“You’re lying to me.” He sounds really offended. He snatches my phone from my trembling hand before I can react. He growls when he reads the message. “I’m going to find this guy and I’m going to kill him.”
I shake my head, trying to be reassuring. “Simon is all talk, no action,” I chuckle nervously.
Raphael pins me with a look so intense it makes the tiny hairs on the back of my neck stand up. “Eva, he’s threatening to find you wherever you go.”
“If I just pay him off, he’ll go away,” I say.
Raphael glowers at me. “That asshole isn’t getting a cent. You hear me?” He reaches for his own cellphone in his pocket. He taps at the screen. “I’ll take care of him, make sure he never bothers you again,” he promises, “But in the meantime, I won’t let you out of my sight until I know that you’re safe with your parents. I just don’t understand why your father hasn’t gotten back to me. I’ve been texting him and calling him since last night.”
I lean an elbow against the counter. “He’s not available. He and mom are at some tantric yoga retreat.” I bite down into a bagel. “I tried not to ask for too many details because—eww! All I know is that they’re gonna be holed up at a yoga center all weekend.”
Raphael’s eyes go wide. “What?”
“They’re at a tantric yoga retreat,” I repeat with a shrug. “At Prassana Light Oneness Studios – the best retreat center in the state.”
He looks like I just shoveled half a ton of new stress onto his shoulders. I can’t help but giggle at his expression. He really is a caring, protective man. But I’m a big girl. I can handle myself.
“They’re at a tantric yoga retreat?” he echoes with a growl.
“Yeah, my mom said something about ‘stoking the flame’, whatever that means.” I shudder all over at the thought.
“Well fuck, then,” he sighs roughly, “I can’t let you out of my sight. You’re coming on my business trip with me.”
This new information swirls around in my head but before I can respond, there’s a knock at the front door.
“Your new clothes are here,” he mutters. And he disappears out of the kitchen.
Chapter 10
Raphael
Evangeline sits across the aisle from me, staring blankly at the clouds as we pass them by. Her pretty eyes are dead, lifeless. She looks like she’s a million miles away. Her head shifts in my direction and she blinks at me, snapping back into the moment.
“What?” she asks quietly, so soft, so innocent. For once she looks her age. So new to the world and its cruel ways.
She’s watching me, waiting for my response. “You look lost…” I say.
Her gaze moves back to the pillowy clouds. “Lost…That’s a very accurate description of my life right now.” A heavy exhale bursts out of her mouth.
I want to reach out to her – hold her hand, pull her close – but her touch does way too much to me. The events of the last 24 hours have shown that I can’t remain neutral and level-headed when her skin is nestled against mine.
“I hope you aren’t still beating yourself up about that money you owe.” With my attention still on her, I reach distractedly for my tumbler of whiskey, swirling its contents and letting the ice clink softly against the sides. “I told you I’d take care of that Simon guy. You’ll have to lay low for a while, but I’ll make sure that he doesn’t hurt you.”
She tsks, rolling her eyes. “Great – you’ll take care of Simon. Unfortunately, my problems don’t end there…What the hell am I supposed to do with my life?” I don’t quite understand what she’s getting at. She seems to read that in my blank expression. “My modeling career is over. There’s no way to salvage that. It’s done…I’m 22 and I’m pretty much past my prime as far as the modeling industry is concerned. So what next? What do I do next?”
I try to reassure her. “You’ll figure it out. You’re young. You’re smart. You’re beautiful.”
She gives me a hard stare. “Y’see that’s the problem. In that industry, I’m old. Ancient. I’m done.” She closes her eyes briefly. “And I was never the smart one. My mother’s a college professor. My father’s the Chair of the entire Mathematics Department at Reyfield Community. My brother’s a lawyer. They’re the smart ones. So, ‘beautiful’ – that was supposed to be my thing. I was supposed to be the beautiful one. But I messed up even that. And now, I have nothing.”
Her eyelashes grow heavy but she doesn’t let those tears fall. My girl is strong. She’s tough. She’s got fight. But right now, she just doesn’t know what to fight for.
She is lost.
“Eva…” I say softly as I reach across the narrow aisle and tilt her chin so that she’s looking straight at me. I do my best to ignore the charge that skitters down my fingers and the way her plump lips part, expelling the softest whimper. “You can be whatever you want to be. The whole world is your playground.”
She looks away and laughs bitterly. “Easy for you to say. I bet you’ve never failed at anything, Raphael Silver."
I lean back in my seat and cross my ankles as a million unpleasant memories filter through my mind – the half-dozen innocent civilians who died because of that one fateful error I made as a young hot-head in the Marines, a venture that fizzled out because of a business partner with sticky fingers, a failed marriage that drained my pockets and crippled me emotionally. This life hasn’t been an easy ride.
"Of course I’ve had failure. Everyone fails sometimes. It's what you do with the failure that determines whether you're a winner or a loser."
I’m lucky that I had a support system to hold my head above water on each of those occasions. If it hadn’t been for Bob and Laurie Brooks I may not have come back from those defeats. They’re not perfect people – Bob fits every mathematician stereotype you could possibly dream up and Laurie tends to wear her libido on her sleeve which can be a bit unnerving – but they’ve scraped me up from the pits of hell a handful of times. That’s why I’m so loyal to them.
I’m just confused as to why they’re so hard on Eva. Why they’ve destroyed her trust to the point that she’d rather stand naked on an auction block in front of a room full of debauched strangers than ask for their help.
Evangeline is silent for a while, staring quietly into the distance, not really seeing anything, not even the things so clearly within her grasp. She may not realize it but she is smart, resourceful, strong. I just wish she would give herself a chance.
“People see me in magazines and they think that I have it together.” Her voice cracks but she keeps those tears in check. “But no one really sees me.”
Hearing her say these things is breaking me down. Hearing a beautiful, competent woman like her unsure of herself is demoralizing. Knowing that she doubts herself makes me want to be her backbone, prop her up until she’s strong enough to stand on her own two feet again with her head held high.
“I see you, Eva,” I lean forward and brush a tuft of golden hair from her eyes, “You just need someone to believe in you…I believe in you.”
I was too hard on her this morning. I pushed her away. But she’s fragile right now. She didn’t need my lecture. She’s been through the wringer and she just needs someone to hold the flashlight so that she can see all her perfect, glimmering pieces.
I wish I had been kinder to her.
Her eyes slowly connect with mine. I hold her gaze. And slowly, slowly, I see the clouds part. In those gorgeous blue-green irises, I see hope, determination and unspoken dreams. I feel like a miracle worker. Like I just brought her back to life.
My name falls from those soft lips. “Raph…”
The back of my neck tingles. When she calls me that, I’m putty in her hands. “Tell me what you want to do with your life, Eva.”
She hesitates. A shy uncertainty covers her features as she considers the subject.
I don’t want to pressure her. I trust that she’ll tell me when she’s ready. “It’s okay. Take your time…Just know that no m
atter what it is, I’ll help you.”
She nods wordlessly but I see the gratitude in her expression. Her gaze goes to my lips and stays there for a long moment. My mouth tingles because I know what she’s thinking. She wants me to kiss her again. I feel my body straining toward hers. My stomach goes taut. I want to feel her lips, too.
But right then, the captain’s voice comes from the cockpit, the staticy sound pouring in through the PA system. He lets us know that we’ve commenced our descent into the small, privately-owned island resort of Crystal Whale Island. He asks us to remain seated with our belts fastened until the plane is at our gate.
We’re silent during the landing, each lost in our own thoughts. I feel like such an asshole. This girl is obviously struggling with some real life decisions and all I can think about is pinning her to my mattress and touching her, licking her, fucking her until she comes.
Sex is the last thing that needs to happen between us. That would just further complicate her life (and mine). She needs time to find herself, to make that journey of self-discovery. Becoming entangled with a man nearly twice her age is definitely not a part of that journey.
When our airhostess unlatches the cabin door and the balmy tropical atmosphere blasts inside, Eva looks across at me and she grins. It’s pure unadulterated joy and excitement on her face.
I’m here for business, but maybe this little detour might be good for Eva’s quest to figure her life out. Maybe she’ll learn things about herself that will help her make wise life choices when she gets back home to Reyfield. That’s what I’m thinking as I follow her down the private jet’s narrow staircase, onto the asphalt.
Evangeline walks ahead of me, her luscious hips swinging with each step. A gusty breeze sweeps across the tarmac causing her floaty skirt to flutter up, exposing her gorgeous thighs.
I try to talk my cock out of his decision to grow as hard as a tree trunk at the first sight of her creamy skin. It’s no use, really. There’s no way to temper the way my body responds to her.
I’m in such deep shit…
But regardless of my body’s innate reactions to her, I have to be an adult and do the responsible thing – keep my cock to myself. But I know that she won’t make this easy.
Seeming to read my thoughts, she glances back at me over her shoulder. Her glossy blonde hair billows in the wind and she flashes me a smile that makes my steps falter. All signs of distress are gone from her face, leaving behind only that raw, effortless beauty.
Does she know what she does to me? Does she do this deliberately? Making my heart race like a damned teenager, making my palms sweat and my thoughts spin out of control. I pride myself on being a stone-cold businessman but this girl has my mind turning to mush.
My attention rips away from her backside when I hear a rich, deep voice calling my name in that distinct jovial Caribbean accent. “Mr. Silver!”
“Mr. Fenty!” I shove my inappropriate lust aside and pull on my game face.
It’s time to do business.
Chapter 11
Evangeline
We stride across the narrow runway carpet toward a well-dressed older couple standing on the tarmac. Well, they’re not actually older, I guess. They’re Raphael’s age from what I can see.
The man trots toward Raphael with an outstretched hand. “Welcome to Crystal Whale Island,” he says warmly as their hands clasp. The man’s chubby cheeks jiggle as the two men shake hands.
“Thank you for having us,” Raphael responds, his eyes scanning the scenery beyond Mr. Fenty’s shoulder.
This truly is paradise. The sky is the most perfect shade of blue and the warm breeze causes the towering coconut trees in the distance to sway left to right. Blue-green waves rush up to lick the shores just at the airport’s edge and the most vibrant flowers grow untamed all around.
“Welcome to my island.” Mr. Fenty’s pudgy arm sweeps through the air, gesturing at the lush expanse behind him. Then, he turns to his lady. “Silver, I don’t believe you’ve met my lovely wife, Elaine.”
The neatly-coiffed woman steps forward, her low slingback kitten heels clicking against the pavement as she shakes hands with Raphael. “I haven’t,” he says, “but it truly is a pleasure.”
“In deed,” she says in a melodic drawl. “My husband has had lots to say about you, Mr. Silver.”
Raphael laughs heartily. “Mostly good, I’m hoping?”
“Mostly…” she says playfully, tossing him a teasing wink although I can tell she’s only half-joking.
When their laughter dies down all eyes turn to me. Raphael’s hand settles on the small of my back and a powerful rush of energy surges in my belly. I suck in a sharp breath to balance out the jolt zinging through my body. “This is Evangeline Brooks. She’s my…”
I’m his what?
His property?
His hostage?
His sex slave?
His girlfriend?
Good god!
“…My guest,” he says finally.
Elaine’s perfectly manicured eyebrow inches up on her sepia forehead and she and her husband share a sidelong glimpse.
#Awkward
I feel a bead of sweat snaking its way down my spine and it’s not just the punishing sun that has my cheeks burning. But I’ve got this. I can handle this woman.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you both, Mr. and Mrs. Fenty,” I say charmingly as I shake the man’s hand. When I turn to his wife, she’s wearing a subtle frown. I guess that Raphael and my age difference is really bothering her. Still, I give her a wide smile as I take her hand. When my eyes fall to the intricate beaded cuff on her wrist, I know I’ve found our common ground. “That is one gorgeous bracelet,” I tell her.
She holds out her arm in front of her and admires the jewel. “Isn’t it?” she beams, “Debra, one of the girls who works at the resort, makes them as a hobby. She gave this to me for my birthday.”
“Oh, how lovely,” I say.
I feel Raphael’s hand on my shoulder, guiding me toward the terminal. He gives me a subtle nod as he and Mr. Fenty pick up their own conversation. My heart flutters at the tiny symbol of approval.
I turn back to the woman, genuinely curious about her bracelet. “Were all the shells collected here on the island?”
“Of course.” She smiles, running her fingertips over the trinkets.
“That’s amazing,” I muse as we walk toward the tiny gray concrete building. “I’m a bracelet fanatic. I collect them in every country I visit.”
She throws a sceptical glance at my wrist. “Oh really?”
I bob my head. “Guys collect baseball cards. I collect artisanal jewelry.” I give an impish smile. “I feel like every piece is unique. It tells a story about the place it came from. About the people and the culture and the land. It might be silly, but it’s fascinating to me.”
“Well, it’s a shame that you don’t actually wear the pieces you collect,” Elaine chuckles lightly.
I squint against the blinding sun. “I usually do. The wish bracelet I was wearing yesterday was from Brazil. Unfortunately, it broke off.”
With a lifted eyebrow, she smiles. “That’s good news then. Means that your wish came true,” she informs me.
“Really?”
She laughs musically at my befuddled expression and waves her comment away dismissively. “It’s all superstition, really. No hard facts to back it up. But it is believed that when your wish bracelet breaks off, your dream has come true even if you haven’t realized it yet.” She shrugs, looking off into the distance.
I nod in understanding and throw a subtle glance at Raphael. Now that I think about it, he was my wish come true. If he hadn’t been at that auction last night, I have no idea where I’d be right now.
But it would probably involve bondage. And lube. Lots of lube.
“Anyway, since you love jewelry, I’ll be sure to introduce you to Debra once we get you all settled in at the resort.”
“I’d love that.”
<
br /> Our strides halt as we arrive at the building and Raphael holds the door open, letting everyone step into the cool shade of the terminal.
“Dario, leave the young lady alone and come stamp some passports!” Mr. Fenty calls out to a rakish-looking man in a half-buttoned Havana shirt and tan slacks who is over by the window charming the daylights out of his blushing co-worker.
Dario turns his debonair smile on us, welcoming us to Crystal Whale Island and taking our travel documents. He makes small talk with us while he checks our travel documents and in less than two minutes, we’re heading out of the building where a pristine white off-road vehicle awaits us. That has got to be the most laid-back customs and immigration experience I’ve ever had. The FAA could take a few tips from the people of Crystal Whale.
Dirty Silver (The Dirty Suburbs Book 7) Page 6
