His Property
Page 25
There was a metal case against the wall with five slots. James pulled the handle to one drawer, opening it. Hailey's lifeless body slid out. Her skin was blue.
Aria reached out, touching her hand. It felt cold.
"Close it," she said, shaking her head and shutting her eyes. "Why did you think it'd be a good idea to take me to the morgue?"
His hand was warm in hers. James gave it a tentative squeeze. "I thought you might want to say goodbye. I mean, without everyone staring at you."
She then made her peace. She said everything she could to her, and yet there were no words to describe her loss. She'd barely known Hailey, and the young woman had gone out of her way to help them repeatedly. Aria owed her, and what had she done? She'd gotten her killed.
Aria lost count of the number of days they spent at sea. As land came into view, her heart leapt with the possibility of what they would find.
She tried not to think about Victor and how he'd suggested they come there. It was difficult, though, with the recent loss they'd all endured. Victor was probably back at his penthouse, angry that Hailey was nowhere to be found. Had he realized she snuck aboard the vessel?
"What's the first thing you're going to do when we set foot upon land?" James asked.
It seemed like a silly question. This was their third attempt to find a home after leaving Brayleigh. "Make sure there's no virus and no crazy tribe of perverts," Aria said, only half joking.
"I'm going to walk barefoot on the sand and swim in the waves. Do you know how tough it is to stare out at the ocean and not swim in it?"
A faint smile played at the corners of her lips. "I can imagine."
The horn to the ship blew as they came into port, and the captain docked the ship. There was no need to tender a lifeboat this time. It was as if this place was made for them.
From the deck, she could see vibrant shops and life flourishing on land. Aria felt anxious to go and afraid of what they might find. They'd spent days on an island they had thought to be paradise.
Victor had no reason to lie to them about Stralia and finding a home there for the two of them, but a part of her still felt reluctant to trust this new country.
From the beach, there were people waving to them, looking vibrant and happy to see the ship. They were not the first ship to come to port, but they appeared to be the largest. Beside them, smaller boats were docked near the pier as well, housing a few hundred passengers at most.
They didn't have much to bring with them, but she had packed their clothes into her pack along with the vial and syringe, just in case. How would these people react to seeing an abundance of sapphires and emeralds? Would they care? Victor didn't seem concerned by it, but Aria felt nervous. Was it possible the virus had found its way to Stralia? She couldn't know for certain. If the virus had spread down to Stralia, it had been contained in a much different way than Grace. There were no people fearing for their lives, hiding from the government and the claimers.
Relief flooded through her veins as they headed out of their room and down the stairs, making their way for the pier. The sun was hot down there, the air warm and moist from the sea. It smelled of salt and sand as she stepped off the boat and onto solid wooden planks. Aria was unsteady for a moment, her body having to readjust to land. It didn't take her long. James was at her side, with his arm around her waist and his breath against her ear.
"Can you believe this place?" she asked. It was like a page out of an old magazine, a world unlike anything she'd ever seen or experienced. Did she dare admit she liked it?
"Home sweet home."
* * *
The End
Allison West
Allison West is a #1 International Best-Selling Author in Erotica, BDSM, Romantic Erotica, Sci-Fi, Victorian, and Historical Erotica. She also writes young adult novels under the name Ruth Silver.
Allison West has been inventing worlds and writing stories for years. Her favorite novels are those that leave a lasting impression, long after the final page is read. You can find more about Allison on Facebook and Twitter.
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Visit her website here:
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