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“It’s okay, sweetling. I promise not to look until you have the life jacket on.” Levi was smirking even more. This time, I didn’t fully believe what he said.
“Just go and let’s get this done.” I shooed him and didn’t miss his little laugh. A laugh that sent shivers through my body in the best of ways.
As he swam around and crawled onto the boat, I had to repeat that losing the red dress was to save our lives. My face was still burning as I slipped one arm out and then the other. The wide neckline was easy to push down my body, and that was better than trying to draw it over my head.
Oh god! Levi was going to see me in my panties. No man had ever seen me in anything less than fully clothed.
Pushing my dress down the rest of the way, I kicked it off and let the ocean currents take it. My bra was strapless, and both it and my panties were as red as the dress. The lace on them was simple and reminded me this was not a bikini.
“Okay, come around,” Levi called to me, and I trembled inside.
It was to save our lives. It was just a little skin showing. Okay, a whole lot of skin, but to be nearly naked and alive was better than being dead.
I made my way around to the rear of the boat, and he was waiting at the railing with a life jacket on over his bare chest, sunglasses, and a goofy bucket hat. Tattoos wound around one of his muscled arms and his pants dipped low on his hips. Even with that hat, he was so hot. The freezing ocean water could do nothing to cool the desire in my veins.
“Take my hands, sweetling, and I’ll pull you up.” Levi bent forward and held out his hands. When I put mine into his, he easily lifted me up onto the boat. When my feet were on the deck, he stepped back still holding my hands and let his shaded gaze travel down and then up again. “Bloody hell. You are perfect.”
Snatching my hands away, I wrapped my arms around myself. By the heat in my cheeks, I could only imagine how badly I was blushing. I could barely get the words out. “life jacket. Please.”
“Damn.” Levi whistled through his teeth and plucked up the life jacket beside him. He held it up for me to help me put it on. I didn’t protest, but turned and stuck my arms through, swiftly buckling it up.
He reached around me from behind with both hands and tightened the straps. The closeness of him had everything in me tightening. His fingers lingered and skated over the bare skin of my arms. I fought every urge to throw myself at him, to beg him to take me right here. We were in a life-threatening situation and all I could think about was this seriously sexy Alpha.
“Have a seat, sweetling.” There was a rough edge to Levi’s voice, one that hinted at a growl. I melted at the sound of it. “There’s a blanket under the seat. I’m going to raise the anchor and take us to a secure place. You’re safe now, and I aim to keep you that way.”
Safe. Maybe from the gunmen. But, staring at Levi as if he were the last chocolate truffle in the world, my heat building inside of me was far more dangerous than I’d ever thought it’d be.
Chapter Eight
The trip to where we were going took longer than I expected. Exhausted from everything, I curled up on two of the seats and dozed off. I woke when Levi tenderly scooped me up in his arms and stepped off the boat onto a small dock.
“Don’t worry, sweetling. I have you,” he murmured near my ear.
I instinctively leaned into him, snuggling against his bare chest as I tried to get my fuzzy brain to work. “Where are we?”
“Haverhill Island. Not too far off the coast of northern Oregon.” Levi walked smoothly while carrying me, even when I heard him leave the wooden planks of the dock and step on a rocky path. “Talis, Van, and I live here. It’s one of the most secure places in the country. We’ll get you fixed up—”
The shock of everything suddenly hit me. Gunmen, running away, hiding under the pier, so close to dying. We were lucky to be alive. But what about Carson and the rest of the security team? Did those other men die on the yacht?
Waves lashed against the rocky shore, and as we continued along the path, more trees surrounded us, blocking the view of the ocean. I had no clue where we were and clad only in my bra and panties being carried by an Alpha I barely knew. He might have left the blanket and life jacket on, but I was still nearly naked.
My heart raced as I wiggled in Levi’s arms. “Put me down.” Yet he refused to let me go. “Let go of me!”
“Calm down, Callista,” he said softly, with far more serenity than I was feeling. “Your feet are injured, and the path is very rocky. I don’t want you to hurt them anymore.”
I’d totally forgotten about my feet and all the little cuts and bruises from the explosion at the yacht. Huddling under the blanket, I realized I was an absolute mess. Today was awful, and the urge to have a good cry was coming on strong. I covered my mouth as I sucked back a sob.
“Hey now, sweetling.” Levi nuzzled the top of my head, and somehow that small gesture along with his soothing voice eased back my hysterics. “We’re almost there. You’re safe. I promise you.”
I peeked out of the blanket and gasped as I stared at the massive lodge revealing itself from behind the trees. It was somehow rustic yet modern. Made of logs and stone, it was polished instead of rugged with so many windows. Those grand windows reflected the pines and cloudy darkening sky. It nestled in with the uneven landscape of the island as if it were meant to be there.
“It’s quite the house, isn’t it?” Levi grinned.
House? It was a manor. I’d been to luxury chalets in the mountains that were half the size of this place.
The front door burst open and two men dressed in black with The Praetorian Guard logo on their shirts rushed out. Each of them were armed.
“Status?” Levi stopped near the stairs which led up to the long porch.
