And I know we’re not the same people we were just days ago. Not when it comes to each other. We’re different. This thing between us, it’s different.
9
Cristiano
I draw back looking down at her. Sweat trickles down my forehead and falls onto her cheek. She’s spent, eyes dazed, mouth slack.
But I’m not finished yet.
Taking hold of both her thighs, I straighten, stand to push her legs wide.
“Cristiano—” she starts, up on her elbows.
I shift my gaze from between her legs, to her eyes, then back. The room smells of sex. Smells of us.
And I’m a man starved.
I bend my neck, lean down to her.
She gasps when I lay the flat of my tongue on her, tasting us together, tasting her. I lick from hole to hole then close my mouth over her hard little nub and suck. All at once, I hear her whimper, feel her fingers pull my hair and her legs quake in my grip. I keep her wide open and suck harder until she comes again. Her body bucks as she cries out my name over and over, breathless and panting.
Only when she’s still, do I release her.
Only when she’s still, do I bring my lips to hers and kiss her again, let her taste us together.
Because tonight is our true wedding night.
Tonight, is when I claim my bride. My wife.
And tonight, I vow that if any man should touch her, hurt her, fucking look at her wrong, I will kill them. I will tear them apart limb from limb with my bare hands.
10
Scarlett
I’m exhausted. When he lifts me, I don’t fight him. I have no energy left. He carries me into the bathroom, to the shower, where he sets me on the bench. He strips off his clothes and switches on the water. He tests it before turning to me, lifting me again.
“Does it hurt?” he asks.
Which part? My sex feels raw, but I like that part. The welts, yes, they sting in the hot water, but I want the heat. I still feel the cold of the ocean at my core.
I shake my head. “It’s okay.” I notice his stiches, wonder about his shoulder. “I never asked you how you found me,” I say as he shampoos my hair, standing close enough that we’re touching at all times. I like it. Like him taking care of me like this. I’ll allow it for now. Just right now.
“The man who rented the boat to them had a GPS tracker installed on it. Probably to be sure the boat wasn’t stolen. They found it this time, which is probably why they were changing boats. But I knew where they were headed from previous trips. I don’t know if they’ll still use the location but it’s a start. I have men on their way now to investigate.”
“They ra…hurt some of the women in front of me,” I say, unable to say the word, hating the word. “Just used them like they weren’t human and then threw them aside, like you’d discard a used-up thing.” I see the face of the girl Marcus chose to punish because of me. I see her pain. I don’t push it away. I owe her that much.
Cristiano’s jaw tightens. He switches off the water and reaches out to grab a towel. He wraps it around me before grabbing one to tie around his hips.
“Did you see anyone else at the docks?”
“Marcus and my uncle seemed to be in charge. Well, Marcus at least. My uncle worked for him, as much as he wanted to believe he ran the Cartel side of things. Not that it matters anymore. He’s dead.”
“It still matters.”
“There was someone in the car with Marcus, but I never saw his face.” I look away for a moment, thinking. Trying to remember. “It’s fuzzy but I think it was him who put his jacket on my shoulders. No one else was wearing a jacket at least that I remember. Apart from my uncle and Marcus, the rest of the men looked like thugs.” I look back up at Cristiano. “I was naked. He took me from the bath.”
His eyes narrow infinitesimally.
“You don’t remember if Felix was there?”
“I don’t think he was. I’d recognize him.”
He nods.
I squeeze the water from my hair as I step out of the shower.
“How many women were there?” he asks.
“Maybe a dozen. They killed one on the docks. She tried to run and one of the men shot her in the stomach.”
“We found her. I took her to a local morgue. We may be able to identify her. Try to find her family at least.”’
“What about my uncle’s body.”
“Fish food.”
“Good.”
I follow him into the bedroom and watch as he steps into briefs and a pair of jeans before turning to take the towel from me. I stand naked as he slips the dress over my head. It’s thin, more for summer than now, but at least it doesn’t irritate my skin.
“They were pretty young, some of them.”
“Perverts like them young.”
“I know.”
He pauses as he slips his arm into a black button down and studies me for a beat too long.
I clear my throat and glance away. “One of the women said they’ll be sold.”
“That’s right.”
“And that virgins bring in more money. They’d marked them so the crew wouldn’t touch them.”
Although I see irritation on his face, he doesn’t reply.
“Can we find them? Stop them from selling these women?”
He breathes in deeply and takes hold of my shoulders. “You will concentrate on healing. I will take care of what needs to be taken care of.”
“What does that mean?”
“That means you’ll stay on the island, in the house, and out of harm’s way.”
“No. I’m helping those women. What happened to them is partially my fault.”
He looks at me with utter disbelief now. “I’m going to guess math wasn’t your strongest subject.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“How do you get to this being remotely your fault?”
“My brothers started this. My brothers and Marcus did this. I don’t even know how many people they’ve hurt.”
“Your brothers. Marcus. Not you.” He picks up one of the containers the doctor left, reads the label and pops the lid. Two pills drop onto his palm. “Here.”
“What are those?”
“Painkillers.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine. I see that it hurts. Take them.”
“I said I’m fine.”
“You punishing yourself won’t help them.”
“I said no. Remember when you didn’t want anything when the doctor reset your shoulder? I don’t want anything now and I’m pretty sure that hurt more than this.”
“Christ,” he mutters, dropping the pills back into the bottle and securing the lid. “Like I said, stubborn as a mule.” He walks to the door and opens it.
“Like I said, as stubborn as you.” I walk out into the hallway. “I want to help them, Cristiano. I mean it.”
“You leave that to me.”
“Scarlett!” Noah appears at the bottom of the stairs and it takes all I have not to charge down toward him. Well, all I have and Cristiano’s hand around my wrist.