Page 56 of Beautiful Sinner

“Giada left the house. Antonio and Marko did as well. I can see my presence is needed on a more consistent basis to maintain some sense of order around here.”

“Don’t, Sevastian. You’re not going to want to hear this. Antonio had a damn good reason to leave his post. We had visitors. They were found by a soldier located in one of the lookout towers. The southeast corner.”

“What. The. Fuck? That would eventually provide the easiest access to the estate. The assholes had researched the island.”

“Yeah, that’s what I said.”

“What did Antonio do with them?” I snarled.

“He handled them as required,” Sanchez stated. “They said nothing.”

Goddamn it.

I flexed my fingers, taking several deep breaths as my blood chilled. That meant it was entirely possible something sinister had happened to Giada. While the house was a fortress, wired to the gills, there was always a chance of finding a way in, especially if she’d wandered off the estate. “Were they alone?”

“That’s what I understand.”

“How the fuck did they get on the island?”

“I don’t know yet. I figured you’d want to handle that.”

“Check every goddamn location, every fucking inch of this island. I want it swept clean. Then I want the barricades reinforced. Do you hear me?” The sound of my voice was harsh, a direct reflection of the increasing rage.

As he pulled to a stop, the tires skidding, I slowly eased to the seat then threw open the door.

“Yes, boss. They’ve already done it once. There are no signs of others.”

“Fucking have them do it again! I need to know the exact point of entrance. Boat. Scuba gear. What? If they were able to breach this island, that means we have a serious situation!” As I continued to bark orders, all I could think about was getting to Giada.

“Understood,boss.”

“And this island needs to be searched for my beautiful bride. You will find her or there will be hell to pay.”

“So you’ve said,boss.”

After jumping out, I shoved my hands in my pockets, finally letting out an exhale. She’d already become a weakness, a break in my normal operating procedures. She’d managed to crawl even further under my skin than I’d originally thought. “I can’t lose her, Sanchez. I know you don’t understand. Fuck. Neither do I. She’s everything I want to hate.” All he knew about her was what I’d felt necessary to tell him. Even those most trusted weren’t allowed knowledge about my private life.

“I think I do, Sevastian. Believe it or not, that’s how I felt about the girl in Colombia. Look where it got me. Let me see what I can find out from these fuckers. As far as the woman, you might try checking the beach. She’s not an animal to be kept in a cage. But I’m certain you already knew that.”

“Caging her might be the only way to keep her alive.”

His answer was a deep exhale before he yanked the gear into reverse, heading for the training facility. I’d positioned various outbuildings located all throughout the island. While some were used as training facilities, others were built as residences for my employees. The various locations also doubled as secondary lookout points far removed from the tall towers I’d had erected. Even with that, two unknown men had made it on my island. The visitors were either brazen or brilliant.

Soon, their blood and flesh would feed the local sharks.

Without saying anything, I walked away. Sanchez was right, as he often was, the only man capable of yanking me from the rafters. I took his advice, heading toward the beach. If she’d fled her cage in need of finding solace, she would have tried to remain out of sight. My sweetprintsessa’s needs for exploration would cause problems, potentially getting her killed. Whatever guidance I could provide would be necessary even if it came at a significant cost.

I made my way through the tropical foliage, easing my weapon into my hand before heading through the clearing and onto the beach. A sense of relief rushed through me upon seeing her, but the fury was just underneath the surface.

Perhaps she’d begun to realize there was nowhere for her to go.

She was standing in the wet sand, the thin waves lapping at her feet. The light breeze was blowing through the dress she’d selected, the softness of the material flowing around her long legs while the sand had already captured her feet.

With her long, dark curls whisking back and forth across her shoulders, even from the distance I was standing, she was undoubtedly the most beautiful creature I’d ever laid eyes on. I walked closer, trying to keep my anger from turning me into the very monster she’d accused me of being so often. Her defiance was becoming a problem. She needed a dose of reality before she’d consider accepting her new life.

As soon as I walked close, she sensed my arrival, her small hands clenching as she stiffened. I moved beside her, scanning the area before shoving the weapon into the back of my jeans.

She remained quiet, although I could hear her scattered breaths.

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