“What happens now, Mom? We’ve tried guards before. Milton handed me over to him. Everyone has a price. Mal always finds it.”
“You let us worry about that,” she said firmly. “Know one thing above all. We won’t allow anyone near you unless we trust them implicitly.”
“Okay,” I whispered.
“Now tell me what you need. Would you like us to come to the island? We can be there in a few hours.”
“No, it’s okay. You’re right that he wants to ruin every single day of our lives that I’m free of him. Dropping everything at the sound of his name lets him win,” I replied. “The doctor says I’ll be fine and now Rosalie knows something is up. It’ll be safe if I stick close to the villa.”
Mom and I talked for a little longer. A knock sounded on the door after we hung up.
Nathan stuck his head in the room. “Hey. Hendrix is wrapping it up out here. The doc says we can take you back when you’re ready.”
“Ready.”
“Before we go, we should pack up one of those backless hospital gowns. It may come in handy.”
“Behave yourself.” I held out my arms. “Will you help me up?”
Nathan draped my arm around his shoulder. I swung my legs down to stand and he hooked under my knees and cradled me to his chest. I dropped my head on him, safe, secure, and on the edge of shattering.
All this time, it was because of him. He took the friends and lives I had to leave behind with every move. He took my safety, happiness, and any chance of a real relationship. I should’ve known he’d taken Nathan too.
“Are you crying?” Nathan asked.
“Y-yes.”
“If you’re still in pain—” He turned to carry me back to the room.
I laughed mirthlessly. “I’m not crying about this little bump on the head. It doesn’t come close.”
He slowed. “Belle... who is Malcolm?”
“The rule of fairy tales is every story must have a villain. You’ve met mine.”
THE SUN WAS SETTING on the villa. If my schedule was correct, I could put the empty living room and silence down to the movie event/date.
Nathan carried me through the quiet halls up to my room. He placed me on the bed, pulled back, and headed to the door.
“Where are you going?”
“My room.”
“Stay,” I said.
“If that’s what you want.”
Nathan crossed the room and reached for an armchair. I watched him with raised brows.
“Why are you being weird? Get over here.”
He hovered over the seat. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. We couldn’t talk in front of Hendrix. I figure you have a lot of questions.”
“Not as much as you think.” But he got up and dipped the mattress climbing in next to me. I relaxed as he pulled me close. “Just one. How can you consider giving me a second chance now that it’s clear to me how much of a monumental fuckup I am? You never cheated on me. But I did. Right in front of you.”
I burrowed in tighter, sinking deeper into the warmth and unique scent of Nathan. Cedarwood, black currants, and vanilla—though he once swore his cologne had neither. He still evoked these stolen scents and I hadn’t realized how hard I struggled not to miss them until now.
“Mal tricked you,” I said. “Like he’s done to many other people before. The man weaves lies and manipulation like a baby scribbles on the walls. You get so lost trying to make sense of the jumbled mess that you don’t know which way is up by the time you discover there’s no truth to find.”
Flipping, I faced him. “And if we’re taking stock of two years ago, I can’t blame you for not opening up to me when I didn’t either. If I had told you the truth about Mal from the beginning, none of this would’ve happened.”
“What is the truth?”
“The truth is he’s a man from my old life who won’t let go. He’s stalked me for years.”
“What does he want?”
“Me,” I said simply. “He wants to have me. Own me. Mal won’t settle for anything less than him being the center of my world. We’ve moved many times to get away from him and he comes after me each time.”
“Holy shit,” he breathed. “Why—”
“I know what you’re going to ask me,” I cut in. “But all you have to do is imagine an evil, soulless man determine to control a young woman’s life at any cost. Now imagine what it would take to stop that man.” I cupped his cheek. “I know you don’t have to try too hard.”
His throat bobbed with a hard swallow. “Mal is your colonel.”
I nodded. “He’s the reason I let myself fall for the boy who wouldn’t stick around. I told myself just one summer with you, and when you came back, I said one more. I convinced myself we could have the intimacy without the commitment and that would keep you safe.” I made a harsh noise. “I was so freaking naïve.”
“Don’t blame yourself when this is on me. You wouldn’t have lost me if I had trusted you.”
Touching my forehead to his chin, I sighed. “You had a point. All we were good at was sex. Honesty, communication, trust. Zero points in those categories.”
“But one hundred and twenty for dirty, hot bed gymnastics. Most couples don’t break thirty, so don’t sell us too short.”
I laughed. “When you put it like that, we are impressive.”
“Plus, we’ve got another one-twenty for being the person who was there when we thought we had no one. Another because you’re still the kind, generous girl who’d marry me to help a woman you’ve never met in person.”
“And you’re still the guy who’d jump into a pool to save me”—I leaned back to smile at him—“even though you’re afraid of blood.”
“That coral cut you so deep I could practically see bone,” he protested. “Any sane person would freak.”
“You’re a big baby. Admit it.”
“And you’re still the girl who only needs words to cut a man deep,” he grumbled.
“Aww,” I crooned, peppering his jaw with kisses. “I’m sorry. I can make it up to you.”
His throat bobbed again under my lips. “In the usual way?”
I licked a languid path up his neck. “It’s not a real apology unless I’m naked.”
“Holy shit, woman.” Nathan drew away. “No, wait. We can’t. You’re supposed to rest.”
“A certain coral cut me and it didn’t stop us then.” I reached for him and he took hold of me. Sitting up, he secured my hands over my head and gazed down at me.
“That coral didn’t slice your head open. How do I know this isn’t the concussion talking?” A ragged breath tore out of him. “You’re a drug I can’t quit, Belle. I accepted that somewhere around sitting in that waiting room thinking up the ways I’d murder Finn. I can deal with that. I can be yours for as long as you want to play with me.”
“Goodness,” I mumbled. “You make me sound like such a femme fatale.”
“I just need to know what you want from me,” he continued. “Let’s score points for honesty and communication.”