by S. C. Daiko
“Ben mentioned earlier that you’re looking for work.” Gleb looked me up and down.
“I’m hoping to start my own photography business,” I said. “Not sure where yet…”
“Well, if you’re looking for a venue, Eva and I have a spare unit at our Arts and Entertainment Center,” he volunteered. “You could have it rent-free in return for helping us out with our marketing and promotions.”
“That would be awesome.” I was suddenly relieved the decision whether to go or stay had more or less been made for me. I showed Gleb and Catrin some of the photos I’d uploaded to my phone.
“I’m impressed,” Gleb said in his deep baritone voice.
“I always hoped Ben would fall for a creative person.” A smile lit Catrin’s face. “It’s in his blood, you know…”
Ben had previously spoken to me about his father’s work. “I can’t wait to see Daniel’s studio.”
“No time like the present.” Ben held out his hand.
I placed my own hand in his, and he led me to a room at the end of the kitchen corridor, knocking before we entered.
“I’ve come to show Aly your paintings,” he announced as we stepped into a high-ceilinged extension at the back of the house.
“Wow,” I gushed, staring at the huge canvases splashed with bright colors, abstract depictions of the scenery around us. “They’re stunning.” I peered at the signature in the corner of a finished picture to my right and stepped back in shock. “You are Alexei?” I let out a gasp. “But you’re famous. We studied your work at school. Ben never told me who you were…”
Daniel brushed off my fangirling and asked Ben about his leg.
He waved his crutch. “A lot better. Won’t be needing this much longer.”
“Good.” Daniel glanced at his watch. “It’s nearly lunchtime. I’ll go give Catrin a hand in the kitchen.” He winked at Ben. “You’ll be wanting to fill that ever-empty stomach of yours, I imagine, son…”
After Daniel left the room, Ben rested his crutch against a table and placed both arms around me. “I hope you didn’t feel railroaded into accepting Gleb’s offer.” He stared deeply into my eyes. “You can still return to New York and set up a business there.”
“No,” I shook my head. “It’s like fate has intervened. I so need a fresh start, away from my father…”
“But not away from me, I hope?” Ben drew his brows together.
“You’ll come visit as often as possible, won’t you?” My chest squeezed at the thought of our impending separation. “What’s the saying? Oh yeah, that absence makes the heart grow fonder?”
“My heart couldn’t grow any fonder of you than it is already, babe,” he said, his irises blazing indigo.
He kissed me then, deep and passionately before pulling back and trapping me in his gaze. “Looks like it’ll be me who’ll be relocating instead. Can’t live on the other side of the country to you, Aly. I can run my businesses from anywhere. My brother, Andrei, can look after things in New York.”
“You’d do that for me?” I brought a shaky hand to my forehead. “I love you, honey, and I didn’t wanna be so far away from you, but my relationship with Papa is too toxic and if I lived near to him, he might taint what you and I have together.”
Sudden tears filled my eyes and ran down my face. Ben kissed them away. “I love you so much.” He brushed his thumb across my cheek. “And I’m proud of you for standing up to your father.”
I took his hand and pressed my lips to his palm. “I’m somewhat proud of myself too.”
Chapter Eighty-Six
Brash – One Year Later
I paced up and down the living room floor in the penthouse condo I’d bought opposite Gleb’s in Denver, a corner apartment with a wrap-around terrace and fourteen-foot tall floor-to-ceiling windows. Aly had moved in with me, finally, a couple months ago, and I was waiting for her to arrive home from photographing grey wolves in their natural habitat for a conservation project.
Relocating to Colorado last year had been game changing, not just for me but for her. She’d flourished in her career, even paying rent for the unit Uncle Gleb had offered in exchange for helping him and Eva. Aly still lent a hand with their marketing, but her own activities took up more and more of her time.
My girl had done good, and I was so fucking proud of her. She’d thrown off the mafia princess shackles of her upbringing and had slaved at her business with gritty determination all the while managing on her own in a one-bedroomed apartment. I had nothing but admiration for her… and love.
So much love.
She deserved a break from working her ass off, and so did I. My own enterprises had gone from strength to strength. Hotel resorts in every continent and multiplying. The All Seasons brand had become synonymous with sustainable tourism— I made sure I gave back to local communities and reduced our environmental impact wherever possible.
I stopped pacing and checked my Rolex; Aly had messaged me she was on her way and should be arriving at any minute. We’d packed our suitcases this morning; we were leaving for our vacation as soon as she got back. A secret destination, as far as Aly was concerned. When we’d talked about where to go, she’d said she wanted me to surprise her. All she knew was we were going somewhere warm.
To be honest, I’d been planning this for months— but she didn’t need to know about that until we arrived. I wasn’t being Brash for taking her back to the Maldives; it was where we’d fallen in love and the country held a huge place in our hearts. We often reminisced about the island with longing, despite the raw brutality of our stay there.
I touched my hand to the jewelry box in my pocket; I could have spent millions on an engagement ring for Aly— she deserved nothing but the best— except knowing her as well as I did, I’d decided to opt for something simple and classic. A diamond solitaire. I wondered if she’d guessed I was going to propose while we were away; I hoped to God she’d say yes.
The elevator door pinged open and she stepped into the apartment. God, she was beautiful. Every time I looked at her my heart raced. Her long blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail and her eyes glowed with happiness— happiness that came from building upon her strengths, focusing on the positives and living her values to the full.
She put down her camera bag and came into my arms. “Have I got time for a shower before we leave?” she inquired, nuzzling me.
I kissed her on the lips. “Sure, go ahead. I’ll take our suitcases down to the car.”
Pussy-whipped, much? I asked myself for the umpteenth time. She’d brought me to my knees and I fucking loved it.
Half an hour later, I was driving us to the airport. Sitting next to me, Aly called her parents and told them we were off on vacation. Her relationship with them had improved since they’d realized she hadn’t touched a penny of her trust fund and had become successful in her own right. Having no leverage over her meant Semion had to accept her on her own terms if he wanted to be a part of her life. He and Svetlana had visited with us a couple weeks ago. After some initial awkwardness on my and Semion’s part, the visit had gone well enough to warrant promises of spending the Holidays together in a few months’ time.
I reached across and took Aly’s hand. “Excited?” I squeezed her fingers.
A smile quivered on her lovely mouth. “Totally.”
An hour later, we’d taken off and were soaring above the clouds in my Gulfstream G650. Helena had served us a glass of Dom Pérignon each. I raised my flute and clinked it with Aly’s. “Cheers, babe.”
“Cheers,” she responded, her eyes shining. “Can’t wait to find out where you’re taking me.”
The announcement we were making a nine-hour stopover in Dubai gave away the fact we were heading to the Maldives. Todd and his co-pilot needed a break before we could continue flying, just like they’d done over a year ago. Aly squealed and clapped her hands. “This is the best surprise ever!”
I clamped my jaw to stop myself from blurting out the surprise w
asn’t over yet.
She looped her arm through mine as we strolled through the airport shopping mall. “You completely ignored me last time we were here together. God, you were so rude…”
“My dick was throbbing for you even then,” I smirked. “I was doing my best to ignore it.”
She brushed a quick kiss to my lips. “You were hurting, honey. Hiding behind your asshole exterior. Didn’t give you the right to be a douchebag, but I’ve forgiven you.”
“Are you okay with us returning? I can change our plans if it’s a problem…”
“Hell, no,” she shook her head. “I’ve been dreaming of going back. Enjoying the resort as a couple.” She gave a sigh. “It was so romantic…”
How would she feel about our ultimate destination? If she hated it, we could always carry on to the All Seasons.
I straightened my back and walked us past the duty-free cigarettes. Gave up smoking about ten years ago, but they were still a lure like the name of Uncle Gleb’s nightclub where I’d had a summer job before starting college.
“See anything you’d like to buy?” I asked Aly as we passed the perfume counter.
She shook her head. “Nah, I have everything I need.”
We chilled in the executive lounge until it was time to board my jet again, and, four hours later, we made our descent toward Malé.
After going through passport control, we stepped out of the terminal into the hot humid Maldivian air. “Brings back so many memories,” Aly sighed.
Earlier, I’d told her we weren’t taking a seaplane. I’d decided it would have been too upsetting for her. During my frequent trips around the world for business, I’d been back to the Maldives several times, preparing for our return together. We’d be sailing south on the motor yacht I’d purchased, an overnighter owing to the distances involved, but I hoped it would be worth it.
The following morning, Aly woke with her body curled around mine in our stateroom’s king-sized bed. “The boat has stopped moving, we must have arrived…”
I’d been awake for over an hour already, nerves squeezing my belly tight. How would she react? Had I done the right thing?
“Let’s go take a look,” I said.
We used the bathroom then got dressed, hopping from one foot to the other while we pulled on our shorts and tees.
I slid my hand over her eyes as we arrived up on deck. “Stand still, babe.”
She did as I’d asked and I drew my fingers away.
From this perspective, the island looked so much smaller than it had seemed when we’d been marooned there, its lush green center surrounded by palm trees and its brilliant white sands lapped by the turquoise ocean.
“Oh. My. God. Wow! This is so perfect…” Aly whirled around to face me, tears of joy in her eyes.
I smirked. “You like the surprise?”
“I more than like it. I freaking love it,” she squealed, bouncing on her toes.
“I’ve arranged everything. We’ll go ashore, spend our vacation in our old home.” I paused, unable to stop grinning. “I bought the island leasehold from the previous owners ten months ago. I’ve had the bungalow renovated. Satellite dish for internet. There’s everything we could possibly need, including supplies I had shipped in earlier.”
The speedboat was being winched down as we spoke. Soon our luggage had been loaded, and Aly and I were zooming toward the dock I’d had built inside the lagoon. High tide covered the reef, enabling us to glide over the coral without difficulty.
“My crew will pick us up in two weeks,” I said to Aly. “In the meantime, they’ll return to the All Seasons and take guests on mini cruises whale spotting, fishing, whatever.”
“Cool,” she dimpled, leaping onto the quay with the rope to tie us to the pilings. I helped her secure the bow and stern, grabbed our bags and led her up the dock to the beach.
We were on the opposite side of the island to the bungalow. I’d deliberately ensured the mooring had been constructed where it wouldn’t obscure our view. Sweat trickled down the back of my neck and I could see Aly was feeling hot as well. “Can’t wait to get naked and have a swim,” I said.
She shot me a sideways glance and giggled. “Me too.”
About twenty minutes later, we’d walked half-way round the island. The bungalow had come into view and Aly let out a whoop. “It’s gorgeous.” She dropped her bag and ran up the renovated steps onto the pristine decking. “I’m so happy you kept it close to the original style.
“I used local craftsmen,” I said proudly, picking up her suitcase and hefting it with mine into the large front room.
Aly stared at the traditional wooden furniture, so in keeping with the simplicity of my design. “Just beautiful...”
I showed her the indoor plumbing, septic system, hot water shower from a power generator run by solar heating panels, the saline purifier for drinking water and, last but not least, the well-stocked fridge.
“You must have been planning this for months,” she nestled into my side. “Don’t know how you managed to keep it a secret from me…”
“I was tempted to tell you so many times, but I’m glad I resisted as I wanted this vacation to be special… for both of us.” I placed an arm around her. “Hope you’re not disappointed you won’t be pampered at the resort?”
“This is a zillion times better,” she said, kissing me. “I never imagined you’d have done this, honey. Bought this place and made it ours. I love it so much. I love YOU.”
“Back at ya,” I kissed her in return. “Let’s go for that swim then have breakfast then…” I waggled my brows.
We did as I’d suggested, stripping off our clothes and running over the scorching sand into the tepid water of the lagoon. We swam out to the reef and back, then wallowed in the shallows, telling each other how stoked we were to be here again.
I looped my arm around her waist and pulled her into my embrace. Need sparked between us and I bent my head, sucked on her swan-like neck.
“Lie back, babe. Can’t wait. Gotta get inside you, like, now.”
“I want that too,” she said, stretching out at the edge of the water, her head on the wet sand, her legs spread-eagled on the wave-lapped shingle.
I crawled between her thighs and ground my pelvis against hers, rubbing my cock up and down her slit.
She moaned delightfully, and I kissed her mouth deep before licking my way down her chin, her neck, the hollow of her throat. “You’re so beautiful, Aly.”
“So are you, Ben,” she panted, gripping my ass cheeks and kneading them.
I wrapped her hair around my fist and lowered myself.
She dug her nails into my shoulder.
I took her hand and bit her wrist softly.
She cupped my face, gazing deep into my eyes before pressing her lips to mine, opening for me, inviting my tongue to claim her.
We kissed slowly, passionately, hungrily as I slid into her. Our bodies rocked together while we licked, bit and groaned, the water splashing around us.
I thrust deep and she clenched around me as my hips pumped faster. I raised myself up onto my arms and stared at where we were joined together, her pussy grabbing at my cock, wanting, needing.
Skin on skin, I shielded her with my body, my hands in the sand at each side of her, kissing her relentlessly while I fucked her. We rode, splashed and claimed, rocking to the same desperate rhythm as the sea swirled around us.
With a trembling moan, she came, but I wasn’t far behind, my cock spasming as I filled her with my cum. Still inside her, I kissed her deeply and our hearts beat as one.
She caressed my cheek, my jaw, my lips, her eyes gazing deep into mine while she told me how much she loved me.
“I love you too, Aly. I’ll love you forever.” I stroked my hand down the side of her lovely face.
I slid my cock out of her and helped her to her feet. Our arms around each other we ran up to the house.
We took our luggage through to our bedroom. “We can unpack later,
” I rubbed my belly. “Let’s have some breakfast. Afterwards, if you like, I’ll teach you how to fish with a rod.”
“I’d love it.” Her breath caught sharply in her throat. “Do we have masks and snorkels?”
“We have everything,” I chuckled.
“I’ve brought my underwater camera. Can’t wait to frame some shots.”
After eating, we paddled out to the edge of the lagoon on a canoe I’d stashed behind the tree-line and caught red snapper for our lunch, grilling it on a barbeque instead of the fire. The place where we’d once erected our campsite was now a tiled patio covered by a palm thatched canopy.
In the afternoon, we rested then swam out to the reef, finally able to view its inhabitants clearly through the glass of our masks.
“I never forgot how amazing it was here,” Aly sighed as we dried ourselves off with proper towels after showering the salt from our skin and hair. “But it’s even better now we have what we need.”
“Safer too,” I reminded her.
Fully clothed for the first time since our morning swim, we sat on comfortable chairs on the deck, sipping chilled white wine and watching the sunset.
I fingered the box in my pocket.
It was time.
I got down on one knee in front of her.
She gave a little whimper.
I stared up at her and my pulse raced.
Her skin glowed with the warmth of the sun and her turquoise eyes reflected the hues of the sky.
She was stunningly beautiful, and she held my heart in her hand.
“Alyona Abramovich,” I cleared my throat. “Will you do me the honor of agreeing to be my wife? I promise I’ll love and protect you to the end of my days.”
In a beat, she was on her knees before me, kissing me, tears of happiness streaming down her face. “Yes. Yes. Yes!”
I slid the ring onto her finger then kissed her hard, my lips smashing into hers.
“I love you, Ben,” she moaned into my mouth. “I’ll never stop loving you for as long as I live.”
