Page 33 of Submit

“I still feel like I’m hiding in plain sight here, never fully relaxing. No one can find out who I am which means I have to keep people at arm’s length at all times so there usually isn’t a get-to-know-you phase. One-night stands and casual sex on such a small island don’t really work because everyone knows everyone else. Besides, that’s not really my thing anymore.” He pauses, vibrant green eyes still boring into mine. “I never intended to be so honest with you but our paths seem destined to cross repeatedly and I can’t think about you getting caught in the proverbial crossfire of whatever war is about to break out because of this damn energy deal.”

His honesty subdues the fires of passion a little, but it’s also a far more intimate moment because of it. It’s still surreal that this man is opening up tomeand that I find myself here at all.

“When can I see you again?” Now that I’ve tasted him, there is no going back. Casper will be my fight. For the first time in my life,Iwill be my fight. I’ve finally begun to find myself and I’ll be damned if greedy, lying bastards like Willem, Marcel, and the Hielos take it away from me.

“Libby, this is complicated. I can’t put you in even more danger than you already are. In fact, we need to get back. There’s a good chance Will has already noticed our absence.” He’s shutting down and starting to block me out already.

“I’m not leaving here until you tell me when I can see you again.” I squeeze my thighs, trapping him against me and drag my tongue slowly up his neck. When he let me kiss him, it was an invitation I have no intention of letting him rescind. He tastes like fucking summer and it makes me high. I thread my fingers in his short, dark hair and he lets his head fall back. I gently bite his bottom lip and I swallow his groan as I start to rock forward and back in his lap. He untucks his legs and his hands are braced behind him in the sand while I slowly torture us both.

“Next Saturday?” he suggests, finally giving in. “We’ll skip the lesson, and just ride out here. We can talk about a plan to get you away from Van den Tweel.”

“Uh-uh, I can’t wait that long,” I say, still rocking my hips and knowing I sound like an insatiable slut right now. I just can’t bring myself to care.

“Monday, then. The gym?”

“Too many people.” I continue my exploration of his body but he stops my hands as they follow the indentions of his hip bones before they dive under his waistband.

He draws a ragged breath. “Libby, you don’t understand how dangerous this is. How dangerousIam. I would never hurt you,” he adds quickly, “But I wouldn’t hesitate to use my skill set to take out someone whowouldhurt you. Or Richard. Or Bea. Not only that, but you’re still technically engaged to a very powerful man. Not that my code of ethics necessarily applies to him, but taking another man’s fiancée is not my usual M.O.… current events aside.”

“I’m meeting with Bea on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She seems to be aware that I…” I’m unsure how to finish that sentence so I switch gears. “Of my reaction to you. Maybe I could see you there? At least we’d be behind the gate?”

“I don’t want to put them at risk by asking them to harbor us.”

“They’re already at risk, Cas, hence the reason you have a job. Besides, I already have plans with Beatrice. Will was there when I made them so that part’s not going to raise a flag. Anyway, he likes my relationship with Bea. He thinks I’ll use it to help ‘develop rapport’ for him.” I use air quotes to mimic Will’s words. “And since you work there, it would make complete sense that we would run in to each other.” I know I’m starting to sound desperate but now I’m growing scared, and I’m alone and in this man’s arms is the only place I want to be.

“And I live there, so that’s convenient.” He flashes me a wicked grin and lazily shrugs his shoulder as he caves to my arguments.

“You live with Richard and Beatrice?”

“Sort of. There’s a guest house out back. I like being close in case anything goes down and I can control the security team better from there since they rotate in twelve-hour shifts. It makes it easier to stay apprised of any new intel. Not to mention, it gives me a level of privacy I wouldn’t find anywhere else.” I know nothing about security, but I guess that makes sense. “I’ll talk to Richard and see how he feels about you and I working out a plan to get you out of this mess, at his house. I won’t go behind his back to see you there if he’s uncomfortable with it; he’s risked too much for me already.” His tone is clipped and his nostrils are flaring like he’s angry.

“I understand. I don’t want to increase their risk either.” Casper finally drops his eyes from mine. As intense as the eye contact was, the loss of it is so much worse so I place my fingers under his chin and make him look at me like he did to me earlier. “Hey, I’m really sorry about what happened to your sister.”

I take his face in my hands and kiss first one cheek, then the other, before landing once again on his lips, knowing my life just changed forever, yet I feel more peace right now than I have since before my parents died.

I break out in goosebumps as I realize…Casper’s the puzzle piece that fits.

Thirteen

WHEN WE GET BACK to the kite school, Casper pulls his kite up on the beach to a spot out of sight of the lagoon, while I pull rightintothe lagoon and see Will sitting on the picnic table, the irritation on his face visible from here.

“Where the hell did you go? I’ve been sitting here for an hour,” he snarls.

I look up at the clock on the hut. “It’s been forty-five minutes, Will,chill.” I’m trying hard to keep the fear and anger out of my voice. The hardest part about all of this, aside from not seeing Casper until Tuesday, is going to be pretending everything is normal until I can get away from Will. The desire to ask him why he’s been lying to me burns in my throat.

I know in my soul that Casper is telling me the truth, but I need to make sure I do some research tonight just to see what else I can learn. I’ve never used Google to stalk my own fiancé. Then again, most people don’t have a need to do such a thing because most people aren’t in relationships with liars worth billions of dollars.

“Chill?” The acid in his voice is sure to burn a hole through the picnic table.

“I just meant that I’m back now. The lessons are usually three hours so I didn’t rush. I love to ride and I thought you’d be having fun. Did you enjoy it at all?” I start breaking down my rig to give my hands something to do so I don’t have to make eye contact with him.

“Not really. But I guess it just confirms that my talents are better displayed in a boardroom than in a silly hobby anyway.”

I abandon my kite and stand up to face him, ready to unleash my anger but I don’t want to cause a scene here. I know Casper is watching us from somewhere close by in case he needs to intervene and I don’t want to give him a reason to show his face.

Feeling myself deflate, I just shake my head and let out a loud exhale. “I already put my bag in the gear room and I’ll ride with Johanna when she’s done with her shift. I’m sure she’ll drop me off tomorrow some time.”

Seeing the fight go out of me causes Will to put his fangs away. It almost seems like he wanted me to pick a fight with him. Are we both so miserable that we will do anything to get the other to leave? Was that even his angle here or just what I’m reading into it? Things are getting so muddy that I’m not sure which way is up.

---