Page 70 of Kinks of a Billionaire
“It’s not your fault. Everything with Stuart likely triggered it,” I whispered softly, then pulled her closer. “It’snotyour fault, Willow. Do you understand?”
She rubbed at my chest before she looked up at me and said, “What’s with the knife?”
My eyes fell to the table. “In case any idiots try to get into our room. We’re leaving at the break of dawn,” I said as I slid back into the bed and she cuddled close. “And, Willow?”
“Yes?”
“Nobodyis going to hurt you. I will always protect you.”
She slept through the night, tucked underneath my arms, right where she belonged.
Chapter 34
Willow
The next day, we were back on the boat.
The wind roared past me, throwing my hair around wildly as I gripped the rail and watched the island slowly disappear.
The sparkling ocean surrounded us, its colors looking more gray than they had when we first anchored here. Although yesterday’s events might’ve been to blame for that. I thought back to the Harrises’ accusations and Royce’s fury at the party.
After we went back to our room, Asher had them thrown out. It was only after Mrs. Harris started crying like a baby, screaming that their yacht was a day away and she was scared of the jungle, that he put them in a helicopter and told his pilot to drop them off in Bermuda. The remaining guests remained, probably eager to get back to their fancy boats that were scheduled to pick them up at a certain time tomorrow.
I felt violated—the very thought of those sick people trapping me into falling pregnant had never before crossed my mind. I couldn’t believe how stupid I’d been—how trusting. I didn’t want my baby anywhere near the Harris family, yet I didn’t know how to keep them away. It seemed impossible to cut Stuart and hisparents off, but I hoped Royce had a plan. If anyone had the money and power to rival Stuart’s family, it was him.
Royce’s hands wrapped around my waist, and I startled, tightening my hands on the rail until my knuckles turned white.
It was as if he knew where my mind went and brought me back to the present.
Warmth engulfed me as I leaned back into him. We’d always had a connection, but over the last few weeks, it was as if we were one.
He spun me around to face him and lifted my chin with two fingers. Our gazes met and my lips parted. He ran his thumb over my bottom lip gently, trapping me in the intensity of his dark eyes.
“Don’t worry about anything, Willow. They’ll never get their filthy paws on you or our baby.”
The fact that he wouldn’t hesitate to unleash his fury on the world, willing to destroy anyone in its path, shouldn’t affect me this much, but I found comfort in it.
I bit my lower lip as I studied him. He stood wearing black Tom Ford swim shorts, his sun-kissed skin and ink making him look like a Greek god. Some strands of his black hair were tousled, and I reached up to brush them away from his forehead.
He studied me intently in that way that made me feel like I was the center of his world.
“Thank you for always being there for me.”
He sighed. “You’re my wife… my best friend… my world. You don’t need to thank me.”
I closed my eyes and pressed my ear against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. “What if they—” I swallowed a lump in my throat, my mind jumping back to last night’s events. “What if they take?—”
He brought his finger to my lips. “Nobody will touch you. I promise.”
I believed him, because in all the years I’d known him, he’d never broken a promise.
Royce
I planned on spending every dime of my fortune to keep my wife andourbaby safe. Not just because I was obsessed with her and loved her more than I thought possible. I’d keep my promise because she wasmywoman.
We stood like that until the boat groaned and lightning broke through the sky.
“Shit, a storm’s coming,” I muttered.
