“He would.” I nod.
The tender stops in the middle of a large cavern, blue light coming from all different directions. The deck crew that came with us hand out snorkels and go over safety procedures. They explain there’s not many fish and that snorkeling here is mostly for the water and cave formations.
I’m first in the water, diving straight down to gauge the depth. I stop when my ears start to hurt and then flip onto my back to look straight up. Everyone’s jumped in and is taking off in different directions. I give myself another minute before swimming up toward Levi.
I break the surface next to him.
“You just can’t help yourself, can you? Find water and have to dive deep,” he smiles at me.
“Easiest place to think is under the surface where everything is quiet and still.”
“Let’s go that way,” he points over my shoulder in the opposite direction of where everyone else went.
We swim for a bit, weaving through limestone formations until he notices a place with a small natural ledge. He points, and I follow him. It’s just wide enough for him to stand on, and the water hits him mid chest, making it deep enough that I can’t stand.
He hauls me against him. My arms wrap around his neck, my legs around his waist. His lips meet mine, the taste of the sea clinging to them. His tongue gently runs along the seam of my lips, sliding into my mouth when I let out a little moan. He shifts us so I’m pressed against the worn sandstone at my back.
One of his hands slides the triangle of my bikini top to the side, exposing my nipple. His thumb brushes over it sending a wave of heat straight through me. He repeats the action on the other side but lifts me high enough out of the water that cover it with his mouth while his fingers continue to tease the other nipple. His tongue flicks and swirls around my hardened peaks.
His lips travel over the top of my breast toward my neck. He presses soft kisses all the way up to my jaw while one of his hands travels to my hip. His fingers brush over me in light teasing strokes sending goosebumps rippling over my skin. His fingers follow the seam of my bathing suit bottoms until his hand is cupping my pussy.
He gives just enough pressure to make my hips chase his hand. His lips and tongue continue their torturously slow assault on my mouth while I pant against him.
“Levi,” I groan against his lips.
“Yes, princess?” he smiles against my mouth.
“I need more.”
“More what?” he asks, still smiling.
“You,” I growl and grind against him shamelessly.
His pulls my bottoms to side and slides his fingers inside me. I keep one arm anchored around neck but glide the other down his chest, over his abs, and into his speedo. It’s my turn to smile against his lips when he moans. I wrap my hand around his hard length and use my thumb to tease the tip.
I gasp when his fingers find my g-spot. My orgasm hits me out of nowhere, my head falling back against the rock behind me as I spasm around his fingers. I don’t have time to recover though, as he withdraws his fingers and plunges his cock inside me in one hard deep thrust.
I cling to him as he pumps in and out of me, our groans and pants echoing around us. I open my eyes to find him staring at me, the blue of eyes a deep ocean blue. The emotion of the connection sears through me, permanently binding me to him if I wasn’t already. Every feeling I have for him is reflected back at me tenfold.
“I love you so fucking much,” he growls as he comes deep inside me. “So much, Ives, I couldn’t let you go if I tried. I will follow wherever you lead, relentlessly, as long I live.” He reaches down and rubs circles around my clit until I’m coming again, my pussy fluttering around his softening cock.
We stay there, pressed against the rocks as our heart rates return to normal. He reaches down and fixes my bikini top and bottoms before. We both groan as he pulls out of me and tucks himself back into his speedo.
“We should probably head back,” I say as I cling to him.
“Probably,” he agrees. “But you’ll have to let go of me first.”
“Oh,” I drop my legs. “Such a wuss, you can’t swim back with me attached to you,” I tease.
“We’re not all Olympic caliber swimmers, now are we?”
“You definitely aren’t,” I sass. We fix our goggles and snorkels before pushing off the wall. I’m amazed our equipment didn’t fall off during out tryst.
We swim back to the tender, and everyone is already back on board. I blush as Con pulls me up and gives me a knowing smirk. He playfully punches Levi’s shoulder.
“We were about to send a search party for you two,” Lilith teases. “Although if anyone was going to be okay swimming around it’d be Ivy.”
“We were just talking, found a little ledge to hang out on for a bit,” I say.
“Talking? That’s a new word for f-” Con’s interrupted by a playful punch to the gut from Levi.
“Leave us alone. You owe Griff and me for so many times of walking in on or hearing you two.” He sits and pulls me into his lap for the ride back to yacht.
24
IVY
“What are you doing?” I mumble from the bed. I pop one eye open and smile at Levi. “Are you spying on Con and Lilith?”
“Hell yes I am. It’s not every day my baby cousin gets engaged to my best friend. Honestly, it’s taking every ounce of willpower I contain to not follow them out like a creepy gawker,” he says with his head against the door.
“Well, since you’re up and wide awake, shall we wait for them to take off and then watch the sunrise together from the top deck?” I ask as I sit up.
“Let’s do it.”
I get up to take a quick shower while he pulls on a pair of basketball shorts. I finish and come out a few minutes later in a pink sundress that reminds me of the chucks I used to wear when we were kids.
We go up to the top deck, grabbing a blanket from the living room because it’s a little chilly. The sky is just beginning to lighten with initial grayish blue light on the horizon. A stewardess comes to offer us fresh squeezed juice or coffee. I order my usual, creamer with a splash of coffee, and Levi gets his black.
He makes himself comfortable on the couch, and I stretch out beside him, resting my head on his chest. From this spot, we have a perfect view of the easterly horizon to witness the sunrise that will forever mark our memories. Pinks, oranges, and purples streak against the horizon. It looks so gorgeous it’s unreal.
“I kind of wish we could see the proposal,” I say quietly. The rising sun paints the clouds in pink hues.
“I know. I hope the boat crew is filming it.” He wraps his arms around me, breathing me and this quiet moment in.
“Con said they were. It’s all part of his plan.”
“I wish there was a live feed,” Zion says from behind us. “I want to be watching this go down so bad.” He flops down in the opposite corner of the couch and stretches himself out completely.
“Morning,” Griff says as he walks up to join us. He’s holding a coffee cup in one hand and two tablets in the other. “Somehow some of the paparazzi found us yesterday. There’s pictures of us all getting on the yacht.”
“Really?” I scrunch my face up in annoyance. “I didn’t think they were a problem in this part of Europe.”
“They’re a problem everywhere when your group includes four young billionaires, a professional athlete, and two hot girls.” Griff takes a drink of his coffee before turning both tablets on. “Gwen said the photos aren’t bad or anything, but they are on Page Six.”
I get up and sit beside him as he pulls the photos up. It’s basically just us boarding the yacht, but then a headline below catches my eye.
BANK HEIR AND STEPSISTER GET GRAPHIC IN GREECE
“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” I roll my eyes at the terrible headline and picture of Levi and me pressed together, kissing. “Levi,” I grab his hand and pull him over.
“Sweet. That’s a good angle, look at your ass,” he jokes,
completely unperturbed by the coverage.
“Should we address this? Call Frank? I don’t want it to affect the bank.”
“Nope. It’ll be fine. We’re not stepsiblings and haven’t been for a long time. I’m not concerned.” He gives me a forehead kiss and sits down beside Zion.
“I can print something in one of lifestyle magazines. A fluff piece about you two but full of facts,” Griff offers. “I took a great candid of you two at dinner last night. We could use it for the piece.”
He pulls out the phone and shows me a picture of Levi and me standing on the aft deck. He’s looking down at me with absolute adoration shining through his eyes while he presses a kiss to my palm. My hand is on his waist, and I’m smiling up at him like a lovestruck teenager.
“I love this, Griff,” I wrap my arm around his shoulder and kiss his cheek.
“You going for a ménage a trois, Ivy?” Claire says with a scowl as she walks across the deck toward us. She takes a seat on Griff’s other side.
“Hell no, Baby V,” Levi says teasingly. “I’ve shared with Griff in the past, but I will never, ever share Ives with anyone.”
Claire and I pull identical disgusted faces.
“Probably went a bit too far,” Griff drawls. “Back to this piece of shitty journalism, it’ll be eclipsed by news of Con and Lilith’s engagement.” He rubs his thumb over his red stubbled jaw line, deep in what I’ve come to know as his plotting mode. “I was already planning on putting their engagement announcement in East Society as a two-page spread. I’ll just add you two in an inset of their piece.”
“Then you can put Ives on the cover of Business and Finance Today when she slides into the position everyone thinks I’m taking,” Levi says from his position on the corner of the couch.
“Is that for sure happening?” Griff looks back and forth between us.
“Yeah, Dad and I are telling the board at the monthly meeting when we get back from Greece. Ives won’t step in until next June though.”
“Mr. Volkov and Miss Nelson are on their way back now,” the main stewardess says. “If you’ll follow me down to the second aft patio, we have everything set up.”
We all stand and follow her down. They’ve decorated with white lilies of every variety, white balloons, and giant banner that says, “Congratulations Mr. and future Mrs. Volkov,” hung between two of the posts.
“I’ve got a thousand on that banner starting their first fight as an engaged couple. No way is Hoodrat changing her last name,” Levi says with a grin.
“I’ve got a thousand on Con letting it go,” Zion slaps his palm against Levi’s.
Levi, Griff, and I give each other the same look. Con letting anything go once his mind is set on it is unicorn stuff.
“Deal,” Griff says.
“I’m in,” I say at the same time. Easiest thousand bucks I’ll ever make.
“I used to think it was so weird how you guys would make bets on each other all the time,” Zion chuckles. “Now I’m here making my own bets.”
“Losing your own bets.” Levi winks.
“The tender just pulled up,” Claire says from her spot by the rail.
I scurry over to try to see them with Zion and Levi hot my heels. Griff stays a few feet away, watching for them to come up the stairs. I see one of the deck crew help Lilith off the tender. She’s looking over her shoulder and holding out her left hand for Connor. The diamond sparkles, catching rays of sunlight. A barely suppressed squeal escapes me, and Claire shoots a glare my way.
Levi pulls me away from the rail and whispers in my ear, “Act natural.”
I can’t act natural, my best friend just got engaged!
Lilith’s icy blue eyes go wide in shock when she reaches the top of the stairs. She glances back at Con and sees his wide smile, both dimples popping. I launch myself at her as soon as she takes another step.
“Congratulations!” I squeal into her ear while I bounce up and down. Then she’s pulled from my arms and enveloped by Zion. I grab Con and give him a big hug which he returns just as enthusiastically.
We’re each given champagne and toast to the happy couple. One of the deck crew did film it for Con, so we all gather around and watch it on one of Griff’s tablets. It’s filmed from behind while they’re sitting on the bow of the tender. Con points off the side, and while Lilith’s head is turned, he gets down on one knee. The wind carries, so we can’t hear what he said, but the look on his face while he asks says more than a dictionary full of words could. The angle changes and catches Lilith’s face when Con slides the ring on her finger. Their devotion to each other is tangible and bring tears to my eyes.
I look up at Levi and see just as much emotion on his face. Even before he knew he was related to Lilith, he was protective of her. Seeing how happy he is for her, how much he loves her, makes my heart swell. Being here with everyone makes me feel like I have my family back.
I’ve seen Con and Griff off and on over the years, spent time with Z and Lilith in Chicago several times, but right now, on this yacht, I feel whole. I let the tears spill out of me, happiness flooding my body.
“Do you want to jump off the sun deck?” Levi asks after we finish brunch.
A slow smile creeps across my face. “Do you even need to ask?”
He grabs my hand and pulls me up.
“Where are you going?” Con asks.
“Diving off the sun deck,” Levi answers. “Anyone want to come?”
Con and Lilith both stand, Griff looks at the four of us and stands. Zion holds his hands up and shakes his head.
“I can’t risk hurting myself at this point in my career,” he says.
“Same,” Claire says. “I’m aiming for a principal position in the upcoming showcase. I’m not going to risk injury, but I’ll watch.”
I lead the way up the stairs and pull my dress over my head. By the time it hits the deck I’m already climbing onto the rail. Levi is right behind me, stepping onto the rail with me. He holds his hand out for me palm up. I take it and look at him. We’re so in sync with each other, we don’t even have to count for each other.
He lets out a whoop and I scream as we plunge through the air and into the gorgeous azure water. The silence of the deep water envelopes us, and I fight the urge to swim down into the depths. Levi grabs my hand and pulls me up to the surface.
“I know what you were thinking about doing,” he says as he shakes his hair out. We swim out a little ways to watch as Con, Lilith, and Griff jump in.
“It’s always a temptation. The challenge of seeing how far I can go before I need to come back up,” I answer as we tread water.
“That was so fun,” Lilith says as they swim over to us. Her diamond sparkles in the sunlight.
“Want to do it a few more times and then lay out?” I ask.
“You can lay out,” Lilith says over her shoulder, “I’ll be under an umbrella hiding from the sun, so I don’t turn into a lobster.”
“Same,” Griff says.
Lilith and I jump a few more times while the boys decide to hop on the jet skis. Zion and Claire are hanging out under an umbrella on the sundeck, sipping on some sort of frozen cocktail. Lilith sits down between Zion’s legs and leans back.
“I’m so glad you could make it, Z.” She wraps his arm around her and holds her hand up to admire her ring. “I want to know which one of you helped him pick out this ring?”
“I did,” I answer.
“I figured. He probably would have gotten something showier if you hadn’t been there.”
“I don’t know, he picked that one out of the three I suggested, and I thought it was the best.”
“I’ll return the favor when Levi proposes to you.”
“If he does, you won’t have to.” I lower the back of the chaise lounge that’s in the full sun and lie down. “He’s always planned on using his mom’s rings.” He told me about that way back when we were kids.
“Awww,” she smiles, “who would have thought Lev
i was the sweet and sensitive one of the three of them?”
I’m not really surprised, but I knew him long before I met the other two. He’s always had the biggest heart in my experience. Not just when it comes to me but with Mason and with guys he played football with. He might have been a man whore, but he was never malicious.
“We should start planning for the wedding. Do you know when you want to get married?” I ask.
“Tomorrow,” Con says with a growl as he pulls Lilith out of Z’s arms.
“Winter,” she rolls her eyes, “maybe over winter break.”
“In Founder’s Ridge or the city?” Levi asks.
“Jackson, at our cabin.” Con answers. “It’ll be a small wedding; we don’t have many people to invite.”
“I don’t have many people to invite,” Lilith corrects. “You have a bunch of family in Europe who probably want to come.”
“There’s only about fifteen people not on this yacht that I want at our wedding,” he scowls. He’s still not on good terms with his mom or her side of their family. “They can all stay at the cabin with us.”
“Yeah, calling it a ’cabin’ is hella misleading. That place has fifteen bedrooms and a private lake. It’s more like a compound.” Then she looks at him and melts. “I would love a snowy winter wedding there though.”
“How about a New Year’s Day wedding?” He suggests while he wraps a piece of her hair around his finger.
“Works for me,” she agrees. If I had to guess I’d say she’s happy to not have to plan either of those things. She’s never been into girly stuff, but we’re getting her a fab dress.
“I guess that leaves dress shopping for us,” I say with a grin. “I know where we’re going, too. No arguments. I’ll even book the appointment for you.”
“Fair enough,” she nods, “you know this type of thing isn’t for me.”
I’m already having so much fun imagining all the dresses on her. Her figure is so amazing that a mermaid gown would be stunning. Something with long lace sleeves and off the shoulder. Her hair swept up in loose updo of some sort.
Relentless (Titans of Founder's Ridge Book 2) Page 20
