The drive takes forty minutes, heading north along the coast. Viktor is following in another car with Sergei. I told him to stay back, give us space, but I'm not stupid enough to go anywhere without backup.
Not when someone's still testing my defences. The warehouse fire was just the beginning. There have been three more incidents since then. Small things. A shipment intercepted. A meeting disrupted. My suppliers being pressured.
Someone's probing for weaknesses. And I'm running out of patience.
But today isn't about that. Today is about Aurora.
We pull off the main road onto a private drive. Trees give way to open sky, and suddenly we're at the water. A small cove, completely private, with a dock stretching out over crystal-clear water.
"Axel." Aurora's staring. "This is beautiful."
"I own the land. No one comes here without permission." I park near the dock. "Thought you might like it."
"Like it? I love it."
We get out, and she immediately heads for the water. She kicks off her sandals, dips her toes in.
"It's warm," she says, surprised.
"Natural hot springs feed into this cove. Keeps the water temperature perfect year-round."
"Can we swim?"
"That's why we're here."
She turns to me, grinning. "I didn't bring a swimsuit."
"Neither did I."
Her eyes widen. "You want to skinny dip? In broad daylight?"
"It's private property. No one can see. And Viktor knows to stay on the road."
"This is crazy."
"Is that a no?"
She bites her lip, considering. Then she reaches for the zipper on her dress.
"It's a yes."
I watch as she strips, revealing smooth skin and curves I've memorized with my hands and mouth. She's not showing yet, still looks like herself, but knowing there's a life growing inside her makes her even more beautiful.
She catches me staring. "Your turn."
I strip quickly, and we're both naked in the afternoon sun. It should feel vulnerable, exposed. Instead, it feels free.
Aurora runs into the water, laughing when it hits her thighs. I follow, catching her around the waist and pulling her deeper.
"It's perfect," she says, wrapping her arms around my neck. "The temperature, the privacy, all of it."
"Good. You deserve perfect."
We float together, her legs wrapped around my waist, just enjoying the warmth and quiet.
"Tell me something," she says. "Why did you buy this place?"
"I needed somewhere that was just mine. No business, no organization, no expectations. Just space to breathe."
