Page 25 of Beyond the Horizon

Kid.

Little girl.

I’m neither. I’ll show him.

“Great.” Lola smiles.

“A night offunsounds good.” I remark, pushing back at Malakai, allowing the innuendo to hang in the air between us.

Lola smirks, winking. “Jackisquite the handsome young man.”

Malakai’s glare hardens. Pretty sure he’s just growled too, or maybe that was the dog?

“Yeah, he is,” I agree, because it’s true, he is handsome. He’s also not my type in the slightest. That night we spent together proved that to me. “I’ll come back with you, help you set up.”

“Awesome. We’ll have Malakai to protect us from the big bad wolf.” Lola winks, oblivious to the rising tension between us. Grandma, however, doesn’t miss it, which comes as no surprise.

“Heisthe big bad wolf…” I mutter under my breath, quiet enough that no one hears me.

“It’s still light out,” Malakai points out, folding his thick arms across his chest. “And you have a car. You don’t need me to chaperone you anywhere.”

Lola waves her hand, laughing. “Oh, stop spoiling my fun, Malakai. I was just joking. I’ll drive us back to the harbour after I drop Ma home. Then you can get an early night sleep on Princess. It might alleviate your grumpiness.”

“You’re not staying here with Lola?” I ask, instantly regretting it. It’s none of my business where he sleeps or how they choose to conduct their relationship.

“I like to sleep on my boat,” Malakai says, frowning when he looks at me. “Besides, there’s no point in getting comfortable, I won’t be staying on this island for long anyway.”

I want to ask how Lola feels about that and whether she’ll be going with him, but of course, I don’t.

“Well,I’mready for bed, that’s for sure. It’s been a long day, wouldn’t you agree, Connie?” Grandma asks looking at me expectantly. I know she’s testing the waters. She’s seeing if she still has control over me even though I’m an adult. I internally roll my eyes.

“I’ll make sure Jack brings me home at a reasonable hour, Grandma,” I state, not entertaining an argument with her. I’m not a child anymore and I’m not about to let her set a curfew and make a fool of me in front of Lola and Malakai. Besides, this is a small island with only a couple hundred people living on it. None of them are people I need to fear. Jack was right when he said nothing exciting happens here. Until recently, that is.

I chance a glance at Malakai who is looking angrier by the minute.

Grandma purses her lips, nodding. “I guess youngsters these days have far more energy than I give them credit for.”

“You could say that again. All this energy needs an outlet. Letting our hair down at Lola’s Shack is a great way to expend it,” I remark, with more than a pinch of sass.

Grandma snorts and Lola chuckles, instantly slamming her mouth shut when Malakai glares at her.

“Great, am I going to be forced to listen to a bunch of teenagers screeching around the harbour and hurling their guts up all night long?” he complains.

“You could always sleep here? Save you from seeing things you shouldn’t,” I suggest, smirking. It’s the last thing I want to say, but I can’t help but goad him. Two can play this game.

“Maybe I’ll do that,” he snaps back.

Lola chokes on her drink. “Sure, if you want?” she questions, clearly not expecting that response. Weird, I thought she’d jump at the chance. Imagine all the hot sex… actually, that’s a realbadidea. Jealousy churns my stomach.

“This is your home, not mine. I prefer the boat.”

“Seriously, Malakai, if you want to move back in…” she offers, looking at him with hopeful eyes. Jesus, if they start eyeballing each other with fuck me eyes I might just have to hit something.

“I told you, I’m not staying long,” he says.

“Well then, you’ll just have to put up with a bunch of kids having fun, won’t you?” I say before I can stop myself. He scowls and I hold back a smile.

Is it wrong that I love rubbing him the wrong way? The truth is, on the few occasions I’ve gone to Lola’s Shack with my friend, I’ve sat outside watching the moonlight glint off the water rather than get in the thick of all the fun inside. Getting drunk on my eighteenth birthday was the first time I actuallylet my hair downand totally regretted it the next day.

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