Page 103 of Bitter Prince
Amon didn’t seem worried. He leaned back and winked. Oh, the giddy jolt inside my chest whenever this man was around. He pinned me with his gaze, full of unspoken promises and whispers of passion that had my lower belly fizzing with warmth.
“Let them figure their shit out,” he deadpanned.
My smile widened and I didn’t even try to rein it in. This happiness and lightness I felt when I was with him was one of a kind. I trusted him unconditionally and there was something riveting about it.
My own prince.
“Do you want to go swimming in the azure waters of the South of France for your birthday?” he asked. “Today’s your day. We’ll do whatever you want.”
“Swimming sounds good when you put it that way,” I murmured softly, my eyes falling to his lips. “Although, I’d like sex more,” I added quietly.
He answered by cracking out a loud laugh, and five sets of eyes darted to us.
“What’s so funny?” Dante demanded.
“Yes, we’d like to know too,” Isla claimed, her eyes shining like emeralds. “We’d all like to laugh.”
Amon and I shared a fleeting glance but remained silent.
“Be careful,” Phoenix signed, staring at me. “I don’t want you to get hurt. And the Leone family has a tendency to do that.”
My sister’s expression became troubled, and yet again, I wondered what had happened to make her say that. Was she referring to Angelo Leone, or maybe the son who looked so much like his father? It couldn’t be Amon, otherwise she’d have come to me by now.
“What do you know?” I asked, my signing movements stiff. This time, I didn’t speak the words out loud.
She tilted her head, an odd, contemplative expression on her face. For a moment, I thought she’d tell me, and I swallowed, my throat thick. But even more terrifying, a thought occurred to me: I’d never give up Amon. For anyone or anything.
She stared at me, her expression unreadable and foreign to me. I breathed in the salty air, the breeze caressing my skin. The gentle sound of waves lapping against the yacht soothed my soul, but the current between us made this moment tense. My tangled curls blew in the breeze and my heart clenched, I stared at my sister. I didn’t like seeing her troubled, and something was clearly bothering her.
But then her expression turned serene and she plastered on a smile. “Nothing. Happy birthday, sis. I love you.”
42
REINA
The captain anchored the boat in a little cove nearby. La Moutte was one of the most untouched beaches along the coast between Saint-Tropez and Pampelonne, but it was somehow still a secluded spot.
“How has this gem remained such a secret?” Athena asked in awe.
“The council protects it by keeping it limited to the locals. Apparently keeping our yacht anchored year-round qualifies us as ‘locals,’” Amon answered as his gaze met mine. “Want to explore?”
“Is that even a question?”
The sun sparkled across the water, tempting us all in. The boat rocked gently, telling us the water was calm enough to let us explore the unspoiled seabed.
We lathered ourselves in sunscreen, and when Amon offered to apply it on my back, I jumped at the chance, eager to feel his hands on me. I wore my bikini from yesterday while listening in the distance to a string of Italian curses.
I looked over my shoulder at Amon. “What’s that about?”
He just rolled his eyes, never ceasing his movements, ensuring he wouldn’t miss a single inch. “Dante wants steak for dinner. Chef said he’s making seafood and has already prepared tonight’s menu.”
“He doesn’t like seafood?” I questioned him.
“Allergic to it.”
“Oh.”
We geared up with a mask and snorkel, made our way onto the back deck, and crept up the lower platform, ready to jump in. Below us, the water was like a jewel. It was so clear and translucent it was almost like looking through a kaleidoscope made up of turquoise, vibrant greens, and dark blues.
