AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Willow
Paradise.
Viper was entirely different now that we were on the island, even cracking a smile or two. It was as if for now, the heavy burden of providing protection in the middle of a warzone had been lifted. I was no longer shaking from the horrendous ride to the plane, but I would never forget the sound of automatic gunfire or be able to erase the fear. At one point, I was certain we’d be shot and killed.
But somehow, he’d fought his way through incredible odds. While the fact he’d killed several men remained in the back of my mind, I tried to block out the continuing images of the bloodshed. Whether or not I had nightmares remained to be seen. He seemed to be enjoying himself as he drove quickly through the trees, the narrow path ruddy, the ride turbulent. However, when he finally made it to a clearing, he slowed, allowing me to unfasten my seatbelt and stand.
“This is just amazing.”
“Like I said, it’s a little bit of paradise from a long time ago. I’ll show you more sights later, but I need to get the generator up and running.”
As I sat back down, I turned my head, taking a few seconds to study him more intently than before. He appeared Puerto Rican, his sun-kissed skin perfect for his thick, dark hair and eyes that conveyed utter passion. I was curious about the scar but had a feeling it would bring up another sore subject.
My mind drifted to the rough sex we’d shared, my skin tingling from the thought. I had the distinct feeling that he wasn’t the kind of man to get close to anyone, especially if he considered this home.
Sighing, I was fascinated by the environment, the fact only a handful of people lived here. It was a forgotten gem, the aspect of being forbidden a fitting location for however long we would be here. When I noticed something in the shadows, I clamped my hand on the dashboard. “What is that?”
“Relax, little princess. That’s just a local pig. I’m surprised we haven’t seen more.”
“They run freely?”
“You bet. Sheep, cattle, pigs, and some other forms of life that you don’t want to tangle with.”
I wasn’t certain what to say, but when he laughed, I gave him a nasty look. “Very strange.”
“Only to you. To the natives, this is a way of life and one that will be kept just as pristine as long as the Sanderson family continues to own it. That was their promise generations ago.”
When he rounded a bend, a small cabin came into view. It was surrounded by the same thick green foliage, vibrant flowers peeking through several areas, the bright colors immediately drawing my attention. The cabin was built next to a craggy mountain. While not steep in terms of what I’d seen in Montana, they were just as majestic. A small area had been cleared around the perimeter of the cabin, but everything was completely natural, the style of the house as if it was molded into the landscape.
“You really lived here?”
“Yes, ma’am. It took me a year and a half to get it built, mostly with my two hands. Then I spent eleven months and four days here.”
“But who’s counting.” I swung out of the Jeep, feeling completely out of place. I was no city girl per se, but my adventures in nature had been in protected environments. My mother certainly had never enjoyed the outdoors other than an occasional beach trip. “How far is the ocean?”
“Oh, about two hundred yards through those trees in the back.”
He grabbed the bags, taking a few seconds to glance around the perimeter. After placing them on the small front porch, he pressed his finger against his lips, shaking his head. Then he indicated I should wait where I was. Did he really think Castillo and his merry band of assholes would find us here? He was joking.
I had to remind myself it was his training, a requirement as my protector. The thought alone continued to give me shivers. When he returned, he was less tense.
“It’s safe. Come in.”
When I walked inside, I’d had no idea what to expect. The building was much larger on the inside than I’d expected, very open with rafters that had to be twenty feet in the air. While the furniture was as rustic as I’d envisioned, more like outdoor rattan, it was also inviting and peaceful. There was a kitchen to the right, although nothing about it was traditional; more like an outdoor kitchen, although there were windows.
“It’s stuffy in here. Let me open up the place. Look around,” he directed as he tossed the bags to the side.
I turned in a full circle, more surprised than ever that this was the kind of home that Viper had built. To think he’d done so with his own hands was remarkable. It hadn’t been put together in any traditional method, but by love and attention to detail. As I walked through the main area, I noticed there wasn’t a single television or radio or any kind. However, there was a huge system of bookshelves, the exotic wood giving the open space tremendous warmth. As I walked closer, I almost laughed seeing a few of the hundreds of titles.
There was Tom Clancy and Clive Cussler, other similar genre fiction authors as well, but the vast majority were books on nature. Fishing. Hiking. Flowers. Trees. He had at least ten on marine life. His taste was eclectic, but in my mind amazing.
I peered down the single hallway. There were three doors, likely leading to bedrooms and hopefully a bathroom. I headed into the kitchen, sliding my hand across the massive grill, complete with a rotisserie and several burners. While there appeared to be a refrigerator, it was small. The sink was stainless, but when I pulled the handle, there was no water.
My eyes were drawn to the outside. There was a massive deck leading to a sandy beach surrounding what appeared to be a river or a lake. I walked outside, taking a deep breath, various birds and other sounds all around me. The deck was only a few inches off the ground, also made from an exotic wood. As I sat down, I noticed several small lizards near the water.
Then it hit me. Everything.
The capture.
