Chapter 25

CHAPTER 25

B raxton

“I don’t give a fuck,” I hissed. “I am going to bring that man down.” My statement was full of anger, more so than when she’d told me what she’d endured. To think a man would allow his child to continue having nightmares, daring not to believe her story was blasphemous. Disgusting. I didn’t care what it took or how much money I spent, I would bring the fucker down and his entire world.

Jack eyed me cautiously. “Every man has an ugly secret, you included.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t place my child in harm’s way.”

“Do you want to tell me what happened?”

I’d promised her that her secret would stay safe with me and the last thing I wanted to do was to betray her confidence. It had taken a lot for Jasmine to admit what she’d endured. I refused to betray her like her family had.

“I can’t. Just know that it’s obvious fame and fortune mean more to him than anything else.”

“There was a time I could have said that about you. As a matter of fact, up until recently.”

“Fuck you!” I was in the security room, my outburst finally drawing the attention of others in the room. They squirmed as if uncomfortable as hell.

I backed away, moving to the single window in the room. It had a beautiful view of the resort, the ocean in the background. What I hated almost as much as what she’d told me was that I felt helpless. Not a good look on me at all.

“Look, I’ll do what I can, but Ambassador Sinclair has a strong network of people doing nothing but keeping him and his secrets protected. He’s hosting a party tonight, glorifying his position and appearance in DC. Everyone who’s anyone will be there.”

I heard Jack. I understood his concern. The few times I’d gone off the rails hadn’t occurred without some damaging results. But what good was having all the money in the world when it couldn’t be used for the greater good?

“I don’t give a shit. Not a single shit. Find a way and let me know when you do.”

“What about Santini? Rumor is he’s planning something. What, I haven’t found out.”

I mulled over his question. “Keep at it. If word on the street is that his former bride to be is alive and that I was the one who saved her, then he won’t take it lightly.”

“Testosterone and all that?”

At least he could grin about it. “Something like that. I need to go.”

He touched my arm as he’d done before and I had to fight not to take out my rage on my buddy. “Just don’t go off halfcocked. One thing we did learn overnight was that there’s chatter about her being alive.”

“Did her father even make inquiries with the authorities?”

His shrug told me everything I didn’t want to know. “Yeah, but I don’t think it went anywhere since he wasn’t around her. Just try and calm down. She’s here. She’s safe and I know you want to keep it that way. Do yourself a favor and take a breath. Okay? As soon as I learn anything that might be useful, I’ll give you a call.”

I rubbed my eyes, unable to sleep a wink the night before. I’d held her in my arms, feeling closer to her than I had to anyone yet distanced from her life all the same. It bothered the hell out of me. “Fine. But find something. And find this Maggie.”

As I walked out, I could hear a collective sigh of relief from all the men. I wasn’t in the mood to be challenged by anyone, especially those I paid damn well to discover what I needed to know.

The resort was busy, our occupancy full and while I was happy the business was doing well, I’d give everything to be able to change her past.

As I strode out the front entrance, yanking my sunglasses from my coat pocket, I tried to take a deep breath. It was almost impossible. The moment I jumped into the Jeep, I smashed my fist against the steering wheel. I wanted to tell her I had plans for revenge, but I could feel she still had loyalty to her parents, which shouldn’t surprise me but it did.

I shoved my foot onto the accelerator, allowing my anger to continue flowing as I headed back to the villa. I’d left her sleeping, at least attaching a note that I’d return. I only hoped her admittance hadn’t driven her back into the protected state she’d placed around herself before.

As I drove, my mind drifted to the night before and not just learning her secret. She’d felt so close, our connection so intense that I’d experienced the kind of emotions I’d never felt before. I wanted them to continue. I needed to be with her, to explore the world with laughter.

Shit. Was I asking too much at this point of either one of us?

I sped down the heavily foliaged roads, fighting the demons lurking inside of me. I’d been the brother to care about animals, trying to save every critter from certain death. I’d shoved that part of me inside when I’d become a ruthless bastard, but I’d never forgotten how it had felt when I’d tried to save a goddamn puppy who’d been hit by a car.

I’d insisted on using my own money for surgery, thankfully saving his life but for all the begging I’d done to adopt him when he was on the mend, my father had refused to allow it. It had been the single time I’d sobbed like a baby. But it had also been the catalyst to keep my emotions in check, to never get attached to anyone. Having the single girl I’d dared care about years later walk out on me had brought it all back in force.

I’d shut down, determined never to be awakened again.

Then the brusque woman with the dazzling raven hair had come into my life. Now I couldn’t imagine being without her, which meant I had no issue dying to keep her safe and happy.

I was half laughing by the time I pulled down the final stretch of road, the gear barely in park and the Jeep turned off before jumping out. I even stormed toward the stairs, trying to curtail my emotions so she didn’t realize how angry I was.

By the time I walked in, my hackles were raised. Immediately, I scanned the living room and kitchen, noticing at least she’d made herself something to eat. But when I moved back into the bedroom we’d shared, not seeing her almost sent me into a panicked rage that would be impossible to stop.

I almost broke everything in my effort to find her, stopping just shy of doing so. When I finally noticed her standing on the deck, I took a few seconds to allow my body to stop shaking. The moment I finally managed to walk out, she turned slowly.

She was in a dress that screamed beachwear and I noticed two thin red straps tied around her neck that could be attached to a bathing suit.

As she lifted her sunglasses, peering up and down at me, I noticed the infamous admonishing look only she could provide. She shook her head and sighed.

“No, that just won’t do,” she said.

“What?”

She pointed to my suit. “The clothes. You look like a buttoned-up accountant, for God’s sake. We’re in a tropical paradise and you’re stuffy and boring looking.”

“This is boring?” I peered down at my clothes, grinning. She had a way of disarming me completely, driving the anger into the clouds.

“Yep.”

“What are you wearing?”

The coy look she gave me heated my body up by a thousand degrees. When she lifted her dress, showing me a teeny bikini, I sucked in my breath. “If you want to see this again, you’ll need to put on a bathing suit and nothing more than a tee shirt. If you’re a very good boy, we’ll share a picnic in the sand and some ocean swimming. But only if you’re very, very good.”

“I’m always good.”

“Nope. You are not. That’s what makes you so endearing. Now scoot. I have a picnic basket to finish getting ready. And you will not conduct business.” She pressed her finger against my chest. “You can and are taking a day off.”

As she strode off, I removed my sunglasses, watching the way she was sashaying toward the back door. When she turned, she blew me a kiss and for some crazy reason, the gesture brought another wave of emotions.

What the heck. I was the boss. I could take a day off. Right?

As I went in to change, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d worn a bathing suit. Years? Likely. I’d purchased several pairs of trunks over the years with every intention of learning to enjoy myself, but it had all been in vain. I’d never taken more than a few hours off.

Maybe this would do me some good.

I had to dig through my older shit to find a pair I thought would work. When I realized it was a pair Gage had purchased as a gag gift one Christmas, I hesitated but maybe there was a different bad boy side to me. I ripped off my jacket, not caring where it fell in the room. Bed. Floor. What did it matter?

As I moved into the bathroom, I looked at myself and laughed. She was right. I was buttoned up. It was time to dispel the image if possible.

I found a colorful tee shirt that would go with the aquarium life on the shorts, laughing at myself again when I was finished dressing. What I wasn’t certain I could find were any appropriate shoes.

After tossing the various pairs that had been left by one or the other of us, I found a pair of boat shoes. In freaking lime green. Which brother had dared buy these damn things? It was either this or expensive Italian loafers.

I made a mental note I needed to buy my own, maybe a pair of tennis shoes as well.

When I was finished, I found her closing the picnic basket. It was something else I hadn’t even known was in the villa.

I donned my sunglasses and moved closer, grinning as I leaned against the island. “Will this do?” I even deepened my voice on purpose.

She was slightly startled, spinning around with that split second of fear on her face.

Until she burst into laughter that doubled her over.

“What?” I threw out my arms, spinning around in a rather awkward dance move.

“You look… fantastic.”

“Too much?”

“It’s perfect. I have everything we need including a few little culinary surprises.”

I moved closer, pulling her into my arms. “You? Culinary surprises? I didn’t know you could cook.”

“How many times do I need to remind you that there are so many things you don’t know about me?”

“Mmm…”

“Now, you need to grab the blanket and the beach towels. I at least found something suitable. Hurry. I don’t want to waste any more of this beautiful sunshine. And we better be taking a convertible.”

I saluted her, delighted to see her smiling after everything we’d shared the night before. If only I could continue seeing her this happy. This comfortable.

Her face was shimmering, every move she made fluid and I wanted to wrap her up in sunshine. Oh, for the love of God. Who said that kind of shit?

Jasmine acted as if she was floating on air as we left the villa, heading for the Jeep. I knew the perfect place to take her, which was a private beach I’d showcased for guests a few times. It wasn’t well known, hidden by an overgrowth of foliage from the recent tropical rains. That would make for a pristine backdrop to our feast.

And a fabulous day.

I found myself eager, even happy although I refused to leave my phone behind. When Jack and his team discovered every bit of dirty laundry about Justin, I would be ready to sweep in like a venomous snake.

I tossed everything into the Jeep, scanning the area once before heading out. I also didn’t want anyone sneaking up on us. Hell, that wasn’t possible, yet I was worried. Jack and his team were also patrolling the remote areas for boats and I’d checked the manifest for the single flight coming in. Today’s roster mostly consisted of celebrities and their entourages. They were rowdy but right now, it suited me just fine.

When I turned on the satellite radio, another perk provided to our guests, she clapped her hands. “Fantastic. Amazing music, a perfect sunny day, and delicious food. What could be better?”

“A hot escort?” I teased.

“If you find me one, let me know.”

“Brat. You will get it for that.”

“Promises. Promises. Oh, and you’re taking me through the resort as well.”

With the Jeep’s top off, the wind blowing, just seeing her long curls floating in the wind was enough to make my cock harden just as it had done the night before.

I did what I could to push aside the bullshit, the hatred and anger as I headed toward the main portion of the resort.

“How did you guys find this place? And you own the island?”

“We own it. It was rural enough that although other developers had considered making the purchase, the cost to bring in water and electricity was outrageous.”

“But nothing is too expensive for men like the Royal brothers. Right?” She gave me a heated look and I could laugh once again.

She really did have a way of disarming any man. No wonder she’d been good at gambling. Men from every age group were blinded by her beauty and coyness.

“Oh, and one more thing. You mentioned you have stores here on the island?”

“Yes, two fabulous ones.”

“Hmmm. Nice dresses?”

“Only the best,” I told her as I headed down the main road toward the resort.

“Good. I need a dress. And a few other essentials. We will be going shopping so that when we go out to dinner tonight, and I assume you have incredible chefs at your restaurants, I’ll have something sexy to wear. Plus, we’re going to the casino where I’ll show you just how good a girl I can be.”

All I could do was laugh. “Anything else?”

“Champagne. Lots of champagne.”

“That I can also do.” I wasn’t certain why it seemed the weight had been lifted from her shoulders, but I was grateful nonetheless. Her smile could light up a room, and I needed it to keep the darkness away.

At least for the time being.

As soon as the resort came into view, she was out of her seat and through the opening in the roof. “Oh, my God. You had this built?”

“We did. Painstakingly doing so over several years.”

“Wow. How much did this cost?”

I pulled the Jeep to a stop just beside the Las Vegas-style fountain, allowing her to take in the various outbuildings and cabanas. “Do you really want to know?”

“Maybe not. I’m sure it’s more money than in my trust fund.”

I laughed and after shoving the gear into park, moved into a standing position as well. “It’s funny. It was a pipe dream at first, my brothers and I discussing something fabulous over way too much tequila but a couple years later, Valerio got wind of a couple island sales and we decided to take a boat to see what all the fuss was about. I will tell you this, camping out isn’t my style. Plus, with the wild boars and other crazy wildlife, it was as if we were taking our lives into our hands.”

“Wild boars, eh? Do you have a spear so you can keep us safe?”

I wasn’t planning on mentioning I’d brought my weapon with me. It would likely scare her to death. I acted as if I was strangling something with my hands, shaking the imaginary beast. “With these strong hands, who needs a weapon?”

“Uh-huh. Whatever you say.”

“What? You don’t believe me that I can protect you against every demon?”

She slunk back into her seat, staring out the windshield. “I hope you don’t need to remind me all over again. Tell me about the resort. What do you offer?”

Exhaling, I placed my hand on her knee. I had a feeling she was just trying to change the subject all over again. As I told her about the various luxuries, she nodded her head.

“Fabulous. Let’s go to the beach.”

The woman could keep me in a good mood without trying. “Comin’ right up.”

As I headed out toward one of the more private roads, she crawled in between the seats, her adorable, rounded bottom suddenly right there. Why did I have the need to bite down?

“What are you looking for?” I asked as I stared into the rearview mirror.

“You’ll see. Patience, grasshopper.”

“I didn’t know they used that phrase down under.”

“Oh, please.” She huffed and continued digging. When she finally surfaced, in her hands were two bottled beers. After she popped the top, she rolled the bottom down my exposed thigh.

I growled. “You need to be careful or two can play at this game.”

“Sure, bad boy. Bring it.”

I took the beer from her, realizing I’d never driven as much as I did with her.

As I rolled into the more remote sections of the island, I had to admit the cold brew was exactly what I needed.

Even though it wasn’t noon yet. Oh, who cared. Valerio was always trying to tell me to live a little. Admitting he’d been right was a tough pill to take but maybe spending time with her was the key.

As I drove, she asked questions about the various tropical plants, explaining that in her native country, the foliage was completely different. She was animated, not bothering to use her seatbelt. The woman still enjoyed living dangerously.

Perhaps I’d need to break her of that.

The drive was spectacular, reminding me of the first time I’d stepped foot on the soil.

All three of us had had different experiences when we’d done so, what now seemed like a lifetime ago. We were young men with big dreams, acting as if our wealth management firm wasn’t enough. In truth, it hadn’t been for any of us.

But it paid the bills and offered a huge client list.

Sadly, the reminiscing also allowed my thoughts to drift back to the dark side. If I knew anything about mafia organizations, Santini wouldn’t take the pushback without doing exactly the same.

Until the deed was done.

She was delightfully explaining aspects of her country, making me want to visit the continent, but only with her as a tour guide.

Maybe one day we’d take a vacation there. Who knows, a honeymoon. The thought brought another laugh.

I’d known her for what, a week? And I was thinking marriage. Something had been put in the water.

Or my beer.

Yet the thought was still delicious.

It took only a few minutes more before I eased down the mostly dirt road heading toward the private beach.

She was studying me, even daring to brush her hand up and down my thigh. The little woman had no idea what I had planned.

All throughout the day.

The Jeep had barely stopped before she jumped out, laughing the entire time. After grabbing the picnic basket, towels, and the blanket, she bounded toward the ocean water. The way she barely dropped the items on the sand before racing toward the water’s edge kept me captivated. For all the years I’d had access to tropical beaches, nothing and no one had fascinated me as much as her reaction.

It was funny when I thought about it, rich and often entitled people taking the finer things in life for granted. I was one of those people, never facing poverty or being sheltered away for any reason.

What Jasmine had endured, the strength she’d developed was heartwarming.

Even to an asshole like me.

I took my time heading down to the beach, enjoying the way she was frolicking in the water, kicking the small waves with her feet. She stopped a few seconds later, facing the depth of the ocean and throwing out her arms.

As soon as I came up behind her, she slowly tipped her head over her shoulder. “You act as if you’ve never been to a beach. I thought Australia had some of the best beaches in the world.”

“We have the most incredible sea life, but for the most part my father was too busy. Besides, there’s a huge difference in where I lived and finding a secluded beach in the middle of absolute paradise.” She took a deep breath, turning all the way around to face me. Just the way she lifted her sunglasses, eyeing me with the same critical look I’d seen so many times was about to drive me crazy.

“Well, I’m certainly glad you see something different here.”

She inched closer, the coy smile I’d grown to love on her face. When she reached down quickly, scooping as much water into her hands as possible and splashing me, the laugh I issued was completely devoid of angst.

As water soaked my face and shirt, I closed my eyes. “I’ll get you for this.”

“Only if you catch me first.” She took off sprinting, turning around to face me seconds later. The way she beckoned me with a single finger pushed my cock into full arousal.

The light breeze was blowing through her hair, the sun bright in the sky and at that moment, I’d never been happier.

But of course, I refused to allow her to win a single competition with me. I took off running, finding myself laughing in the process.

“I’m going to catch you and when I do…”

“Bring it, boy toy.”

I had to admit, the girl was fast. However, I’d run track in high school. I thought it would help until she was a couple hundred feet down the beach and I’d yet to catch up to her. I sucked in my breath and willed my adrenaline to kick into overdrive.

And I managed to wrap my arms around her only seconds later, swinging her in the air as I headed deeper into the water.

“Don’t you dare,” she yelped. “If you do, so help me God.”

“Oh, yeah? Challenge accepted.” I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had this kind of fun. When my brothers and I were kids, we did play football occasionally in the backyard, much to the chagrin of our landscaper. We’d felt free, acting like kids. Now I better understood that some of the simplest actions in life were the most joyful.

When I lifted her higher into the air, she continued kicking and wiggling but I managed to toss her out by several feet. Just watching her drop and splash did my heart good.

Nothing seemed to daunt the woman. She’d righted herself and flung her body at me seconds later, somehow managing to bring us both down to the sand. As water splashed all over us, she tried her best to dunk my head under water.

We both had to fight to keep our sunglasses from falling and floating away, which continued to make us laugh.

I was having none of it, pulling us both to our feet. We were soaked but what did it matter? We were together. As our laughter died, passion rushing to the surface, there were so many things I wanted to say to her but had no idea where to begin. When had I ever been stymied for words?

As I crushed my mouth over hers, the intensity of our combined emotions was more powerful than before. Even the taste of her was more profound, keeping me so turned on I wasn’t certain I could stop.

Sweeping my tongue inside, tasting her glorious essence was electrifying.

She was the one who pushed me away, shaking her head as if admonishing me. “We have a picnic to feast on. I did not slave away making my delicious food to have it spoil. Come on, big boy.”

As I watched her walk away, I couldn’t help but remind myself this wasn’t real life.

And as with all fantasies, it could eventually end. Now it was up to me to keep that from happening.

If only I could be Superman.