Page 134 of Kept

Zella Aria Cooper & Enzo Gambino.

I kind of like it.

Zella jumps off the table and snuggles under Maverick’s arm. “We’ll do it properly,” she promises him, laughter in her voice.

He sighs, wrapping his arm around her. “On the beach.”

She stiffens, her eyes lighting with interest. “The beach?”

“Mmmm. How’s your travel list coming along?”

Zella shifts. “Um. There’s a lot of pins on it.”

“How many?”

She coughs delicately into her fist. “Maybe… a hundred?”

When we stare at her, she shrugs helplessly. “I can’t help it! Everywhere looks so exciting. And the Googirl keeps suggesting new places, and they all look sogood.”

“That fucking Googirl,” I mutter, and she points at me.

“Leave her alone,” she says firmly. “She’s my best friend.”

I blink. “You need to meet more people.”

Sniffing indignantly, she turns for the door. “You just wait,” she calls back airily. “You’ll eat your words, Enzo. Our trip is going to beah-ma-zing.”

55 - Zella

Thebreezeskipsovermy skin, the scent of salt and sand andwarmthsinking into my nose as I inhale deeply, my eyes closed as I tilt my face up to the sunshine.

Adjusting the large green sunhat on my head, I squint at Enzo’s sleeping figure on the sun lounger next to me. His eyes crack open, star-filled irises staring back at me.

They’re always filled with stars, now.

“Little prey,” he murmurs. “What are you doing?”

“Watching you,” I say softly. He looks more relaxed than I’ve ever seen him. This trip has been good for all of us.

A hoarse shout comes from the sea in front of us and I twist, laughing as Maverick throws himself at Ryder, shoving him under the waves until he emerges with a cursed splutter.

They both turn, and I get the absolutely joyful experience of watching them both strut out of the sea, chests sparkling with water and trunks plastered against their legs.

I beam up at Ryder as he pelts past Maverick, reaching me first and throwing himself down, making me squeal as he shakes his head like a dog and sprays me with droplets. “Ryder!”

He turns until his head is planted in my lap, and I push damp strands of hair back from his forehead as he bats his eyelashes mournfully. “Little thief. Maverick tried to drown me.”

“Trust me,” he says drily, “you’d be dead if I tried to drown you.”

Leaning down, he tips my chin up for a kiss. I hold on when he moves to pull away, and he smiles against my lips. “Patience, future Mrs. Brooks.”

“You’re not even supposed to see me today,” I tell him solemnly. “It’s against the rules.”

He settles on the lounger next to me, taking a sip from the ice-cold bottle of beer on the table next to us. “I’ve waited a whole year for this,” he says firmly. “I’m not letting you out of my sight for a moment.”

Ryder sighs. “I told you, it was only a joke. We didn’t actually elope.”

We’re in Mexico now, but we were in Scotland last month. They have this place called Gretna Green, and Ryder told me it would be an adventure to sneak out without the others.

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