I reach out instinctively, my hand wrapping tightly around her, and pull her hard against my side. She crashes into me, her hip pressed against mine, one hand gripping the console for balance.
She looks up at me, breathless, her face flushed, and smiles.
It's a different kind of smile from the ones I've seen from her. It's wild, reckless, and devastatingly beautiful. Like she just got the thrill of a lifetime.
Then she twists in my grip, raises her pistol, and fires back at the guards on the dock. She empties her gun, forcing the men to dive for cover and giving us just the time we need to turn a corner and get out of their sight.
I keep the speed as fast as I can as the casino shrinks behind us. When we're far enough away, I ease off the throttle slightly, letting the boat settle into a fast cruise. The wind whips acrossmy body, my shirt shifting and her blonde hair streaming across my face.
She shakes her head and laughs as she continuously brushes it out of her face. That says something about a woman. We're getting shot at, and she finds humor in the wind in her face. Though, given everything, I'm not surprised.
I glance down at her. She's still pressed against my side, her body warm. The adrenaline from the fight is still coursing through me, mixing with something darker, something primal that I've been fighting all night.
I mean, I did just kiss her in a small closet. I'll have to psychoanalyze my absolute lack of control later. For now, I just need to get us to the docks.
"You good?" I ask.
She looks up at me, those blue eyes catching the moonlight.
"Yeah." Her voice is steady. "You?"
I nod, one hand still wrapped around her while the other is on the wheel. I should let go of her. There's no reason to keep holding her now.
But I don't, and she doesn't seem to want to pull away.
We cut across the bay in silence, the speedboat slicing through the dark water. The city lights of Sanremo fade behind us, replaced by the quieter glow of private estates and luxury hotels scattered along the coast.
I moved hotels. I knew I couldn't go back to the one I was staying in. If this went south, like now, I couldn't risk going back to a location that someone might have spotted me.
My new hotel is a few miles north, tucked into a secluded cove with its own private docks. I booked the entire top floor under a false name the day after I got here.
We arrive, and I slow down, letting the boat glide into the dock. The engines rumble, then cut to silence as I kill the engine.
I tie the boat off quickly, and when I'm done, I step onto the dock and turn back to Danika.
She's still in the boat, watching me with that unreadable expression.
I hold out my hand.
She hesitates, just for a second, then takes it. Her palm is warm, her grip firm. I pull her up onto the dock, keeping my fingers wrapped around her arm as we move toward the stone steps leading up to the hotel.
I tell myself it's to guide her.
I tell myself it's to make sure she doesn't slip on the wet stairs.
But the truth is simpler. I don't want her getting any wild ideas about disappearing into the night.
We climb the steps in silence, my hand never leaving her. At the top, a private entrance leads directly to the penthouse floor. I swipe my keycard, and the door clicks open.
The suite is nice. It's my first time stepping inside it. My hired driver brought my stuff over today.
It has floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the ocean and ultra-modern furniture in shades of white and gray. A massive sectional sofa, a glass dining table, and a huge bed visible through an open doorway.
I lock the door behind us, the deadbolt sliding into place.
Only then do I release her arm.
Danika steps forward, looking around. "What is it with you dangerous men and your extravagance? I’m staying at the Continental. It’s nothing like this.”
