“It’s abhorrent to lust after your son’s partner.” My nose wrinkled. “What sort of father does that make you?

“A bad one.” He flinched. “I’m aware it’s a disgusting confession. But you have to understand, my son met his girlfriend on the two-year anniversary of my wife’s death. When he brought her around, I almost fell to my knees thinking my Jody had been reincarnated in her. Watching them fall in love, seeing how much they cared for each other, being forced to realise that I would never have that with my wife again…it…” He sighed again. “It scrambled me a little. I witnessed them falling in love and went along for the ride. I fell for my daughter-in-law, not because I loved her exactly, but because I loved what she would give my son. What a relationship meant. How damn lucky they were to have each other. How much I missed that bond.”

Ever so slowly, I extracted my hand from his control. “Look, I’m sorry you’re hurting, but you can find another to love. Losing someone to death is tragic, but you need to allow yourself to heal.” I blinked, surprised that such compassion had risen, despite my reservations of this whole interaction. “And I suggest you keep such unacceptable desires hidden.”

My stomach growled, reminding me I needed to eat. I needed to seek out the other goddesses and try to find a way to become one of them so Sully left me the hell alone in the future.

Roy Slater rolled his shoulders and nodded sadly. “I know. And I have tried, believe me.” He licked his lips. “I’ve dated. I’ve done the online thing and even let a few friends set me up, but…” He chuckled low. “All women my age either have their own heartache, are too independent, or just want me for my money.” His gaze rose, once again snaring mine. “I want a girl I can dote on. Someone young who needs me, not just wants me. I’m a wealthy man, and I want to spend that wealth making her happy. It would…fulfil me and stop me being so empty.”

I swallowed, searching for a reply. “I’m, eh…I’m sure you’ll find such a person.”

“I did.” He arched his chin. “I found you.”

“What?” I coughed. “No, no. You found a fantasy. That’s what this whole island is. An illusion.”

He shook his head. “You’re not. You’re special. You’re different.”

How often had I thought those words about Sully? How sometimes, I thought he felt the same way about me. Different meant ‘You stand out to me over all the others.’ Special meant ‘You could be what I’m looking for’.

Both those words did not relate at all to this situation with Roy Slater.

Ugh.

I didn’t know being a whore also came with being a counsellor too. I wanted to leave. I stepped away to do so, but Roy murmured, “I’m in love with you. I know that’s crazy to say after just one night, but the moment I saw you get off that helicopter with Sinclair, I knew you were it for me. I want…I want to take you home with me. I want—”

“Wait.” I laughed.

I couldn’t help it.

“You want to take me home?” I rolled my eyes. How ludicrous. How absolutely fucking crazy. Truth suddenly overflowed and exploded from my mouth. “You know I already have a home, right? A home that I was stolen from, family who probably think I’m dead. Do you know Sully doesn’t hire us but buys us to pleasure you? Why do you think I want to go home with you, when all I want to do is go back to where I belong?”

Roy stiffened. “I’m sorry if I said the wrong thing.”

He didn’t act as if hearing of my captivity was news. He didn’t respond like a normal man should after hearing a woman was trapped and used against their will. His sob story of missing his wife, of wanting a replacement to dote on…it wasn’t sweet, it was sickening.

He wanted a toy to play with, a mannequin to dress up, and a blow-up doll to fuck.

Well, fuck that.

I’m done.

“Coming to this island was the wrong thing,” I snapped. “Thinking you can buy me like he did? The worst possible thing.” Storming up the pathway, I shuddered as his voice followed me.

“I love you, Jinx. I do. I’m not lying. I love you, and I’m going to find a way for us to be together.”

I broke into a run.

Skittles fluttered from the undergrowth, her little wings snapping and zipping her through the air beside me.

She sensed my turmoil. She collided with the eddies of my distress, sorrow, and rage.

But she never left me.

And together, we flew as far away from men as we could.

Chapter Thirty-One

“I’LL GIVE YOU A million.”

“Excuse me?” I looked up from my morning coffee, sitting on the veranda overlooking the guests mingling below.

Roy Slater stood in front of my table in the exact spot where Eleanor had launched into me with all her bottled hate and disgust two weeks ago. It’d only been our second official meeting, but even then, I knew she was different…special.

That I had met my match and would severely fucking pay.

Placing my iPad next to my coffee that held a screen full of medical text on a new Alzheimer drug that Peter Beck wanted to test on a trial of fifty willing and paid human guinea pigs, I studied Roy Slater.

He was due to fly off my island tomorrow morning. All his bills were settled. His signed NDA locked in my safe with copies lodged with my lawyer. He’d come to paradise, slept with a goddess, and now would return to his humdrum life and forever remember the experience that I’d given him.

I wanted to fucking kill him.

But…I wouldn’t.

Because that would be bad for business.

He ran a hand through his hair, looking dishevelled and rushed. A far sight from the man I’d met on the beach who’d negotiated for Eleanor’s company. “A million.”

I cocked my head, my silver aviators protecting my eyes from the tropical sun. The sun had reached a scorching thirty-eight degrees centigrade today, ensuring I wore a cream linen suit, rather than dark cashmere. Even with a white shirt and no tie, I still fought my body’s urge to sweat.

After work, I planned to vanish into the sea for the rest of the afternoon. To allow the ocean to wash away my heat and my constantly consuming hunger for Eleanor.

I could still taste her.

Her pussy on my tongue. Her release in my mouth.

Fuck.

I’d woken with my hand fisting my cock this morning and cum all over my stomach. Denying myself while awake ensured I’d started dreaming of her at night. Even with distance between us, I was slipping. Falling in ways I couldn’t fucking permit.

“A million for what precisely?” I asked softly, smoothing my lapel. A Hawk diamond flashed in my cufflinks.

I narrowed my eyes. Had Roy Slater bought her a diamond? Would Jinx earn another precious stone? If each guest fell in love with her, she’d have a fortune by the time I let her go.

Goddammit.

That thought blew another hole in my chest.

My hands itched to grab the spoon by my coffee to scoop out his eyes. To remove all his memories of the girl who belonged to me in every fucking way.

“For Jinx.” He swallowed hard. “I want to…eh, buy her. To request a trade.”