Chapter 28
The view from our suite is spectacular. The ocean stretches out behind the windows like a rippling blanket, with the full moon reflecting on its surface. The suite is decorated in a marine theme, complete with a soaking tub next to a king-sized bed and a glass shower adorned with deep green and gold marble patterns.
There’s a vase filled with violet roses and a box of pralines on the table, but what catches my eye is a small box. Opening it up, I find another hair clip—this one made of diamonds and pearls in the infinite symbol, with a precious filigree platinum design. I press it to my chest.
As I stand there holding my clip, emotions overwhelm me. Whatever is holding him back must be bad. I catch my reflection in the floor-to-ceiling window, and my scowl vanishes the moment he comes behind me and wraps me in his strong arms.
In the cocoon of his embrace, my anguish evaporates. I hope he will tell me soon so we can move on, enjoying and giving in to our love and relationship to the fullest. I don’t even care what it is. Knowing him, he had to do it because he didn’t see any other solution. Blake is not a bad person, nor does he enjoy doing bad things for fun. That darkness is most surely a result of his upbringing and the hardship he suffered at the hands of his awful father. I’ll love him so hard and deep enough, he will realize nothing he reveals will affect my feelings for him.
“It’s beautiful. Thank you.”
He flicks a strand of hair behind my ear, placing a kiss on my sensitive neck, and goose bumps spread as if on command whenever his lips or fingers touch me.
“There’s this incessant urge inside of me to try to make you happy,” he says, brows furrowing as if trying to understand why.
Because he loves me, and I know that because I feel the same need to love, protect, and take care of him just as much.
“I hope it never goes away.” What I don’t say strangles my heart. I hope he will never stop loving me. I have experienced something I only dared dream about, and I don’t want to return to a time when I lived vicariously through books—off of hopes and imagination.
“It won’t. I’m yours even if you don’t want me anymore.”
Changing the subject, he says, “I placed the food order for later. We have two hours. What would you like to do?”
“Let’s go to the indoor pool.”
After changing into a black criss-cross two-piece swimsuit with metallic bands, I hand him the new hair clip so he can put it in my hair.
“I love how you always bring one back. Makes me feel like you thought about me.”
Gently, he pulls my hair to the side and attaches the clip. “Mia, I’m always thinking of you.”
His eyes glide over me with unadulterated hunger and sheer adoration.
“If we don’t leave right now, we never will.”
“The absolute horror…”
He slaps my ass and offers me a bathrobe. We take the elevator downstairs to the spa. Orchids and palms create an exotic scene. Other couples are here, either swimming, chatting in the pool, or sipping cocktails. Soft music from the island bar in the corner adds to the romantic atmosphere.
Right now, us feels more real than ever.
We go from fooling around in the water, with him catching me every time, to him pretending to be a shark. I’m giggling so hard that I forget that we’re not alone.
We move to the sauna next, and I swallow so hard when he leans back, his body on display. Mouthwatering planes of muscle, ridges carved into a six-pack leading to a V-line dipping low, and arms flexing with sheer strength, mesmerize me. And those powerful thighs—he looks like he’s photoshopped.
I might be lean, but I have a small pooch, and my curves are not that defined.
“What is my girl thinking about that makes her look sad?” he asks me, eyes fully focused on me. To be the center of his heady attention is sweet torment.
“You look like that and I…”
A muscle tics in his jaw, his lips pressed into a hard line.
My head lowers, a wave of insecurity crashes over me.
“Mia, look at me.”
I lift my chin, and he says, “You’re my personal wet dream. I am fucking hard in a damn sauna. I love your softness. I love that I can dig my fingers into your skin and leave my damn prints on it. I am mad about every perfect inch of you.”
He takes my hand and puts it on his erection to prove his point. Not that it wasn’t visible. He’s that freaking big, my pussy deserves a medal for taking it.
I look at the small roll my belly makes and sigh. Suddenly, he gets onto his knees in front of me and kisses along my belly, nipping at the skin.
“You are my damn fantasy come to life. Never let me hear you say something bad about my body. You’re mine, and what I say goes. You’re beautiful and sexy. Scratch that, you’re gorgeous. Fucking stunning. I salivate at just the thought of putting my hands on you,” he says, deep with resolution.
What do you say to that? Thank you would sound pretty pathetic, but I still say it because he makes me feel beautiful. And what a wonderful feeling it is.
“Don’t thank me. Say you believe me.”
He doesn’t stop, does he? He already has everything I have to give, but I learn my feelings for him run deeper than an endless well.
“I believe you. It’s your body, after all,” I sass, and he smirks.
“Exactly. Never forget it.”
We stay in the sauna until sweat rolls down our bodies, and others join us. When a nice elderly gentleman tries to chat with me a bit too much, Blake grabs my hand and leads us out, mumbling under his breath.
“Tell me you’re not jealous of someone who is older than my father?”
“He didn’t have a fatherly look on his face. The fucker.” He looks back, wearing a dangerous look, and this time, it’s me who pulls him away and into the showers.
Heading back to our hotel suite, Blake pushes me against the bed, rips our bathrobes off, and pounces on me.
I always come at least two times when we have sex, so I am used to him fucking me until I see freaking stars dance before my eyes. Add to that the touch of jealousy and possessiveness that man ignited in Blake, he will fuck me boneless.
“I won’t be gentle,” he says as he tears at my bikini.
“Don’t be then. I’m yours.” Those words register with him, making that blazing fire in his eyes soften, but only for a moment before he thrusts into me.
“Grip the headboard.”
I hold on because he takes me on a wild ride I never want to get off.
By the time he tires and comes, he has fucked me into oblivion all over this room: on the bed from behind, with my back against the window, in the armchair with me riding him.
Three orgasms later—for me—he grows bigger inside of me, the muscles in his neck straining as he throws his head back and lets out a groan of satisfaction.
I am spent by the time we finish. Blake tends to me in the tub, melting me with his gentle touches and care as he shampoos my hair and washes my body. Adored, cherished, and worshipped—that’s how he makes me feel.
My stomach grumbles, and just then, there’s a knock on our door. While I put the robe on, Blake grabs a towel from the rack, wraps it around his waist, and opens the door for the staff member, who pushes the tray inside.
After he places the food on the table, Blake tips him, and we dig right in. There are appetizers, a burger with fries, linguine on a bed of mushrooms and garlic, and a chocolate fountain with various sliced fruits including bananas, strawberries, and apples.
I am so full I could roll to bed, but Blake carries me. He sets me down, wraps me in his arms and sleep finds me.
I don’t know if I am dreaming, but if I am, I don’t want to wake up. I want to live in this dreamlike state forever.
***
In the last three weeks, there haven’t been any more attacks, but that doesn’t mean we’re not constantly on alert. Waiting for something to happen threatens to pop my happy bubble on a daily basis. Sometimes, I wish for them to come at us, to finally know where they are, so we can escape this purgatory.
The guys are getting more and more impatient. They lock themselves in the gym and spar with each other, while the girls and I let them have their outlet.
Celine, Abigail, Bailey, and I are in the living room, sitting around the table while we try to do some coursework, but I am not the only one slacking.
Abigail pushes at her miniature building and says, “Fuck them for conditioning us like that. Even from afar, Felix and Caleb control us.”
“They’re surely planning something. I can’t find anything. There is nothing. Fucking nothing,” Bailey says and slumps back.
“I know just one thing. We’ll be ready when they come. They can’t hide forever,” Celine says.
“Just a bit longer,” I add, which seems to have become our mantra.
“Has he told you yet?” Abi asks.
Blake says, “I love you” every night. The first night when he whispered those three words, I blamed him for fucking me into a near coma that I must have imagined it. But the next night, he did the same. No wonder the after-sex became my favorite part. Not only am I floating, high on my release and the hit of dopamine and endorphins, but his saying he loves me is my magic pill; its effect is even better than my powerful orgasms.
“Not to my face.”
Celine places her hand on mine. “He will when he’s ready”
“What could he have done?” Abi asks, lifting her arms in the air, clearly frustrated.
“You have to see things from his perspective. Blake put you on this pedestal. Perfect, good, and innocent, while he sees himself as the opposite,” Bailey says.
“I just wish he could see me less than that at times.” Maybe then he would finally confide in me and allow me to show him nothing will change on my part.
“I only see one solution. You confront him,” Celine says.
“I don’t want to push him, though.”
“True, I am ecstatic that you’re happy and in love, but I want that just as much for him. He’s never had that look in his eyes before. One moment he looks at you like you’re his damn sun, and he orbits around you, and the next, it’s like a cloud passes over his expression. He deserves to be happy, goddamn it,” Abi says and pours herself a glass of water she drinks in one go.
What I know for sure is he’s teetering on the edge. Every night, he says those three words louder, even tracing the letters on my skin.
Maybe a little nudge will help. These past weeks, my feelings for him have not only grown but deepened. How is it possible? It’s a mystery I don’t plan to unravel, because living through it is better. There’s more than just need and intimacy; it’s stability, familiarity, and companionship.
“I’m going to ask him in bed tonight.”
“Good. And please nudge him to tell us, too. I’m aware I broke my promise to him once, but this time I won’t. I will even help him move the body if he killed someone,” Abi says.
Bailey shrugs. “He’s like my brother. So…”
“Whatever it is, we’ll stand by him,” Celine offers.
Tears glisten in my eyes, seeing how our group loves. We would die for each other; the bond of friendship is indestructible.
Our phones vibrate on the table at the same time, and we go to pick them up.
Tyson is inviting a select group to a themed holiday party.
“We’re going, right?” Celine asks, already replying for us.
“We haven’t talked about that, Sky,” Kaden yells from downstairs.
“Shush, we need to let loose,” she yells back.
A party sounds nice; dancing and having a good time with my boyfriend and friends.
I have a plan, and that is to have fun tonight, but afterward, I’m going to ask Blake to take me to the lodge. That’s our place, the one where he seems at ease telling me everything.
With Celine moving in with Kaden, we turned her room into a girls’ space. That’s where we usually hang out—just us girls.
A bottle of champagne chills on the table. Abigail applies red lipstick, looking amazing in a short, fringe, red dress. Celine is in a green velvet surplice-neck dress, and Bailey dazzles in a golden low-back mini dress.
I am in a silver, one-shoulder, full-sleeve sequined dress, fitting the theme of the party: sparkly holidays. My hair falls in waves, the tips reaching my shoulder blades. I attach a snowflake hair clip, then dab on a bit of kiss-proof lipstick.
Abi waves us over, and we all grin when she takes a selfie of us.
I can’t wait to see Blake’s reaction.
A knock on the door sounds, and when Abi says, “Enter,” Dane sweeps his eyes over her. “Fuck, princess.”
He pulls her to him, and Kaden swallows when he sees Celine.
“Sky, you look stunning.”
Blake pushes them out of his way, eliciting a small giggle from me, and then he comes to an abrupt halt.
“You’re killing me, Silver.” He takes my hand and whispers, “I can’t wait to undress you later, but until then, I will savor looking at you being the embodiment of my wet dream.”
“You don’t look so bad yourself,” I smile, my smitten expression reflected in his eyes. He looks incredible in a black button-down shirt and fitted slacks.
As we descend the stairs, I spot my brother in the living room. When he sees Bailey, he tosses back his glass of whiskey.
Blake places a coat on my shoulders, brushing my hair out of the way and inhaling me. The gesture is so carnal that my body temperature spikes, but that’s nothing new in his presence.
The walk to The Cave is tense, with the guys scanning our surroundings. We do that as well, but more stealthily. I can pretend to forget about the danger, but the truth is, it’s always there, looming over our heads, ready to strike us at any moment.
“It’s in vain, isn’t it?” I ask Blake.
“I’m sorry, Mia, but I promise one day soon you won’t have to worry about that and we can simply enjoy our lives.”
I believe him. We have grown so much in our relationship in the past month, and he’s a man of his word, driven by action. I find that so damn appealing. With him, I don’t have to ask myself if he’s serious, or if I am a phase, and I can be myself with him. I like how we openly communicate, even though there’s one more thing he hasn’t shared, but he told me that to begin with. I am not afraid of his confession but terrified I won’t be enough for him in the long run. My doubts seem like such a contradiction, but when you’re in love with someone, the fear of losing that person is never rational.
When we reach The Cave, the inside is decorated in a snow and ice theme, illuminated by glacial blue lighting. Tyson sees us from the bar and waves us over.
Blake groans the moment Tyson embraces me.
“Come on, man. We’ve moved past that. She’s yours.”
“And you better not forget it.” Blake drags me to him while I caress the side of his face.
“You have no reason to be jealous.”
“I never knew I could be until you. I’m so fucking territorial I want to mark you, so every fucker on this planet knows you’re taken.”
He won’t hear me complaining.
When Xander sees Bailey, he does a double take.
“I just met my dream woman.”
“This guy is fucking unbelievable,” Hunter mumbles.
Bailey rolls her eyes at him playfully. Xander takes her hand and kisses it. The vein in Hunter’s neck might pop at any moment.
“I know you love your twin and everything, but he deserves that for being so fucking blind,” Blake says.
“Hunter is complicated… and whatever is holding him back…”
“Yes, well, I tried to stay away. That never works out when you want something as badly as I wanted you.”
The wound has healed but the reminder that I thought my feelings were one-sided still stings.
“I’m so damn sorry for ever hurting you,” he says with so much sincerity, his eyelids lowering in shame.
I cup his face, bringing him down to my level and brush my lips against his. “But you came back.”
“Isn’t it fucking ironic? I left because of you. I came back for you.”
“Just don’t do that again, please.”
“I swear,” he says, taking my hand and placing it over his chest. “Now, swing your ass over to the dance floor.”
“Will you dance with me?”
“If you think anyone else will, then he’d have to get past me.”
I arch a brow, fully aware no one will or can. The smug expression he wears is rather endearing. After all, I know my man.
As the music shifts to something more sensual, I rest my cheek on Blake’s chest as he sways us around to a soft rhythm.
I look at Celine and Kaden lost in each other, then Abigail and Dane in their own world. My brother has a drink in his hand, watching everyone from the entrance. And Bailey is at the bar chatting with Xander.
When the ballad ends, the girls steal me away. I blow Blake a kiss as I go with them. Bailey joins us, and for the next three songs, we dance, while the guys are never far away.
“I’m thirsty,” I say to the girls. When I reach the bar, Blake offers me a bottle of water.
“Thank you.”
He cocks his head, arching a perceptive brow. “I know what my woman needs.”
I will never tire of hearing him say that. Every time he claims me, flutters spread from my belly to my chest. I take a few sips. “You’re the best boyfriend.”
“I intend to be your best everything.”
I lace my arms around his neck, getting on my tiptoes to kiss him.
“Going back to the girls.”
“You do that, because afterward, you’re going to sway that ass only on my dick.”
My boyfriend is an underrated romantic.
“I can’t wait,” I say, all flirty and sashaying, sure that he’s going to watch.
“You’re getting fucked hard tonight. I always do when I provoke Dane.”
“Ah, so you love just getting fucked hard, huh?” Celine asks Abi, amusement clear in her voice.
We burst into laughter as Abi looks at Dane, who wears a knowing look. That guy is so confident in her love, it warms my chest. Their love story is so heartbreaking yet enduring.
“I love him so much,” Abi says dreamingly.
“We know,” I offer.
“Shut up, you’re beaming. It’s like he stamped ‘Blake’s property’ on you,” Abi teases.
“Is it bad if I like it?” I ask, looking at my three friends.
“No. You do you, bestie, and he looks smitten,” Celine says. “Kaden and I are very territorial about each other, so I get it.” Those two would cross any boundary for one another.
“I need a bit of fresh air,” Bailey says, glancing at Hunter, who is talking to a girl who is all over him.
I mouth “air” to Blake and point at the front door.
“Don’t go far,” he mouths back.
I shake my head in response, and he watches me as we slip outside.
Bailey sighs, crossing her arms over her chest. Celine, Abi, and I keep quiet, hoping she will tell us what’s bothering her. It’s not that we haven’t tried to broach the subject, but she closes herself off, so we stopped pushing and decided to just be there for her instead.
Bailey looks in the distance and says so low I barely hear her, “Is it normal to feel jealous about someone who never was and never will be yours?”
“I wanted to kill Kaden and Abi, thinking they had something going on. Feelings are not rational,” Celine says, the corners of her mouth curling in understanding.
“But you two have been in love since forever …”
“I was possessive of Dane even knowing I could never go there. Look where that got me. There are women out there who would throw themselves at him, chanting his name when he’s racing. But he’s mine, and he loves me, so it makes it better.”
“Again, you love each other.”
Abi clamps her mouth shut and tilts her head to me for guidance.
“My brother is terrified to let someone in. You see him with girls, but they don’t mean anything…”
Bailey looks at me, a hurt expression contorting her face, and I know that I messed up pointing that out.
“I tried avoiding him. I tried arguing with him. I tried ignoring him, but he’s always there, making me insane,” she expels a long breath, surprising me, while the girls remain silent.
“I want to go back to the house. I have stuff to do, and he can do whatever the fuck he wants.”
I grab Bailey’s elbow and say, “Let me tell Blake that we’re going home.”
“I don’t want to ruin your night.”
“Babe, we girls will always have each other’s backs,” Abi says.
“The guys will follow us home, so it’s fine,” I tell her.
Celine waves a hand through the air. “They didn’t want to party, anyway. They can fight or play racing games while we have some girl time.”
“Believe me, they’ll like it more knowing we’re there than out and exposed,” I add, not wanting her to feel guilty. We had a bit of fun and got to dress up, but Bailey’s emotional well-being matters more.
I push through the throng of people, but when Blake sees me, he comes to me.
“We’d like to go back home.”
“Did something happen?” Blake asks, looking me over.
“No, we’re just tired.”
He waves at the guys, and no one says a word as we head back to the house. They must sense something is off because no one comments when Abi grabs a bottle of vodka and some cranberry juice from the bar, and we retreat to our shared space.
“Thank you, girls,” she says in a meek voice.
“You’re not alone, Bailey. We’re always here for you,” I assure her, and Abi hands her a drink. We sit down on the plush sofa, and all four of us fit comfortably.
“I feel so damn lost. Being behind the screen gave me a purpose, but now I am chasing ghosts. I feel like a damn failure.”
“Don’t let me hear that again,” Celine says. “You’re incredible in what you do.”
Bailey sighs. “I still can’t find the money.”
“Forget about that damn money. We’re the heirs of the Family. And I know you’re going to find whoever was behind that,” Abi says, taking a sip.
“I have no clue where they are. It’s like the earth swallowed them,” she says, and suddenly, a freaking light bulb switches on in my head.
“What if they’re underground?”
All three girls whip their heads to me.
I shrug. “It could be, right?”
“I have to check this, right now,” Bailey pushes herself up and runs to her laptop.
“Go have your night with Blake,” Abi says.
“But…”
“Nope. Go,” Celine says.
“Thank you, girls. We’ll be back tomorrow,” I say, then I go search for him.
The guys are in the gym, and while Dane does some cardio, the others are in a triangle, sparring. I open my mouth to let Blake know I am here, but then his back muscles flex as he attacks Hunter in a flurry of quick moves, and I forget everything else.
It’s as if he senses me, because he cocks his head right after landing a punch in my brother’s stomach. Ouch, that must have hurt, but my twin loves a strong fight.
“Missed me?”
“I want to go to the lodge.”
“Another time, guys,” Blake says, not waiting for them to reply. I take a towel from the rack and pad his face. He’s not even sweaty, but he indulges me. Then he leads me up the stairs and out of the house, opening the passenger door for me.
It’s a short drive, and I tell him about my theory.
“That would narrow down the search area,” he says pensively. “It’s plausible, especially since no camera has detected any of them.”
“Right? And we know they can’t be that far away because of their obvious intentions to take over.”
He exhales loudly. “Fuck, this might be the first real lead we have.”
“We can go back…”
“No, we need to do this,” he says, looking straight ahead, a muscle twitching in his jaw.
I place my hand on his thigh. “Nothing will change how I feel about you.”
He interlaces our fingers, stroking my palm gently, and offers me a small, tight smile, full of dejection. “I fucking hope so…”
When he parks, we walk down the now familiar forest road, hand in hand, until we reach the lodge.
“It feels like this is where we started––”
“Don’t you even think about that.” I place my finger on his mouth to hush him. “We’re not going to end, not here and not now. We won’t end at all.”
“These are the times when I would really like a drink to calm my nerves.”
“So have a drink. Placebo effect, right? I only had a problem with you overindulging, thinking that you were an alcoholic. I thought you wanted to kill yourself with it. You think he altered you, but nothing can change that core of yours.”
“I was trying to see how far I could go.”
“Well, that was too far.”
“I know, and I am so sorry that I worried you. In hindsight, I realize I was on a path of self-destruction, but it wasn’t only because of what he made me into, but what––”
I could scream when his phone rings, interrupting his confession. He shows me Kaden is calling him.
Nerves eat at me. “Answer it.”
“What happened?” Blake asks, and I strain my ears, nerves making me jittery. It’s not normal for us to worry like this when our friends call.
“Fuck, I can’t hear you.” He pulls his phone away, his brows pinching together. “I have no connection.”
He tries again when he hangs up, but not before saying, “We’re going back.”
But I am resolute about getting to the bottom of his confession. Tonight the truth will be revealed and I’m so ready to stand by him regardless. This is Blake, though, so I have to tread carefully.
“Go check, and I’ll wait for you.”
“I won’t leave you here alone.”
“They must have found a lead, which is great. Meanwhile, I am going to bake some muffins for tomorrow morning. Something tells me it’s going to be a long night.”
Indecision flickers in his eyes.
“No one knows about this lodge. I’m safe here.” I palm his chest and say, “Go and come back quickly.”
“It better be a life or death situation. Fuck.”
He slams his mouth on mine, and when he finally tears himself off me, I catch my breath. His kisses undo me.
He opens his mouth, surely to say something more, when I cut him off. “I won’t open the door to anyone.”
“Don’t even joke about that.”
“I’ve read Little Red Riding Hood ,” I say teasingly to lighten the mood.
He tsks, drawing his lower lip through his teeth. “And you still fell for a wolf, Silver.”
“Exactly, and the forest knows who’s in charge, so nothing will happen to me.”
He locks the door and checks twice that it’s secured. He loves me, and I am mad about him.
I move to the audio system perched on the living room wall and put on some music. Then, I head to the kitchen, removing all the ingredients from the cupboards. But as I place them on the island, I catch a fleeting shadow in my peripheral vision. I instinctively whip my head toward the window, but nothing is there. Shaking my head, I blame Blake for making me so paranoid. I am not afraid of the dark, and definitely not in the house I see as ours.
Yet, I move to the window in the living room to be sure when I see a woman limping toward the house. Blood is oozing from her temple.
“Please help. I got lost.”
She’s even dressed in jogging attire—leggings and a long-sleeve shirt, looking like a fellow student.
My gut instinct keeps me in place, though. In all the times I came here with Blake, no one has ever come down this path. I remember him telling me it’s private property, with signs posted to keep people out. He even said he’s considering installing cameras when we move in.
But then she sobs, her palm leaving a trail on the window. Smudges of blood and earth confirm her story. She tells me her name, mentions that she’s graduating this year in social sciences, and explains that she got lost, fell, and has no reception. She even shows me her phone, and a wave of shame washes over me. She’s in pain and obviously needs help. Abi was right. Those two bastards, Felix and Caleb, conditioned us well.
I can’t sit around and do nothing. Blake will be beyond mad at me, but I will just let her come inside, prepare her a tea, and look at her injuries. When he returns, we can drive her to campus. This is not the night Blake and I planned to have.
I tell her just a moment, wanting to call him in advance when she passes out. My phone falls from my hand as I rush to open the door. I could never forgive myself if I let my fears stop me from helping someone in need.
I bend over her when a hand slams against my mouth and a cloth is shoved against my nose. Trepidation kicks in, and I try to wriggle out as tears burn my eyes.
The girl stands up and says, “Enjoy tonight. Everyone with their kinks.” She winks and walks away.
What is she even talking about?
I kick and scream, but I get weaker.
I’m so sorry, Blake. That’s my last thought before everything turns black.