I WATCH ELLIE SHIMMY AWAY wearing nothing more than an R-rated bikini and a sorry excuse for a cover-up. It took everything I had to let her walk out of the bungalow like that without leaving handprints on her ass. I have to keep reminding myself our dynamic has changed. She is no longer my slave, and I am no longer her Master, which really fucking sucks sometimes. Like now. I have a feeling she is going to test me at every turn.
“You got laid.” Jett shifts his eyes to me.
“How could you possibly know that?” I respond flatly.
“Because, for the first time in almost twelve months, your energy isn’t hostile and Ellie is the perfect shade of post-coital peach.”
“You need to lay off the Zen. And yes, we had sex.”
“So you two are working things out?”
“Looks like it. She’s still here. Although she is hell-bent on making sure I understand she is independent and won’t take any shit from me.”
Jett grins, and then immediately frowns. “Is that bathing suit part of her independence?” he asks as Ellie disrobes, catching every single eye on the beach. Including ours.
“Yup.”
“You let her out in that?”
“She didn’t give me much of a choice. Tough little thing.” I smile to myself.
“That she is.”
The bartender serves us our drinks. Finally. Paradise service takes forever. It’s annoying.
“You read that text this morning?” I ask Jett as I take a sip of my drink. Looks like we were both wrong. No pink umbrellas, just red hibiscus garnishing our Mai Tais. Much more manly.
“Yup.”
“Were you able to get any more information?”
“Yeah. I figured you’d be busy, so I checked in.”
“And?”
“It was confirmed the Jackal landed in Honolulu this morning via private jet.”
“Do we know what he wants?” I ask softly, standing as casually as possible, watching Ellie dip her toes in the water.
“Negative. Could be nothing. Could be one of Javier’s most dangerous American allies’ just wants to listen to some authentic Hawaiian music and dine on kalua pig.”
“Right, with me doing the hula in a grass skirt,” I retort cynically, tracking Ellie’s every move.
“You have the abs for it.”
“Yeah, well, the only way he’s going to get close enough to see my abs is if I have him in a headlock.”
“No need for violence if it isn’t necessary.”
“Violence is always necessary,” I contest.
Jett snickers. We have always butted heads on this subject. He believes in avoiding a mess. I always take the bloody way out. I believe it leaves more of an impression.
“Juice has eyes on him. We’ll know soon enough if he’s up to something.”
“Good.” My pulse beats double time in my neck. “The last thing I want to do is upset Ellie with reminders of Javier.”
“Amen, brother.” Jett taps his cup against mine. “Um, Kayne, speaking of reminders, did you happen to tell Ellie about Sugar?”
“You haven’t called her that since Mansion.”
“I know, but it’s the only name Ellie knows her by,” Jett says as Sugar approaches Ellie on the beach. All we can do is watch the train wreck happen as we walk quickly down to the girls.
They speak briefly, like for a split second, before Ellie starts walking backward, then bumps into a lounge chair, and ends up falling flat on her ass.
“Ooo,” Jett and I both collectively respond.
“Oh! Are you okay?” we hear Sugar ask, reaching for her.
Ellie just nods stunned. She looks embarrassed, uneasy, and disoriented all at the same time.
“Ellie.” Jett slips his arms around Sugar’s—or I should say London’s—waist. That’s her real name. “I see you two are getting reacquainted.”
She glances silently between Jett, London, and me.
“You look confused, Ellie,” I comment offhandedly. It’s clear she’s been blindsided and doesn’t know how to react. I probably should have warned her about the two of them. But, to be honest, it was the last thing on my mind.
“I am.” She eyes me irately.
“London is here with me,” Jett clarifies. “We’re together.”
“Together?”
“Yeah, you know, like dating,” I chime in.
“I know dating.” Her answer is short.
“I figured. Mai Tai?” I shove a drink in her face.
“Just the one? I think I need all twelve.”
“YOU DIDN’T THINK TO WARN me that Jett was dating a ghost from our sordid past?” Ellie fumes, half a mile down the beach, away from where London and Jett can hear.
“Didn’t seem like such a big deal,” I shrug.
“Maybe to you.”
“Are you ashamed of what happened between the three of us?”
“No, yes, no . . . ugh.” Ellie turns red. “It’s just . . . Just.”
“Just?”
“I just didn’t think I was ever going to see her again,” she finally admits, frustrated.
“Well, she was excited to see you if that makes you feel any better.”
“I don’t know how that makes me feel.” She crosses her arms and looks up at me with just her gorgeous green eyes.
“It really isn’t a big deal.” I try to reassure her.
“To you, maybe.”
“Can you just give it a chance? I know the dynamic is different. It’s something we all have to get used to. But she’s a great girl, and Jett is head over heels, stupidly in love with her.” Sort of the exact same way I feel about you.
“Were they together when we were together?” she asks uncomfortably, plucking the string on her bikini bottom.
“I’m not sure, honestly. Something was going on, I think, but they didn’t hook up officially until after everything cooled down.”
Ellie frowns, wringing her fingers together. “Did you sleep with her?”
“Ah . . .” Oh, shit. I wasn’t expecting her to ask that.
“I’ll take that as a yes. Of course you did. She was one of your ‘girls.’” She makes air quotes.
“It’s not what you think.”
“Then please tell me what to think.”
Fuck, I wasn’t ready for this conversation so early in the day.
“Yes, I slept with her,” I admit. “A few times, but only when Jett wanted to share her.”
“Excuse me?” Her head tilts as she looks up at me puzzled.
“Jett and I had a threesome with London,” I speak slowly, clarifying my sentence.
“Oh.” Her eyes widen.
“Really, we’re all even if you think about it. Jett and I have been with London, and you and I have been with London, so it’s all good.” I try to rationalize.
“That’s not how I see it at all. If I sleep with Jett, then we’d be all good.” She counters with her own rationale. It ain’t flying.
“Over my fucking dead body. Jett may get off on sharing his women, but I don’t. Unless it’s with another woman.” I slip that in there.
Ellie folds her arms and smirks. “Yes, I remember how much you enjoyed seeing me with another woman.”
“If I recall, you enjoyed it, too.” I cautiously slide my arm around her waist.
“I did.” She embraces my subtle surrender, running her nails down my biceps, over my barbed-wire tattoo, giving me the chills.
“But you still could have warned me.”
“I’m sorry. Please forgive my oversight. Only one woman has been on my mind.”
“Oh, yeah? Who’s that?” she asks seductively, skimming the tip of her tongue up my neck.
“Like you don’t know.” I grab her ass and crush her body against mine. ”If you don’t quit that I’m going to have to drag you into the lagoon and tear that tiny bikini off you.”
She giggles, “No way, I’m still mad at you. You’ll have to suffer.” She sucks on my skin.
“Would it have really made that much a difference if you knew or not?” Her mouth feels so good I’m starting to unravel.
“Possibly. I could have avoided looking like a blindsided idiot.”
“It was cute.”
“It definitely wasn’t.”
“It definitely was. And what I say goes.”
“Mmm hmm. Keep thinking that.”
“I will.” I squeeze Ellie’s ass cheek and nearly lift her off the ground. She lets out a little half scream, and I can’t help but think that’s not the only way I’m going to make her scream. “Can we go try and make nice?” I set her down and take her hand. I need to walk off my waking arousal, and walk it off right now.
“I guess I don’t really have a choice,” she resigns.
Once back, Ellie and I snuggle up in the lounge chair next to Jett and London. Jett throws me a look as Ellie situates herself between my legs and lays back on my chest.
I return a head nod indicating things are all good, even though Ellie still feels a little tense. I rub her shoulders in an attempt to relax her, and after a few minutes, she inhales deeply and melts against me. I smile to myself, feeding off her energy. She’ll never understand the effect she has on me.
For the next hour, the four of us just lounge like fat cats, soaking up the sun and sucking down drinks.
I can’t remember the last time I sat around and did nothing, and actually enjoyed myself.
“Oh!” Ellie sits up as two people standing on surfboards float by. “Do you want to go paddleboarding? I learned how to do it in Hawaii. It’s fun!”
I curl my lip. “Fun? No engine, no pedal, no throttle. How much fun could it be?”
Ellie’s eyebrows shoot up. “Oh, well, excuse me, Mr. Adrenaline Junkie.” She pushes me playfully. “You can just watch me then.”
“It would be my pleasure,” I answer as she gets up haughtily, and walks down the beach to the man sitting under a straw umbrella signing out water sports equipment.
“How much fun could it be?” Jett punches me in the arm out of the blue.
“Hey! What the fuck was that for?” I rub my arm.
“You are an idiot,” he snaps.
“What? Why?”
“Do you know how much fun it could be?” he gets in my face. “I’ll show you how much fun it can be.”
I gape at him silently. “What’s got your nuts in a twist?”
“You, you moron.” With that, he takes off in the same direction as Ellie.
I glance over at London cluelessly. She just shrugs.
I watch as Jett and Ellie walk their boards out into the water, then quickly and effortlessly mount them by kneeling first then standing. Ellie impresses me by how comfortably she can move in that skimpy little bikini I plan on burning once we get back to the bungalow.
Jett and Ellie push off with their sticks, sending them gliding over the crystal-blue lagoon, both keeping pace with each other. I still don’t see how this is supposed to be fun. I want to yawn just watching them. I place my hands behind head, close my eyes, and relax. That’s when I hear Ellie scream. My heart nearly jumps out of my throat. I pop up to find Jett on Ellie’s surfboard. They’re play fighting, Jett attempting to push her off the board and then catching her just before she falls into the water. Ellie is laughing hysterically trying her damnedest to fend him off. I glare, my blood heating, as he puts his hands all over her mostly exposed body.
Okay, he’s made his point. Repeatedly. Especially over Ellie’s back, sides, and thighs.
“The man sure knows how to send a message,” London comments behind her large black sunglasses.
“That he fucking does,” I gripe just as he grabs her ass with both hands and presses her against him.
“Jett!” Ellie cries out laughing even harder wiggling in his arms.
That’s it. Jett may be my best friend and all, but he is crossing the line. My girl, my body, and only my hands touch it.
I toss my aviators down and storm off into the water, wading out to Jett and Ellie. She doesn’t see me coming because her back is turned, but Jett and I lock eyes. Just as I get a foot away, Jett pushes Ellie with some force, knocking her back right into my arms.
“Oh!” she startles when I catch her. “Where did you come from?” she asks laughing.
“I’m always around,” I tell her, tightening my grip.
“Good to know.”
“You’re having too much fun with Jett.” I hiss.
“Jett was the only one who wanted to have any fun.”
“That’s not true. We had fun this morning,” I whisper in her ear.
“Yes, we did.” Ellie’s cheeks burn bright pink.
Jett clears his throat. “My work here is done.” He jumps off the board and into the water.
“Work?” Ellie repeats.
“Ignore him, he has Tourette’s. Bogus shit just flies out of his mouth.”
“Keep telling yourself that, bro,” Jett digs.
“Get fucking lost.” I turn my full attention to Ellie.
“With pleasure, cranky pants,” Jett says as he swims off.
Ellie just looks at me with a strange expression.
“What?”
“I think that was the first conversation I’ve ever heard the two of you have.”
“And?”
“Enlightening.”
“Yeah, well, you almost lose your life with a person a few times, you come to appreciate them.”
“Oh? That’s how you talk to someone you appreciate? And how many times have you almost lost your life?” she says, sidetracked.
“A few.” I press my forehead against hers. “That’s all you need to know. I’m here, and that’s what’s important.”
“Yes, it is.” She kisses me softly on the lips.
I return the kiss, adding a little more pressure before I pull away.
“I’m sorry,” I apologize earnestly.
“For what?”
“Blowing you off.”
“You didn’t blow me off.”
“I should have come paddleboarding with you.”
“Why? I don’t expect us to like all the same things. That’s unrealistic.”
“Are you a realist, Ellie?” I tease her.
“No, I just have common sense.”
“Glad one of us does.”
“You admit to your flaws?” she jests.
“My honesty is all I have left.”
“Says the black operative.”
“You got me there.” I curl her in my arms.
“Kayne?”
“Yeah?”
“Did Jett make you jealous?”
“Baby, when it comes to you, everyone makes me jealous.”
“You don’t have anything to worry about with Jett. We’re just friends.”
“Yes,” I reflect. “I know all about Jett and his friends.”
I place Ellie on the board. “Enough talk about Jett. Show me.” I climb on after her. She smiles brightly. Happily. It makes my chest hurt. All I’ve wanted was to see that expression, and I’m such an idiot I didn’t realize it’d take something as simple as paddleboarding to put it there.
Once we stand, she positions the stick in the water steadying herself. I firmly place both my hands on her abdomen, pressing her back against my front. “Let’s see your skills, beach bunny.”