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Sully nodded. “It seems Calypso has arrived.”
“Want me to take Singa Laut and check their credentials?” Radcliffe asked, mentioning Sully’s personal speedboat that we used to visit Lebah and his forty-four islands in our private archipelago.
Sully cast a glance at all of us. A family unit all bound in friendship, business, and love. “I have a better idea. Seeing as Calypso has suddenly become the potential hub of a new business, let’s all go and welcome her.”
Holding out his hand for mine, he waited until our fingers linked. “Ready?”
I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him, smiling when Pika grumbled with possessiveness. “Ready.”
“In that case, let’s go.”
With Radcliffe leading the way, Pika and Skittles darting like dragonflies, and Jess and Cal behind us, we padded through soft sand, past tropical palm fronds, and across an island that was our perfect home.
We stepped onto the beach, ready to welcome our new toys.Chapter Three
CAL WAS RIGHT.
I really should have paid more attention to scale when I’d made the flippant order with Elder Prest.
Calypso had looked huge while standing on my shores, but now, as we pulled up beside the glossy black vessel and waited as a rear platform was lowered to welcome us, it was fucking monstrous.
I cut the engine to Singa Laut, well acquainted with the fast speedboat that I’d bought when I’d first built Goddess Isles, and eyed up the new addition to our asset sheet.
How did you even sail something this big? What sort of instruments and education were needed to embark on nautical navigation with such a giant?
Mirrored windows reflected the turquoise sea as polished chrome blinded us with sun flashes. An oiled wooden decking, expensive looking technology towers and radar, and a sweeping swimming pool and helipad hinted at the absolute luxury inside.
Radcliffe leaped onto the platform first, his bare feet splashing into a couple of inches of sea as the mechanically lowered deck hovered just underwater. His second in command, Rory, also climbed out, tethering the speedboat and scanning the yacht for any threats.
Looking up, I caught sight of movement as a man and woman appeared above.
The man wore calico shorts and a white polo while the woman wore a loose-fitting cream dress, similar to the one Eleanor had selected today. Unlike Eleanor, who wore a polka-dot silver bikini beneath, the woman watching us had a black one-piece, visible as the sun illuminated her svelte frame.
I recognised the man from Jethro’s masquerade—not that I’d seen his face—but his mouth and stance were familiar. I hadn’t met the woman next to him before, but judging by the way Prest inched closer to her and she placed her fingers next to his on the balustrade hinted they were together.
“Welcome aboard, Mr. Sinclair,” Prest said as I leaped from my speedboat and turned to lift Eleanor to my side. Pika and Skittles had flown part of the way with us but had turned back, preferring to wait instead of joining us.
Leaving Cal to be responsible for Jess’s safety, I held Jinx’s hand and climbed up the sweeping carved staircase, noting the garage that’d been revealed by lowering the platform. Two jet skis waited in matching grey and blue, a wall of wetsuits and oxygen tanks, and tucked in the back was a two-person submarine that’d been listed on the attributes that I’d failed to read.
Hidden past the submarine, two motorbikes waited to be used on land along with a small Audi coupe.
Shit, this thing literally had more transport in its belly than my whole atoll.
Eleanor’s eyes widened as I caught her stare, her impressed nod hinting that she approved of our new possession.
Reaching the top deck, I let Eleanor go and closed the small distance to Elder Prest. I bowed at the woman beside him and held out my hand for him to shake. “Impressive boat.”
His lips twitched. “Thank you. I hope you’re pleased with your purchase.”
“You’re a day early.”
“The currents were swifter than we thought.” He shook my hand, letting me go almost as quickly as he took it. His black stare matched his blue-black hair, and I’d been right about his authenticity when we’d first met at Hawksridge Hall.
He had exotic blood in his veins, judging by his almond eyes and flawless honey skin. “I assume our earlier arrival doesn’t cause too much inconvenience.”
I shook my head. “Not at all.”
Radcliffe, Rory, Jess, and Cal arrived behind me.
“Please, allow me to introduce you.” I pulled Eleanor forward. “This is my wife, Eleanor, and behind me is my security team, Radcliffe and Rory, my head of affairs, Cal Moor and his wife, Jessica.”
“Pleasure.” Prest bowed regally toward Eleanor and Jess and nodded politely at the men. “Allow me the same courtesy. This is Tasmin, my...fiancée.”
“Hello, Tasmin.” I nodded, narrowing my eyes as she flinched an infinitesimal amount. If I wasn’t used to dealing with girls I’d trapped and tortured, I would’ve missed the flair of guardedness about her.
