She burst through the water, wiping her sodden hair from her face and grinned at me. “Oh God, I needed that.” She swam over to me and copied my pose on the wall, arms gripping the concrete. “You okay, babe? How's the bruise today?” She gripped my chin and angled my face to get a better look.
“It's fine, I've had worse,” I said, pulling away with a roll of my eyes.
“Jozef told me what Vlad had you do. Shit, that's messed up. I'd have come and found you sooner, but you know, orders and all that.” She looked apologetic, and I knew her better than she gave me credit for sometimes, so I also knew there was something else on her mind. Her blue eyes looked shifty.
“What, Marn?” I asked. “What could be wrong now?” Huffing, not needing more drama, I pulled myself up the ladder of the pool and grabbed my towel, wrapping it around my body.
Marnie followed hot on my heels. “Babe, sit down for a minute.”
Reluctantly, I sat down on a sun lounger, Marnie sat on the other, arms resting on her knees. “Vlad's going to talk to you, obviously, but I wanted to give you a heads up.” She paused to make sure no one else was around. “He wants you and Benny to accompany Jax to the funeral.”
My mouth dried up and dropped open. “What? Why?”
She shrugged sighing. “I have no fucking idea, babe. It's Vlad, remember? He doesn't have to make sense.”
“He never makes sense,” I corrected. “Oh, Marnie, I can't take these games anymore. I'm exhausted.”
She took hold of my hands and gave me an encouraging smile. “It's not a game, babe. Just be good, report back to Vlad once you're home, and all will be well.”
“Will it, though? Marnie...” I sighed, my admission laying heavy on my tongue. “I can't just write Jax off.”
Her eyes widened. “Babe, you're gonna have to. That's if you wanna live.”
I rolled my eyes. She'd never understand.
“And don't roll your eyes at me. Tell me, how are you going to have a normal relationship with the fucking enemy? Under Vladimir's nose?”
“Shh!” I said, cringing. “You'll get me killed first if you don't be quiet.”
Lowering her voice, she said, “Ella, you can't possibly be considering starting something with this man? The night of the auction, I signed that off as a moment. A weird moment in your life. I didn't realize things were more serious than that.”
I couldn't believe what I was hearing, this was all coming from the girl who had grown up beside me, watched me never experience an ounce of love or affection, who'd had many a moment with many a security member, and she was questioning me? I'd had men's attention before. I'd, up until that night, thought Marco and I were something special. Maybe I never saw him as more than a friend, but I'd been dependent on him. And then I met Jax. Who brought out feelings in me I could never begin to explain, feelings I'd never felt before. My body had become a slave to him. I didn't profess to be an expert on love or lust, but were Jax and me just a pipe dream? Or was there actual hope there for us?
“Marnie, I don't want to talk about it. I'm on thin ice with Vladimir already, and I don't need you lecturing me as well. Please. Just drop it.”
She sat back, stunned almost. “No, I won't just drop it, Ella. I love you, and I don't want to see you get hurt.”
I stood up, preparing myself to go back inside, to the haven of my room. “Get hurt? What? Hurt more than I already have these past thirteen years? Believe it or not, Jax cares about me, Marnie. It's real. It's more real than anything I've ever experienced in this world. And I don't expect you to understand, but at least treat me like your friend and an adult.”
“Ella...”
“No. I'm done with this conversation,” I replied, storming back inside, heading straight from my room.
The bathwater lapped at the sides of the tub as my body sunk into it, the change from fresh pool water to steaming bathwater made my skin tingle. I never got mad at Marnie, the whole episode had put me on edge, and I was starting to regret snapping at her. The last thing I needed was to alienate the one friend that stood beside me in Purgatory. With Jax nowhere to be found, there was a sense of extreme loneliness dangling over me.
Closing my eyes, I lay back, red hair swirling around my shoulders, when there was a knock at the door.
“Ella?”
Startled, I sat up, eyes wide, heart pounding. “Jax? What are you doing?” I stammered.
“Bird, I need to talk to you.” His voice was pleading, desperate.
“Er- give me a second!” I called back, leaping from the bath with legs made of jelly, I yanked my robe from the hook on the door and wrapped it around me, securing the tie with a questionable knot.
My hand shook as I opened the door, and then my heart slammed to a painful stop as my eyes locked on to his.
Jax was sat on the edge of my bed, dark stubble covering his razor-sharp jawline, his beautiful hands clinging to one another. He looked distraught. He looked how I felt.
“Jax, what's going on? What are you doing here?”
He was lightning in that moment, rushing me, pushing my towel-clad body against the closed bathroom door, his hands found either side of my head, his lips covered mine.
Surprised, I gasped, tears falling once again as our tongues danced around each other. His swooped inside, tasting and loving, I returned the kiss, my arms wrapped around his muscular back.
His warm body encompassed mine, trapping me, and for the first time in four days, I felt as though I were home again. He kissed me hard, hands entwining in my hair, down my bare arms, pulling me closer to him. It was as though he was trying to climb into my soul, as he kissed me once more, soft and slow, I knew our souls were already connected.
“God, bird, you have no idea how much I missed you,” he breathed against my cheek.
I smiled. “I think I have an idea now.”
He chuckled, low and deep, the noise vibrating against my skin.
“Is that what you wanted to tell me?” I asked, pulling back to admire his perfect face.
“No, sorry, bird. I hadn't planned on kissing you, but I'd also not expected to see you in a towel.” He grinned, a tiny dimple I'd not noticed before formed in the center of his chin. “Here, come sit down,” he ushered me into the chair at my dressing table, crouched in front of my and held my hands.
“You're scaring me now,” I said, butterflies attacked my insides.
“It's good news, bird. Really good fucking news.”
“What?”
“We've found the mines, Ella. The cell. Well, I'm waiting to hear whether they've started excavating, but, yeah.”
My hand flew over my mouth in shock, a sharp ringing pierced my eardrums, and after a second or two, I threw my arms around Jax's neck and held him tight. “Oh, my God, Jax,” I whispered into his ear. “How?”
“Long story, sweetheart. I'll explain all when we've got more time, okay?” He moved back and looked at the bruise on my face. “That cunts' days are numbered, bird. You'll be mine before he hits the ground.”
Marnie's bombshell came back to me, smacking me square in the face. “I have something to tell you, too. But you have to pretend you don't know when Vlad tells you.”