Fifth a Fury

The Indo dessert typically had sweet potato balls, but I preferred the chewy texture of rice and tapioca. I didn’t really have a sweet tooth, but my main chef and his team of kitchen wizards had put together every delicacy that I favoured.

Three huge trays had arrived, groaning under the weight of coconut crisped kale, lentil patties with mint chutney, satay jackfruit tacos, pumpkin and pine nut paella, chipotle charred cauliflower, spaghetti squash with spicy guacamole, and a huge bowl of tropical fruit salad that I had a tendency of ordering when working late.

Tasting each element was a shock to my system. The salt was intense, the cumin and coriander spices pungent on my tongue. After having nothing, my taste buds clung to each morsel and dissected it until each mouthful made me moan with utmost pleasure.

“I’ll hold you to that, Jinx,” I growled. “I’m going to be inside you within a week, see if I don’t.”

My cell phone rang on the sideboard across the room, making Pika squawk and fly over to peck at the vibrating screen.

“Promises, promises.” Eleanor placed the spoon back into the bowl and elegantly unwound her legs to slip off the bed. “If you keep staring at me like that, it might be me pouncing on you.”

Skittles fluttered after her, the absolute love on the little caique’s face in-tune with my own besotted attachment and desperate desire for Jinx.

Christ, I loved her.

The feeling only seemed to increase until it wrapped tight fingers around my heart and stabbed me with nails of loss.

What would I do if I ever lost her?

I wouldn’t fucking survive.

My hands curled involuntarily, stopping my blackening thoughts and dropping my stare from the girl I adored to the clenched fingers beside me.

More progress.

I tried to raise my arms as Eleanor accepted the call with her back to me. “Hi, Cal. Everything okay?”

Pika darted to the pencil in Eleanor’s hair, biting the implement until it dropped from her strands and bounced to the floor. Her hair instantly cascaded down her shoulders, and she grinned at Pika as he flew back toward me, perching on my sheet-covered toes with a cheeky look in his black eyes. He’d done that deliberately. Almost as if he knew how much I loved Jinx’s hair. How I envied him for playing with it. A direct taunt from a goddamn parrot.

“You’re a bastard,” I muttered. “But a lovable one.”

Pika chirped, puffing out his little white chest. “Lazy.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m working on it.”

He cocked his head as if judging why I hadn’t gotten out of bed yet. I looked past him to Eleanor as she padded barefoot toward me and tapped a button on the phone screen.

Instantly, Cal’s voice spilled into the villa. “You busy? I figured you’d want the good news. You were right to donate those funds in Sinclair’s name to Naked Charms. They began a campaign with the money to shut down animal testing on their biggest competitor in the cosmetic industry. It’s just been announced that all its lab mice, guinea pigs, and a handful of rabbits are being freed today. I’ve already arranged shipment for them to come to Serigala phase two.”

I frowned at Eleanor. What the hell was she doing donating stuff in my name? What the fuck was Naked Charms?

“Oh, that’s great news.” She winked at me, totally aware of my silent questions but studiously ignoring me. “Thanks.”

“Guess you’ll have to tell Sinclair what you’ve been up to when he wakes. If you survive his tirade, remind me to shout you a drink. You have balls, girl. Wait till he sees the spreadsheet of where his latest outgoings have gone.”

Eleanor ran her hand through her hair, keeping my stare but looking less sure. “Eh, well...I actually have something to tell you about that.”

“Oh, yeah? Bastard didn’t die, did he?”

“Bastard is well and truly alive and contemplating revoking your access to his funds,” I barked. “What the hell have you been doing?”

“Sullivan?” Calvin’s shock bled through the phone. “Holy shit, you’re awake.”

“It’s official. You’re fired. Stupid statements like that aren’t tolerated.” I chewed a laugh.

“If I had any doubts that you’d suffered personality changes after lying on your ass for six weeks, you’ve just put my mind at rest,” Cal snickered. “Still the same ole cunt as before.”

“Glad I could do something right and ease your troubled mind, seeing as I’ve been made redundant from my own company.” I couldn’t hold back my chuckle this time, unclenching my fist and managing to raise my arm just enough to beckon Eleanor to come closer. “Miss me or having too much fun being me?”

“Fuck yes, we missed you. We all did.”

“Hi, Sullivan. I’m so glad you joined us again.” Jess’s sweet tone cut through the masculine ribbing between Cal and me.

All ability to joke evaporated. “Jess...” I swallowed hard as Eleanor sat beside me, placing the phone on my chest and leaving the speaker option on. “I wanted to say this in person, but I can’t wait.”

“Oh, what’s wrong?”

Looking at Eleanor, I whispered, “Did you tell her?”

“Tell her what?” she asked too quiet for the phone to relay.

“About the money that I asked the lawyers to deliver in the case of my death—”

“No.” She shook her head. “Cal knows. I left it up to him to tell her...if you passed.”

“Good.” Clearing my throat, I raised my voice so Jess could hear. “I owe you a huge debt, Jessica. What you did with Drake, I’ll never be able to repay. You protected Eleanor when I couldn’t. You protected me, knowing I wouldn’t cope seeing him hurt her. You put your own life and happiness on the line for me...a man who never deserved such loyalty.”

Something rustled down the line before Jess said quietly, “It’s fine. You don’t need to thank me.”

“I do. I also need to say you’re free. You’re free to go home, travel, do whatever the hell you want. You’re no longer trapped here. Our contract is null and void.” I cleared my throat, doing my best to swallow around all the things I’d done wrong against this woman. “I know money can’t erase what I did to you, nor delete the guests you had to entertain, but I’d be honoured if you’d accept four million dollars as my attempt at apology.”

“Four?” Eleanor’s eyebrows rose, her lips curling into a smile. “Getting generous in your old age.”

I smirked and carried on. “I owe you everything, Jess. Along with the money, I also vow to deliver whatever you ask of me. You can ask today or a decade from now, and whatever you request, you shall have it.”

Silence fell. Cal’s cough sounded in the background before Jess said softly, “I appreciate your generosity, Sullivan. And I mean it when I say you don’t have to give me money. What I did with Drake was out of friendship, but I will accept the funds, if it makes things even between us.” A slight pause before she added, “I do have one request, if I may?”

“It’s yours. What do you want?”

“Can I stay? Can I stay on this island with you and Jinx and...Cal?”