Page 109 of The Reluctant Wife

"That’s not unfeeling"—he rises to his feet, and I wrap my legs about his waist—"but this is."

He walks over to the pool, and before I have a chance to figure out what he’s up to, he steps in.

53

Ryot

That was a spur-of-the-moment decision. Mainly because I wanted to teach her a lesson. I wanted to surprise her, and I admit, I surprised myself too.

The water splashes over us, but we’re in the shallow end, so it comes up to my shoulders and hers.

"Oh, my god, you didn’t—" She glances at me in shock, droplets of water sticking to her eyelashes from where the water splashed over us. "How could you do?—"

I close my mouth over hers and absorb the rest of the words. She tightens her hold and melts into me. The sweetness of her taste, the curves of her body trembling against mine, and the way her heart beats against mine, causes my body to turn to steel.

The scene around us begins to fade as we stare into each other’s eyes, so when a column of fire explodes into the air, I’m sure I imagined it. The boom of sound sweeps over us, followed by the squawking of the birds from the trees. There’sno mistaking that sound. Every muscle in my body snaps to attention.

"What was that?" She clings to me. "Ryot was that?—"

"A bomb. On one of the boats," I say grimly.

Quentin! Tyler!Concern for them tightens my chest and turns my stomach into a churning mess. I have no doubt, whoever caused that is coming for her. I’ll die before I let them hurt her.

I shove the panic away and reach inside to find that inner core of calm that will help me figure out what to do next. I move toward the edge of the pool and hoist, first her, then myself onto it, then head toward the house, pulling her behind me.

Another muffled boom reaches us, this time from the other side of the island.

Her grip on my hand tightens. "Is that?—"

"The second boat.” Adrenaline laces my blood. I pull her inside the house, shut the backdoor and lock it behind us. Releasing her hand, I take the stairs two at a time and reach our bedroom.

Ignoring the sex-scented sheets—now a reminder of just how much I allowed myself to be distracted—I head for the closet.

By the time she bursts into the room, I’m dressed in dry clothes and pulling on my shoes. I reach for the drawer on the nightstand next to my side of the bed, pull the drawer open, and grab my Glock. Checking it, I slip it into the back of my waistband then nod toward the closet. “Get dressed.”

She races toward it, and once inside, begins to strip. I follow her, then draw in a breath. She’s going to hate me for what I’m going to do, but it’s the only way to protect her. As long as I can keep her safe, that’s what matters. "I’m sorry."

She looks up at me, pausing midway to putting on a pair of jeans. "What do you—" Her gaze widens as I shut the door and latch it.

"What the hell, Ryot?” she yells. “You can’t do this to me."

"I don’t have a choice; I need to keep you safe, Empress."

"Damn you, Ryot." She bangs on the door with enough force that it rattles.

I wince. Then, not allowing myself to think further on it, I turn and grab my phone from where I left it charging next to the bed. Missed calls from Quentin and Tyler.Goddam.

I dial first one back, then the other, not surprised when I don’t get a response. I call Brody, who picks up on the first ring. "Hadn’t thought I’d hear from you?—"

"Quentin and Tyler’s boats were blown up. We’ve been compromised."

There’s a beat, then he snaps, "I’m on it." The phone goes dead.

I slip it into my pocket and head down the stairs. Keeping to the wall I inch forward in the direction of the front door.

Through the open doorway I make out the burning wreck of one of the boats in the distance. There’s no other movement around the house. But the prickling on the nape of my neck, the way the hair on my forearms bristles, the low hum in my ears… They tell me the worst is yet to come.

I pull out my gun and hold it in readiness as I take position by the front door. Sweat trickles down my spine, and my senses home in on scanning the scene in front of me.

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