Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 74940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
I swallow. It doesn’t take a genius to see where this is going.
“Go on,” Alex says, his voice rigid.
“So I went to see Evangeline tonight after Heather called to check on me. I couldn’t find her at first, but finally, about a half hour ago, I caught up with her in her suite. I wanted to check to see if she had any more news about Rachel, and I mentioned that the whole thing was strange since Rachel was obviously a very good swimmer because she had been a lifeguard, plus she was wearing a lifejacket.” June blows her nose again. “Evangeline said her snorkel probably filled with water and she breathed it in, but then I said that didn’t make sense if Rachel was an experienced swimmer. She’d know better than to get water into her snorkel.”
Alex rises, rubs his fingers through his hair. Sweat breaks out on his hairline. “Then what?”
June sniffles. “Evangeline got angry. She said the important thing was that Rachel was going to be fine, and not to worry my pretty little head about it anymore and that it was none of my business.”
I drop my mouth open. “She seriously said that to you? She used the words ‘pretty little head?’”
June nods. “I said it sure was my business because something happened to Rachel to make her almost drown, and it reminded me of...” June chokes down a sob. “It reminded me of a time when I couldn’t remember something, and I thought Misty might have drugged me.”
Alex sits back down and looks June square in the eye. “Let me guess. As soon as you mentioned Misty, she said you had to go.”
“Not at that point. She said I wasn’t being a team player, and maybe it was better if I left the island like Rachel and Ginger did. I told her I didn’t want to leave, but then she said—” June gulps.
“What?” I ask gently. “What did she say?”
“She said, ‘If you don’t feel safe here, June, I think you need to leave.’”
Alex reaches across and takes June’s other hand. “June, you are safe here. I swear to you. River, Sebastian, Brett, and I will not let anything happen to you.”
“I didn’t think you would,” June says, “but you couldn’t protect Rachel, Alex. You couldn’t protect Rachel.”
Alex rises again, rubs his temples. His handsome face is twisted with regret.
“Were you drinking that night?” I ask June.
“Of course. It was a gala. A party. But not to excess. I had a few drinks. No more than I ever have, and I’ve never had a reaction like that.”
“I’d say we have a common denominator here.” Alex retakes his seat. “And it’s not me or any of the other guys. It’s Misty. Misty was there with you that night, and Misty was with Rachel on the catamaran today.”
June nods. “That’s what I told Evangeline. I told her if anyone should leave, it should be Misty, and that’s when Evangeline told me that the men"—she points to Alex—"no longer wanted me here, and to pack up and be ready to leave tomorrow.”
“No.” I squeeze June’s hand. “You can’t leave. That’s not fair.”
“Damned right it’s not.” Alex rises again. “Are you ladies okay here?”
“Yeah.” I nod. “Are you leaving?”
“Hell, yes, I am. I’m going to talk to the guys, and then the four of us are going to rouse Evangeline out of bed and find out what the fuck is going on here.”
EPISODE 56
DON'T TRUST HER
Emily
“For God’s sake, it’s late. Stop that bloody noise!” I open the door and jerk backward. “What the hell do you want?”
A female staff member wearing all white stands in my doorway. “I’m sorry, Ms. Kensington, but you have a phone call.”
“At this hour?”
“Yes. She says it’s urgent.”
“Who is it?”
“She wouldn’t say, ma’am.”
“She? For the love of God...”
“You can take the call in the office at the end of the hall if you need some privacy.”
River, wearing a white robe, leaves the bedroom and joins me. “What’s going on?” His eyes go wide.
“Seems I have a phone call.”
“Who?”
“She won’t say.” I let out a huff. “I’m heading down the hallway to take it. I won’t be long. And by the way, if you’re not letting us have cell phones”—what River doesn’t know is that I do have one tucked away—“the least you can do is give us landline units in these suites.”
“You’re right,” he says. “We’ll have them installed first thing tomorrow. And I’m going with you to take this call.”
“You don’t have—”
He touches my lips. “I know I don’t have to. I want to. Who the hell is calling you in the middle of the night? I want to be there for you.”
Warmth glides over me. I’m liking River a lot more than I expected to. Not only is he amazing in bed, but he’s warm and caring as well.