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I smile at my dumb luck.
We aren’t too far from Dubrovnik, a port city in southern Croatia on the Adriatic Sea. Tonight we’ll be restocking and refueling in Bari, Italy, but if we leave just after midnight, we can be in Dubrovnik by late morning.
Satisfied, I send a message to my brothers to meet me in Dubrovnik tomorrowwith the basics of what they need to know.
Settling back in my chair, a bitter taste fills my mouth. The harsh reality is once we step off this boat, my time with Aly is up. We’d agreed on that, even if I now regret it.
I barely survived walking away from her once, and the thought of doing so again feels like swallowing shards of glass. But it was part of our deal—she insisted—and I won’t go back on my word. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but Aly and I still have tonight. And I intend to make every moment count.
I pick up the house phone and call Genevieve. “What can I get for you, Mr. Walker?”
“I’m giving you and nonessential crew the night off. Go out and enjoy yourselves on my dime, but be back on the yacht by midnight. We leave for Dubrovnik shortly thereafter.”
“Oh wow, thank you.” Genevieve sounds beyond excited.
Other than the captain, the crew is young, most of them are in their twenties or early thirties. They work hard and deserve to play hard tonight. Just like I intend to.
CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE
ALYONA
The warmthof the pool cradles me, my limbs splayed out like a starfish, as I float beneath the dusky Mediterranean sky. Leo had to take a call a few hours ago, and he still hasn’t reappeared on deck. I’m trying not to think about what it means, but deep inside I know—he’s getting closer to finding who is after me.
Our time floating in paradise is coming to an end. The realization brings a dull ache to my chest. But what did I expect? That I could spend all this time with him and not have those long-buried feelings roar to life again? Silly me. There’s no such thing as casual sex where Leo is concerned. We couldn’t keep it casual the first time, and it sure doesn’t feel very casual now. Which is a problem.
As the saying should go, break my heart once, shame on you. Break it twice, shame on me.
Wrapped up in my thoughts, it takes me a minute to catch Leo’s powerful figure standing at the edge of the pool, the setting sun casting a golden aura around him. As usual, the sight of him takes my breath away.
Lord help me, I’m a simp for this man.
“How’s the water?” Leo asks, toes curling over the edge.
I take a moment to drink him in. His short hair is disheveled, like he’s been constantly running his hands through it. “Perfect. Why don’t you come in and see for yourself.”
He rips off his clothes and dives into the water grazing my arm. “Leo,” I yelp, “You got me wet.” I laugh when I realize how stupid that sounds because yeah, I’m already wet. Now I’m just… wetter.
“I plan on getting you really, really wet tonight.” His arms encircle my waist, and my legs instinctively coil around his hips. Our bodies fit so well together, like ivy winding around a tree trunk. His breath warms my neck as his hands glide up my body. I can’t help it. I lean into his touch, savoring the feeling of being wrapped up in his arms.
His hand reaches out and gently brushes away a droplet of water from my cheek. “What’s up, Aly-cat?”
“Seriously, haven’t we put that name to bed?” I tease. He chuckles, guiding me to the edge of the pool. With surprising ease, he lifts me onto the ledge, our eyes meeting at a rare level. “You tell me what’s up,” I say. “Seems like something’s on your mind.”
He heaves a sigh, using the heel of his hand to swipe his dripping hair back. “I’ve got a solid lead on whoever’s after you.”
“Oh.” I had anticipated this moment, but still, the revelation hits me like a lead anchor, directly in the chest.
“The situation’s about to get more dangerous.” The crease between his brows deepens, as he reaches out to cradle my face, his fingertips delicately grazing my skin. “I promise you, butterfly, I will keep you safe no matter what. I won’t rest until I find thepizdawho’s been tormenting you. They will pay for every sleepless night, every moment of fear they’ve caused you.”
My breath catches in my throat while I fight to keep a neutral expression.
“Aly, say something. Talk to me, baby.” He swallows hard, the quiet intensity of his voice speaking louder than any of his words.
“I’m fine,” I assure him, swallowing down the knot of emotion forming in my throat. “It’s a lot to take in, but I’m fine.”
Still cradling my face, he leans in and kisses me so tenderly, with so much emotion biting at the edges, it’s clear that I’m not the only one falling here. We’re both standing on the edge of a cliff, one we’ve tumbled down before, and we need to back the fuck up before we make the same mistakes again.
Leaning away from his touch, I break contact, needing space to think clearly. “Who is it? Who is after me?”
