Chapter One
Sun dappled thewhite sandy beach on the private island Brianna Sinclair enjoyed as a guest of the man she was currently dating. She stuck her toes in the sand, allowing the warmth to wash over her as she lounged back in the chair under the beach umbrella, a cold drink in her left hand, a large-brimmed hat on her head, wearing her favorite black-and-white polka-dotted bikini.
She stretched out her long sun-kissed legs, wiggling her toes deeper into the fine grains of sand and emitted a contented sigh. For years, she had worked as an underwater photographer, capturing the essence of the crystalline waters of the Caribbean, from dolphins to schools of fish. Until she caught the eye of one very rich, very handsome man who also happened to be a billionaire playboy. Grayson Radcliffe had invited her to his forty-foot yacht namedFin and Tonicone evening which was supposed to be nothing more than a business discussion. He wanted to hire her to go on deep-sea adventures with him and take pictures.
But as it turned out, she was wildly attracted to him and that business dinner had turned into a sultry night in his cabin.
Grayson had a reputation as a ladies’ man who dated super models and A-list Hollywood actresses. She, being nothing more than a free-spirited nomad, was his girl du jour. She was fine with that. Her first unbreakable rule wasnever get attached.Once he was finished with her, she’d move on.
And that was fine with her. The sex was hot and she was living her best life without a care in the world. She maintained her independence by taking photography jobs whenever she felt like. Grayson was willing to let her travel with him on his yacht and stay in his white-washed mansion on the private island he leased from the Bahamas.
Things had not always been sexy billionaires, cocktails, and surf-and-turf dinners. When she was twenty-five, a car accident had claimed her parents’ lives, leaving her two fifteen-year-old twin sisters alone. It forced her to pack up her beach life and head home to care for them as their legal guardian until they graduated high school.
Life was rocky then as she navigated probate for her parents who had left the world with no wills. She put up with a lot of shit from her teenage sisters while they finished high school all the while longing to return to her island-hopping life. For three years, she made sure they had a roof over their heads, clothes on their backs, food on the table, and everything else they needed to finish high school and graduate. Then she sold their parents’ home, took her cut of the money, and left.
She hadn’t heard from her sisters much since then, knowing the rift it had caused between them. When Chloe got her big-wig job in Edinburgh, Evie had called her to tell her the news. Brianna was happy for her. Happy she was living the life she always wanted. Evie begged her to come to Edinburgh with her, but she refused.
Why would she trade her perfect, beachy life for a place like Scotland?
She didn’t know why she was thinking of all this now as she sipped her drink and gazed out at the azure water, watching the tide go in and out. Grayson used the morning to run on the beach. She saw him in the distance, his toned physique gleaming with sweat. He wore shorts and running shoes and nothing more. Afterward, he would dive into the shallow water for a quick dip, then head into the house behind her to shower. She’d follow him, they’d have a sexy romp and then sit at the glass table by the wall of windows in the dining room for abreakfast of poached eggs, French toast, and coffee.
She had everything she had ever wanted. When Grayson tired of her, she would pack her bags and be on her way. For now, though, she enjoyed his company and his money.
The morning sun made her drowsy, her lids drooping as she thought of the way her life turned had out and the choices she’d made. She was sure she had made all the right decisions.
Or had she?
As she dozed, her cell phone buzzed next to her. She cursed herself for even bringing it out to the beach with her, but she was expecting a call from a client. Glancing down at the screen, she noticed the strange number that appeared to be from the United Kingdom.
Odd.
“Brianna Sinclair,” she answered.
“Hello, Miss Sinclair. This is Detective MacDougal from the police in Edinburgh, Scotland. I’m afraid I have some difficult news about your sister, Chloe.” The male voice on the other end of the line had a Scottish brogue.
Startled, she sat straight up out of the chair, sloshing the drink over her hand. Her heart thudded wildly and her pulse raced. Despite the heat of the morning, icy pinpricks needled the back of her neck. Brianna clutched the phone so tightly her hand cramped.
“Is something wrong?”
“Aye, she’s missing.”
The blood whooshed out of her head, leaving her lightheaded. “What do you mean, missing?”
“No one has seen or heard from her for several days. Her job called to ask for a welfare check because it simply wasn’t like her to miss work. Her director worried her disappearance had something to do with the attack on the museum during their fundraising gala.”
“What attack on the museum?”
Worry pounded through her. Evie was supposedto go to Edinburgh to join Chloe for her big gala event. Brianna had declined to join them for the festivities, opting instead to remain in the Bahamas. Now regret shifted through her.
The detective explained a few nights ago—at the gala event—masked men with guns had invaded the museum. Though nothing was stolen, there was considerable damage. The museum was closed while they tried to sort everything out and get it back to normal.
“But your sister, Chloe, never showed up for work. The director asked us to do a welfare check. When we went to her flat, the door was bashed in and there appeared to have been a struggle.”
Numb, Brianna listened, her breathing shallow as she stared into the glistening surf, trying to make her mind understand what he was telling her. The thing that bothered her the most was Evie was supposed to be at that gala, too. What had happened to her, then? The detective hadn’t mentioned her.
“Have ye heard from your sister at all, Miss Sinclair?”
“No. What about Evie?”
