Wow. If Jayden could see me now he’d give me a short sharp shove. He’d knock some sort of sense into me. Someone should, anyway.
I hurt her beyond forgiveness. I could accidentally do it again in a heartbeat, because if she invited me into her bed, I’d hop into it willingly. My body craves her. It’s not even a want, it’s a need. But my life is not here. Despite the crackling chemistry between us, we are worlds apart these days. It would be like déjà vu, both wounded all over again.
She stares at me from under those elongated lashes, her expression a mix of wariness and want. I know her too well to miss it.
She can practice her ice queen routine all she likes, but her body wants mine the same way mine wants hers.
Her tongue darts over her lips, and she subtly presses her thighs together. The air’s thick with anticipation.
For a man who’s made millions from his voice, it isn’t doing much for me now. But what can I say? There’s no way to make up for the past, and there’s no hope of a future.
‘To up the security around here?’ she prompts, breaking the sexually charged silence between us.
The security, of course. She doesn’t care about my other needs. I lost that right the night I left.
‘Does the front gate still close? That would be a start. If we could cordon off the premises for hotel residents only, stop the paps lurking outside the gate. Ask the cabin residents to restrict their visitors for a few weeks. I’ll compensate them heavily for their trouble, and you, of course.’
Sasha bites her lower lip, as if she’s in deep thought. ‘What about extra security staff?’
‘Pierce is on it. He has contacts everywhere. He’ll hire a few heavies to patrol the place.’
‘Would it be too much to ask if they might wear a castle uniform? I don’t want the other guests to feel intimidated.’
‘Of course. Consider it done. And truly, I’m sorry for the inconvenience…’
Our eyes meet again and I chance shimmying a few inches closer along the couch. My body instinctively gravitates towards her, like there’s an invisible thread tugging, weaving us closer together.
Only a foot remains between us, but she’s rigid, like a deer in the headlights.
‘Sasha, I—’
‘Oh my fucking god! Ryan Cooper is in my living room!’ A taller, ganglier-looking version of Sasha bounds into the lounge, and I dart back a few inches, the moment spectacularly broken.
Gazing over the teenager before me, a smile rips across my face. ‘Victoria Sexton? Oh my goodness! Have you been standing in a tonne of manure since I left, or what? Look at the height of you!’
Jumping to my feet, I stride across the room to greet her, but she leaps into my arms, the same way she did at seven years old. Her slim frame offers a squeeze tighter than she looks capable of and her hazel eyes dance with excitement.
‘I can’t believe you’re back!’ she squeals.
‘I can’t believe you’re all grown up! Who will I play tag with now?’ I gently place her at arm’s length to inspect her.
Thick-rimmed glasses frame her eyes, and a red headband sweeps her thick fringe from her face, but other than the size of her, she hasn’t changed a bit from the sweet, adorable kid who used to beg to be chased round the castle grounds.
‘You could barely catch me then, I’m pretty sure you won’t be able to now!’ She smirks and turns to Sasha, who’s staring with her jaw almost on the floor. ‘Sash, did you tell him I’m cross-country running champion at my school?’
A maternal flicker of pride flashes across Sasha’s face and only as she grins at her little sister, do I realise the full weight of Sasha’s responsibilities.
Not only did she inherit the castle, but by the look of it, she inherited a sister/daughter to raise too.
The enormity of what this woman has been through strikes like a tsunami. I’m utterly in awe of her.
‘Vic, Ryan and I were just talking about how we can up the security round here, perhaps you could give us a few minutes.’
Victoria rolls her eyes and winks at me. ‘Is it like when you guys used to tell me you’d play hide and seek with me? I used to hide for hours and when I actually gave up, I’d find you sucking each other’s faces off on that precise couch.’
A snort erupts from my chest at the same time as Sasha shoots her sister a warning look.
‘Fine.’ Victoria rolls her eyes once more. She turns as if to stomp out of the room, but doubles back on herself, taps my shoulder roughly and shouts, ‘tag!’ before running out of the room giggling.
