40. Chapter 40
Ody didn’t remember walking back to the hotel.
One moment he was still in the water, staring at the place Mano vanished, and the next he was following the others inside like a ghost. He laughed when they laughed and nodded when someone spoke to him, but everything felt far away.
His chest hurt in a quiet, constant way.
When they reached the restaurant, the chatter around him barely registered. Everyone drifted inside, hungry and sun-tired. The conversation was light, easy, the usual mix of plans and jokes as they talked about spending the evening by the pool. Ody barely heard a word.
After lunch, Mano stretched out on the bed, eyes half-closed, already drifting into that lazy post-swim haze.
Ranya slid in beside him, her intentions obvious from the moment she touched him.
She traced her fingers along his arm, slow and teasing, murmuring something about the pool tonight and how they’d eventually end up alone.
Mano didn’t react much. He gave a simple yes, nothing more, nothing less.
It was enough for her. She flashed a satisfied smile, planning whatever she thought was going to happen later.
Ody slipped away to take a shower, hoping for a few quiet minutes alone. Anna followed before he could close the door, insisting she hadn’t showered either. He tried to brush it off with a quick excuse, but she stepped into the stall with him anyway.
Her hands moved over his chest, her voice low as she hinted at turning the shower into something else.
Ody leaned back, offering another excuse about being tired from swimming and eating too much.
She sighed in frustration, pulling her hands away, while he kept his eyes down, letting the water hide the tension gathering under his skin.
By seven, everyone had gathered by the pool. Towels, clothes, phones, and half-forgotten snacks were dropped onto lounge chairs as they settled in under the fading light. Cocktails arrived a few minutes later.
The group slipped into vacation mode, talking about plans for the next day, debating whether to head to the beach again or try a tavern for lunch instead. It was all light, easy chatter, the kind that made time pass without anyone noticing.
By the time the last glasses were empty, night had settled fully over the hotel. The small lights around the pool flickered against the water, giving the whole place a soft, warm glow that made everything feel calmer.
That was when Anna perked up with an idea. “Anyone up for Truth or Dare?”
A few surprised groans rose.
“Oh wow, where’d that come from?”
“Come on, it’ll be fun.”
“Alright, I’m in.”
“Me too!” Ranya said, moving closer.
They shifted around on the lounge chairs, pulling them closer to form a loose circle. Mano sighed, already annoyed, but he didn’t get up. He stayed with them, arms crossed over his chest.
“What happens if someone refuses to answer or do the dare?”
“They get a slap,” Steve said, laughing.
“Oh, come on.”
“No, for real. A solid one.”
Anna clapped once. “Fine. I’ll start.” She scanned the group. “Christina. Truth or dare?”
Christina groaned. “Ugh, I knew it. Dare.”
“Go ask the bartender for his number.”
“Hey, don’t push it now,” Antony protested, drawing laughter.
“You’re evil,” Christina muttered.
Steve grinned. “And the first slap... comes from Mano.”
Everyone turned to him.
“I don’t hit women,” Mano said in a tone that shut down the laughter. Christina let out an “Aww.”
Ranya coughed loudly. “Ahem!”
Antony and Steve cracked up. “Mano, you’re lying. You’re lying and you’ll be punished,” Antony teased.
Ody’s shoulders stiffened. Something in his mind flickered. A memory. Words he hadn’t meant to remember. “She loves being tied up and slapped.” His gaze dropped to the tiles, his ears burning.
“Come on, Mano, don’t lie,” Steve insisted.
“It’s different in bed. She asks for it. That’s not the same thing,” Mano said, crossing his arms.
Ranya lifted her hands in a small, exasperated shrug and let them drop again, giving Mano a pointed look. “Thanks.”
He turned his head and met her blue eyes, unimpressed. “Maybe you shouldn’t have coughed.”
“Great. Now we all know how Mano and Ranya do it,” Steve joked.
A few of them chuckled at Steve’s remark.
Ody didn’t. His eyes drifted to Mano, drawn almost against his will.
Mano looked right back, the corners of his stare sharp, unreadable, like he was daring Ody to react.
He held the look for a second longer than necessary, just long enough for Ody to feel the heat creep up his neck before he finally glanced away.
“Fine, I’ll do it,” Anna said quickly to break the tension.
“Oh fantastic, so not only do you give me impossible dares, now you’re gonna hit me too?” Christina whined, making everyone laugh again.
Anna tapped her, and the game moved on.
“Hmm... Steve. Truth or dare?” Christina asked.
“Truth.”
“Oh, you wimp,” Antony teased.
“Truth takes balls,” Steve declared, puffing his chest out just enough to earn a couple of playful swats from the girls.
She leaned back, thinking. “Alright... when did you really start liking Danae?”
Steve turned to Danae with a soft smile. “Well... I liked her before we even went out, but on our first date something just clicked.”
“Awww,” the girls cooed.
Danae hid her face shyly and Steve kissed the top of her head. “Alright. My turn,” he said. “Mano. Truth or dare?”
Mano let out a short, irritated breath but answered without hesitation. “Dare.”
“Hmm.” He paused, pretending to think hard. “Go to the reception and say your bed broke.”
Mano groaned. “Oh come on, dude, in the middle of the night.”
Steve only shrugged, completely unbothered. “You wanted dare.”
Mano huffed, annoyed all over again. “Fine. Truth.”
Steve studied him carefully, slowly, letting the anticipation build. “Now... what should I ask...?” His eyes narrowed. “Oh, I got it. What do your tattoos mean?”
The change in Mano was instant. The boredom vanished. The mask slipped.
Ody found himself turning toward him without thinking.
Mano’s eyes dropped to the ground, his throat working hard as he swallowed. He blinked a few times, trying to steady himself. “I... I don’t want to…”
“Why not? Is it that big of a secret?”
“Let him be. He lost,” Antony said, waving it off.
Ody kept his eyes locked on Mano, worry creeping in. He was afraid the question had pushed him into another panic attack.
“Whose turn is it for the slap? Ody.”
Their gazes collided again. Mano pulled his mask back into place, watching Ody carefully.
He didn’t want to hit him. He wanted to kiss him.
Ody’s hand stayed at his side as he looked away. “I’m not doing it.”
“What do you mean you’re not doing it, dude?” Steve snapped. “It’s just a slap. We hit each other all the time.”
“That’s different. You’re my best friend.”
“And you can’t slap a friend? Unless…” Steve’s eyes narrowed. “Maybe we were right, and you two had a fight. You haven’t said a word to each other since yesterday.”
Every pair of eyes turned toward them.
Ody stayed silent for several seconds. Then he lifted his head and spoke. “Yeah, fine. We fought. And I’m not stupid enough to hit Mano.”
“Should I do it?” Steve offered and everyone gave him that Dude, seriously? look. “What? I’m just following the rules.”
Mano’s jaw tightened once, but he kept his gaze fixed on Ody, waiting to see how he’d handle it.
“I think we should come up with something else for people who refuse the challenge,” Anna said.
“Yeah, I agree.”
They started debating new rules, voices overlapping, but Ody wasn’t listening. His gaze drifted back to Mano for the third time. Mano looked away first, his jaw clenching.
By ten, the group had mostly drifted back inside. A few lingered for a moment to gather their things, but the pool area was already quieting down.
Mano and Ranya were the only ones still settled on their lounge chairs.
As Christina picked up her towel, she paused. “You’re not coming?” she asked Ranya.
She shook her head with a sly smile. “No. We’re staying.”
Christina nodded and followed the others inside, leaving the two of them alone.
As soon as Ranya said they were staying, Ody’s gaze flicked to Mano. Mano met it for a split second, then looked away, choosing not to acknowledge him. The rejection hit him harder than expected. Ody swallowed and went inside.
When the pool area finally emptied, Ranya stripped down to her swimsuit. “Hope you wore one,” she teased, stepping into the water.
Mano’s eyes moved over her body, slow and detached. He pulled his shirt over his head, revealing his defined abs and arms, then slid out of his athletic shorts, leaving only black swim trunks clinging to his hips. His quads flexed as he stepped into the pool after her.
She leaned against the wall, waiting. He reached her and crashed his mouth onto hers. His hands slid underwater, squeezing her ass. One swift pull and her bikini top was down. He sucked at her nipples while she threw her head back, gasping.
After a moment she flipped their positions and pushed him against the wall before slipping off her top completely and tossing it out of the pool. Her hand slid over the growing bulge beneath his trunks, making his eyes shut.
He let out a slow breath, his hands sliding down her bare back as he sucked on her nipples again.
He lifted his head to kiss her, and stopped cold.
Ody was standing at the entrance. Still. Silent. Staring. He had only come back for his towel. Instead he found this.
Mano locked eyes with him. Then, without missing a beat, he grabbed Ranya’s face and kissed her hard, never fully looking away from Ody.
Ody’s breathing turned ragged. Something ugly twisted inside him. Why aren’t you leaving? Why are you still standing here?
He tried to step away, but his legs wouldn’t listen. Mano lowered his head to Ranya’s chest again, still watching him in his peripheral vision. The jealousy became unbearable. He blinked fast, breaking the stare, and finally walked inside.
Anna looked up as he walked in. “Where’s your towel?”
“Uh... I... I couldn’t find it.”