29. Fun times
Chapter twenty-nine
Fun times
Owen
Dom and Harley finally make an appearance after spending most of the day in their apartment. I didn’t want to know what they were doing inside that room, but I have a feeling it’s pretty much what they have been doing on that sun lounger since coming out. Only this version is mildly less explicit. Mildly.
Looking over at them, I know it’s a mistake as soon as the words leave my lips. “Not everyone wants to see what happens between Mum and Dad in the bedroom.” The others look at me like I’ve lost my marbles.
Harley gives me the evil eye, while Dom shoots me a look to say, I think you have a death wish.
Zan and Grey are already in the pool, and like the big kids they are, burst out laughing, quickly ending the building tension when they start a water fight.
After a few minutes, Harley gets up from where she was lying and comes to sit beside me. I know she going to do something, I just have no idea what.
I tense up immediately, Dom smirking in my peripheral like the bastard he is. Harley leans in, her body casting a shadow over me. I’ve known this woman a long time. She is like a sister, a distant one, but still. Stroking my arm like it was Dom’s, she leans closer.
“I’d bet you would love to know what happens in our bedroom, wouldn’t you, O? The way he touches me.” Her voice is low and sultry, but it has the opposite effect on me, a chill running down my spine while my balls shrivel up and hide. “Maybe even watch?” I freeze, the blood draining from my face .
Leaning in further, she whispers in my ear, “You fucking broody geek.” She jabs the sensitive spot on my ribs. In a flash, I pick her up and jump in the pool with her.
Dom follows. It’s funny how protective he is over Harley, even when she is as big a badass as the rest of us. I hold on to her, as we all play around in the water, splashing like the big kids we seem to have become since we landed on this island.
Dom can’t help himself. After our water fight, he sweeps her from my arms, and they continue what they started on the lounger before I interrupted.
“Have you spoken to Leon about when you’re going back?” Zan asks as we sit on the side of the pool, our feet in the warm water.
“I’ve booked the next flight back in a few days. He’s left me a bunch of messages, but I’ve not read them yet. I’ll call him tomorrow. Let him know.”
“Good, you need to get back to real life. You can’t hang around with us forever. Having the big boss around has been cramping our style,” he mocks, slapping me on the back. He’s right, I can’t, and I don’t want to. I need to get my grumpy arse back home and back to Charlie.
“You need to do the same. You’re not getting any younger,” I add, squeezing his shoulder.
“Fuck you.” Zan shoves me so hard, I end up back in the pool. When my head breaches the water, after an ungraceful fall, he grins, and adds, “I’m three years younger than you, arsehole. You’re the old man of the group.” Technically Dom’s the oldest. We both know it. It’s just not worth the shit he’ll give us for pointing it out. He’s ten years older than Harley. Not that it bothers her, but he’s always had a stick up his arse about it.
Sharing a look, we get back to swimming and catching the last few rays of sun before it sets over the turquoise sea. No matter where I am in the world, I never tire of seeing the sun rise and set.
Grey comes over carrying a tray of beers and snacks.
“Did you guys hear that scuffle a while ago?”
“No, nor me,” he confirms. His excitement is palpable. He loves this stuff. Thrives on gossip.
“What’s this about? What’s happened?” Zan asks, knowing full well there’s a story about to come our way.
“There’s a rumour going around some of the guests and staff” He looks so proud of himself, having found a golden nugget of info on his first day here.
“We’ve been here less than a day and you have the staff in your pocket already?” Zan butts in. Grey's grin just gets bigger; he knows he’s good.
“What do you mean, less than a day? It took me less than an hour. These people have some great stories. Anyway… this rumour, that noise I asked you about was a fight, a table been thrown, or someone been thrown onto a table, supposedly. I’m not sure, the details are not clear yet. But there has been a bit of trouble up at the café, just above us.” He points to where you can see the small balcony, but not much else. “And we never noticed.” We all sit up a little straighter as he recalls what he’s heard.
“There was some sort of fight between a guy and a woman, most likely a domestic, but she’s not been seen since. That was a few hours ago.” Dom moves a little closer at that comment.
“Have you asked the staff, or is this just what other guests have told you?” I can tell he’s interested. We all are. A woman going missing is no small thing. We can help if needed.
“Guests mainly. The staff didn’t tell me. I overheard. You know I like to listen.”
“We know you love to gossip, but if they can’t find her, then they should at least be contacting the local police.” You can see all the scenarios running through their minds as I look around at my friends. The what ifs, worst and best-case scenarios.
“Looks like they have it handled.” I nod towards the doors of the bar, where three police officers are walking towards one of the apartments. We all sit back a little and watch as they make their way through the winding cobble pathway. They fall back into easy conversation, as Grey fills them in on some of the other titbits of information he’s found out about the guests here, but my gaze stays on the police. I know it’s none of my business, but I’m tense knowing something's happened and we may be able to help. I sense it in Dom too, although he won’t admit it.
“They have a BBQ here tonight on the open deck on the beach. I’ve booked us all a table,” Zan says just as my stomach audibly rumbles. How I’m still hungry after all these snacks and beers I have no idea, but if my body wants food to recover after the last few days, it will get it.
“Let’s eat and we can check with the staff later to make sure they have everything they need with what’s going on.” It’s like Dom read my mind. I won’t be able to let it go before I know it’s settled.
“I’ll go and check it out now. See you at the beach in ten.” Jumping from the lounger, I nod towards Dom before I head towards reception.
I lean my elbows on the highly polished surface of the reception desk, as one of the staff members wipes her eyes as if she’s been crying.
“Hi, are you okay? You look upset.” I ask as she straightens like she’s trying to compose herself.
“Yes, sir… Mr Stone, sorry, I’m okay. Just a little shook up. But I will be okay.”
“Is this about what happened earlier? I heard there was a bit of a domestic between two guests.” I’m asking as casually as I can. I want the details, but I know it’s not my place.
“It wasn’t a domestic, sir, but we have it all in hand. Miss… uh, the guest we thought was missing seems to have just gone home earlier than expected. There is no need for your concern.” She keeps looking down, avoiding my eye contact, a sure sign she not telling the truth.
“Well, if you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. We, my friends and I are in the business of finding people.” At that, she looks up.
“Oh, um… thank you, but the police have it handled.” Something’s off. If everything was handled, then why would the police be here still handling it?
“The offer is there if you need it,” I add, walking away, slowing my pace a little to scan the area. I can see other members of staff looking a little less professional than they should, more focused on each other's needs than what needs to be done. There is also an older couple off to the side making hushed conversation, speaking into the phone with urgency. It could be something completely unrelated, so I bank it and carry on. I’ll check again first thing in the morning.
Walking back down to the beach bar, I get a really uneasy feeling that has me wanting to turn my phone back on. Just to check in, but before I can, Dom finds me and walks with me towards the table we have on the beach.
“Zan tells me you’re making an early exit from this little respite?” Dom sits himself across the table from me, handing me a beer as he asks the question. The breeze from the sea is warm, more refreshing than the intense heat of the pool area. I like the beach more than the pool. I’ll stay down here tomorrow, go for a long swim.
“Yep, thought it was about time. I need to see where things lie with Charlie and the guys. I know the guys will be fine with it eventually. We’ve spoken on the phone, but I need to hash it out in person. Leon will want to get me in the ring, kick my arse.” Dom laughs, knowing full well what Leon’s like.
“Have you figured out what you’re going to say to Charlie?”
“Fuck. Charlie’s going to be a different matter altogether.” He smiles, shaking his head. “In all honesty, yes and no. I know what I want to say, but I have no fucking idea if it will come out right when I finally see her again.” If she’ll even talk to me. I wouldn’t blame her if she didn’t.
I grab another beer from the icebox after sinking the last one. I think of the things I want to say to her. There’s so much that I have no idea where to start.
“You really have it bad for this woman, don’t you?”
No shit.
“You have no idea how much she plagues my every waking moment, Dom.” My shoulders slump at the thought. When I close my eyes, she’s all I fucking see. The first thought I have in the morning and the last one before I fall asleep. Even in my dreams, she’s there reminding me of what we had, how good she fucking felt under my touch, the way she would demand and beg for what she wanted, and I’d give it to her willingly, taking any scrap she would give me, thriving on her violet eyes when they locked on mine, holding me captive and just how much I need to have her back by my side.
“Oh, I have some sort of idea.” His gaze falls over Harley, who’s busy piling her plate full of meat and salad, swatting Grey’s hand away when he tries to steal her steak.
“I guess you do.” I never realised before just what it was like to be consumed by someone. I’ve watched Dom and Harley during my time with the team. I’ve teased and mocked them. But I get it. If Charlie was here, I’d be possessed by her and everything she did. Hell, I’m possessed now and she's not even here. I’m fucked.
“I can feel the tension coming off of you in waves, mate. You need to learn how to chill the fuck out. The sooner you get her back in your life, the better for all of us.”