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Cassius released me, and they waded to shore as if they’d chosen a course in the lunch meal. Maybe they had, and I was going to be the last course.
Annoyed at their presumption but still aching—the rush of water as I walked helped not one jot—I followed them and headed up the beach to the path.
The sun had risen high enough to roast us humans, so we retreated to the hut beneath the trees, hauling the sun lounges into a line, looking out to sea through the thin forest, with the table heaped with all the goodies. They left me the middle lounge. I turned from the food with my plate and wine goblet to find I’d been too slow to grab one of the others.
Cassius raised his glass of white wine in a salute before sipping.
“Why do I get the feeling you’re surrounding me?” I lowered myself to the lounge, careful not to spill anything. This was glorious, with the view, the plate heaped with a croissant, fruit, fancy cheeses, smoked salmon, and those sweet little curls of ham shaped into blossoms. “Was this from your cook?”
The doctor nodded. “Margaux is a chef, though, not merely a cook. And yes, to the other question. We surround you. So you won’t escape.” Nonchalantly, he popped a cracker with cheese on it into his mouth.
It was a few, flustered minutes before we settled into anything like a conversation, and talking here seemed just the right thing to do. I needed to know more. I wanted to get past feeling uncomfortable with the doctor, because if it did come down to living here for years—god help me, I did not want that to come to pass—to feel intimidated by him forever would be a life in Hell.
“Why doesn’t anyone ever happen to park their sailboat here? This cove is gorgeous. It must be close to—” To where? This reminded me of a key fact. I did not know where I was.
“Tradition. It’s been private property for a century or more. Warning signs.” The doctor waved toward the sea. “Beacons, too, those broadcast that warning. No stranger is going to arrive and whisk you away, Charity.”
“I never—” I swallowed a chunk of olive in a hurry then grimaced. I shook my head at his assertion. “Just knowing how many people are out there on the sea, to have no accidental visitors is eerie. No?”
“There have been a few over the last ten years. All were turned away by staff. I suppose it might be a problem in the future.”
Except he didn’t seem worried. “Refugees?” This had to be in the Mediterranean, so surely there had been some boats?
“No.”
“Impressive.” Cassius rose and went to the low table to refill his plate. He brought the wine bottle to me and offered.
I shook my head. The chilled water seemed a better bet. I wanted a clear head and compared to these men, I was a lightweight. I’d be sozzled out of my brain before they were even slightly drunk.
Cassius put his own glass down and forked more ham onto his plate. “So what is the history of this place? You got bombed in WW2 but what about before that? Crusaders on the way to the crusades? Invasions by anyone? You’re in the middle here so…”
I tuned out.Bingo. In the fucking Mediterranean.Now all I needed was a way to paddle home to the UK, a submarine, a way to hijack that chopper. Yep, it didn’t help much but was better than being entirely lost.
The island had been overlooked by much of history, it seemed. Civilizations had come and gone, and it had remained neutral, or bypassed. A large island with a small but safe cove to hide in from storms or enemies. There was something I was missing.
We drifted into discussing the best wines and cheeses, then music. When I wondered what memes were circulating and whether half the royal family was still being idjits as per usual, I was told the queen was dead.
That was a damper.
I wasn’t a strict monarchist. I didn’t have much stake in this, except the usual sadness at anyone dying…but the passing of an era in British history only served to remind me of how isolated I was from the world and from life.
13
CASSIUS
Pretending to be the doctor’s obedient underling, in this relationship we were forging with Charity, it was not that difficult. I’d spent my life being the obedient one in the army. It paid to obey, but didn’t mean I was in utter agreement with him, or that I would rank him above my true employer, Jacob. Or even that I’d neglect the girl’s safety just to please him.
On the other hand, I was enjoying his mindfuckery.Pet her, poke her, plant suggestions, sit back and wait.
Clearly, Charity was curious about this punishment, and just as clearly, she was happy to delay it.
I’d seen the doctor at play before. I could learn from him and discard him later if I had to.
She’d put that little yellow dress back on after we pulled on our shorts. The tease of her ass peeking out when she lay back on that sun lounge and the dress crept up her hip, that had given me a permanent hard-on. Her lips sucking on the edge of that goblet and her cute pink tongue-tip licking cream off a small chocolate…fuck. It was excruciating, but I, too, could wait.
The little glance she gave me, though, when she licked the cream. Was the girl teasingme?
I adjusted my shorts and thought about all the things I could do to her.
