AllFreeNovel
Share Us
When she takes a swig, the tendons in her neck work as she swallows, and fuck, the view makes my dick twitch. In fact, being near Aly in general is making my damn dick ache. I’ve been sleeping on the couch in the office—not an easy feat for a man my size—because I find the little sleep sounds she makes arousing. Well, that and she made it clear we would not be having a slumber party.
“Oh my god,” she gasps, pulling the bottle from her lips with a satisfied sigh. “I needed that.”
The full moon casts a white light across the water, making it sparkle like glinting diamonds. As beautiful as it is, that’s not the most breathtaking view afforded to me. Not even close.
“I hope that wasn’t the only pair of cowboy boots in the closet. They suited you.” As did the crop top and itty-bitty jean shorts.
Alyona turns towards me with a smile, the first genuine smile I’ve had for a damn long time, and a tingle works its way up my spine. Her blue eyes sparkle, crinkle at the corners, and her cheeks bloom with a soft blush. “I’ll see what I can find,” she promises. A wince crosses her features momentarily. “Poor seasick Becky. Talk about an occupational hazard.”
We exchange a look, and like when we were younger, that’s all it takes for both of us to explode in a fit of laughter. When we get going, we really get going. Alyona throws her head back, her body shuddering. I haven’t laughed like this for as long as I can remember, and it feels good to let loose, especially since things have been so tense.
A warm rush spreads through my chest. A tangible reminder of how much I’ve missed the easy banter, the inside jokes. This is what we were, what we had.
“Know what that reminded me of?” Alyona chuckles, wiping away a tear. “The time when you decided to open a bottle of champagne using a sword that Christmas after Papa died. Only you ended up slicing the curtains in half, and the champagne showered everyone in the room. I swear, I thought your father was going to kill you.”
“I thought he was going to kill me, too,” I say, bringing the bottle to my lips.
“It wasn’t your smartest move,” she admits, taking a chip from the bag between us. “But it did make me giggle for weeks just thinking about it.”
I still smile at that memory. It had been months after Alyona’s father died, and she had barely cracked a smile the whole Christmas holiday, but I was desperate to change that.
The kiss changed everything for me. She was on my mind constantly, other girls tried to get my attention, but they may as well have been invisible. The day she walked into Christmas dinner looking so beautiful but so sad, I knew I would do anything in my power to make her smile. I thought of dumb shit to cheer her up like dressing up Bones, the family dog, as Santa and teaching him to howl “Jingle Bells,” which came out sounding more like a yowling cat.
“Remember Bones?” I ask her. “I swear once that dog learned how to sing, he never stopped.”
Alyona snorts, her upturned nose wrinkling in amusement. “That poor long-suffering pup. Growing up with the three Kozlov boys.”
“Are you kidding?” I exclaim. “That dog had the best life of any pet I know. He roamed around like he owned the estate, kind of like we used to.” And then because I am feeling bold, I say, “I miss laughing with you. I miss the kind of fun we used to get up to.”
She sighs deeply and stares out at the sea in front of us. “Yeah. Me too.” She pauses for a moment, her brows drawing together. “Sometimes I forget to have fun. I’m young, I’m in my prime, my life shouldn’t be so damn serious. Even more so now that some psychopath is after me.”
It’s the mention of her age that suddenly clues me in. “Hey, it’s going to be your birthday soon.”
She shoots me a dirty look. "Don’t remind me. I’m going to be so annoyed if I have to celebrate on this boat." When I pull a mock-offended face, she hits my arm. "It’s not you. Well, not entirely. But I want to be with my brother, Rowan, Kira, and get back to… normal life."
“Is that what you really want?”
“I… I don’t know what I really want anymore.” Her eyes meet mine, the air between us is heavy with everything we are not saying. It’s then that she reaches out, her finger tracing down the scar bisecting my chin.
“Where’d you get this?” she asks.
“When we were ambushed by the Antonovs. It’s not the only war wound I walked away with, but it’s the most visible.” It’s been nearly three years since Kira’s father, our family’s greatest foe, ambushed me, my brothers, and our men when we thought we were saving Georgia after she was abducted. Turns out, Georgia ended up saving us, but not before an epic battle ensued, one that nearly killed Georgia, and left my brothers and sister, Kira, in rough shape. At the end of the day though, we’re all still standing.
“Right,” she replies, still not breaking eye contact. The energy shifts around us, and I can’t look away, even if I wanted to. Heat blasts through my veins, and it takes everything in me not to lean forward and—
“Sorry to interrupt, mates!” A voice I’ve come to associate with nails on a chalkboard carries over the sea breeze. It’s big, it’s brash, and it’s unmistakably from Down Under. Jack appears on the edge of the deck, and despite his words, he doesn’t look sorry at all. “The deck crew spotted a pod of dolphins playing off the starboard side of the boat. I thought Alison would be interested in watching.”
But the only interest I can see reflected in his eyes is directed at my fiancée. Fake or not, I don’t like it. I stand, turning on this jerk who somehow thinks it’s acceptable to disturb a couple having a private drink. “Thanks for the tip, buddy, but we’re in the middle of something. How about you give us some privacy.”
“‘Course. Never meant to intrude.” His words of apology don’t match the glint in his eye. Recognizing that hardened look all too well—it’s one I see in other criminals, in other bad men, like me—I make a mental note to ask Dima to dig into his background.
I’m on the verge of telling him to get lost, but a second thought stops me. This is a perfect chance to remind this dipshit that I’m her man. At least I am on this boat. “No worries, brother.” I clap him on the back harder than necessary. “On second thought, if Aly wants to see the dolphins, why not?”
Alyona stands, the look on her face saysWhat the fuck are you playing at?but she doesn’t push the issue. Instead, she strolls by me and tells Jack to lead the way.
“Yes, Jack, lead the way,” I echo, sounding too cheery, causing Aly to throw me another questioning look over her shoulder.
“What?” I whisper as we head towards the upper deck. “I like dolphins, too.”
