Page 21 of Shattered Reign

I tiptoed down the hallway, being careful not to make too much noise even though we were the only guests on the yacht.

But I was convinced I was creeping around because all I could think about were the texts on my phone. Whoever it was, they knew where I was.

He was out there. Somewhere. And he was tracking me.

But this person couldn’t reach me here. I was safe.

Yet there was a voice in the back of my mind that openly mocked me and said, “Liar.”

Nowhere was safe anymore, not even in Italy.

As I stepped out onto the main deck, I shaded my eyes in an attempt to keep the sun from blinding me. A light, salty breeze touched my face, and for a second, I could almost forget what was happening in my life.

Almost.

“Good morning.”

I whirled around as my heart leapt into my throat. But it was only Easton, sitting on a lounge chair as a concerned frown crossed his face.

He put his hands up and said, “It’s only me out here.”

“Sorry,” I muttered and looked away from him. “I guess I’m still a little jumpy from the text messages that I was sent.”

“I don’t blame you.” His frown deepened and I hated that my situation put that look on his face.

I looked away, biting my lip. Gazing at the ocean was a much better experience than having to think about this person stalking me.

“Hey.” His hand appeared on my shoulder, and I hadn’t realized he’d left his seat. “We’re going to fix all of this. I promise. And if the person who is stalking you so much as hurts a hair on your head, I’ll...”

His voice trailed off, but the vow he’d made was clear. And it was something I needed to hear. I turned to face him and could see the determination in his eyes. My relationship with him had turned from not being sure if I could trust him at all to believing he could find the person stalking me.

“We should head out and explore Capri,” he said as he ran his hand through his hair. “It would be nice to take your mind off... everything.”

A perfect day with Easton sounded like a dream, something I’d longed for since stepping foot into Italy. No responsibilities, no fears, no looking over my shoulder.

“We can’t avoid Brentson forever though,” he added. “Eventually we’ll have to head home and face all of this.”

I hated that he was right. But I didn’t want to go back. Having to face my stalker, my parents, and everything else I’d left behind sounded like pure hell. It caused a flood of panic and dread within me, something that refused to be contained.

“Bianca?” Easton turned back to me. “Did you hear what I said?”

I swallowed hard, forcing a small smile. “A day exploring Capri sounds perfect.”

It wasn’t a lie. I couldn’t think about the rest of the things he’d mentioned.

“Good. I want this to be a day both of us will always remember.”

“I’m sure it will be.”

* * *

I couldn’t helpbut smile at the scenes in front of me. The streets of Capri twisted and turned, awash in color and scent. The colorful homes and storefronts were cheerful, something I’d tried to fully embrace as we walked down the streets of the city. Easton tucked my hand in the crook of his arm as we strolled down the street, pointing out sights we would come across. I found myself completely lost in the charm of this island.

Well, almost.

In the quiet moments between the two of us, the fear crept back in. Questions about how the stalker was able to find out where I was and my new number from a phone that was bought by Tristan’s company were never far from my mind.

We stopped at a tiny café for lunch, and I couldn’t help but notice the tables scattered around the courtyard that were filled with other patrons. They were busy chatting among themselves, much in the same way Easton and I were. He reached over and held my hand, his gaze showing the tenderness I’d craved.

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