Page 20 of The Perfect Escape
“It’s gorgeous, isn’t it?” Mika confessed as she stood beside me, taking in the amazing sight.
“That it is.” I couldn’t have agreed with her more. “I can’t wait to take advantage of the beach and water.”
Mika took hold of my hand and pulled me away from the window. “You will have plenty of time to enjoy everything this place has to offer.”
We continued down the wide platform that overlooked the main floor until I couldn’t see the open space below. Reaching the end of the hall, Mika pushed open a polished white door with a brushed nickel handle. When I stepped inside the room, I swore my eyes popped out of my head. Never had I seen a room more spectacular than this one. “Is this where I will be sleeping?”
“Yes. It is one of the nicest rooms in the villa. Well, other than the master suite.”
“This room is amazing.” It was beyond perfect. How couldn’t it be with a view of the ocean 24/7?
Allowing me to wander around the room, Mika stood by the door while I investigated what the room offered. Just behind the bed, positioned against a half wall covered in marble, was a short hall to the two rooms behind it. As I stepped over to the floor-to-ceiling windows, I noticed it had a sliding door, so I pulled it open. The warm breeze blew against the sheer white curtains as I stepped outside.
Looking behind me, I saw Mika sitting on the bed and watching my every move. “Go on, Miss Reyna. Explore.”
I wasn’t asking for permission, but felt comfort in knowing that I could. Smiling, I turned to face the ocean, once again taking in the warm breeze. I could have stayed here, just like this, for a lifetime, but I wanted to see what else Davian’s villa offered. Just as I was about to step back inside, something shiny caught the corner of my eye. Walking to the balcony, I looked over the edge and saw it was a pool. The water matched the ocean’s color, and I wondered what it felt like to swim at night beneath the stars with the ocean as a backdrop. Beside the pool was a line of lounge chairs, which would give a perfect view of the sandy beach when occupied. I could see myself walking over the concrete bridge that crossed the pool just to access the beach and the ocean. But a more amazing sight than that was in the distance, near the edge of the water. Turtles were nesting in the sand. Someone made sure they were taken care of by making sure the water from the ocean didn’t wash the nest away. I was sure Davian would know. I made a mental note, it was something I needed to ask him.
I went back to the bedroom through the open glass door to find Davian standing by the door with his shoulder pressed against the door frame. Mika was no longer sitting on the bed. I twisted my body enough to slide the glass door shut while keeping my eyes on Davian. “This room is amazing, Davian.”
“I was hoping you would like it. It has the best view of the ocean.” Davian pushed from the door frame and began walking toward me. Inches from where I was standing, he took hold of both my hands. “It’s been a long journey for you. If you would like, you can take a bath before dinner. My staff has made sure you have everything you need, but if there is something you would like, just let Mika know, and she will get it for you.”
I hadn’t yet seen the bathroom because my eyes were fixated on the view, but I knew it would more than satisfy my needs. With a nod, I headed toward the two rooms behind the bed. Davian stopped me when he squeezed my hand while placing his other on my cheek. He stroked the pad of his thumb along my cheekbone before he tipped his head and met my lips with his. I wanted to dive into his warmth, but he pulled away. “Take all the time you need. When you’re ready, we need to talk.”
Talk!There wasn’t anything I wanted less as he turned away from me and walked out the door and close it behind him. An unexplainable sense of emptiness pricked my heart. It was then that I feared that what Davian and I shared would be gone. Soon he would know everything that happened at the mansion and I would never get back what we had together.
∞
No amount of lavender and vanilla could soothe the pain growing deep within my heart. Moving the lever to the drain upward, I grabbed the side of the large jetted tub and slowly stepped over the edge onto the plush bath mat. Every movement I made seemed robotic, like an animated movie put in slow motion. The emptiness lingered and played with every emotion I felt three weeks ago. It twisted into feelings of self-doubt and regret.
The bruises covering my body reminded me how much my choice impacted the awkwardness between Davian and me. I couldn’t change what happened. But I had to make things between Davian and me the way they were before.He was worth it. We were worth it.
Wrapping the towel around my body, I stepped out of the bathroom and into the enormous walk-in closet filled with more clothes than I could wear in a year. Running my hands along the row of expensive clothes, nothing seemed to appeal to the mood I was in. Glancing to the other side of the closet, I noticed a row of jeans hanging below a row of casual tops. Fumbling through the hanging jeans, I finally chose a pair of skinny black jeans. As I pulled them on, it didn’t surprise me they were somewhat big. After Rui took me, my appetite became non-existent. As I looked in the full-length mirror, I could see that I was thinner than three weeks ago.
Letting go of the unspeakable memories, I continued to get ready. I found a halter top that looked good with the jeans and quickly pulled it over my head. I was glad that the lacy bra I wore beneath my top made me look amazing, even with my much thinner frame. If only I felt as good as I looked. Slipping on a pair of flat slingbacks, I took one last look in the mirror. “This is as good as it is going to get,” I assured myself as I twisted my body to the right and then the left.
As I pulled the door open to the hall, I wondered what the conversation would bring between Davian and me. Before I told him about my time with Rui, I had a few questions of my own I wanted to ask. I wanted to find out what he was hiding. The way he said, “Nothing,” meant something. I was sure of it.
~14~
Davian
I forgot how much I loved this place. The last time I was here was the day that I proposed to Gwen. Walking in on Reyna as she was entering the bedroom from the balcony reminded me of the time Gwen and I shared that very room. After Gwen’s death, I couldn’t bring myself to sleep in that room—to sleep in the bed we once shared. Instead of reliving the memories, I had an addition built where a new master bedroom would be, minus the memories.
While I waited for Reyna, I poured myself a bourbon, hoping it would give me the courage I needed to tell her what needed to be said. Surrounded by everything I had ever wanted—cars, planes, homes, and money, none of that mattered because the one thing I desperately needed, money couldn’t buy. I fucked up, and somehow, some way, I needed to make things right. If not for Reyna, for myself.
Downing the rest of my drink, I walked over to the sideboard, about to pour another two fingers, when I heard Reyna enter the living room. The minute I saw her, I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I watched her walk over to the windows that stretched the length of two floors. With my drink in hand, I moved to where she was standing.
“I want things between us to be the way they were,” she said, and her confession hit home as she took the glass from my hand and brought it to her lips.
“Only you can make that happen, princess, but after what I need to tell you, you might have second thoughts.” The reality was, she might never want to see me again after I told her the truth about everything. Her mother. Her father. Gwen. Everything.
Taking the empty glass from her, I took hold of her hand and led her to the long sectional, which under normal circumstances would have brought comfort to me with its rainbow of colored throw pillows and matching throw blankets. Once she settled on the couch, I took my place next to her. Before a word came out of my mouth, I was already regretting what needed to be said.
Taking her hands in mine, I focused on them. There was no easy way to tell her, so I just let it out. “Your mother is alive.”
Reyna pulled her hands from mine, bringing my attention to her expression. “What do you mean, my mom is alive? It’s not possible.”
“I thought the same thing when I found out, but it’s true, princess.” I gathered my thoughts and rose from the couch, letting go of the only thing that comforted me. “When Salko took you, we used every resource possible to find you. During our search, we found your biological father and, in turn, your mother.”
