I hid my laugh and rearranged the sticks. “Six, seven, eight, nine, ten,” I said, slowly as he watched my mouth move. “You want to say it with me?” He nodded. I repeated the count and he followed then clapped his hands together, excitement shining in his eyes.
Both Lorenzo and Zena were smiling, and a sudden pang hit me in the chest. Unconsciously I rubbed the spot and looked away when Lorenzo’s eyes dropped to my chest. I suddenly felt like an outsider in their cozy home. This was supposed to be my happy ever after. The question remained, where did I go from here. Even if I left, the knowledge she’d chosen him over me, kidnapped or not, stung like a bitch.
I forced a smile for their son as he tugged my mouth open and held a breadstick up for me to bite. I accepted it and ruffled his hair again. Even his baby talk couldn’t pull me out of my abrupt doldrums.
As if sensing my withdrawal, Zena walked over and picked up a protesting Jardin. “It’s bath time, baba.” The other woman in the kitchen, who I figured was the nanny took the child from Zena.
He stretched out a hand toward me and I gave it a soft squeeze. “I’ll see you after your bath, buddy.” When the nanny left, I looked at Lorenzo as Zena set a mug of coffee in front of me. “I want off this island.” I took a sip of the drink. Resting his elbows on the table, he linked his fingers under his chin and slowly shook his head. Irritation burned up my spine and I gripped the mug tight. “Why the fuck not? This is your family, not mine,” I hissed and his brow shot up. “We’re not doing this captive shit again.” I set the mug down hard enough to slosh the brown liquid over the sides.
His low chuckle had me barely restraining myself from flying across the table and landing a right hook to his jaw.
“That arrived for you.” He nodded to something behind me.
I glanced over my shoulder. “What’s that? Zayne’s head in a bag?” I snorted, making Zena gasp and Lorenzo’s lips twitch. Curiosity got the better of me. Rising, I walked over and opened it then frowned at the men’s clothes and toiletries. My head snapped to Lorenzo. “What the fuck is this?” I growled then it clicked. “You’re not letting me go, are you?”
“That would be an intelligent deduction.” He leaned back in his chair, his eyes on me.
Straightening, I walked to his side while Zena watched us from her seat at the table. “Suck my cock, Lorenzo,” I snarled, frustration tightening the tendons in my back.
“Would you like me to, Rayden?”
Startled by his calm question, I was at a loss for words. Zena’s shocked gaze ping-ponged between us before she cleared her throat, stood and left the room. Turning my back on him, I grabbed the bag and walked out. Hopefully, a hot shower and clean clothes would calm me the fuck down.
Chapter 37
––––––––
ZENA (31YRS)
Almost two weeks had passed since Rayden and Lorenzo arrived on the island. If I was expecting good company since I hadn’t had any in a long time, I was sorely mistaken. Rayden refused to speak to Lorenzo and spent most of his time playing with Jardin. It was no surprise my son had taken to Rayden like a moth to a flame. I’d watched him with Trent’s kids and they loved his attention. While he was your typical young adult when I was with him, he possessed a softer side that drew kids to him. And if he wasn’t playing with Jardin, he’d workout in the gym or plant himself in front of the television, watching movies. After that night he’d toppled my seduction attempt, he paid me no attention. It was as if he treated me like I was Lorenzo’s wife.
As for Lorenzo, if he wasn’t off to the mainland, wherever that was, he worked in a study I had never been inside, stayed out of Rayden’s way and only used the gym when Rayden went to bed. Meals progressed silently with one of them leaving the table as soon as they were done. He made no attempt to continue our discussion and I was happy with that.
Regardless, it was like living with two teenage boys and it drove me nuts. I had no idea what hostility brewed between them, but something told me it was way more than surface level. Given, we’d escaped the last time, I figured maybe Lorenzo was being extra frustrating this time round just to get back at us. Whatever his intention, though, it seemed to be working.
Earlier that morning, Rayden had gone down to take a swim, a sudden downpour and cold winds turned the water around the island into a wild vortex of death. He opted to spend the time indoors. Over the course of the day, he appeared to be a lot flirtier with me than he’d been since arriving. And despite my resolve to stay away from him after the way he’d humiliated me, I was enjoying the attention.
