Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
There is something about swimming in the ocean that’s so… freeing. Floating on the water, calm, still. I can see Connor sitting on the edge of the deck. He hasn’t taken his eyes off me. I don’t know if he thinks I’m going to float away or drown.
I’ve been leaving him to his own thoughts. He’s worried and pissed off. He couldn’t get ahold of Patty when he tried. I wasn’t purposely listening in on him, but it was obvious when he slammed the laptop down and cursed out his best friend’s name.
Maybe I should try to lure him into the water…
An idea comes to mind. Reaching up behind my neck, I pull on the ties of my bikini top. Once they’re loose, I undo the ones at my back. Scrunching up the wet fabric and then tossing it onto the deck.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Connor grunts.
“Swimming,” I tell him, lying on my back with my arms spread out wide as I float.
“Aurora O’Malley, get out of the water. Now! Everyone can see your tits!” Connor yells over at me.
I look around. There is no one out here. Who is everyone?
“If you want me out of the water, you’re going to have to make me,” I yell back.
Connor rips off his shirt, and within seconds, he’s jumping in after me. I try to swim away from him, but he catches me with ease. Is he a freaking fish?
“Oh shit!” I squeal as his arms wrap around my waist, and he pulls my front against his front.
“I don’t want everyone seeing you naked,” he says.
“There is no one here, Connor. It’s just us,” I remind him.
“And you looked like you could cool down a bit.” I lock my legs around his torso and let him tread water while holding us both afloat.
And then it hits me. “Shit.” I untangle myself from him.
“I shouldn’t have made you jump in. You’re sick. ”
“I’m not fucking sick. I’m fine,” he grunts. “Come on, you need some clothes.”
“It’s really not a big deal. You know, in Italy, all the ladies are topless on the beach,” I tell him.
“Were you?” he asks.
“Pfft, as if my dad or brothers would let that happen.” I shake my head.
“Exactly,” Connor grunts. “We have different rules from the general public, Aurora.”
“No, we make our own rules, Connor. There is no one here telling us what to do, or how to act. It’s just you and me.”
“I’m still the leader of Ireland’s largest crime organization. I have responsibilities, Mrs. O’Malley,” he says.
“For now.” I shrug. “We are going to get you out of that family.”
“What if we can’t?”
“Then we… move to Ireland? Rule from Boston? I don’t know, Connor. What if a shark came right up and ate us?” I ask him. “You can’t live your life based on all the what ifs.”
“I’d make sure the shark didn’t get you, princess.” Connor swims back to the deck with me in his arms. I do feel like shit. I shouldn’t have made him swim. I don’t think he should be exerting himself. He did lose a lot of blood today.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking,” I say once we’re both back on the deck.
“I’m not a piece of glass, Aurora. Do not think about treating me like I’m going to break,” he tells me. “I would rather you be throwing fucking ninja stars at my arm.”
I smile. “That was your fault. I did warn you.”
“I didn’t think the girl I was making scream in pleasure would stab me.”
“Yes, you did.” I grin. “Besides, it was me or Dante. And as much as you think he looks harmless, trust me, he’s not.”
“I’m not afraid of your cousins, princess. You on the other hand, I wouldn’t dare cross.” Connor ducks and dodges the towel I throw at him. “Let’s get dressed, then you can call your dipshit cousin.”
“Don’t call my cousin names. I will stab you. Again.”
“Doc says it’s good for me to bleed anyway, and I prefer your knife to that woman’s fucking needle.” Connor hands me a shirt, and I throw it over my head.
I had a feeling my husband wasn’t a fan of needles. I didn’t ask because I didn’t want to bring it up in front of Dr. Morgan. I don’t need anyone knowing he has a weakness, not that I’d call it that.
As soon as we’re dressed, Connor sets his laptop on the bed and we sit there together as he types in Dante’s number. I don’t ask how he knows it.
“Wait.” I hold his hand, stopping him from putting in the last digit.
“What?”
“We don’t need to. I can wait. If it’s really not that safe, I don’t need to talk to him,” I tell Connor.
“It’ll be fine. If we need to move on, then we move on. Sunny skies and sandy beaches are overrated anyway.”
“No, they’re not.” I laugh. “I actually love it here.” We haven’t been here long, but I do love our little villa. “We should buy a vacation property one day and bring our kids to visit.”
“We should,” Connor agrees. “You ready?”
“Yep.” I smile. Dante really is my favorite cousin. They don’t know that, but out of all of them, I want to talk to him the most.
“Hello?” His voice comes through the speakers of the computer.
“Don’t let on that it’s me if you’re not alone,” I tell him.
“Give me a sec, Josh,” Dante says and then I hear shuffling sounds and doors opening and closing. “Where the fuck are you? Are you okay? What do you need?”
“I’m fine. I’m with Connor and I don’t need anything. I just wanted to call you.”
“A… Josh, you know everyone is looking for you,” Dante whispers into the phone.
“I know. I’m sorry. Did you get into a lot of trouble because of the schoolwork thing?” I ask him.
“Pfft, no. Well, your pops was pissed, but mine just said I did the right thing and that I should always help family when they need it.” Dante laughs.
“Good. How is everything else?”
“Same. I miss your crazy ass, though. You are coming home, aren’t you?”
“Eventually.”
“You know you can tell me where you are. I can send you anything you need. I won’t tell anyone. We’ve always stuck together, Aurora,” Dante says.
“I know, but I can’t tell you this. This isn’t just me,” I try to explain.
I can hear Dante tapping at a keyboard, and then the next minute, he curses. “The Maldives? Are you vacationing?”
“Fucker,” Connor grunts and starts tapping away at his own computer.
“How did you do that?” I ask my cousin. “You can’t tell anyone.”
“Because I’m smarter than your boyfriend, and you know I won’t tell anyone,” he says.
“You’re wrong. You are not smarter than him,” I reply with a smug smile, even if my cousin can’t see it. “Also, he’s my fiancé now. I got a ring and everything.”
“You’re eighteen, Aurora. You’re not getting married,” Dante tells me.
“Um… says the kid who was trying to get his girlfriend to marry him at sixteen.” I laugh.
“That’s different.”
“How so?”
“Josie isn’t Irish,” Dante fires back with that smart-ass tone that makes me want to smack him.
“Well, I love him and I am marrying him. He’s family now.”
“Fine, but just know I’m not thrilled about it,” Dante groans. “Are you really okay? Do you need anything?”
“No, I just need you to not tell anyone you know where I am. I’m serious, Dante Valentino. We can’t risk any of Connor’s organization knowing we’re here.”
“Why are they still after you if he’s taken over shop? Shitty boss, is he?”
“Pfft, no. There are just a few people who were loyal to his father. A father who is no longer alive because Connor chose me.” I tread lightly but get my point across. Connor is always going to choose me, just like I am always going to choose him.
“Okay, I gotta go. I just left Josie naked in my bed.”
“TMI.” I make a fake gagging noise. “I love you.”
“Love you too. Stay safe,” Dante says, then cuts the call.
“I don’t like that he knows where we are,” Connor grounds out.
“He’s not going to say anything,” I assure him. “Trust me.”
“I do trust you. You are the only person I trust.”
I tilt my head to the side. “What about Patty?” Surely he trusts someone who is working for him. Someone who is supposed to be his best friend.
“I want to, but I’m not convinced until I know exactly how my father found us. I called Patty from that island, remember?”
“Yeah, but he wouldn’t do that to you. I will kill him myself if he gave us up, Connor,” I say.
“I’ll watch.” Connor smirks.