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)
And of course he’s a western god, so handsome and rugged.
So different from the sleek runway models who usually surround me in the fashion industry. They’re all beautiful, of course, but River Barrett makes them look like pretty boy cut-out biscuits.
I didn’t expect to fall for any of these men, nor for any of them to fall for me.
I have my own reasons for being here on this island—reasons I haven’t even allowed myself to think about these first two days.
But I also decided—why not have some fun? When my interlude with Sebastian fizzled out last night and I wasn’t randomly chosen for a date tonight, I found Zion during his break and invited him into my room. We didn’t fuck, but we had a damned good time—even after Sienna discovered my secret. She ended up enjoying herself too.
River takes my arm, and together we leave my suite and follow the staff member down the hallway. She opens the door and points to the landline phone. “There you go. It’s line four. Take all the time you need.”
River nods. “Thank you.” He closes the door, leaving the woman in the hallway.
My nerves crackle as I walk toward the phone receiver. “You want me to put it on speaker?” I ask River.
He shakes his head. “No need. It may be personal for all we know.”
True enough, but who would be calling me in the middle of the night? I left my contact information with my mother in the UK and a neighbor in New York. That’s it.
Oh, God... Has something happened to my mother?
River grabs my arm. “Are you okay? You went pale as a ghost there.”
“I’m already pretty pale, River,” I say in an attempt to downplay the apprehension that’s pulsing through me.
“You know what I mean.” He hands me the phone. “Just take the call. Not knowing will drive you nuts.”
I swallow and nod, place the phone to my ear. “Hello, this is Emily.”
“Emily, thank God!”
I recognize the voice but can’t quite place it. “Who is this?”
“It’s me. Ginger. I’m calling from the hospital in Montego Bay.”
“Ginger!” I gasp. “Is Rachel all right?”
River goes rigid next to me at the mention of Rachel’s name. How easy to forget that just yesterday, he spent time with her, was so clearly interested in her. I don’t have the heart to tell him I saw her and Ginger holding hands last night.
But that’s the least of my concerns.
“Yes, Rachel is fine,” Ginger says.
I heave a sigh of relief.
River gestures to the speaker and raises his eyebrows at me.
“I’ve got River here with me. Do you mind if I put you on speaker?”
“Sure. That’s fine. I think we can trust him.”
She thinks we can trust him? Does that mean there are others we can’t trust?
What in bloody hell is going on here?
I flip the speaker button. “You’re on speaker now, Ginger.”
“Ginger,” River says in his low voice, “what’s going on? How is Rachel?”
“She’s sleeping,” Ginger says over the line, her voice coming through a bit crackly. “I’m sure Evangeline told you that she’s expected to completely recover.” Ginger sighs through the phone. “I can’t thank you enough, River, for helping me today. I couldn’t have gotten her back on the boat without you.”
“No need to thank me. Just take care of her.”
River’s voice is gentle yet fraught with anxiety. My God, he truly cares for Rachel. Despite the fact that he and I just had glorious hot sex for hours and I’m feeling emotions I have no business feeling, it’s becoming clear that I’m a mere substitute.
A poor man’s Rachel.
Odd. We don’t look anything alike. She’s brunette and brown-eyed, and I’m blond and blue.
But none of that is important right now. “Why are you calling, Ginger?” I ask.
“Rachel said something that freaked me out.”
My heart thuds against my chest.
“What was that?” River asks.
“She woke up for a bit about an hour ago,” Ginger says, “and she was lucid, or she seemed to be. But what she said didn’t make any sense.”
River meets my gaze, his own troubled. “What do you mean?”
“She’s been through so much,” Ginger says, “and I don’t know how long she was deprived of oxygen before I got her breathing. It’s unlikely that she suffered any brain damage, but after what came out of her mouth...”
I tug on my hair. “For God’s sake, Ginger, tell us what you mean. We’re being driven slowly crazy here.”
“You don’t even know the half of it,” River agrees.
I don’t?
I know more than he thinks.
I know four billionaires don’t plan this kind of an event for pure altruism. There’s a reason behind it—one they’re not telling us.
And I’ve a pretty good idea what it is.
But I’m concerned now only with Ginger and Rachel.
“She said, and I’m going to quote her, ‘Don’t trust her.’”
Though we’re on speaker, I’m still holding the receiver. Rather, I was. It clatters to the carpet with a dull thud.