~Kai~ Other than me, there is someone else following Berenice. It’s different from those three in Granada; this one is professional. I don’t know when and where he picked up a trail of her scent, but I could feel the danger up close. I’m unsure if he realizes I am following Berenice, but whoever this was, he’s good. No one was following Berenice from the hotel to the cafe, University, and bus. The bus picked up tourists and travelers on the way here. Maybe he was one of the passengers. But I didn’t feel any threat until here. She glanced at her side and over her shoulder. The way her shoulders went rigid was a tell that she could feel eyes watching her as well. If something happens to her, it would be all on me. I shouldn’t have let her walk out of that room; now, I had put her in a dangerous situation. I only wanted to know what she was planning to do. Where she’d go and how she’d proceed after learning that Tony’s people were after her. Do a repeat of what I did in the hotel
~ KAI ~ A pool of steaky crimson liquid on the ground was my indication that a bullet miraculously pierced the gunman. I pulled the trigger blindly, aiming to distract him, but one lucky bullet must’ve struck an artery. I followed the blood trail cautiously. Howls of police and ambulance sirens had already prevailed over the once busy atmosphere of the harbor, blanketing the air with anxiety and fear. Reaching the fifth corner away from Berenice, I still found no trace of the gunman. I need to find him, question him and eliminate him. I have to do it quickly. Keeping Berenice safe is still my top priority. Soon, the police will sweep these parts of the port. And once they discover the woman’s dead body, alarm and panic will soar. For decades, cartel wars cast fear on the people of Spain. Cases like this will likely draw excessive attention from the local and international media. And getting the Martinelli’s tangled in this mess is the last thing the Italian mafia needs. We already
~BENNY~Dread rose from the pit of my belly when I opened my eyes.The bed where I laid on my back sways. No, the entire room rocked in a steady, familiar, and daunting rhythm.I blinked hard, pushing away the pull to go back to sleep, ignoring the stabbing pain all over my body, particularly in my midsection and throat.Four corner lights diffuse a soft, warm glow on the room. The salty tang of the air made me nauseous. Realization dawned on me. I am in a cabin… in a boat. I couldn’t hear any other sound apart from the soft hum of the engine and the continuous crashing of waves. We are far from land; how far is the question and knowing the answer scared the shit out of me.Chills coiled down my spine. Thinking of anything other than how vast the waters were sailing is an impossible feat.I shook my head, clutching the white covers that pooled on my waist as I sat up. I closed my eyes and pinched myself, hoping to wake up from this nightmare, but no. The room was still the same when I
~KAI~They say that we’d meet someone we’d follow blindly to the pits of hell every once in a while. Burn for them, take a bullet for them without thinking twice. For me, that’s Klaus Martinelli. I trust that man’s judgment without needing to ask questions.He told me I could infiltrate the Russian mafia and make it out alive, and I did. His trust in my abilities was more than I have for myself. But what fucking qualifies me as a babysitter? Only Klaus knows.He refused to relieve me of babysitting duties. He kept repeating how perfect I was for this job.In my opinion, Ro would do an excellent job in taking care of someone like Berenice. He was made to lead an army and take care of a family at the same time. He has bottomless patience for kids, while me... I hate brats! I am one second away from gagging Berenice or knocking her unconscious just so I can continue doing this job.My clothes were soaking. My mind was fogged with anger and irritation. There’s a brat I need to deal with,
~Kai~I know it’s not a good idea. It was the worst idea since my cock was still as stiff as a pole; a banner could be attached to its tip. Red flags waves in my line of vision, tunneling my mind on a one-track path.Her body against mine, her feminine scent surrounding me… my mind swirled with different ways I could make her forget about her anxiety.Doesn’t she realize what she’s asking from me? I am a full-blooded man, and she’s a fragile lamb I could easily devour if I wanted. We’d be already in one bed, far from any disturbance.“... please,” she added when I kept my silence.My shoulders went rigid. Her voice was rough and heavy with fatigue.How can I possibly resist her begging like that?Despite my better judgment, I scrambled up the floor and sat on the bed, stretching my body parallel beside her.I don’t dare look her way. If I do, I don’t think I can control this rage bubbling inside me.“Thank you,” she sighed in relief, taking my breath away when she tucked her body into
~Benny~The sudden shift of the yacht woke me up from my slumber. I sat up, my heart drumming wildly when I couldn’t find Kai in the cabin.Daylight spills through the rectangular panel beside the bunker, blinding me as I turn to stare outside. The sight of extensive water and gigantic waves outside overturns my equilibrium.Gnawing at my lip, I fought to succumb to my anxiety, ready to search for Kai. I don’t know when it started, but I feel safe around him. Without my sleeping pills, it would have been impossible for me to fall asleep.But he held me.Chills suddenly blanketed my skin. My hands instinctively came up, providing warmth to my bare arms. Pulling my knees tight to my chest, I closed my eyes, remembering how Kai held me. His body was so warm against mine while I curled like a feline searching for comfort. He drew me closer with a hand on my shoulder. The gesture was surprisingly gentle for a gangster like him.I still remember how easy it was to open up to him. At some po
~Benny~ Kai smiled down at me, sadness enveloping his eyes as memories flooded his thoughts. “It’s all in the past,” he said, looking straight at the ceiling. “We all go through challenges in life that change our perspective. After she died, I searched for the truth behind that mission. I found out that the man we rescued wasn’t a businessman but an agent of the CIA black ops. The government used our team because we were dispensable. They don’t value our lives.” “Kai…” I whispered, feeling his resentment. He glanced at me. “It’s okay to be mad, Benny.” My name rolled off his tongue like honey. “But don’t let the pain rule your life.” Somehow, his words seemed to touch me where no one had ever done before. I stared at my hand on his chest. “I… I don’t know how not to be mad at the world, Kai.” Rough fingers skimmed my chin, forcing me to look into those tantalizing gray eyes. “You’ll find a way,” he said and the surprising part was, I believe him. ~~ Like Kai said, Skipper, the
~Benny~We spent the drive in extremely uncomfortable silence. Well, I am uncomfortable, my companion though, he wore that knowing tilt of his lips throughout the drive.The windows were open, letting the salty and warm Florida air slip inside the car. Morning sun rays bounce off the hood of our rental car. The ocean glistened as sunlight struck down on it. It was beautiful out here.Kai took a turn on a narrow dirt path, leaving the seaside and open road. Trees danced with the ocean breeze, and the silhouette shadowed the road we were driving through.Like a piece of hidden paradise, a bungalow slowly became larger as we got closer. Freshly trimmed shrubbery line the clearing surrounding the house.Kai pulled to a complete stop, stepping out while I studied the house, admiring its aesthetic. It was a cross between a cabin and a beach house, made of huge logs and stones. Two large windows were on each side of the wooden double doors, cream-colored drapes provide cover for what was ins