CHAPTER 26
For the space of a moment, Ren’s gaze locked with Lucas’s. She went still against Cole and her heart leapt into her throat. Then Lucas looked past her. No acknowledgment. She could have been a stranger on the street.
He walked by. She turned but he didn’t look back. Coldness crept through her body until she was numb with it. She let herself slide from Cole’s back and would have ended up on her knees on the hard, cracked pavement of the parking lot if Cole hadn’t caught her.
“Come, Ren,” Cole said, his voice quiet and soothing in her ear. But firm. She didn’t even think of disobeying as he gently helped her to her feet and guided her toward his car.
She looked back again, though she hated the weakness that made her do it. Lucas had disappeared into the restaurant. What was he doing here? They’d never come here together. She’d never been here even once until today when Cole had brought her for lunch.
How could he look through her like she was nothing?
She hastily wiped her burning eyes, determined that she wouldn’t let Cole see what her encounter—or non-encounter—with Lucas had done to her. Then she nearly laughed because there was no hiding her devastation.
“How could he?” she choked out as Cole closed his door, sealing them into the interior of his car. “Oh God, Cole, how could he just walk by me like that?”
Cole had no answer. He merely started the engine and backed out of his space before roaring out of the lot. The drive home was silent and tense. Cole stared straight ahead, his jaw tight. He looked …angry. At her?
Her reaction had not only been undisciplined and disloyal—to Cole—but it had also been a slap in his face. She couldn’t blame him if he wanted nothing more to do with her.
She turned to stare out the window as she felt the betraying slide of tears down her cheeks. Even as she wiped them with her palm, more dampness replaced what she took away.
She hated herself for caring. She had Cole. Cole who adored her. Cole who would do anything to make her happy. And yet she’d allowed Lucas to hurt her and in doing so, she’d betrayed her agreement with Cole.
Caught between two men. Belonging to both and yet to neither. It was the most horrible place she could ever imagine.
When they arrived back at Cole’s house, she opened her door as soon as the car stopped and fled toward the house. She couldn’t bear to face Cole. Couldn’t bear the disappointment in his eyes—or the anger.
At first she wasn’t sure where she should go. She had no real identity in this big house, as roomy and as comfortable as it was. It was Cole’s home. Not hers. But her belongings were in Cole’s bedroom. In his closet.
She hurried up the stairs and burst into his bedroom, her misery growing with each passing second. She was almost to the closet when she realized that nothing here was hers.
She backed to the bed and sank onto the edge. Her head went down and she closed her eyes. Cole had bought everything she wore. He’d refused the things that Lucas had purchased for her. Hadn’t wanted another man providing for her during his time of ownership.
All that was hers was her writing and art supplies.
She wrapped her arms around herself and hugged, trying to ward off the bone-deep chill. It shouldn’t matter. She kept telling herself it shouldn’t. But it did and no amount of lying to herself would change that fact.
She loved Lucas. She loved Cole.
She tensed when she heard Cole enter the room. She kept her eyes tightly shut and her head bowed because she couldn’t face his judgment.
Silence descended. So heavy and weighted that it felt oppressive. And then.
“Look at me, goddamn it.”
Her head snapped up and she met the full fury of his gaze. Oh God, she couldn’t do this. She couldn’t.
“Don’t you dare look away from me,” he said when she started to lower her head again.
His eyes blazed. A fiery blue that sent a shockwave through her numbness.
“I’ve been too soft. Lucas was right. That’s not what you need. No coddling. On your knees, Ren. Don’t make me tell you twice.”
She scrambled off the bed, bewildered and clumsy as she went to her knees on the carpet at the foot of his bed.
“Who owns you?” he snapped.
“You,” she uttered softly.
“I can’t hear you.”
“You,” she said louder.
“Who protects you?”
“You.”
“Who takes care of you?”
“You.”
“Who loves you, Ren?”
Her mouth opened but nothing came out. Her eyes swam with those damn tears again and a sob knotted in her throat.
“Look at me,” he barked.
Slowly she raised her tearful gaze back to him but what she saw shocked her. There was no anger. Not at her. His eyes burned bright with …love. And understanding.
His lips were drawn into a thin, determined line. It amazed her that he could be so furious and yet look at her with such tenderness.
“Did you honest to God think I’d be angry with you for being human?” he asked hoarsely. “That I’d punish you because that son of a bitch hurt you? Goddamn it, Ren. What must you think of me?”
She had no response. What could she say? Her hands shook. Her entire body trembled.
Slowly he went to his knees in front of her, until they were eye level. Then he simply opened his arms and she launched herself forward, wrapping herself around him as tightly as she could.
For several long minutes he stroked her hair and simply held her while she sobbed into his neck. She hated doing this. Hated that she was breaking apart in front of Cole. But she also realized there wasn’t another man—apart from Lucas—that she’d ever trusted enough to be this vulnerable in front of.
Exhausted by the spent energy and emotion, she lay limply against Cole until finally he pulled her gently away. He stroked his finger down one damp cheek. And then he asked her again in a low, husky voice.
“Who loves you, Ren?”
“You,” she whispered.
Satisfaction glinted in his eyes. Then he rose, pulling her with him. The authority was back in his demeanor and expression. He gave her a look that brooked no argument.
“Pack a bag for several days. Make sure you have swimwear and suitable clothing for much warmer weather. If there’s anything you’re missing, let me know and I’ll send out for it.”
Her brow furrowed. “Where are we going?”
He lifted one eyebrow at her daring and she was reminded once again that Cole was never a man to cross. Ever.
“Do as I said. Provide me a list of anything you need within the hour. I’ll be very displeased if we get to our destination and you don’t have adequate clothing.”
She nodded, though her knees still shook and her legs were weak enough that she worried about being able to walk the distance to the closet.
He turned and walked crisply away, leaving her alone in the vast emptiness of his huge bedroom.
CHAPTER 27
Ren arched her face into the bright sunshine as they disembarked the small jet. Salt air danced through her nostrils and in the distance she could see the emerald splash of the Caribbean.
Cole motioned to one of the stewards who immediately piled their luggage on a cart. Cole then slid an arm around Ren’s waist and ushered her toward a waiting car.
He hadn’t said a word about his plans. Ren had obediently given him a list of things she’d need for swimming and a warmer climate and he’d arranged for everything she could possibly need to be delivered within a few hours.
Then he’d spirited her to the airport where Damon’s jet awaited and they’d flown here to an island. What island she had no idea. A tingle of excitement jittered over her body as the car pulled away and the ocean view got bigger through the windshield.
“Where are we staying?” she asked, unable to keep the excitement from her voice.
Cole’s smile was indulgent. He absently rubbed his fingers up and down her upper arm as she leaned into the curve of his arm.
“You’ll see.”
She wanted to huff but that would only earn her one of his looks. And the promise of retribution later. It was obvious he wanted to surprise her and she was determined not to ruin it by being a brat.
She settled back into the seat and snuggled deeper into his side. His arm tightened around her and his lips brushed across her hair.
“If we had more time, I’d pull you onto my lap and fuck you right here in the backseat,” he murmured.
Her mouth went dry and then she leaned back and stared accusingly at him.
“You did that on purpose.”
He grinned. “Maybe.”
She sighed. “You’re an evil, evil man. Would serve you right if I fucked your brains out right here and now.”
He snorted. “Is that a threat? Am I supposed to be contrite and promise to be a good boy now? Because it’s so not happening if that’s my punishment.”
She stared darkly at him. She opened her mouth to retort when the car slowed and she faltered. Cole pulled her against him to steady her and she turned to look out the window.
They were at a marina. The smell of fish was strong as was the salty air. Boats dotted the water, some small and some really huge.
Cole got out and then reached back for her hand. She clambered out and stared at the array of vessels and the expanse of jewel-toned water that spread out as far as the eye could see.
The driver began unpacking the luggage from the trunk and Cole motioned her toward the pier that jutted over the water. At the very end, a large yacht was stationed with the steps lowered to the wooden walkway. Cole stepped aside and gestured for Ren to board.
“I’ll be right behind you. Watch your step,” he cautioned.
At the top, a man about Cole’s age dressed in white shorts, a polo shirt and wearing what looked like a captain’s hat appeared and offered Ren his hand as she got closer.
“Welcome aboard,” he said in slightly accented English.
She stepped over the side and Cole followed. He shook the captain’s hand.
“You must be Cole Madison. I’m Captain Mike. I’ll be at your service for the next several days.”
Ren stared agape at the deck. Toward the back there was a large hot tub, several lounge chairs and a couch, mini bar, grill and a Ping-Pong table.
“I plan to kick your ass later,” Cole said, following her gaze to the table.
“Ping-Pong?” she asked with a laugh.
“Yeah, and if you hit the balls overboard, you have to go in after them.”
She laughed harder and followed him to the doorway leading to the interior. They were shown into a luxurious bedroom and a moment later, their luggage was brought in.
“If you’d like to change into something more appropriate …say a bikini, the captain has said we’ll leave dock in just a few minutes.”
“A bikini, huh.”
He grinned. “Absolutely. The fewer clothes you wear for the next several days, the happier I’ll be.”
“How did you arrange this?” she asked, looking around, still stunned by the sheer opulence of the yacht. Cole was a wealthy man, yes, but this wealthy?
“Connections,” he said smugly. “It always pays to have friends in high places.”
She went into his arms and hugged him tightly. “Thank you. I’m so excited I can’t see straight.”
He returned her hug and held on to her for a long moment.
“We’re going to anchor off a small private island. You can swim right off the boat or we can boat into shore and laze on the beach or we can sunbathe right here on deck. Whatever your whim is, I’m here to fulfill it.”
She pulled away and shook her head. “Sometimes I tell myself you can’t possibly be real.”
“Bet you won’t say that with my dick inside you later,” he said in a silky voice.
She shivered and goose bumps prickled across her arms.
He smiled and then leaned in to kiss her. “Get changed. Meet me topside.”
When Ren stepped back onto the deck, she didn’t see Cole anywhere. Assuming he was with the captain, she walked gingerly across the deck but quickly realized she wasn’t going to take a tumble.
Gaining more confidence she went to the rail, gripping it tightly as she stared over the ocean. It was like looking over a lake on a calm day. The only ripples were caused by the yacht as it plowed through the water. And it was so brilliantly blue that it hurt her eyes to look at it.
After a moment, she relaxed and rested her forearms on the side so she could lean forward. The breeze whipped at her hair and she vaguely thought she should have put it up.
A few days on the water with nothing more pressing to do than soak up the sun? Heaven.
A firm hand slid over her bare ass and remained there, caressing boldly. “Oh I like,” Cole murmured as he fingered the string of her thong. “So easily accessible. The question I ponder is whether I should take your pussy or your ass. This position is ideal for either.”
Shock thrilled through her veins and she started to rise but Cole’s hand pressed down on the small of her back.
