Chapter 4
Raf steered the boatover the waves, glancing at Josie’s upturned face. She wore a yellow romper with a yellow bikini beneath it, a white wide-brimmed straw hat that shaded her face, and her dark tresses cascaded down her back. They’d met the day before, and he’d judged her to be a shallow social media influencer, someone to have a casual, flirty connection with, yet something had happened over the course of the night. When they’d made love for the first time under the moon, he’d felt a connection with her that transcended just desire. They’d stayed up late, talking about their lives, and he’d seen the truth of her, how vulnerable and artistic she was. He could sense that she was keeping something from him. A few times it had seemed as if she wanted to tell him something but was too scared to and instead changed the subject. He was content to wait. He knew Josie was meant to be someone special in his life, and she would trust him with whatever she was holding back.
He reached the cove and dropped anchor. ‘We’re here.’
He looked out at the cove with a sigh of happiness. This was his favorite place to dive.
‘What’s this bay called?’ Josie asked.
‘The First Nation people, the Gunaikurnai, called this bay Yinnar Bay, which is woman’s bay. The settlers called it Siren’s Cove.’ He pointed to the curve of the bay around them and indicated that it had a woman’s curves.
Josie nodded and sighed with happiness as she gazed around her.
Raf checked his diving gear once more. Satisfied that everything was in order, he turned to Josie, who stood beside him, her eyes filled with anticipation and wonder.
”Ready for this, Josie?” Raf asked with a grin, his fingers brushing a strand of her sun-kissed hair away from her face. Her smile radiated back at him, her excitement mirrored in her sparkling eyes.
”I can”t wait, Raf,” she replied, her voice tinged with enthusiasm. She took off her romper and revealed her yellow bikini. Raf admired the way it hugged her curves and tugged her to him, kissed her, everything going quiet as the two of them melded lips.
‘You take my breath away.’ He stepped away with a smile and took off his shirt.
Josie picked up her waterproof camera housing, eager to capture the vibrant world beneath the surface.
Raf led Josie to the boat”s edge, where the ladder descended into the crystal-clear water. The gentle rocking of the boat and the rhythmic sound of the waves were soothing, contrasting with the bubbling excitement inside both of them.
With practiced ease, they donned their fins and masks, ensuring a snug fit, and secured their snorkels. Raf adjusted Josie”s mask, leaning close to kiss her lips tenderly. ”You look amazing,” he whispered.
Josie blushed beneath the water”s surface, her laughter bubbling up through the snorkel. Raf”s heart swelled at the sound, and he couldn”t help but feel incredibly fortunate to share this moment with her.
As they descended beneath the surface, the world transformed into a mesmerizing realm of color and movement. Raf guided Josie through the water, pointing out the vibrant coral formations and the kaleidoscope of marine life that surrounded them. Towering corals, some resembling intricate works of art, stretched out in every direction, in a spectrum of colors, from vivid blues and purples to striking oranges and pinks, forming a living tapestry that captivated the couple”s senses.
The reef was alive with fish of every imaginable hue, darting in and out of the corals like flashes of living rainbows. Schools of fish, seemingly endless in number, swirled around them like synchronized dancers. Among the fish, they spotted the vibrant blue and green parrotfish, their beaks chipping away at the coral, creating a harmonious melody of underwater activity. Graceful angelfish and regal butterflyfish flitted by, their patterns and colors adding to the underwater symphony.
Josie”s eyes widened in wonder as she captured the underwater world through her camera”s lens. Further down, hidden among the corals, Raf pointed at a pair of clownfish darting in and out of their anemone home, their vibrant orange bodies starkly contrasting with the lush green tentacles that provided their shelter.
Raf watched her with immense pride, reveling in the joy he saw in her expression. Time seemed to stand still as they explored the reef together, their movements synchronized, their hearts connected. Every snap of her camera was like a love letter to the ocean, a testament to the beauty beneath the waves. She came to join him, letting her camera dangle around her neck, and they held hands, twirling gently in the water, the vibrant colors shimmering around them.
Raf saw in the distance the silhouette of a gentle reef shark patrolling the reef”s edge and gently turned Josie around to watch. Reef sharks were not dangerous as long as they didn’t react with any sudden movements.
The warm Australian waters enveloped Josie and Raf as they marveled at the graceful approach of the reef shark. The shark”s streamlined form glided effortlessly through the water, its movement both mesmerizing and humbling.
They exchanged glances, their excitement mirrored in each other”s eyes. Raf gave her a reassuring smile, and they continued to watch in wonder.
But then, as the shark passed them by, Josie”s expression changed from fascination to something else entirely. Her eyes widened in alarm, and her grip on Raf”s hand tightened. Before he could react, she yanked him away with a sudden burst of strength.
Raf”s heart raced as he was pulled backward, confusion etching across his face. He barely had time to process Josie”s urgent actions when he heard her gasp through her snorkel. She pointed frantically at something behind him, her eyes wide with terror.
Turning around, Raf”s blood ran cold as he saw the translucent, ghostly form of a box jellyfish drifting ominously toward him. Its long, venomous tentacles swayed menacingly in the water, an invisible threat poised to strike. Box jellyfish were one of the most venomous creatures in the ocean, capable of delivering a potentially lethal sting. She pulled Raf away from the approaching menace and positioned herself between him and the jellyfish.
Startled by their movements, the reef shark, peacefully gliding nearby, reacted with a sudden lunge. Its powerful jaws clamped down on Josie”s arm.
Panic surged through Raf as he watched in horror. Without hesitation, he unleashed all his strength, his adrenaline-fueled instincts propelling him into action. With a forceful blow, he struck the shark on its nose, causing it to release its grip on Josie”s arm. The shark, momentarily disoriented and startled, retreated into the depths.
Josie cried out in pain, her arm bearing the unmistakable marks of the shark”s bite. Blood mingled with the surrounding water, painting a crimson scene of danger and bravery. Raf swiftly moved to protect Josie, placing himself between her and any potential threats, his heart pounding with fear for her safety.
He glided away from the jellyfish and, cradling Josie carefully, Raf slowly ascended toward the surface, checking around them to ensure the reef shark wasn’t nearby.
Josie clung to him, her hand clasped tightly around his, and he could feel her trembling with shock. They kicked upward, their bodies rising through the water, and when they reached the boat, he pushed her up onto the stern and lunged out beside her.
She was biting her lip, her eyes clouded with pain. Josie clutched her injured arm close to her chest, her fingers trembling as she fought to maintain her composure. She winced with pain in every breath.
Raf got the first aid kit and quickly opened it. ‘You’ll be okay, Josie,’ he murmured as blood oozed from the wound on her arm, staining her yellow bikini and creating a stark contrast to the pristine deck of the vessel.
Raf knelt beside her, his face a mask of concern and determination. His strong, sun-kissed hands worked swiftly, their movements deliberate and practiced. He first rinsed Josie”s wound with clean seawater, gently removing any debris to reduce the risk of infection. The saltwater stung, and Josie winced.
Next, Raf carefully wrapped a clean, white bandage around Josie”s injured arm, securing it in place to staunch the bleeding. His touch was gentle and reassuring, a steady presence amidst the turmoil of the moment.
‘I have to take you to the doctor,’ he said. ‘You’ll need x-rays and stitches.’ The sea breeze carried a briny tang, mingling with the metallic scent of blood that lingered in the air.
‘No,’ she protested weakly. ‘No, he’ll know.’
‘Who’ll know?’ Raf stilled beside her, his brow furrowing in confusion. ‘Who are you afraid of?’
The words tumbled out in a hushed confession. ‘My father will know.’
‘The hospital doesn’t have to call him. You are over 18, after all.’
‘There’s something I haven’t told you,’ Josie murmured, holding his arm. ‘My father is Rex Heron.’
A heaviness settled over them as Raf processed this revelation. This was the secret she was hiding. She was the daughter of his father’s enemy. The truth hung between them like a dark cloud.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she asked the question that haunted her. ‘Do you hate me?’
Raf”s heart ached as he gazed into her tearful eyes, realizing the depth of his feelings for this incredible girl who had risked everything for him. ”Of course not,” he replied, his voice filled with sincerity. ”I love you.”
In the quiet of that moment, their emotions spilled forth. ”I love you too,” she said, her tears flowing freely. ”I thought you wouldn”t want to see me anymore.”
Raf pulled her close, his arms wrapping around her in a protective embrace. ”I”m not going to judge you for your father”s behavior,’ he whispered, his voice filled with tenderness.
Josie revealed the grim truth. ”My father hates the Kings.”
”I know,” Raf murmured, his voice tinged with sadness. ”He”s no fan of my family.” The Heron-King feud had cast a long shadow over their lives, one that he was determined to transcend.
Tears continued to fall, and Josie”s voice quivered. ”He”ll take me away, and I won”t see you again.”
Raf”s heart sank at the thought of losing her. ”What? What do you mean?” he asked urgently.
Josie”s voice wavered as she explained, ”My father is forceful like that. He”ll make sure we can”t see each other again.”
Determination surged within Raf. He wiped away her tears with gentle fingers and brought their foreheads together. ”Then he won”t find out,” he declared, his voice filled with resolve. ”We”ll keep our relationship a secret.” With utmost care, he lifted her from the deck and carried her to a seat by the cabin. ”But first, we must get you to the hospital. Don”t worry, I”ll make myself scarce when your father shows up.”
As the boat sliced through the calm waters, Raf took the helm with a steady hand, his eyes focused on the distant shoreline. The boat”s engine hummed reassuringly, the vessel gliding smoothly toward their destination.
Beside him, Josie sat in a small, cushioned seat by the cabin, her injured arm carefully cradled against her chest. Her face bore traces of pain, her eyes occasionally closing briefly as she endured the discomfort. Despite the ordeal she had just faced, she displayed remarkable resilience, her gaze fixed on the horizon ahead.
Raf couldn”t help but steal glances at her, his concern a palpable presence in the boat”s cabin. He watched her closely, his heart aching with empathy for the pain she was experiencing and love for her.
With each passing minute, the shoreline grew nearer, promising the medical attention Josie needed. Raf”s grip on the wheel remained firm, his determination unwavering. He wanted nothing more than to get Josie to the hospital and ensure her swift recovery.
As the boat approached the shore, Raf expertly maneuvered it into position, skillfully guiding it to a safe and smooth docking. The boat”s crew leaped into action, securing the vessel and assisting Josie onto the pier.
He carried her to the office as the marina staff called an ambulance. Twenty minutes later, he was relieved to see her face smoothing out and her grip relaxing as she held his hand as the paramedic administered pain relief. He remained with her as she waited for an x-ray, and his cousin Riley, a nurse, alerted him when Rex was coming.
‘I’ll be back later,’ Raf said, kissing her on the cheek as Riley led him down the corridor. He saw Rex passing a blond woman whose facial features resembled Josie next to him.