Chapter 3
Chapter Three
SUMMER
There's something so intoxicating about taking a shot of tequila from some random guy's crotch, the swell of his cock against his board shorts making me feel like I'm standing at the edge of a cliff and about to step over.
I tip my head back, the shot pouring down my throat. As I take the glass out of my mouth and slam it down on the table beside me, a woman approaches with another shot of tequila between her boobs and a line of salt on her neck.
Her soft moan is breathy as I lick the salt from her neck. Each time I've taken a shot from her today, the moans get a little louder, the look in her eyes a little more eager.
She's not my type, but I'm not ruling out doing something entirely insane either. After all, double-ended dildos could work wonders if I'm motivated enough.
Téa looks at me and shakes her head. "I can see that look in your eyes, and I know whatever you're thinking isn't going to end well, so why don't you just get your head out of the gutter?"
I smirk and take the shot from the woman, my vision getting a little blurry as I put the empty glass down. "I think I'm having a good time on vacation. That's what we're supposed to be doing. It's going to be a matter of days before we need to go home."
"It is." She snatches another shot from me before I have the chance to throw it back. "If you keep carrying on the way you are, you're not going to make it until tomorrow, though."
"Hey, that was mine." I try to snag the shot, but she takes it.
"I have something that could be yours," a man purrs, coming up beside me, fingers skimming my waist as he holds out a cup.
Téa smacks the cup into the sand, beer sloshing all over my feet. "Not happening. Go find someone else to fuck with."
He rolls his eyes and leaves.
She turns to me, putting her hands on my shoulders and trying to hold me still.
All I want to do is dance. Dance and forget about the bodyguards, the fight with Aiden, and the hell that's going to be waiting for me when I get back home.
And I know there's going to be hell when I get home.
Jade's been blowing up my phone, telling me that I need to talk to Aiden.
I love my twin more than anything else in this life, but I hate it when she tries to get in the middle of fights and convince me to smooth everything over.
I've spent my entire life being the one to smooth everything over, and I'm tired of it.
I glance around, my mind a little hazy until I spot him. Noah Rinaldo.
My stomach drops to my feet, a sour taste rising in the back of my throat. "Noah's here."
Téa's eyebrows pull together, a thin line forming between them. "What are you talking about?"
"He was right there." I grab her and turn her to the spot I just saw him, pointing, but he's no longer there. "I swear, I saw him."
"It might have just been someone who looks like him."
"He's been trying to kill my family for as long as I can remember. I think I'd know what he looks like."
The thought of potentially seeing him there on the beach is enough to sober me up immediately. Even though I'm sure my blood is more tequila than hemoglobin, I'm still clear enough to know that I saw him standing there.
Téa turns back around, looking at me with concern shining in her eyes. "I know you think you saw him, but why would he follow you to Miami? That seems a little far to go with all the shit going on in New York, don't you think?"
I shake my head, the world around me spinning a little. "No, he was right there. I'm telling you, Téa. I wouldn't be making this up. Not even a little bit. He was right there, and he was looking at me. He's got a blue ball cap on."
She looks around again, worry etching into her features. "I think you're just wound a little tight. I don't even see anyone I recognize from the Rinaldos. Maybe the tequila is doing your head in just a little, and we should go sit down in the shade."
Rolling my eyes, I push away from her. "Fine, if you don't believe me, then I'm going to go out there and have some fun."
Though she tries to call after me, I'm already stomping through the sand. At least, that's the intention before a man with nearly black eyes and dark brown hair steps into my path, his jawline looking like it was cut from stone.
"Would you like to dance?" His tone is smooth as butter, his smile warm and friendly.
Nothing about him suggests he's a danger. Not the easy posture with his hands loose at his sides, or the friendliness in his eyes.
"Sure." I grin and hold out my hand, determined to show Téa that I'm going to have a good time if she thinks nothing is really going on.
He's older than me, by a lot, which is another bonus. As the sun strikes him just right, the thin lines at the corners of his eyes stand out, sparse gray hairs at his temples shining bright.
The man in front of me is exactly the kind of man I should stay away from. Friendly, older, and sure to disappoint the family.
So, I turn and press my back to him, my ass fitting to his crotch as his hands find my hips.
He swells against me, pressing harder into me as we rock to the beat of the music.
My hands roam my body as his lips trace patterns up and down my neck.
I tilt my head to the side, giving him better access.
Teeth graze against my pulse.
My heart thunders in my chest, and arousal pools between my thighs.
I'm definitely going to be taking this one back to my hotel room.
He whispers something in my ear that I don't catch.
I turn, running my hands up his broad chest, feeling his muscles beneath the thin shirt that separates us.
He flexes beneath my touch, his smile spreading wider. "I've got a call I have to take," he whispers in my ear, his voice sending a shiver down my spine. "Can I see you again after?"
"I'll be here until you get back."
His lips brush against mine, a subtle promise of what's to come. And then he turns and disappears into the bodies like he was nothing more than a figment of my imagination.
Téa comes over, grabbing my hand and pulling me to a table off to the side. "Who the hell was that, and does he have a brother?"
I shrug and wave down someone carrying a tray of shots. "I don't have a clue. I don't even know his name, but we're meeting up after he's done with his call, so I can ask for you then."
She wiggles her eyebrows. "If he does, I'm not doing any of that orgy shit."
"It was one accidental orgy! And is it really an orgy if there was only one other couple in the room and I didn't know what was happening at the time?"
"I think it still counts." She grabs the shots and lines them up on the table.
"You know, if you want to call this a day, though, I'm not opposed to going back to the room and napping.
Or we could watch that shit you like about couples dating other people to see if they really can get married to each other. "
"That show's not shit. But no, I feel good, and I think you're right. I was out there dancing for a couple of songs, and I didn't see Noah at all." I throw back a shot with a smile.
Even as I'm speaking, I glance around the beach, taking in the dancers, the bar, the salt in the air, the waves crashing against the shore.
There's no sign of Noah, though. Not a flash of a blue ball cap or that sinister look in his eyes.
It had to be the tequila playing games with my mind.
Téa smirks and throws back one shot after another. "Maybe it's time you stick to water or juice for a bit."
"We're here to have fun." I grab another shot, downing it and wincing. I've never been much of a gin girl.
"Excuse me?" One of the bartenders comes over, a folded napkin in his hand. "There was a man who wanted me to give this to you."
Must be the guy I was dancing with. Maybe he wants to meet somewhere else after his call.
"Thanks." I take the napkin, and he scurries off.
Téa eyes a couple on the other side of the table, standing several feet away and dancing with each other. "I'm going to go see if I can get in the middle of that sandwich."
I open the napkin as she's talking, my hands trembling as soon as I read the sentence written there, the handwriting sloped and cramped.
Téa reaches out and touches my arm. "Are you okay? Normally, you would've said something to me about trying to get involved with a couple, but nothing."
I hand over the napkin without a word.
Her eyebrows climb sky-high, her grip so tight she nearly rips the napkin in half. "I'm coming for you? Who the hell wrote this shit?"
"I don't know." My hands tremble, stomach tossing and turning. "I don't feel so well, though. I'm going to go back to our room and talk to Aiden. Do you mind sticking around and keeping an eye out for that guy? I don't want him to think I just ditched him without a word."
She nods, but there's a slight hesitation in her eyes. "Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?"
"I'm going to be fine." I give her a tight hug. "I'll send you a text when I get back to the room, and then I'm going to call Aiden. I promise."
"If I find out you did anything stupid, I'm going to kill you."
Laughing, I hug her a little tighter before turning away and heading back to the hotel room.
With each step I take, I get more paranoid. I look over my shoulder every couple of minutes, moving as fast as I can without breaking into a run. Thick thighs and running in a bikini most certainly do not save lives.
I get to the room and shut the door behind me, sending off a quick message to Téa.
Before I have the chance to go to Aiden's contact and hit the call button, something is pulled over my head.
Screaming, I fight like hell, kicking and scratching at whatever I can reach. I collide with the ground hard, a body pressing into mine.
Someone's weight settles over my back, their legs on either side of my body pinning me down.
I keep thrashing as hard as I can.
This isn't going to be how I die. No way. Not even a little bit.
"Let go of me, you sick fuck!" I throw my head back, hoping whoever is on me has their head close enough to get hit.
All I'm met with is air.
Then the sharp point of something pressing against my neck.
I scream as my skin is pierced.
The pain stays for a second before the needle slides out.
"I'm going to make sure my brother kills you. He's going to hunt you down and make sure it's painful for doing this to me!"
There's a dark chuckle as whatever's on my head is pulled off.
Bright light streams into the room before the edges of my vision start to darken.
My tongue feels heavy in my mouth, screams dying on my lips.
The body presses closer to me, what I think might be an erection digging into my back.
As the rest of the world fades away, only horrific thoughts of what could happen are going through my mind.
This is how I'm going to die, after all.