I snap my eyelids open. "Excuse me?"
"Whatever it is you’re hiding, you can tell me. I won’t judge you."
I search his features but only find empathy there. His touch on my arm singes like someone dragged a drill down my arm. My stomach hollows out, and something inside urges me to come clean.Tell him, this is the opportunity. Just get it over with.I open my mouth but what comes out is, "You’ve already investigated me, so you know everything."
He tilts his head and an expression of disappointment flickers over his face before he wipes it away. "I know the salient facts of your life. What I don’t know is the scars you carry inside. I want you to share your fears, your hopes, your dreams with me, Isla. What gets you out of bed in the morning? What has you constantly pulling away even though you’re so attracted to me? You can tell me."
15
Liam
Her chin wobbles. Her gaze widens. The tension coils inside her until every line and curve of her body seems to be vibrating with it. Then she juts out her chin and says, "Nice try, but I’m not falling for this. What we have is a business transaction; I suggest we stick to that."
"We went past that into strictly personal territory a while ago, sweetheart."
She firms her lips. "Don’t fool yourself. Just because you kissed me—"
"You kissed me back."
"Doesn’t mean anything."
I pinch her chin so she has no choice but to meet my gaze. "Look into my eyes and tell me you don’t feel anything for me."
She swallows.
I hold her gaze for a few seconds more. "That’s what I thought... Whatever it is that’s bothering you, I’m going to get it out of you. This, I promise."
She jerks her head to the side and glances out the window. "Looks like we’re about to land."
The captain’s voice comes over the speakers, confirming what she surmised.
We snap on our seatbelts in silence, and after we land, I guide her to the waiting car that drives us to my estate. We ride in silence for a few minutes, then she asks, "So this island is near Venice you said?"
"It’s twenty minutes by boat."
She glances at the sparkling sand and the waves as we pass the beach. In the distance, the spires of St. Mark's Church, a Venetian landmark, can be seen. Venice itself is bustling with tourists, but where we are is an oasis surrounded by an open lagoon and wild marshland. Trees line the road, and wildflowers abound on both sides. A peacock saunters by the wayside, it’s gorgeous blue and green feathers trailing behind it.
She sits up straight and points at it. "Is that a… a…"
"Peacock, yes."
"And it roams wild?"
"As do the more than a hundred other different species of animals and insects on the island."
"No predators among them, I hope." She laughs nervously.
The only predator you need to be afraid of is the one sitting next to you.
When I don’t reply, she turns to me and asks, "What did you say?"
"That you have nothing to be worried about. The wildlife on this island is not dangerous."
She stares at me from under heavy-lidded eyelids, then turns back to her perusal of our surroundings. For a few seconds, she says nothing. "It’s a gorgeous place," she finally sighs. "Who did you say it belongs to?"
When I don’t respond, she turns to face me. She scrutinizes my features and her gaze widens. "It belongs to you?"
I smirk.