, touching his arm lightly. “I’m fine. I mean, I’m good.” And eloquent. I laugh a little at myself. “What I’m trying to say is I can handle myself. I’m really hard to kill. Especially if I’m expecting it.”
Robert shakes his head, then glances down at where my hand is still on his bicep. I drop it, feeling like I’ve been caught doing something. Robert’s gaze stays on the spot when he speaks. “I don’t want to lose you, Sydney.”
“Don’t worry,” I say. “I’m not the one who dies. It’s just the people I love who…” I don’t finish the sentence. Hate that I almost said it out loud to Robert. I don’t share my heart with him. He is my enemy. But the thought has no bite.
“The people you love…what?” he says, his gaze tracking to mine, eyes narrowing, as if he’s seeing something in the distance and squinting will help him make it out.
“Nothing.” I turn away, but he reaches out, taking my arm. The hold is gentle—which is why I don’t immediately break it. And why Blue doesn’t growl.
“Tell me,” Robert says.
My stomach rumbles and hunger sweeps other thoughts away. “Later,” I lie. “I really need to eat.”
Robert releases my arm and nods, suddenly full of purpose. Feed the pregnant lady. “There should be snacks in the mini-bar. I will be back soon.” He turns and leaves quickly—a man on a mission.
I look down at Blue. “What do you think?” I ask. He begins to sniff the perimeter of the room, checking out all the corners and under the huge bed.
This bungalow villa is even larger than the last and has its own pool hovering above the calm and inviting sea, which seems like…overkill. My stomach growls again and I hunt out the mini-bar, finding a packet of mixed nuts that I demolish before heading into the bathroom.
Blue follows me in. He always wants to be by my side, but often I don’t let him join me in the bathroom because I don’t mind a few moments alone now and then. But right now, I want the company. Besides the bathroom is huge.
The walk-in shower has sand-colored tile dotted with fossils. The floor is black round stones. There is a sauna next to the shower…again, overkill. Who needs a sauna in the tropics?
Pushing away my judgments of the interior design choices, I strip off my outfit—the shirt is ruined but the pants are salvageable. Stepping under the spray of water, I close my eyes and empty my mind.
Learning to meditate through tai chi with Merl changed the way my brain worked, but it still can feel like a herd of cats yowling in there. Maybe now that you love Robert he really will die.
I take in a deep steam-filled breath and release that thought, allowing it to float by as a cloud does when one is lying on their back staring up at the sky. It morphs—as clouds do—from worry about his death to concern that he may live. If he doesn’t die, are you going to fuck him?
“Shit,” I mutter out loud, that thought winning—morphing from a little white cloud into a thunderhead growing in strength above me.
I can’t. It will mean he won. But you’ve admitted you want both him and Mulberry. He seems to be accepting that you will have them both.
Seems to is the operative phrase there. Robert is a snake. That much we know.
Yes, we can trust in his snakiness. He’s trying to get me to eat the forbidden fruit…yeah, but I’m not Eve. I’m just an ordinary woman. Who wants a man. Make that a couple of men.
