Chapter One Hundred and Eighteen
The lodge had a cinema room, an indoor and outdoor pool, a fully equipped gym, sauna, a tennis court, a basketball court, a two bed spa with trained staff, a medical room and they each had their own private balconies.
Scelto Island had actually been bought for them all to retire to one day but when Kelley, Mason and Lee had started talking about a safe zone Jesse’s mind had started working overtime. Every security measure on the island had been Jesse’s work. He looked at his creation with pride as he zipped the first suitcase open and started unpacking their clothes.
“If not for our lives being in danger, I could actually get used to living here.”
Jesse turned away from the cupboard where he was unpacking Marley’s clothes and looked at her with a smile. “Well, I for one can’t wait to get you into a bikini.”
“Into? Aren’t you supposed to want to get it off?”
Jesse smiled as he walked towards her where she had sat down on the bed. “Not on the beach I can’t, too much security. In this room though … I prefer you naked.”
“I’m all sweaty from the flight … don’t look at me like that, Jesse Owens! You’ve got work to do, Mister.”
Jesse pulled his t-shirt off and Marley’s hand instinctively went to the tattoo on his ribs. Her name was written there, by his side, as he had told her when she asked him. Her fingers trailed over the letters and before she knew it Jesse hovered on top of her.
“I’ll take you sweaty, grumpy, tired, laughing, crying … any way I can have you, I don’t care.”
“You’re just horny.”
Jesse laughed as Marley smiled at him, his one hand already underneath her t-shirt. “And you’re not? I know that look in your eyes … you want me sweaty, grumpy, tired, laughing or crying, any way you can have me.”
Marley raised an eyebrow as she looked at him. “I’ll always want you, Jesse.”
Jesse kissed her then, hard, urgent and hot. She didn’t care about being sweaty anymore or the fact that the whole house was busy or that somebody could hear them if they walked past their room. She didn’t care about anything. As long as she had Jesse, she didn’t have to care.
An hour later Jesse and Marley took a shower, a long shower and as he headed down the hall he heard something crash in the master suite. Jesse grinned to himself as he headed towards the command centre to check on Jackson and the security team. Jesse busied himself checking each camera, scanning his eyes over the perimeter security and working out a roster with the men.
∞
Milana had woken up with a splitting headache, the bed soft and the room unfamiliar. She had sat up instantly and looked around. The lamp on the nightstand hit the wall as realization set in. “Son of a bitch!”
She didn’t have time to appreciate the views from the open sliding doors with the sheer curtains billowing in the late afternoon breeze or the beautiful furnishings in the room. She looked at her suitcases in front of the cupboard and felt the tears in her eyes.
She spied her phone and picked it up, surprised to see she had reception. She didn’t even know where she was just that it was an island and that most of the family was there as well. The most important person in her life wasn’t there and that pissed her off.
“Hello, Mila.” Her eyes closed at the sound of his deep voice over the phone line and she tried to remember that she was beyond angry with him.
“You drugged me and you put me on a plane!”
“You left me no choice.”
Milana snorted, a very unladylike sound. “You’re a bastard, Kelley.”
“I love you, Mila, see it as a vacation, enjoy the beach and before you know it you’ll be back at home.”
“No, I won’t be because I want a divorce.”
Milana ended the call and sat down on the edge of the bed. Her hands were shaking with anger and it was only seconds before her phone rang. She looked at Kelley’s name on the screen and declined the call.
After ten missed calls she put the phone on silent and looked at the text he’d just sent. No sorry or begging for forgiveness, just a simple instruction, cold and efficient, like he was most of the time.
Kelley – Answer your damn phone!
The phone went into the nightstand drawer and she was adamant that Kelley Alexander would not be giving her any orders. She wasn’t a soldier and he wasn’t here, so screw him. She opened the bedroom door to a man standing in front of it, holding a phone out to her.
She gingerly took it and placed it to her ear. “Hello.”
“When I call, you answer your phone.”
Anger settled in her heart. “I’m not one of your soldiers, Kelley. I don’t take orders from you. Now piss off and don’t call me again!”
She thrust the phone back into the guard’s hand and stalked past him down the hall. He regarded her with a half-smile on his face, impressed that such a tiny woman had the nerve to talk back to Kelley Alexander.
He followed her down the hall, having been assigned as her personal guard. “Ma’am.”
“What?” Milana looked instantly embarrassed as she glared at the man. “I’m sorry.”
“I just wanted to introduce myself. My name’s Steel and I’ll be your personal guard. You can dial 9 on your phone if you need me.”
“Do you follow my orders, Steel?”
“Yes Ma’am, within reason.”
Milana smiled as she looked at him. “Call me Milana and I don’t want to talk to your boss, at all. If you hand me that phone again I’ll smash it.”
“Yes, Ma’am … Milana.”
“Good, now where’s the kitchen, Steel, I’m starving.”
Steel grinned again, liking the tiny, fierce woman and he knew he'd have to keep his balls covered at all times. He had no doubt that she'd fight dirty if she had to.
