Page 22 of Shattered Reign

If only we could stay here forever.

But we couldn’t.

That thought alone was enough to sour the ravioli capresi I had for lunch. Still, I forced myself to enjoy every single one of these moments.

We spent the rest of the day exploring Capri, and as the sun began to set, we made our way back to the yacht in silence. Neither of us wanted to leave.

By the time we boarded the vessel, dusk had fallen. The crew was busy preparing for us to sail back to Ravello, but Easton and I stood at the railing, allowing the light breeze to wash over us.

“This is like something out of a dream,” I said softly.

“It is.” Easton’s arm slid around my waist. I wished that I could feel the warmth from his body, but my clothing prevented that. “We’ll come back. Once this is all over, I’ll take you anywhere you want to go. No more running or hiding or looking over your shoulder.”

I leaned into him, clinging to the hope and determination in his voice and the promise that he’d made.

We stayed like that for what seemed an eternity before Easton finally pulled away. But he didn’t go far. He laced his fingers with mine and led me to the dining room. The crew, once again, had laid out a romantic dinner for us, complete with candles and rose petals on the table.

The sun slowly disappeared as we ate our meal and drank our wine. We kept the small talk light, I assumed, for fear of it treading into discussing my stalker or my father’s career. We talked until late into the evening, and I finally began to get sleepy from exhaustion.

Easton rose from his seat and helped me up from mine so that we could head downstairs and go to bed. Tomorrow was a brand-new day, a day that would draw me out of my hiding place and back home to where I needed to be.

14

BIANCA

Isighed as I surveyed the scene before me. The hotel room, which I’d managed to keep clean throughout my entire stay, was now a chaotic mess. Everything I’d brought with me to Italy, along with the souvenirs I’d bought, were strewn across the room in complete and utter disarray. I was convinced that either I needed to buy another bag or find a way to get creative in order to get all these things into the bags I brought along with me. The former would make things easier, but the latter would provide a challenge I was tempted to accept.

As I started to fold my things, I couldn’t help but think of everything that had happened on this unforgettable trip. I ran my fingers over the pajamas that Easton had bought for me as a surprise on the trip along the Amalfi Coast on a private yacht. How much I wished that I could be back there and listening to the calming sound of the ocean waves instead of standing here packing to head home.

I jumped slightly when there was a knock on the door, stopping my thoughts in their tracks. To say I was startled was an understatement. It was as if my heart had stopped beating in anticipation of something bad that was about to happen. Easton said he would be back soon, but I wasn’t expecting him now. Unless that much time had flown by?

I looked at the sleek digital clock on the brown bedside table. The numbers on the clock confirmed that it wasn’t time for me to meet up with him yet.

“Who is it?” I asked loudly enough that I didn’t have to walk closer to the door.

“Lorenzo from the front desk,” a male voice answered from the other side. “I have a delivery for you.”

I walked to the door and made sure to look out the peephole before opening it. I confirmed that he was in the uniform that was standard at the hotel. I unlocked the door and pulled it open to reveal a guy holding a manila envelope.

“Delivery for you, ma’am,” he said as he handed me the envelope. His eyes didn’t meet mine, focusing instead on some point over my shoulder. I wondered if that was nervousness or if something else was up.

I shook my head. I needed to calm down on the paranoia.

“Thank you,” I replied, taking the envelope. I tipped him and closed the door.

I turned the envelope over in my hands to see if I could find any identification that could tell me where it might be from. There was no return address, no indication of who might have sent it. That set off every alarm in my mind. Should I wait for Easton to come or just open it now?

The knot in my stomach tightened as I debated with myself before finally coming to a decision.

I walked over to the desk in the room, and I could hear the blood rushing through my ears as I slid my finger under the flap.

“Shit.” The curse escaped my lips as I looked at what was inside.

The photos that tumbled out of the envelope looked all too familiar. The ones with me partying hard on campus.

Son of a bitch.

My stalker was the reason my father had these pictures of me.

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