Page 104 of Lost Paradise

“He speaks it,” I retort. “I heard him talking on the phone back at the airport. Whether he reads it poses another thing.”

“Greeks don’t use the Cyrillic alphabet,” Byron adds, “So I doubt it.” He exchanges one of the heavier bags Eve is carrying with a lighter one of his.

We’re packed like mules trekking through this godforsaken jungle that’s quickly losing light.

“I think we might consider calling it a day,” I suggest, looking beyond the stretch of dense jungle ahead of us with the humidity on at full force as if we’re in an exotic steam room. “I can’t see us getting back to camp today. The last thing we want is to suddenly find ourselves in pitch black and on the cannibals' side.”

“You’re right. We should find a decent rest area for the night and try again in the morning.”

Chapter 32

“How do you thinkthe others are doing?” Eve asks me. “Regarding taking the little girl home?”

Home.

It has a different meaning for so many people.

For the young girl, it’s an area in this jungle where her family consists of primitive folk who live in bamboo huts and breed with each other.

I gaze at Eve as she opens up one of the blankets we brought with us to sit down on. I don’t need to ask her what home is for her. It’s a comfortable, luxurious place where she has everything to her heart’s desire, but it’s empty of love and emotional warmth, and two parents who use her against each other.

My eyes land on Zane. I don’t know that much about his background, but I do know that he sacrificed his love of American football to get fast out of the small town he loathed to call home and his parents, who live without any real purpose in life.

And then there’s me. My concept of home is similar to Eve’s, except I don’t even have the luxury of having parents to use me against each other. As much as I would have loved to have any parent to show any interest in me, even superficially, it would be a step up from where I am. But I see that Eve isn’t much better off than me. She craves someone to love her without needing a reason. I, on the other hand, settled a long time ago that my father was capable of offering me the world, but in return, I would need to disown any relation to him first.

“Hey sexy,” Eve catches my attention, and I raise my brow at her. While I might refute the claim that I am anything but sexy,the most beautiful girl I have ever laid my eyes on believes I am. So, I won’t object to her claim.

“Sorry, Firebug,” I say. “I was lost in thought. I think the fellas are capable of getting in and out of the natives' territory unnoticed.” I join her on the blanket. “I wouldn’t worry about them.”

“They are probably going apeshit about us not returning tonight,” Zane says, returning with an opened coconut sprout and handing it to Eve. She takes it with a smile, splits it three ways, and passes a piece to me and Zane.

“Nah, I’m good, Firecracker,” Zane says as he takes a place on her free side and gives her a peck on the cheek. Eve blushes, the pink hue spreading across her cheeks in the soft moonlight filtering through the dense jungle canopy.

I watch the exchange, feeling a strange mix of closeness and an unspoken connection binding the three of us. The isolation of the island has forged a bond that goes beyond mere survival. The world beyond here feels like a distant memory, and in this moment, our small circle is all that matters.

Eve’s eyes sparkle as she looks from Zane to me, a warm smile playing on her lips. “It’s just us out here. Feels like we’re the last people on earth.”

“Feels like we are,” I agree, my voice softer than I intended. “And somehow, that makes everything more intense, more real.”

Zane nods, leaning back on his elbows, his gaze drifting up to the star-filled sky. “It’s strange, but I don’t think I’ve ever felt more alive. There’s something about this place, about us.”

Eve takes a deep breath, the rise and fall of her chest mesmerizing in the dim light of the small fire we’ve made. She reaches out, her hand brushing against mine, then Zane’s, drawing us both closer. “Maybe it’s because we’re not just surviving, we’re living. Really living.”

Her words hang in the air, and for a moment, we’re all lost in our thoughts, the silence of the jungle surrounding us. Then, as if by some unspoken agreement, we shift closer together, our bodies finding a natural rhythm, a comforting closeness.

I feel the warmth of Eve’s hand as she intertwines her fingers with mine. Zane mirrors the gesture on her other side, and we form a circle of connection, a testament to our unity. The boundaries of friendship blur, and an unspoken understanding passes between us.

Zane’s hand moves to Eve’s cheek, his touch gentle and reassuring. “You’re incredible, you know that? Strong, resilient, and you’ve kept us going more times than I can count.”

Eve laughs softly, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “I couldn’t have done it without you two. You’re my anchors, my strength.”

I lean in, my lips finding her other cheek, placing a tender kiss there. “We’re a team. We’ve always been stronger together.”

The air around us seems to thicken with unspoken emotions, and the bond between us is intense. Eve turns her head, her lips brushing against mine in a tentative kiss. It’s soft at first, almost hesitant, but then deepens, a wave of warmth and desire washing over us.

Zane moves closer, his lips finding the sensitive spot on Eve’s neck, eliciting a soft gasp from her. She responds by pulling us both tighter, our bodies pressing together in a tangle of limbs and shared heat.

For the first time since we landed on this island, the worries and fears of survival fade away. I never believed I could do this but I want to be with Eve, even if Zane watches us, even if he wants to participate.

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