Chapter 3
THREE
Brandy Davenport
ARRIVING AT SUCH A LUXURIOUS resort had me patting myself on the back. I knew what I was walking into but to see it in person had me in awe. Though the transport from the airport to the resort was an hour long, the views of the land and ocean were purely captivating.
The white sand fading into the shore. The water clashing against it in mild spurts was so exhilarating I found myself lost in it a few times, tuning out the conversations with some of the ladies who had come along with me.
Being snapped to the present by Marsha wasn’t something I was fond of but welcomed since this was my trip after all.
“Brandy, it seems like you’ve been tuned out this entire time. Are you okay?”
“Huh? Oh yeah, I’m good. I’m sorry. This scenic route has taken over my mind. What were you saying?”
“Well, we were just talking about how we are going to embrace this time away from our spouses and the real world and truly tune into ourselves. Maybe shake a tailfeather here and there and just unwind,” she explained.
“Oh yes, absolutely. That’s the entire point of this trip. To let loose and untense our bodies. We all go through so much in our daily lives and this trip is to let go and be free. Even if it’s only for a few days.” I laughed.
The other three ladies joined my laughter and put in their two cents on all the festivities and excursions they’d like to go on when we weren’t doing activities together. Just mentioning them made me excited and I agreed to join them.
I knew our sessions wouldn’t be enough to keep them occupied. I needed time to myself as well. These couple of excursions with them wouldn’t hurt. I didn’t have many friends and my little yoga circle was the best thing that could’ve happened to me.
Jeffrey often made it impossible for me to hang out with the couple of friends I did have. This was the only thing he couldn’t touch for real.
As we checked into the Ravenna Bay Resort, I looked around and saw nothing but happy faces and genuine interactions. My heart swelled. I knew this would be the right place for our yoga retreat.
“Stella and Marsha, make sure you gather all the ladies in a couple of hours. We’re going to link for a late lunch then relax down at the beach. Are you all cool with that?”
“Oh, girl, yes! I’m definitely with that. I couldn’t keep my eyes off that beach,” Stella said.
“It gives me time to get a quick nap in. I’m exhausted, girl. The twins had me up all night,” Marsha said.
“Oh, that’s going to be me too.” I laughed. “I need a nap. Okay, great. See you guys then!”
I watched them as they took off with China and Shavonne. We had about five other ladies with us, but I was closest to these four. We’d often link up for dinner dates or lunch. Complaining to each other in our group chat. We were a whole yoga clique.
Once we got back from the day at the beach, I found myself exhausted but unable to rest. We all had dinner together and went our separate ways.
I took another shower, called my mom and sister and talked for a good hour or so, but still remained wide awake.
I looked at the clock and turned myself back over.
There was no way it was two in the morning and sleep would not come in such a beautifully peaceful place.
It took another twenty minutes before I shot up and got dressed. I was sure someone had to be up at this hour. There was still music in the distance. I spotted a nice bar by the pool area when we made our way to the beach. Maybe I could get a couple of shots to help me sleep.
As I traveled the path to the bar, I noticed a few couples sitting poolside and a few people in the lobby. Maybe I wasn’t so crazy to still be awake at this hour. I was sure the weariness wore horrible on my face though. I could feel the bags under my eyes getting puffier by the second.
As I approached the bar, I noticed a handsome bartender who greeted me with a smile before I even reached him.
“Are we having a rough night, pretty lady?” he asked with a wide smile that drew me right in.
“A little. What you got for me? I need to sleep,” I groaned.
“Ah, I got the perfect drink for you. But you’re not going to be too pleased about the simpleness it holds.”
“Oh really?”
He turned around as I watched him put two pieces of ice in a glass then grab a bottle and pour brown liquid in it before turning back to me. I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Yeah, I guess you have a point.”
“Whiskey, on the rocks, top shelf. Get a couple of those in you and I swear you’ll be knocked out like a newborn,” he replied.
I giggled as I took a sip. I looked around the bar area and dang near choked on my drink. Someone placed their hand on my back and I nearly leaped out of my own skin. I didn’t even hear him approaching and I was good at being aware of my surroundings.
I was distracted. It wasn’t the bartender or the lingering cologne of this stranger that met me before his hand.
It was the man tucked in the corner of his balcony so close to the water he could jump right in.
He caught my glance like I caught his. I was instantly sucked in.
I tried my best to seem like I hadn’t noticed him, looking around to avoid that pressure. I was sure I failed miserably.
His light skin against the moonlight fulfilled something inside of me that I couldn’t quite grasp and I’d only make myself look foolish if I kept eyes on him for more than the split second I allowed myself to take him in.
His light eyes were piercing. A little unnerving and it had me beside myself.
Seemed like they were glowing in the dark in a sense. Some nocturnal absorption of my soul.
Jumping out of this peasant of a man’s grasp was the distraction I needed before I got caught up in a stranger two floors away from me.
“I didn’t mean to startle you, little mama,” he said.
I groaned at his demeanor. The nerve to address me in such a way was despicable.
It wasn’t him calling me what he did. I liked that regard before Jeffrey ran it into the ground.
It was the tone and ignorance behind it.
Like he owned the place and always got his way with the ladies. I might be his first disappointment.
The taste in my mouth instantly became sour and I had to get rid of this man before I did something to get me kicked off the island.
“Who’s little around here? Surely not me,” I replied as I turned to face this man.
He was attractive. I could tell he was from The States just from how he talked to me. But something about him just reeked of being a player and I didn’t have time for that. I was already thrown off by his strong cologne and demeanor.
“I didn’t mean any offense, sweetheart,” he replied.
I shot back the rest of my drink. Before I could get the bartender's attention to order another round, this man decided to call out to him instead and rudely at that.
“Ay, boy, get her another round and add a double shot of D'usse,” he said.
So unattractive.
I saw the bartender clench his jaw and a vein popped at his temple before he calmed himself down and turned around to acknowledge the guy. He already had a drink prepared for me and set it down as he nodded at this rude man.
The man had his eyes on me and I felt a vein building at my temple too. I sighed as I took a sip of my shot. I really didn’t have many words for him and I could tell he noticed because the second he got his drink he shot it back in one gulp which made me do the same.
“Listen here, sweetheart. I’m not one for many words but when I saw you, I had to make my presence known. I’d like to get to know you and show you what I’m about,” he said.
“All that and I don’t even know your name,” I replied.
“DiMarco,” someone said from behind us.
A chill instantly rolled up my skin. His voice was deep and alluring, a little menacing, and quite frankly, unhinged.
I was sure this man behind us was not a friend of Mr. DiMarco.
And by the look on DiMarco’s face, he was just as surprised by his voice but knew it very well. All the color drained from his face.
I turned to put a face to the voice and nearly dropped my glass. My eyes grew wide and I couldn’t help but notice the smirk that spread across his lips. His eyes left mine and he placed them on DiMarco.
All the confidence DiMarco once had was fleeting and replaced with pure fear. I took a step to the side to distance myself. I didn’t know what was about to take place but the fierceness of this man’s eyes let me know DiMarco was in some serious trouble.
My heart raced as I kept an eye on the man.
He had just been staring at me from two floors up on his balcony and was right before me now.
He was strikingly beautiful. It didn’t matter what light he was under, his light skin glowed.
He had no blemishes, only light freckles spread over his face, full lips, a straight nose, and light brown eyes that made me want to drown in them.
I was fully captivated, even with the scowl on his face.
“Are we harassing women now, DiMarco?” he asked.
“What? Hell no. I was just…”
“Proceeding to get at a woman who clearly doesn’t want you.”
“I didn’t have time to figure that out,” DiMarco stated.
“It was clear the moment you walked up to her. Now, let’s go.”
“What’s the meaning of this, Armond?”
Armond. Hmmm. That is definitely fitting.
“Would you like to further your embarrassment in front of this gorgeous woman?” His eyes met mine for a split second then went back to him. “Or would you…”
“Excuse us,” DiMarco said to me then walked off with his head lowered, his speed increasing with each step.
Armond winked at me with that same smirk then swiftly turned around and shot DiMarco in the leg then back. The actions made me blush then gasp suddenly. There was no way this gorgeous man would kill a man out in the open like this, right?
“Running will never get you anywhere fast,” Armond said as he snatched DiMarco up.
I looked at the bartender and he smiled.
He was enjoying the show whereas I was mortified.
Armond dragged this man across the beach by his shirt and through a pathway.
Before he could fully disappear, he looked my way.
When he noticed I was still watching, he winked at me again.
At least I think he did. He was a little far away, but that tilt of his head was very clear.
“Looks like the owner likes you,” the bartender said.
“The owner?”
“Of this resort, yes.”
“Wow. No wonder he didn’t care about that display in public.”
The bartender chuckled before saying, “Oh, I’ve seen worse since I started working here. If he likes you then that’s a great thing.”
“And if he didn’t?”
“Ah, who knows? It depends on whether you do something to piss him off or not. He’s a great man regardless though. Just hates people playing games.”
Yeah, that sounds like me. I tilted my head to the side as I contemplated his words. Part of me wanted to get on his nerves to see if he’d turn off those clear feelings of lust for me. I had to be careful, because though I was terrified of what just happened, I was equally intrigued.