Chapter 2

Q

~We’re altered, we’re abnormal, our souls stained with each other’s mark. Our souls are that of monsters born in the dark~

Time was a fickle bitch.

It seemed only hours since I met Tess. Seconds since I touched her for the first time. Only moments since I hunted for her to take her home.

All those blocks of twenty-four hours that built a wall from ever finding her had disintegrated, seeming to hurl me headlong into the future—the future I wanted so fucking bad.

My heart stopped as my mind filled with Rio. Seeing her like that—naked, tortured, bound—enraged me to the point of shedding all human fakery and turning savage.

The metallic stench of death still coated my nostrils; the warmth of spilled blood steaming on my hands. Tess had looked like a corpse—a cracked out, mentally broken corpse.

They’d infected her mind, her lungs, her very fucking soul, and I’d stolen her back only to lose her all over again.

It seemed only a minute ago when Tess walked away from me, shutting herself off forever, inciting panic, causing me to free all my birds because I couldn’t stomach the thought of ever caring for another life.

It felt as if it were yesterday when I broke down and let her take my life—using me to spew all her internal blackness away.

I’d hoped it would be enough. I’d hoped I no longer needed to watch the hands of time, fearing Tess’s state of mind.

But time liked to fuck with me.

Instead of Tess growing whole again and leaning on me to help, she lied.

Every lie she told whittled at my temper until I knew eventually I’d explode. I could only accept her tales for so long before I forced her to tell the truth.

For three weeks she healed. We spent time together as man and woman rather than master and slave. We became friends.

Friends who didn’t tell each other anything.

I sat in the back of the limousine staring at the woman who owned my balls, body, and heart, but ultimately she was a ghost.

An unknown riddle of human spirit who was too stubborn to burden me with any of it. Why couldn’t I get her to accept me? Why didn’t she trust me to help? She’d let me brand her. She wore my ring.

I ~knew~ she was mine. But the knowledge meant jack-shit when she lied so blatantly.

Nothing would grant me peace because I knew ~she~ had no peace. It was elusive, evasive, and I was fucking tired.

Tess suddenly scooted across the seat, pressing against my side. Her blue-grey eyes connected with mine, looking so pure, so fucking ancient.

Her soul was mangled and bruised and the light that’d always existed no longer glowed like the cosmos; now it flickered—spurting with blinding light only to be dimmed by sorrow.

Sorrow she refused to talk about.

I’d tried to show her the depth of my feelings by sharing that ridiculous letter. I’d regretted giving it to her almost instantly—those were my chaotic thoughts, not for her to read.

Scribbled in the dark while she thrashed with dreams.

But in a way, I was glad she’d glimpsed into my psyche. She owed me the same courtesy. I could force her to share hers—a trade.

Grabbing a handful of her silky blonde hair, I held her still. Threading my hands through the strands, I made my way till I cupped the back of her neck.

Her cupid lips parted, sending a thrill through my stomach to my cock. I’d struggled the entire four-hour journey with a massive hard-on.

She’d kept her eyes closed most of the way, but I knew she wasn’t asleep.

I knew because she wasn’t drenched in sweat and screaming like the Holocaust had come again.

“Let me fight them for you, esclave.” My fingers tightened around the delicate cord of muscles. She felt so breakable, so damageable. It was a lie.

Her body may bleed, her bones may break, but her mind? That was a fucking fortress.

And I wanted in.

I wanted to ram the gates, cross her moat, and send an entire army of artillery to massacre her nightmares. I needed to know what swirled and swelled behind her eyes. I needed to know how to help her.

“Just by being you, you’re fighting them for me.” She bowed her head beneath my hold, giving me her weaknesses, her vulnerability.

My mouth went dry at the thought of threatening her. Squeezing her throat until she spilled her unspoken secrets. Maybe then I’d find the truth.

Forcing her to meet my eyes, I murmured, “I’ll be by your side forever, but I won’t allow you to push me away again.” Brushing her nose with mine, I added, “And I sense it, Tess.

“Your reluctance to tell me. You’re floundering on your own, and it’s pissing me off that you’re not leaning on me. So lean, otherwise, I can’t promise I’ll keep my temper.”

The opaque screen between driver and car interior slid down. I glowered as Franco spun in his seat, cocking his head. “We planning on sitting on this runway all day, or do you have a destination?”

Tess spun in my hold; I let her go. Her perfectly white cheeks rushed with color. “Franco. What? How…” She gawked at my head of security.

Tess and Franco had formed an unlikely alliance. He’d treated her roughly when she first came to me—feeding off my need, letting himself taunt a slave who wasn’t broken.

He’d chased her when she ran, he’d hunted her when she was stolen, he’d been beside me every step, and I knew he had a deep respect for Tess.

Even though he took a while to forgive her for leaving me bloody and oozing a month ago.

Franco’s green eyes connected with Tess as I relaxed into the seat. I would never admit it, but I liked watching them interact. I liked that Tess wasn’t afraid of him.

I liked that Franco had developed an older brother protectiveness toward her.

When Franco didn’t reply to Tess’s mismatch of questions, she shifted in the leather to face him. “How did you get here?”

“Who do you think flew the bloody plane?”

Her eyes flew to mine; I kept my face blank. I shrugged, holding back a smile as she whipped to look at Franco again. “You fly, too?” Her shoulders were tense, head cocked warily.

A swell of pride filled me. She didn’t believe him.

As she shouldn’t. He was a bullshitter.

“He flew in the cockpit to give us privacy,” I said, letting the small smile twist my lips.

Tess’s eyes locked onto mine. The blue looked softer, warmer. She must’ve known I wanted privacy in the hopes of another membership into the mile-high club.

I still couldn’t get the thought of her on her knees with her cheek pressed to the helicopter carpet out of my mind. My cock throbbed at the memory of driving into her from behind.

She’d been so hot and wet. After denying her an orgasm and being pissed at her for making me come against my will, the tension between us was out of this fucking world.

I swallowed, remembering how wild she'd been when I spanked her. How her back arched and she moaned that delicious fucking moan.

It had been the last time we’d been connected completely. Master and slave. Dominator and dominated. It linked us more than anything.

It also made me realize I would do absolutely anything for this beautiful woman until the day I died.

It was also the day she disappeared.

Fuck. Even that memory was tainted by the bastard traffickers.

My hands curled on my thighs, wishing to all that was mighty to reincarnate Red Wolverine so I could rip open his chest, cut out his heart, and feed it to him while he choked for life.

Franco smiled, looking less civilized and more feral these days. Rio had changed both of us. “Privacy, huh? Doubt you’ll get much of that with a wedding coming up.

“You’re a lucky little lady, not having any in-laws to impress. Mercer, on the other hand, better be on his best behavior.”

Tess leaned back in her chair, fastening her seatbelt. “As far as I’m concerned, we’re both on our own in this world. Just him and me.” She flashed me a look full of shy promise and blatant loyalty.

Fuck me, I loved her. Overpowering awe grew day by day inside me. I’d sold my soul to her.

~Her.~

This woman who I would never take for granted.

I grabbed her hand, linking my fingers through hers. I didn’t say a word. I didn’t need to. Our souls did enough talking.

“Take us to the island, Franco. I need to take Tess somewhere completely private.”

Her fingers twitched in mine. “Wait…what island?” Amazement widened her eyes. “Oh, my God, you own an island? We’re getting ~married~ on an island that you~ own~?”

Franco laughed. “Guess what it’s called. Go on. You’ll never guess.”

Tess shook her head. “You own an island that you ~named~?” Her fingers went loose as she looked at me like I was a stranger. “This is too much. Q—how…” Her question faded under the weight of wonderment.

I hated that. Hated the look of awe and confusion. Just like she looked at me when I showed her ~Moineau~ Holdings for the first time. She made me so fucking self-conscious of my wealth.

~Yes, I own an island.~

Yes, I’m fucking rich.

Yes, I’m happy I’m loaded because without it, I would never have found you.

Be fucking grateful rather than afraid.

My heart raced and I opened my mouth to yell, but Franco jumped in before I could upset her. “It’s called ~Volière.~”

My heart thudded at the word. At the time, it was perfect for the slice of paradise. Now, I wished I’d named it esclave. After her.

Tess whispered, “You named it Aviary?”

Everything inside me was hot, boiling, exploding. Did she have a problem with everything related to wealth, or was it shock making her look at me so intensely?

I scowled. “Yes, I own an island. Yes, I called it ~Volière.~ No, I don’t feel guilty for owning it, and no, no one else has been.”

Franco chuckled. “Shit, boss. She was only asking.” Grinning at Tess, he whispered, “You’ll love it.

“Looks exactly like the owner.” Spinning around, he slid the partition back into place, and the car rolled into motion.

What the fuck was that supposed to mean? Just like me? The entire island was overgrown and wild.

“I didn’t mean to upset you, Q,” Tess said, her eyes dancing worriedly over my face.

Shit, I couldn’t do anything right. Not while I had so much bubbling inside. How could she know my anger was at her but~ not~ at her? It didn’t even make sense.

My frustration was at her nightmares not because she had them but because she didn’t ~share~ them. My brain hurt.

“I know, esclave. I didn’t mean to snap.” Giving her a soft smile, I added, “I’ve owned it for a while. It was one of the first things I bought when I took over the family empire.”

“Tell me?” Her hand shot to hold onto the door handle as Franco took a corner too fast. Her slim body slid on the shiny leather reminding me yet again she was so fucking tiny.

She still had a few kilos to gain before getting back the stunning sexy curves she’d had before.

I frowned, letting my mind rewind to ten years ago. “I bought it off a floundering investor.” I shrugged as if it was the most natural thing in the world to own a tiny haven.

“He accepted a lowball offer, then I had to fork out three hundred thousand euros to have a water purifier installed.”

I glanced at her, making sure she remained in the car and hadn’t flown away from sheer fear. Fear of what? Money? I’d never met anyone so averse to wealth. Or not averse. Just overwhelmed.

A small burst of happiness soothed my annoyance. ~At least you know she’d marry you if you were dirt poor. ~She wasn’t marrying me for my bank account or what I could give her.

~She’s marrying me because she loves me.~

The knowledge sucker-punched me every fucking time.

“It’s untamed. Uninhabited.

“Completely impractical, but none of my associates knows I own it and no one will find us there.” I’d protected Tess from a lot of things—things like the consequences of killing Red Wolverine and slaughtering his operation.

That sort of stuff had large ripple effects. Payback was coming. I was sure of it.

I didn’t need to tell her why I had the sudden urge to hide her.

If I didn’t keep tabs on the need to shut the world out, I could easily become a recluse with sentries on my front door and drones flying overhead, ready to sniper anyone who came within fifty meters.

~Might not be a bad idea.~

Wolverine and his operation might be dead, but there were others. Way too many sick and twisted fucks in the world.

“And we’re getting married there?” Tess asked. “How will that work if no one knows it exists?”

“Franco will source a justice of the peace or a celebrant—whoever you want to marry us—and he can be our witness.”

Tess bit her lip, thoughts parading in her eyes.

I almost groaned or wrung her neck—either to get her to finally speak to me. “What are you thinking, esclave? You don’t like this elopement idea?”

She smiled hurriedly, giving me reassurance I so stupidly needed. “No, I love it. I love the thought of our own private paradise. Just us. But…”

I swiped a hand over my face. “But…”~Goddammit, get to it so I can annihilate your concerns.~

“Well, not that I mind of course, but I don’t have anything to wear.”

“You don’t need a white dress. That’s just a gimmick.”

She laughed. “I suppose so. I’m not a girly girl, so I don’t mind not having the princess dress or the flowers or the food but...”

I sighed heavily. “Another but.”

Her face flushed. “I want it to just be us, but… and I don’t want my family there as they aren’t part of my life anymore—” flashing me a shy smile, she rushed “—you’re my new family.

“My chosen family.”

Goddammit, she knew just how to cut me in half. Now I’d give her anything. What a clever woman. What a conniving, intelligent fucking woman.

Did she know I would bow to her every command now—hearing her call me family. Shit, I’d hire out Disneyland if she wanted a princess wedding.

I’d invite woodland animals and fairy godmothers if that’s what she wanted.

~You’re my family.~

I forced my heart to stop hammering and glowered. “You stopped what you were going to say. Spill.”

She sucked in a breath. “I would’ve liked Suzette to be there.” Her eyes flickered away almost guiltily. “And...it doesn’t matter.”

“What doesn’t matter?”

Taking another deep breath, she set her jaw. “Brax was the one who gave me any sense of self-worth.

“I never loved him more than a friend—not the way I love you, but he ~is~ a friend and the only one from my past who I would’ve liked to share you with.” Ducking her head, she breathed, “I’m so proud of you.

“So amazed and stupefied and happy. I want to show you off. I want one moment where I’m on your arm. To show off how stupendously lucky I am to be worthy of loving you.”

Fuck. Me.

My brain split her words into two categories—she loved me and wanted to show me off which made my heart chug harder with joy. But all I could focus on was one word: Brax.

The ex. The boy who spent years with her before me.

I couldn’t look at her. My voice dropped to a deadly whisper, “No fucking chance in ever-living hell is that boy going to be at my goddamn wedding.”

Tess froze.

My heart took on a life of its own, thundering like a bloody mess. I rubbed my temple, easing away the sudden headache. “You think I’d let your ex spend time with you?

“You want to show me off—throw me into his face and say what, Tess? That I’m the one in your bed now?

“That you didn’t fuck him before I claimed you?” My voice was barely a whisper but icicles could’ve formed on the car windows—it was so cold.

“You want me to say the most important words of my life in front of a twerp who let you get kidnapped in Mexico?”

~He may have let her be taken in Cancun, but she was stolen from your fucking office. You have things in common.~

Fucking hell, that comparison had to die. And fast. I’d turn into a monster if I started comparing myself to a boy from Tess’s past.

I needed out of this car. I needed to get away from her to calm my temper.

Tess’s soft touch landed on the back of my hand. “I get it, Q. I’m sorry. I should’ve thought it through. I wouldn’t want your ex-girlfriends there either. Can you forget I said anything?”

Breathing hard through my nose, I said, “You’re forgetting I don’t have any ex-girlfriends.”~Only whores. ~Shit, we both had baggage. I had no right to be so high and fucking mighty.

Sighing, I forced my muscles to relax. “Sorry, esclave. That was out of line.” Giving her a half-smile, I added, “Jealousy is a new demon I’m trying to understand.”

The limousine went around a corner, sending Tess sliding over the leather. Her body nudged against me.

The instant her shoulder touched mine, everything that’d been pulled tight snapped back into its rightful place inside. Who was I kidding? I’d give her anything. I ~wanted~ to give her everything.

She ~deserved~ everything.

But that twat still wasn’t coming.

“You have nothing to be jealous of.” Tess smiled. “I was just thinking aloud. They aren’t deal breakers.”

“Deal breakers?” My eyes narrowed. “What you’re saying is, you don’t want to get married unless those conditions are met?” I couldn’t believe this. My stomach twisted.

It meant yet more time not having her as my wife. More time not having the commitment and piece of paper I needed.

Tess’s lips parted. “What? No! I have no conditions, Q. None at all. Marrying you is already one dream come true. I don’t need any others.”

Then what did that make me? A heartless bastard who was rushing her into accepting me, all because this was how I wanted it? I wasn’t being fair.

~You won’t change your mind, though.~

Nope. I was so close to having her sign her soul to me. I ached to hear her say the vows. I bled to sink inside her hot body the night she became Mrs. Mercer.

I may ~want~ to change my selfish ways, but I wouldn’t.

“Good. Because I’m not stalling or changing.” I couldn’t manage anymore. I didn’t want to admit if she asked right now to give her time, I’d buckle and give her anything. I needed this more than her.

I was the weakest—wanting to marry her ~my~ fucking way.

Tess nodded; happiness painted her face with a healthy glow. A few minutes passed as she looked out the window, watching passing motorists, colourful buildings, and sunburned tourists.

She turned to face me. “Where exactly are we?”

Forcing my body to shed the remaining jealousy, I said, “The Canary Islands.”

Tess laughed quietly. “I can’t believe before I met you I’d never travelled apart from one family holiday to Bali. Now the world is open to me.

“Not that I’m counting Mexico and Brazil as part of my travels.”

The pain in my heart made me gasp. Goddamn, her flippancy. Her strength to make jokes would’ve made me fall to my knees if I wasn’t sitting down.

“I’ll take you wherever you want to go, esclave.” I would spend the rest of my life creating new memories for her to suffocate the ones living inside her.

We fell silent as Franco drove us through congested streets of weathered locals and quaint shops. Buildings favoured plasterwork and pastel colours.

The Spanish archipelago had never been a favourite destination of mine, but it’d proven to be a worthwhile investment with a few developments and one mid-size hotel.

It also had a low tolerance on sex slaves, unlike the rampant mess and disgusting trade done in Spain.

In fact, I’d only accepted one girl from the Canary Islands in turn for a bribe on a condominium, which was nothing compared to the fifteen from Spain.

The sun beamed through the windows, making my skin prickle with heat. Tess unwrapped her scarf, and shrugged out of her cardigan, before settling back wearing a white singlet top.

She didn’t do it coyly or to get my attention, her focus remained outside, but my eyes locked onto her chest. The contours of her lacy bra indenting the cotton made my mouth go dry.

I’d never get used to the need I had for her, or the joy at knowing she could withstand my unconventional needs.

My fingertips ached to stroke her flawless skin; my cock throbbed at the thought of her touching me. I wanted her hot slick mouth between my legs.

I clenched my jaw. “You have no thought for my sanity, do you, esclave~? J'ai tellement envie d’être à l’intérieur de toi.~” I need to be inside you so fucking bad.

Her head whipped around, blue eyes blazing with sudden lust. Her nipples hardened beneath the cotton, reacting to the desire in my voice, perfectly programmed to me.

Her mouth parted, but she didn’t speak.

I didn’t move. If I did, I’d end up stripping her and forcing her to sink down on my straining erection. Looking away, I muttered, “Next time I touch you, you won’t freeze up on me.

“I’ll guarantee it.” I’d guarantee it because I’d make her so fucking wet she’d pant and gasp and ~beg~ for me to fill her. I’d bind her and stroke her and worship her in every way I knew how.

A second ticked past before she cleared her throat. The thick tension simmering between us sat heavy and unresolved. Her lips twisted, asking, “So, how big is this island?”

I chuckled as she raised her eyebrow in a lewd way, deliberately making an ass out of herself. The power she had over me was crushing.

How could she make me laugh when all I wanted to do was shake her and tumble all her sadness away? How could she make me care so fucking much even while pissing me off?

Her gaze locked with mine, darkening with desire. I lashed out, grabbing her hand, giving her a hard smile.

Ever so slowly, never taking my eyes from hers, I pinched her forefinger and slid it into my mouth. Inch by inch, I sucked, tasting her, cursing the fucking need in my blood.

Her eyes snapped closed, shuddering as I swirled my tongue around her finger. I intoxicated myself on her subtle feminine taste.

A hint of orange remained from the fruit she had for breakfast on the plane.

Just as slowly, I withdrew her digit from my mouth, murmuring, “Big enough.” I smiled, but there wasn’t anything jovial in my face.

I transmitted a warning—a message that the moment I had her alone, I was taking her. The monstrous craving in my blood was a ticking time-bomb ready to explode at any moment.

Awareness and intensity fogged the interior. I couldn’t breathe without dragging her into my lungs. I couldn’t think without her being center place in my mind.

My eyes fell to the bandage on her neck—the tiny piece of protection hiding the brand from others' eyes. I wanted people to know she was mine ~now~, not when it was healed.

I needed to see it, so the urge to bite and consume would stay dormant.

I released Tess’s hand. Franco took another corner at hyperspeed, and we jerked to a stop at our destination.

Thank God we were there because another few minutes in the limo and I would’ve locked the doors and not cared if violent rocking gave us away.

Franco jumped out, coming to open the door for Tess. Bright island sunshine beamed into the shady car no longer inhibited by the tinted windows.

The heat scorched my skin, making me wish I’d worn something cooler. Coming here had been impulsive. After Tess’s nightmare, all I wanted to do was run.

Run far away from evil, madness, and responsibilities.

I wanted to be happy, but I couldn’t snap out of my mood. It wasn’t just Brax being mentioned but a combination of things.

And just like Tess wouldn’t share things with me, I couldn’t share my worries with her.

~She’s about to become mine for eternity~. She loved me. So why did I sense something awful coming?

I hadn’t been to ~Volière~ in years. The last time was when my house was a convalescent home to five saved slaves all of whom were mentally destroyed.

I did what I could—hired whatever therapists were available but then had to leave.

Hearing their screams down the corridors or their sobbing while trying to work proved too similar to listening to my father torture his harem in the east wing when I was a boy.

I’d been a fucking pussy and run to ~Volière~ where I stayed until they were well enough to return home.

“Looking forward to seeing paradise?” Franco asked Tess. His muscular form was crisp and professional in his black suit and no doubt sweating his fucking balls off.

I lost sight of them as they walked around the back of the car.

The familiar burn of rage of another man touching the most precious thing in my life reminded me Tess might have issues to work through, but so did I. I trusted Franco with my life.

I had no reason to be jealous. ~Try telling that to your fists.~

Quickly exiting the car, I glowered at Franco until he dropped Tess’s hand. He grinned. “Should I wait here, boss? Or do I get a ticket to utopia, too?”

“You’re coming.” Never again would I go without a man with reflexes like Franco’s and a license to carry concealed weapons. Frederick, my business partner and the man I left in charge, was right.

On our daily phone calls discussing property projections and what the future meant for ~Moineau~ Holdings, I knew I’d painted a bull’s-eye on my back.

More would come for me, and I had no intention of being unprepared.

A loud bang sounded from a piece of rigging along the pier. Such an everyday innocent noise but Tess fucking leapt like a gazelle.

Her curls flurried as her head turned to the noise; her eyes round and terrified.

Goddammit.

I knew she struggled with loud noises or surprises. I watched her jump and freeze if Suzette dropped something in the kitchen or Franco slammed the front door too loudly.

~“Tout va bien, personne ne peut te faire de mal ici.”~ It’s okay. Nothing can hurt you here. I stalked toward her, jerking her close.

Whispering in her ear, I said, “Stop letting it have power over you.”

She pulled away, a slight flush on her cheeks. “Sorry. I’m just tired. My reactions are a little jumpy.” She smiled, cupping my cheek. “Truly. I’m fine.” Her eyes dropped, hiding her lies.

Lies had a scent. The stench of decay and terror. I hated when she told untruths—she undermined me every time.

“Tess, what did I—”

“Bloody hell, I’m hot,” Franco said loudly. I looked up to snarl at him for interrupting, but his eyes pierced mine. They blatantly said ‘~you’re in public with a lot of people milling around.~’

Let’s get on the fucking plane where we’re safer.’

As much as I wanted to brush off his warning, he was right.

Swallowing my frustration, I let the tension between Tess and I disperse. Stepping backward, I nonchalantly looked around. Everyone was a suspect. It was time to get somewhere less populated.

Just in case.

“Wish I’d packed a pair of shorts,” Franco grumbled. “I’m bloody steaming in this suit.”

Tess chuckled. “I agree. Q dragged me out of bed so fast this morning, I have no idea what I packed. I’m hating these jeans with a passion. I’d give anything for a skirt.”

My mind instantly thought of how convenient a skirt would be. A skirt would let me touch her, finger her, all while she remained hidden and dressed.

It seemed I couldn’t think about Tess without getting fucking hard. The incessant need to fill her built behind my eyes.

The churning in my gut filled with darkness as my ears roared needing to hear her cries. My mouth watered at the thought of tasting her—all of her—her blood, her tears, her desires.

But then the need rushed to another part of my body.

My heart ~throbbed~ with tenderness plaiting with the ugliness of my soul. I wanted her symphony of screams, but not as much as I wanted the glittering sounds of her laughter.

My body filled with terrifying softness and warmth.

She’d changed me.

Through hurting me and showing me compassion even while I was a bastard to her—she changed me. The chilly exterior I favored melted with one look of her dove-grey eyes.

Fuck. ~I’m ruined.~

Needing to redeem my manhood, even if it was just to myself, I growled, “You’re not putting a skirt on.”

Tess’s eyes flew to mine, confusion making them flare. “Did you just tell me what I can and can’t wear?” The soft blue turned to steely grey.

“I love you, but if you think you can dress me—like you did when I first arrived—you have another thought coming.” Her temper rose from nowhere swirling around me like a blustery breeze.

The tenderness switched to lust once again, and I wanted to reach out, squeeze her neck, and kiss her fucking stupid. I was turned on by her meekness, but her temper turned me feral.

I needed to get away from her. We needed to leave.

“Fine.” Stalking away, I called over my shoulder, “Bring the bags, Franco. I’ll tell the pilot we’re here.”

The pier was the same as always. Tenerife was nectar to holiday-seeking newlyweds and families. The port acted as the gateway for island hopping, sightseeing, and was always manically busy.

However, I had a long-standing arrangement with the top seaplane pilot whenever I came. The gruff old ex-RAF commander knew when I visited not to accept any other jobs but remain on call for me.

I paid him a shitload to be at my every whim.

So where the fuck was the plane?

I stomped down the pier, looking in the distance to moored vessels, trying to glimpse the white and black twin prop Otter somewhere on the turquoise water.

Nothing.

“Are you Mr. Mercer?” a youngish man asked. He had short black hair and a face that’d been tanned and weathered by the sun. My fingers twitched in preparation.

I no longer trusted anyone—especially foreign strangers.

Scowling, I nodded. “Yes. Captain Morrow was supposed to be here. He’s on call.”

The man shook his head. “I’m Bill Castro.

“I’ve been assigned instead.” His white uniform, with gleaming black buttons and a crest of an embroidered wave on the pocket, marked him as one of the many yacht crew in the port.

“I’m afraid the captain is currently in hospital, sir. Triple bypass, unfortunately. I’ve been asked to escort you to where you want to go on one of the newest speedboats in our fleet.”

Twisting his torso, he pointed at a sleek white and silver vessel that looked like a bullet on the water. Mahogany and cherry wood decorated the interior panels gleaming richly in the sun.

A boat? No fucking chance.

“I’m not sailing. I always fly.” Flying was my thing. Flying was my one passion—the air was meant to be explored with the help of thrusters and powerful turbines.

The ocean—that was meant to be avoided at all costs. I ~hated~ the water.

I ~hated~ I hated how innocent it looked at first glance, but beneath the depths it hid monsters, while the surface was home to waves eager to drown unsuspecting victims.

“We wouldn’t sail, sir. It has a top speed of fifty-eight knots. You’ll be holding on for dear life while tears stream from your eyes.” The captain grinned.

I wanted to punch him.

What if he’d been hired to take us out to sea and dispatch us on behalf of Emerald Dragon and his concubine hoard, or the Rattlesnake assholes in Australia with their harem of drugged-up slaves?

“Surely there’s another pilot who can fly the Otter?”

“Q?” Tess appeared by my shoulder, flanked by Franco. Her eyes landed on the man who I wanted to throw off the pier.

“Everything okay, boss?” Franco asked, eyeing up the speedboat captain with a glint best described as wolf-like.

Franco had embraced what we’d done in Rio, and I had no doubt he’d like to have a reason to do it again.

“Apparently our pilot is on his death bed, and our transportation now includes a flimsy dinghy.”

“Not a dinghy, sir. It’s a top-of-the-line vessel.

“And unfortunately it’s your only option as the Otter is in for its regular maintenance and the other seaplane operators are fully booked this week with a Japanese tour group.” Bill raised an eyebrow.

“If you want to travel, I’m your only option.”

“A boat doesn’t sound so bad,” Tess said, smiling at Bill. She may look unafraid and cool but no one knew her like I did.

The nuances of the way she held herself hinted she didn’t like being around strangers.

I glanced at the line of boats all bobbing like fucking corks in the water. So unreliable. So rudimentary. “How long will it take?”

“Depends on where you’re going. I’ve been sworn to secrecy and was told you’d provide coordinates.”

Shit, yet another bribe-able human who would know about~ Volière.~ Was there another way?

Bill seemed to hear my thoughts. “I’m your only choice, unless you want to swim.”

I glanced at Tess. She seemed fairly relaxed—not too tense. I trusted her instincts and she wasn’t throwing off alarm signals.

“Fine. It’s 29.0580 North and 16.8796 West. How long?”

Bill’s forehead furrowed, doing some quick math. “About thirty to forty minutes. That’s at thirty-five knots. Can’t have you falling overboard at top speed.”

I glowered.

“If it’s the only option, it’s the only option,” Franco said, stating the fucking obvious.

We’d only been away from home for five hours, and I already missed the security and sanctuary of my chateau.

“Fine,” I muttered. “Let’s go.” Grabbing Tess’s elbow, I guided her toward the sparkling white speedboat.

State of the art instruments and glass radar screens refracted the sun, blinding me as I stopped. How the hell were we supposed to get on board?

Bill dashed past us, hurling himself onto the deck looking nimble and a regular seafarer. The creaking of the salt-drenched pier sounded haunted as he placed a small platform across the gap.

In another second, he’d attached a handrail, beckoning us across.

“You go first.” I motioned at Franco. He rolled his eyes but took our bags, striding over the plank. Bill took the duffels and placed them inside one of the mahogany bench seats.

Tess went to move forward, but I couldn’t unwrap my fingers around her wrist. I hated the thought of letting go—even though I’d be able to touch her the moment we were on board.

~Let go of her, you idiot.~ My fingers released, and I cursed the burn deep inside me. I needed the ‘Q’ branded on her neck to be in full view. I needed everyone to see who her master was.

Flashing a fleeting smile, she crossed the gangway, following Franco’s example. A lash of anger filled me when Bill’s eyes lit up. He offered her his hand to jump the small distance into the boat.

Franco might have rights to touch my woman but no other male did. Never fucking again.

Ignoring the plank, I leapt over the side, narrowly missing an embarrassing plunge into the sea, and spun to offer my hand.

The roll and buoyancy of the boat beneath my feet gave me instant seasickness.

Give me planes, helicopters, even gliders and parachutes, and I was fine; put me on a boat, and I fucking hated every moment of it.

Tess looked between me and the captain, her lips pressed together. She knew what I was doing.

She knew I wouldn’t let him touch her, and she knew exactly what I would do if she took his hand over mine.

Lucky for her she didn’t play games, otherwise I would’ve had to break the captain’s legs.

With a soft smile, she reached for my palm. The moment her fingers looped with mine, my cock thickened.

I might be governed by my heart nowadays but having her delicate, very breakable touch in mine turned the man into a monster, and fuck I wanted her. I wanted her spread below me, bound before me.

I wanted her gagged and chained, so I could worship her for hours.

Squeezing my eyes briefly, I kept a tight hold on my needs and very carefully grabbed her waist. Lifting her the small distance downward, I deliberately kept her body away from mine. I swallowed hard.

~“Tu vas bien?”~You okay?

She nodded. Her lips parted, and the scent of mint and Tess’s unique smell enveloped me. “Yes. I’m always okay when I’m with you.”

I couldn’t help asking why? Why did she trust me? Why had she forgiven me? She’d been stolen when she’d been with me. Taken when I’d promised to keep her safe.

My chest concaved with a quarry of guilt.

I turned to face the man who had our lives in his hands while crossing an ocean. Hell, I hated boats. “I don’t want to be on this piece of shit any longer than necessary. Let’s go.”

Bill jumped to action. Tess moved to sit on the back wraparound seat while Franco perched on one of the high seats by the control hub.

His eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses, and he’d taken off his black blazer, revealing the shoulder holster with his two guns.

Tess eyed the weapons but instead of looking distasteful, she looked relieved. I wanted to know what she thought. I wanted into her damn mind.

If she didn’t start talking soon I’d have to use drastic measures to get information out of her.

I sat beside Tess. She instantly slid closer, pressing her hip against mine.

I wasn’t one for public displays of affection but if she so much as touched me again, I would strip her in seconds and take her in full view.

Goddammit, the images in my head were thick and tempting. Her panting while I licked her pussy. Her tears streaming as I re-introduced her to pain and pleasure. My balls tightened in anticipation.

The captain unhooked the boat, coiled the rope, and headed to the instruments. The vessel started with a powerful purr and he nudged the acceleration lever so we coasted forward.

A froth of bubbles were left in our wake, and we meandered our way around docked boats and impressive yachts.

The moment we hit open waters, he floored it.

“Crap!” Tess squealed as the boat went from sitting low in the water to almost hydro-planing. Okay, the piece of shit could go fast. I would still much rather be in the sky.

Waves crashed and shuddered with harsh slaps against the hull, faster and faster.

My heart thudded with a rush of queasiness. I was too hot. Too tense. Unbuttoning my shirt, I ripped it off, revealing the thin white t-shirt beneath. Tess’s eyes went wide; she licked her lips.

I looked down to what she focused on, noticing the ink from my tattoo shadowed beneath the material, giving hints at the hidden design.

Her hand landed on my torso, trailing her fingers over my abs.

Sucking in a breath, I lifted my arm, letting her snuggle into my body. I groaned softly as her fingers clutched my t-shirt. My arm locked around her shoulders, restraining her against me.

Rubbing my nose in her hair, I whispered, “You keep doing that, and you’ll be half-naked with my tongue between your legs in front of witnesses.”

She froze. “You wouldn’t.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Keep your hands in one place and I might be able to hold on until we have privacy.”

Tess gave me a look that shot my heart to pieces, then placed her hands in her lap demurely and rested her head against me.

The rest of the boat ride was fucking torture. The warm wind whipped Tess’s curls into a mess of mayhem, filling my mouth and tickling my neck and face.

All I wanted to do was grab a fistful of it and use it to hold her delicious lips over my cock.

Even now. Even after everything she’d been through, I still wanted to use her like a whore—like a slave. I was still fucked up. Still my father’s son.

I tried to focus on the expanse of ocean around us. Not one whitecap or wave in sight. The turquoise looked like glass reflecting the perfect sky I longed to be in.

Islands popped up in the distance only to be passed in a whirl of salt spray.

Tess looked peaceful, resting against me. But the bags under her eyes and hollow cheeks spoke the truth. The moment she was on ~Volière~ I would make her happy again.

I would spend my days feeding her delicious food to replace the curves she lost, and dedicate the nights reminding her how unbreakable she was. The ghosts in her mind wouldn’t survive out here.

Nothing dark could exist in this vivid sunshine.

Finally the boat slowed. We bumped gently against a decrepit jetty jutting out from a wild and rugged island.

Everything about it looked vicious and untamed. There was no helipad, no landing strip, nothing of great luxury.

When I’d bought it, I toyed with the idea of chopping it down and destroying the thick jungle to make way for a hotel or other commercial development. But then I fell in love with it.

With its exoticness, unruliness. It was perfect in its untouchedness.

“This is your island?” Tess asked, her eyelashes fluttering in the sunlight.

Franco jumped onto the jetty, helping Bill moor to the post. Old tires were the only things stopping the sleek sides from being punctured by rusty nails and splintered wood.

“Yes. In all its natural glory.” Standing, I bent down, wrapped my arms around Tess’s back and legs, and picked her up.

“What are you doing?” she whispered.

~“Te porter pour passer le seuil.”~ Carrying you over the threshold. Cradling her in my arms, I made my way across the bobbing vessel and placed her ever so gently on the wooden platform beside it.

Climbing up beside her, I took a large lungful of air. The nausea I’d been battling since we took off miraculously stopped the moment my feet touched firm ground.

The jetty wasn’t on buoys but anchored onto the sandy bottom of the atoll.

A large flock of local birds suddenly took flight from the thicket of trees, squawking and shrieking at us interrupting their wilderness. I instantly felt better.

I didn’t want to change a thing, but one thing was a must—an airstrip—so I never had to step foot in a boat again.

“I’ll go make sure the house is still standing.” Franco gave me a look as he strode off.

He knew where the path was, hidden by foliage leading toward the large six-bedroom dwelling the previous investor had built for his family.

Franco had been here with me while I worked, and the original home was well built if not a little rustic. It would be spotlessly clean thanks to a regular maintenance crew who came once a month.

Tess spun around in awe. “This place... it’s…”

I smiled; tension siphoned from my muscles. Blue ocean surrounded us, hemming us in like a wall-less cage.

Intruders would have a hard time touching shore without the security cameras noticing them first. Tess would be perfectly safe. ~I~ would be untouchable for any bastard who wanted revenge.

“Q, I had no idea it would be like this. I visualized a tiny sandy island with one palm tree.”

I chuckled. “It has a fair bit more than one.” Moving closer, I ignored Bill and his hellish boat.

“You don’t find it underwhelming... more suited for a boy’s fishing weekend rather than a wedding?” After all, from here it looked as if we’d need a machete and dynamite to make our way through the undergrowth.

She didn’t know the house in the center had manicured gardens and meters of idyllic paradise.

She laughed. “No. It’s perfect. More than perfect. Untamed. Animalistic. Completely untouched and unruined.” Her eyes dropped; she whispered, “Just like you. It fits you perfectly.”

I looked again at the thick palm trees, trying to see it through her eyes.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but it’s the home of a beast.”

I glared. “You think I’m a beast?” Fuck, what else did she think of me? What did she suspect I’d done while trying to get her back?

She came forward, taking my hand. “No. But you’re unpredictable and dangerous and protect those you love fiercely. You should be proud. To me, you’re more than a knight in some stupid shiny armor.

“You’re the monster who no one can tame but the woman he loves.” She moved to leave, but I went with her, stomping a few meters away from the captain.

I grabbed her shoulders, turning her to face me. “You’re right.” Wanting to share a part of myself she didn’t know, I murmured, “Do you know the moment I fell for you? The exact moment you tamed me?”

Her eyes grew heavy, glazing with overpowering love. “No.”

I let my mind skip back to the night I knew I’d found the one. The woman I hated to want. “When you offered to massage my migraine away in the conservatory.

“You didn’t have to do that—you should’ve hated me for what I’d done to you. But you offered to soothe me. You let me find peace under your fingers even while I was a fucking bastard.”

She sighed, raising her hand to rest over my heart. Her fingers irritated my brand, making me wince. “That was the first moment I let myself give in to the overwhelming confusion inside.”

“I wanted you so much, Q. I wanted you even then. I’d hoped by showing I cared, you’d be kinder, gentler.” Her eyes shadowed, remembering how the rest of the night played out. The police arriving.

My drinking. The mind-blowing sex in my room.

“You’ve taught me so much. I’ve ~grown~ so much. I can’t even recall the girl I was before I was sold to you.”

I bristled. “Don’t use that word. You weren’t sold. Fate just brought us together a little unconventionally.”

Linking my fingers with hers, I said, “Come on. Let me show you the island.”

Tess stood on tiptoes and kissed my cheek. “I’d love that.”

We traversed the small jetty, only for Tess to freeze as a loud ~boom~ echoed from the center of the island. Birds flurried from trees while leaves cascaded into the sea.

Her fingers turned to pinpricks of ice in mine; her entire body went from supple to trembling.

The noise was a backfire on the generator. Franco must’ve turned it on while preparing the house for us.

Tess lost all color. “No,” she breathed.

I shook her, looking deep into her vacant eyes. “It’s okay.~ Juste le générateur~.” Just the generator.

She didn’t respond. Her mouth opened in a silent scream as the ghosts she battled with every night swarmed her. Panic and fear glowed like black horror in her eyes.

Grabbing her cheeks, I snapped, “Tess. Stop!” Her panic attacks had to fucking end. This one was so similar. Almost identical to the way she looked in my office when she’d been taken.

The last time I’d slapped her to get her to return to me. This time, I kissed her. Smashing her lips with mine, I gathered her close, willing my energy and heat into her frozen form.

I forced her to grab onto the present, dragging herself from her nightmares.

Her slack lips suddenly responded below mine, and she wobbled in my arms. I pulled away, never looking away from her. “Are you alright?”

She looked strung out and quivery but she nodded. “Yes.” Tears welled in her eyes. “Q, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

The way she trembled pissed me off but worse, it made me remember. Remember why she’d had the panic attack in my office. Why she’d shut down.

She’d sensed the fucking bastards who’d come to steal her—somehow she’d known.

There was no way anyone could be on this island, so the only other conclusion was an overload—a complete bombardment of new locations and people.

~Shit, I’m a grade-A asshole.~

Tess pushed me away, moving on unsteady legs to get some air.

“Come here, Tess.” I stormed toward her, capturing her shoulders again. “I didn’t think. I’m a fucking idiot.”

She blinked. “Think about what?”

I’d been so stupid. “Being here—in a completely new place. The last time that happened—” I couldn’t finish. I wouldn’t remind her.

Not that she needed reminding—it lived in her mind, suffocated her lungs, itched her skin with memories.

“I shouldn’t have brought you somewhere so far from where you’re used to.”

Tess shook her head, clasping my hands on her shoulders. “That’s what you think? Q, it wasn’t the office that upset me. It isn’t a new place I’m afraid of. It was them. I ~knew~. Somehow I knew.”

“And now? Do you sense them here? Are you afraid?” I wanted to yell at her to never be afraid again—unless it was of me. But I kept my temper tightly controlled.

“This wasn’t a full attack—just a memory.”

I would’ve killed for her to admit exactly what memory haunted her. “So being somewhere new isn’t filling you with fear?”

She pressed a finger against my lips, hushing me. “No. If anything, it’s helping. My instincts knew evil was close by that day. I should’ve listened instead of brushing them off.

“That’s twice I’ve ignored my sixth sense. And I promise on both our lives I will ~never~ ignore it again.”

I glowered around the island, seeing threats where there were none, suspicious of the swaying palm trees, contemplating annihilating them just for existing.

I didn’t believe her—now I suspected everything and everyone.

~Maybe it’s the fucking captain.~ I glanced over my shoulder. At the end of the jetty, Bill had on a headset talking through the radio. He looked innocent enough.

If he wasn’t, I would break his neck in a second.

Yet more violence to protect the woman I’d dragged into the darkness to be with me. The guilt layered more rocks in my chest. I looked back at Tess. “That day in the office.

“I should never...I was an idiot to leave…I’ll never be able to tell you how sor—”

Tess’s residual fear morphed into hot temper. “Stop it. It wasn’t your fault. You need to let go of your guilt, Q.” Cupping my chin, she ran a thumb over a thicker cut that’d needed stitches.

She lacerated my heart just like she lacerated my body.

I bowed my head, leaning into her touch. I felt like a wild animal letting himself be soothed. “I love you,esclave, but you’re a hypocrite.”

She cocked her head, squinting in the sunlight. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Trying to change the subject, she said, “Can we go?

“I’m dying to see the island and explore.” Her eyes sparkled with forced merriment.

My teeth clenched. She was a master at guiding subjects away from the ones she couldn’t bear. My voice was a growl.

“Don’t try to hide what just happened.” Leaning closer, I ran my nose gently over her ear and down her throat. She shivered as I gently peeled the bandage away from the red mark on her neck.

My stomach twisted at the sight of the angry ‘Q’ branded into her skin for life. Eventually it would heal to a delectable silver and everyone would know she belonged to me.

“I refuse to be lied to for another fucking minute. I sense everything you’re trying to mask. The mixed signals are giving me a headache, so stop it.”

She winced as the air touched her sore neck. “Fine.” The air grew static as her anger sprang from nowhere. Her temper fed mine.

“Fine,” I snapped. “Oh, and this?” I rolled up the bandage, shoving it in my pocket. “It stays off. I want to see the mark. I ~need~ to see the mark. You’re not to cover it up again.”

Tess huffed, crossing her arms. “Fine.”

Why the hell was she pissed at me? What the hell had I done? “Good. Glad we understand each other.”

She muttered, “Perfectly.” She looked away, cutting me off from her thoughts. The familiar burn of anger rushed down my arm, causing my fingers to lash out and imprison her chin.

Guiding her eyes back to mine, I said, “You think I don’t know what you’re living with, but I’m living with the same demons.

“You’re forgetting I have a front row seat to your unconsciousness in the form of your nightmares.” My fingers tightened, making her flinch. “Something else is bothering you. Spill it.”

Her eyes narrowed. “There’s nothing else.”

“Don’t.” I tutted under my breath. ~“Dis moi la vérité!”~ Tell the truth.

We glared, fighting a silent war. A minute ticked past, then another, until Tess finally weakened. “I’m slightly overwhelmed.”

I held my breath. “Overwhelmed?”

She sighed, shifting her feet. “A little. This is happening so fast. It’s a crazy whirlwind, and I need time to breathe.”

I jerked away. “You’re saying I’m ~forcing~ you?” For fuck’s sake, was she marrying me only to keep me happy? All the promises I made in the limo of not changing my plans disintegrated.

How could I rush her when I’d already put her through so much?

“No! Not at all. It’s just a lot to take in. I mean, Q, I’m standing on your~ island.~ I’m marrying ~you.~ After a lifetime of loneliness, you’re giving me the~ world~. It’s a lot to take in.”

I frowned. Wasn’t that reason to rush? To solidify perfection before it was stolen once again?

Her head tilted, eyes darting over my face. “Every time you move, your skin glitters with tiny scars. Scars that I put there.” Her voice was barely audible.

“If you’re suffering with guilt, how do you think I feel living every day with evidence of what I did to you?”

Goddammit, she thought I ~minded~? She thought I was so superficial to care about the small marks she’d laced my body with? I didn’t. I fucking loved them. I loved that I wore my love for her.

I loved that I was strong enough to face my terror.

Softening my voice, I murmured, “Every lash and wound you gave me brought you back to life. I never want you to think I begrudge them, because I don’t.”

She swallowed hard. “You always know what to say.”

“You’re forgetting I sense everything you feel.” I didn’t admit that was only a half-truth. Trying to figure out her lies had become harder and harder.

Her skill at fibbing was adapting, which meant I had to break her habit fast. I refused to let her protect me by bottling everything inside.

Bill cleared his throat, his footsteps loud on the jetty behind us.

I let Tess go, spinning to face him. “What?”

His eyes flickered to Tess before saying, “I’ll be on radio frequency 3139 when you’re ready to leave. Give me an hour to get here, but I’ll be on call for you for however long you need.”

I nodded. “Fine. Thank you.”

Bill dragged a hand through his hair, then turned to patrol back to the boat.

A rush of pride filled me. This was right. This was as it should be. No one else mattered in the world but Tess, and I didn’t want to share the most special day with anyone else.

Tess suddenly planted a swift, chaste kiss on my lips, taking me by surprise.

I froze, fighting the swelling in my trousers. “What was that for?”

She smiled, bowling me over with how fucking beautiful she was. “For being you. For being perfect.”

I chuckled, but it held pain and a slight web of confusion. “I’m not perfect, esclave. You’re mistaking me for someone else.”

She bit her lip, shaking her head. She threaded her fingers with mine. Her touch kept the darkness and snarling monsters locked inside. “You’re perfect to me. Perfect ~for~ me.”

My heart thudded, sending warmth through my veins. I didn’t deserve her.

I blinked, suddenly seeing the rush—the manic journey to an island in the middle of nowhere—as a desperate attempt at locking her to me forever.

~What the fuck am I doing?~

I was about to marry the one person I would love past all existence, and I’d forced her to marry me in private. She didn’t deserve to be squirrelled away.

She deserved to be in a gorgeous gown dripping with diamonds and placed on a pedestal where I could honour her for the rest of my life.

This might be what~ I~ wanted, but it wasn’t fair to her.

I sighed, expelling the air in a rush. Raising my voice, I shouted after Bill. “Don’t leave. Not yet. We’re going back to the mainland.”

Bill turned, acknowledging my request with a small wave before jumping back into the boat.

Tess flinched. “Why did you say that? We just got here.”

This wasn’t right. But I would ~make~ it right. I brushed a curl behind her ear.~ “C’est une erreur.”~This is a mistake.

She took a hasty step back. “Excuse me?”

My heart stuttered at the pain in her voice. The insecurity in her eyes, the terror in her body only confirmed my decision. I wanted her happy and strong.

I wanted her joyous and walking with no burdens or heavy shackles when I made her mine. So much darkness layered our lives, overshadowing us from too many corners.

If we got married like this it would stain our entire lifetime together. And I wouldn’t do it.

Not when I had the chance to fix it.

“I can’t marry you. Not like this.” I waved between us, indicating the distance, the ghosts separating us. “We haven’t resolved what we went through.

“We’ve shoved it away, hoping to forget, but we’ll ~never ~forget. What happened is a part of us, as much as we’d like to pretend otherwise.”

My face twisted with ferocity. “I want to pretend you were never taken and hurt. I want to imagine you were never drugged and made to take another’s life.

“And I want to forget the bone-crippling pain when I couldn’t find you and thought I’d lost you forever.”

Something shifted. The heaviness I’d been living with faded just a little as Tess met my eyes. “Q…”

The delicate agreement between us—the one that said we’d try to protect each other by not sharing—shredded. Gone was the need to pretend we were alright.

Gone was the stupidity to act as if we were normal.

We weren’t normal. And we needed to address our past before it swallowed us whole. Sincerity and hope broke through the clouds like sunshine in a storm.

Tess whispered, “I want to be a carefree again. Someone slightly naïve, a little gullible, and a lot in love.

“I want to believe in fantasies again, see the magic in the world, and not be terrified of shadows or going to sleep.”

My arms fucking demanded to be wrapped around her. Finally. The truth. Just a little but it was more than before.

Then her eyes glossed with tears, and the storm swallowed us again. “But whatever we want, it isn’t going to happen overnight. It’ll take time.”

I growled low in my throat, wanting to tear apart every clock and watch. Time had kept me from finding her. Time meant jack-shit to me. I wanted her to be happy~ now.~

Time was my fucking enemy.

Tess mistook my silence as consideration. She continued, “What we lived through is part of our identity. We can never erase it. The only way to survive is by accepting—”

My hands balled. “I’m not accepting that this is our life.” Motioning between us, I hissed, “This...distance. These...lies. I want more than that, esclave. And I know you do, too.”

I looked toward the captain, glad he had his back to us and out of hearing distance. He would never understand the violence, the aggression, the all-consuming passion between us.

He would never accept my overbearing temper or quick to flare anger.

But Tess did.

She understood me just like I understood her. I was hers just as much as she was mine.

My eyes drank in the island. I didn’t want to leave. I liked this slice of paradise. Nothing could touch me here. An oasis in thousands of gallons of seawater.

It would be a good place for Tess to heal. But not yet. I had work to do before I could bring her back.

“We’re leaving. We can’t do this.”

“Can’t do what?” The sun shone on her head, looking like melted gold on her shoulders.

“I’m not marrying you tomorrow, Tess.”

Her face went white; I swore her heart plummeted into her feet. She looked away, locking her jaw. I loved she was distraught at the thought of no longer marrying me.

In some fucked-up way it gave me the assurance I needed. Time and secrets might wedge us apart but she’d sworn to love me and grow old by my side. That was enough for now.

Rejection wrapped around her, blanketing her in depression. “You’ve changed your mind?” she whispered. “I knew it was all too good to be true.

“After all, you deserve so much more.” Her voice trailed off.

How many fucking times must I assure her?

“Every second you doubt my feelings for you, you kill another part of me,” I growled. “Did my letter mean nothing?

“Did seeing my raw thoughts on paper not help you realize I would do anything for you?”

My heart stuttered at the thought of her reading my innermost thoughts. The rambling mess I’d jotted down.

The salt-laced air whipped her hair, blowing a few strands around her neck. She searched my face. “Then what are you doing?”

“I’m going to marry you, esclave. That’s non-negotiable.”

Her chest rose and fell with relief. “Okay...when?”

My mind raced, putting a haphazard plan into effect. “I don’t know yet.” I gave her a reassuring smile. “But we both know we can’t get married like this.” I had no idea how I would fix it.

If it was even fixable. I wouldn’t stop until I’d smashed through the clouds of madness we lived in. I didn’t tell her I doubted it was possible to heal entirely or eradicate what we’d done.

~I’ll make it happen.~

I would find a way. I would fix her. I would fix myself.

Holding my hand out, I vowed, “I’ll find a way to free you. I’ll find a way to make it right.” Her fingers interlocked with mine, and I dragged her close.

Breathing in her soft innocent scent, I murmured, “And when you’re finally happy, I’ll give you whatever you want.

“I promise.”