by Susanna Carr
She surrendered to the knowledge that she would always be his.
* * *
Sebastian woke up to the sound of his cell phone. He reached for the bedside table, his hands fumbling, but he couldn’t find it. Blinking his eyes open, he immediately noticed two things: it was daylight and Ashley wasn’t curled against him.
The silence in the hotel suite indicated that he was alone. Ashley was probably sulking. Angry that he’d proved his claim on her once and for all. He rolled out of bed and stalked naked to where he had shed his clothes the night before. He grabbed his cell phone from the pile of clothes and saw that his assistant was calling him.
“What is it?” he asked abruptly.
“I just found out that Ashley left Jamaica.”
He hunched his shoulders as the news slammed against him. He’d made his claim and it had scared her off. She’d waited until he’d fallen asleep before she’d sneaked out of his bed. “How?” His voice was raspy and low.
“I heard a rumor,” his assistant said nervously. “I don’t have verification at the moment.”
Sebastian closed his eyes as he got a bad feeling. He knew Ashley was angry with him, but she wouldn’t betray him. Not like this. “Where is she?”
“With Oscar Salazar,” his assistant whispered. “She’s on his private plane back to Miami.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
THE SUN STREAKED across the morning sky as Ashley saw a glimpse of Inez Key. The wind was cold and all she wore was a T-shirt, jeans and boat shoes. She didn’t care. Her bottom lip quivered and the emotions crashed through her. She was home.
Home. She studied the antebellum mansion as she considered the word. It didn’t feel like home anymore. Was it because it was time for her to move on or because she knew Sebastian owned it?
She knew she didn’t belong here. Not because she was trespassing, and not because she’d ruined any chance of staying on as caretaker. There was no way Sebastian would allow her back now that she’d broken her promise.
But she didn’t use Inez Key as just a home. It had been her hideaway. She had stayed here after her parents’ murder-suicide because it was a safe place. She could evade prying eyes and evade living life.
Ashley knew she had been a lot like her mother and that scared her. She had an all-or-nothing attitude like Linda Valdez. Passionate about her causes, extremely loyal to her friends, and a hot temper that took years for her to control. Ashley knew how to hold on to a grudge and her friend’s enemies were her enemies. It was only a matter of time before she followed in her mother’s footsteps. To love completely and unwisely. To destroy and self-destruct.
Ashley thought she had escaped from that future when she hid away on Inez Key. It was paradise and yet solitary confinement. Her wild temper disappeared and her passions quieted. She was still fiercely loyal, but she wasn’t consumed by love. She thought she’d broken the cycle and become the woman she wanted to be. But one night with Sebastian and Ashley realized she had only been fooling herself.
Ashley closed her eyes as the bleakness swirled inside her. She didn’t want to think about that. Not now. First, she needed to step onto the beach and let the sand trickle between her toes. Then she needed to lie down and let the quiet wash over her. She would watch the view of the Atlantic Ocean and find the familiar landmarks. It could take hours before she felt whole and strong again. Days. But it would happen and then she would figure out what to do next.
Ashley struggled with exhaustion as she stepped out of the water taxi and paid the captain. It took effort to smile and give her thanks. She walked along the wooden dock, but she didn’t feel like her old self. Everything felt new and different. She was different and she would never recapture the old Ashley Jones again.
She heard the boat speed away, but she didn’t look back. The changes on the island had her attention. She noticed the repairs on the house and the fresh coat of paint. The wild vegetation was tamed. Inez Key was slowly returning to its former glory.
Unlike her. She was breaking down. Breaking apart. Even though she was finally back on Inez Key, she had to keep it together. She sensed that this island could no longer contain her.
Ashley walked to the front door of the main house and tried to open it. To her surprise, it was locked. She frowned and jiggled the doorknob. That was odd. Inez Key was a quiet and safe place with just a few homes and buildings. No one locked their doors. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d used the key or where she had left it.
“Ashley, is that you?” Clea asked as she walked from around the house. She gave a squeal and ran to Ashley, welcoming her with a big hug. “What are you doing back?”
“I was going to get my things and leave,” Ashley said as she gestured to the door. “But the main house is locked.”
“I know, isn’t that strange? Who locks their doors?” Clea asked. She planted her fists on her hips and shook her head. “I haven’t been in there since they started renovating.”
“A lot has changed.” She gave a nod at the tropical flowers and plants near the white columns. At first glance the landscaping looked natural, but she knew it had been meticulously planned. How did Sebastian manage all of the changes when the island had only recently been in possession? “I wasn’t gone that long.”
“The new owners have been busy,” Clea said as she guided Ashley away from the front door. “And there are a lot of new security features. It won’t be long before the guards find you.”
“They haven’t torn anything down,” Ashley murmured as she gave the main house one last look.
“It’s more like adding and updating,” Clea said. “I’m glad to see they have respect for the history of the island, but I think the way of life on Inez Key won’t be the same.”
The gentle rhythm of the island life would change if there were bodyguards and security features. “Have you heard from the new owners?”
“We received letters from Cruz Conglomerate,” the housekeeper said as they walked along a dusty path. “I thought it was going to be an eviction letter like yours, but they promised nothing has changed for us.”
At least Sebastian didn’t break that promise. She had suspected it was a threat to keep her in line, but she couldn’t be sure. “What else did the letter say? Anything about turning the island into a resort or a hotel?” Or worse, razing it and destroying it inch by inch. Ashley shuddered at the thought.
She didn’t think Sebastian would do that, but she obviously couldn’t predict his every move. She suspected he wanted Inez Key for an exclusive getaway. He had undoubtedly posed as a paying guest to see if buying the island was worth his time.
And after spending a few weeks with the man, she noticed his interests focused on travel and leisure. She had stayed at some extraordinary hotels and exclusive resorts. All of them were part of his global business. Her home was definitely going to be part of that. The crowning jewel of his empire.
“No, I haven’t heard what they plan to do with Inez Key,” Clea said without a hint of concern. “We’re expecting to see the new owner next month after the renovations are complete.”
“You’ve already met the new owner,” Ashley said bitterly. She hated how her voice caught in her throat. “You know him as Sebastian Esteban.”
Clea halted and stared at Ashley. “That man took your island from you? The man you fell in love with?”
She shifted her lower jaw as she fought back the spurt of anger. “I did not fall in love with Sebastian Cruz.”
“Honey, I saw how you were with him,” Clea argued with a knowing smile. “You were in full bloom every time he looked at you.”
Ashley closed her eyes as her skin heated. She couldn’t be in love with Sebastian. She had more pride than that! The man had kicked her out of her home, made her his mistress and ruined her life.
But she couldn’
t hide from the truth anymore. She had been enthralled by Sebastian Cruz. It was more than the sizzling sexual hunger. Ashley didn’t want to admire his hard-earned accomplishments or value his opinions. She tried not to help him or smile at his humor. She hid the longing for Sebastian’s company and the way her heart leaped every time he entered the room.
None of it worked. No matter how hard she had tried, she had fallen for a man who had no respect for her. He only wanted her for sex.
It was official. She had inherited the same self-destructive tendencies as her mother.
“I’ll get over it,” Ashley muttered.
Clea patted Ashley’s arm. “What are you going to do to get the island back?”
The question caught her by surprise. She had given up that plan weeks ago. “Nothing. I’ve done everything in my power.” And discovered she was no match for Sebastian. “The most I could get out of Sebastian was the caretaker position, but I managed to mess that up.”
“Caretaker? The owner of the island becoming a hired hand? I don’t think so! Just as well you didn’t get that job,” Clea said with the cluck of her tongue. “You’ll think of something. In the meantime, stay with Louis and me. Just for a couple of days.”
The offer was tempting but Ashley hesitated. “I don’t want to get you in trouble. He made it very clear I had to have his permission to stay on Inez Key. If he knew I was staying with you...”
Clea curled her arm around Ashley’s. “Don’t worry about him,” she said in a conspiring tone. “He’ll never know you were here.”
* * *
Where was she? Icy anger swirled inside Sebastian as he strode across the beach on Inez Key the next evening. He curled his shoulders as the cold ocean breeze pulled at his jeans and hoodie. He didn’t notice the colorful birds flitting from one flower to the next. The sound of rolling waves faded in the background. There was only one thing on his mind: finding Ashley.
He couldn’t believe she would have pulled a stunt like that. It was bad enough she had left his bed in the middle of the night, but to escape with Salazar? His anger flared white-hot. She was going to pay for that.
Didn’t she know that he would follow her? Or was that the plan all along? Was Ashley determined to prove her sexual power? Her hold on him had been obvious on their last night in Jamaica.
He had chased her back to Miami and invaded Salazar’s kingdom only to discover she wasn’t there. Salazar had had great fun at his expense. Sebastian’s anger had been a slow burn until the other man made one too many innuendos. The guy was no longer laughing and Sebastian hoped he’d left a scar. It would be a daily reminder to Salazar not to come near his woman.
Sebastian hated the fact that he had been compelled to chase Ashley. She made this decision. She chose to give up her last chance to stay on this island.
But he couldn’t turn back now. When he first heard she’d left, he had been numb. It took a split second for the fury to crack through his frozen shell and drive him into action. The need to follow had been instinctive and strong. He seized upon it, not caring what his colleagues thought.
He had no strategy. He wasn’t looking ahead. That wasn’t how he operated, but Sebastian was working on pure rage. His anger had festered as he spent hours searching for her in Miami.
Sebastian let the anger swell inside him, ready to burst through his skin. Ashley Jones was a spoiled princess and he was going to teach her a lesson.
But where was she?
She had to be here. Sebastian ignored the panic squeezing his chest. If she wasn’t in Inez Key, he had no idea where she would be.
Sebastian stopped and looked around. The island was quiet and sleepy, but it did nothing to cool his temper. He heard the rustle of palm trees and the incessant chirping of birds. Inez Key looked idyllic, but that was an illusion. Who knew such a small piece of land would cause him so much grief?
He looked over his shoulder and glared at the black roof of the main house. It may have been a dream home for some, but an image of the antebellum mansion had been in his nightmares since his childhood. He didn’t see the gracious beauty but instead the cold emptiness. It was better suited as a museum than a family home. If he could, he would burn it down.
He would destroy the whole island if he had the chance, Sebastian thought grimly. He wanted to erase this particular ocean view. Get rid of the briny scent that still triggered bad memories. Wipe away the sunset that had been the backdrop of the night he had lost his innocent childhood.
No, he would keep the sunsets, Sebastian decided as he glanced at the cloudless sky. For the past month he had associated Ashley with sunsets. The orange-and-pink streaks were no longer ominous but instead held promise. He remembered every detail of the night Ashley had sat next to him on the veranda as they had watched the sun set.
Her warmth and soft femininity had cast a spell on him. He’d had trouble following their desultory conversation; Sebastian knew Ashley had been nervous that evening. It was as if she had known they would wind up in bed together. He had felt as if he could hear her heart pound against her ribs as a flush had crept into her cheeks.
Excitement had coiled around his chest when the stars blanketed the night sky. The thick and heavy air between them had crackled. She had teased his senses and a dangerous thrill had zipped through his veins.
Wild sensations had sparked inside him, pressing just under his skin when he had kissed her. That moment had been magical. Sebastian had meant to gently explore her lips, but the passion between them had exploded into something hot and urgent.
He’d keep the sunset, Sebastian decided. And the island, too. It was, after all, where he had first met Ashley. He didn’t want to erase those moments he had shared with her, so the house must stay as well. It wouldn’t be that great a hardship. Since he had stayed in the mansion with Ashley, Inez Key no longer had power over him.
He walked swiftly along the beach, following a bend that led to a cove. Sebastian paused and looked around, wondering where Ashley would hide. It would be somewhere that made her feel safe and protected. That could be anywhere on this small island. He had heard so many stories about Inez Key. As a kid who was raised on the dangerous streets, he had thought they were fairy tales.
His heart clenched when he saw Ashley curled in a tight ball next to a large piece of driftwood. Her damp jeans were caked with sand and she was almost dwarfed in her sweatshirt. Her hair was pulled up into a messy ponytail, but what he noticed the most was her tear-streaked face.
The anger slowly weakened as he stared at her. Ashley was suffering and he was to blame. When he first started this journey, he wanted to take away her safe little world. He got what he wanted and now he felt like a monster.
Sebastian had to fix this and get Ashley back. He needed her. Somehow he had been aware of it from the moment they met. He always knew this woman would be his redemption and his downfall. She would tame him and at the same time drive him wild.
He knew the moment Ashley saw him. Her body went rigid and she jumped up. Even from a distance, he could see Ashley was considering her options to pounce or make a run for it.
She wouldn’t get far, he decided. He was ready to chase her, the thrill of the hunt in his blood. Ashley must have known that hiding was futile. Her shoulders sagged in defeat but she held her ground.
“What are you doing here?” she asked as she looked around the cove. “I didn’t hear your speedboat.”
“Which is why I took a different boat,” he said as he walked toward her. He had known the only way he would find her was using the element of surprise. “Don’t worry. I dismissed the security, so you don’t have to hide.”
Her eyes narrowed with suspicion and that annoyed him. Did she really think he’d lie about that? About everything? Did she think he lied with such fluency that he was incapable of speaking the truth?
“
How’d you know I would be here?” she asked. “Did your security guards call you?”
“No, you managed to get past them. But then, you know all of the hiding places. It had been a lucky guess,” he said as he stood in front of her. He wanted to grab her arms and shake her for making him worry. For making him chase her from country to country. And yet, he wanted to hold her close and not let her go.
“And it just happened to be your first guess?” Ashley clenched her jaw. “Am I that predictable?”
“It wasn’t my first guess. I hunted down Salazar.” He shoved his fists in the pockets of his hoodie. “He enjoyed that.”
If he had hoped Ashley would show a hint of discomfort or remorse, he would have been greatly disappointed. “Good,” she taunted. “Why should I be the only one embarrassed?”
“I’m very territorial and you know that,” His low voice held an edge. “That’s why you went off with him. It was a bad move.”
“Is that what you think?” She raised her eyebrows with disbelief. “I don’t base every decision on you. I had to get out of there and I took the first flight I could find. Salazar offered. Normally I would keep my distance from someone like him, but I was desperate.”
“How desperate?” Sebastian asked. Ashley wasn’t the kind of woman who would sleep with any interested man, but he knew how she responded when she was desperate and cornered. “How did you repay him for the favor?”
“What are you suggesting?” she snapped. “Do you think that I would sleep with him? Of course you do. After all, I’m sleeping with you for a chance to stay on this island.”
“I don’t think you had sex with Salazar,” Sebastian said. Ashley was wild and sexy with him and only him. He had seen how she recoiled from Salazar’s touch. She may have played on Salazar’s twisted desires to get a ride home, but Ashley wouldn’t touch another man. “I do, however, believe you went with him to hurt me.”
