Chapter 16: Now You’re Mine: Chapter 16

An eight-hour flight is long, but when you travel on a private jet, you don’t tend to notice.

Except I do. Hayden’s next to me, overwhelming me with his intense energy. His thigh brushes mine every so often, and he asks me if I’m all right every half hour. I want to be irritated with his attentiveness, but I can’t because I’m tired.

Of everything.

The jet’s engines rumble, creating a continuous hum, and it isn’t long before I’m slumped in the plush seat, staring out the window through heavy-lidded eyes. Sleep drags me under until the only things I’m aware of are the air conditioning periodically sweeping over my cheeks and the man beside me.

I doubt there’ll ever be a time when I can’t feel Hayden’s presence.

This is the reason I don’t immediately release a scream when he grabs my hips and shifts me onto his lap.

“Shh, baby, I’ve got you,” he whispers into my hair.

He gently pushes my cheek to his chest and rests his chin on my head, keeping his arms around my waist. The scent of his cologne, both comforting and familiar, surrounds me while the heat of his body eases into my muscles, relaxing me. I instinctively snuggle closer, burrowing my face in the curve of his neck.

I can hate myself for that show of vulnerability later. Right now, I’ve entered into a state-of-mind that’s free from turmoil. The tension between us earlier is nonexistent as he traces soothing patterns along my lower back and his heartbeat reverberates against my ear.

Hayden may not want to love me, but I’m pretty sure I love him.

The jolting of the plane jars me awake.

I open my eyes as panic sets in, only to find myself held securely against Hayden’s chest, his arms tight around my waist.

“You’re fine,” he murmurs in my ear. “We just landed.”

The haze of sleep lifts, and the uncertainty of the situation creeps back in. I shift slightly, trying to extricate myself from his hold. In response, he tightens his grip on me.

“You can let go now,” I say.

“I can, but I won’t.”

The stewardess, who I didn’t know was there this entire trip, makes her way down the aisle. “Allow me to welcome you to your destination, Mr. & Mrs. Cole.”

Hayden tenses behind me. I open my mouth to correct her but immediately press my lips together when he digs his fingers into my thigh. I give him a sickly-sweet smile to communicate my displeasure at his high-handedness.

“Thank you,” he says to the woman with a polite nod. Then he leans forward, whispering in my ear, loud enough for her to hear. “You can let go now, honey.”

“No problem, darling.”

I shove off his chest hard enough to cause him to grunt and get into a standing position. My grin is indicative of how petty I am. But it fades the second my bare feet touch the floor. I’d forgotten I’m only wearing my pajamas underneath Hayden’s coat. My face blazes with embarrassment.

As if nothing is out of the ordinary, Hayden rises smoothly, unfazed, adjusting his rumpled shirt. The one I cuddled against for nearly eight hours. He meets my gaze, his glinting with humor. I want to smack the smug look off his face.

He leans close, brushing his lips against the shell of my ear. “Play nice.”

“Play fair.”

“Never.”

He retrieves his suitcase, takes my hand, and leads me down the aisle. I paste a smile on my face for the crew members as we leave the jet and get into a nondescript car. This time, Hayden drives.

I settle into the passenger’s seat and fasten my seatbelt before he can order me to. Then I stare out the window, watching the colorful scenery go by without actually seeing it.

We drive for over two hours before reaching a quiet marina. Hayden parks the car and gets out without saying a word to me. Left with no other choice, I follow him, hugging my arms around my middle, silently fuming. There’s a gentle breeze in the air, coming off the water just ahead, but the warm pavement under my bare feet has me wanting to remove his coat.

I don’t, refusing to expose my pajamas. Just like with the tattoo, I won’t give Hayden the satisfaction of knowing his actions have upset me.

At the end of a long dock sits a sleek motorboat. A man with a straw hat, hula shirt, and khaki shorts reclines in the driver’s seat. His snoring halts the second Hayden clears his throat.

“Mr. And Mrs. Cole,” the man greets. “Right on schedule. I’m Mateo.”

His gaze quickly travels over Hayden, but when it lands on me, he squints. Whether it’s in confusion or judgment, I can’t tell.

I bite my lip to refrain from rolling my eyes at both the false identity and the fact that Mateo won’t stop staring. Hayden gives the man a look of warning, which does the trick.

The boat’s engine comes to life while Hayden climbs into the boat and sets down his suitcase. Then he turns back to offer me a hand. I take it but quickly retract my arm to step past him and occupy a seat near the back. If he’s bothered by my aloofness, he doesn’t show it. As usual, Hayden remains poised and in control.

Mateo steers us out into the open water. My eyelids drift shut as the ocean air whips through my hair and grazes my face. It’s refreshing in a way I hadn’t anticipated. When I open my eyes, I find Hayden staring at me, a peculiar expression on his face. Before I can ask him about it, he schools his features.

“That’s it,” Mateo says, pointing straight ahead. “La casa del mar.”

I follow the direction he’s indicating, and my eyes widen at the sight. It’s a small, lush island, enclosed by emerald-tipped palms and surrounded by azure waves. I guess Hayden wasn’t lying about that.

We pull up to what appears to be a private dock, and Mateo secures the boat before jumping up to assist us. “Can I take your bag, sir?”

Hayden shakes his head. Mateo frowns, but his expression morphs into excitement when Hayden hands him a crisp bill.

“Thank you, Mr. Cole,” he says, holding out a set of keys. “I’ll bring the house cleaner twice a week, but if you need an additional visit, please phone the manager of the vacation home and I’ll come back the next morning. Your groceries will be delivered every other day unless you specify otherwise. You can find all of the other information in the folder sitting on the kitchen counter. As always, it’s a pleasure to serve you.” He stops and looks at me. “And you too, Mrs. Cole.”

Hayden and I offer our thanks before he’s helping me out of the boat and up a winding path lined with palm trees and bushes dotted with various flowers. At the top sits a beach house that could feature in a magazine. It has huge windows overlooking the ocean, a deck that wraps around the entire building, and an airy, open-concept interior visible through the large glass doors.

We step inside, and cool air brushes my cheeks, a welcome reprieve to the heat. I quickly shed Hayden’s coat and drape it over my arm.

“This is beautiful,” I whisper. These words are the first I’ve spoken to Hayden in hours.

“I’m glad you like it.”

There’s a thread of relief in his tone that takes me by surprise. This man kidnapped me and brought me here but is concerned with my opinion of the place?

“Have you been here before?” I ask.

Hayden shakes his head. “I researched it extensively. Believe it or not, this place was difficult to find. Considering what they charge, you’d think they’d advertise it more heavily.” He shrugs. “I guess the exclusivity comes with the price.”

“Hmm. Well, I’m going to look around, unless you have a problem with that?”

“No. This property is secure. I made sure of that before we arrived.”

My lips thin. He probably had cameras and other safety measures put in place. Not only to ensure my protection but to make sure I stay put.

I give him a nod and wander off to explore my newfound prison. He watches me go with a hint of reluctance but doesn’t try to stop me. Smart man. After everything that’s happened over the last couple of days, I’m like a powder keg, ready to blow up at the tiniest spark.

I trail my fingers along the walls and over the furniture as I walk from room to room, each of them decorated in a breezy, coastal style made up of beiges and blues. The floor-to-ceiling windows in the master bedroom provide a breathtaking view of the ocean, and the bathroom is fit for a king. However, I’m quick to leave the beautiful space. I have no doubt Hayden means for us to sleep together here, and that’s not something I want to acknowledge fully just yet.

In an office toward the rear of the house, I pause beside a reading nook. It’s inviting. With a cushioned window seat the size of a twin bed and several fluffy pillows, I flop down onto it.

Three out of the four walls in this room are filled with bookshelves. My curiosity has me jumping to my feet to examine the available titles. There’s an eclectic mix of contemporary fiction, nonfiction, classics, and even a few children’s books. I run my fingers over the leather-bound spines, smiling to myself.

My smile fades when Hayden’s presence washes over me.

“There are a few things we need to discuss,” he says without preamble. I stiffen at his tone. It’s all business, militant even. “I want to lay out the rules.”

I turn to face him and cross my arms. “Rules?”

“Yes,” he says. “You’re free to enjoy the house and the beach during the day, but I don’t want you outside at night.”

Irritation fizzles along my skin, but I hold my tongue and gesture for him to continue.

“Don’t try to leave the property without me.”

“What do you think I’m going to do, Hayden? Start swimming and hope I make it without drowning first? I’m not an idiot.”

“I never said you were. I don’t want you trying to sneak aboard the boat when our groceries are delivered.” He fixes me with a hard stare. “I’ve already talked to the staff, and they won’t help you. Don’t act like you haven’t considered it.”

“Of course I have, but it’s not like I expected them to follow through. Besides, I don’t have any money or a cell phone. Or clothes.” I practically spit the last word. “Those are kind of necessary to travel.”

“Look, I just don’t want there to be any surprises while we’re here. I hate them.”

“Fine,” I say, my voice tight. “Anything else?”

He doesn’t answer me for a full minute. Maybe even longer. When he does, his gaze softens, turning as beautiful as the ocean just outside. “Try to enjoy yourself, Callie. I don’t want you to be miserable while we’re here.”

I give him an incredulous look. “You can’t be serious.”

He takes a step forward, as though to reach out and touch me, but stops when I narrow my gaze. He releases a sigh of defeat that pricks my heart. “I’ll see you at dinner.”

I give him a curt nod and turn my attention to the window, dismissing him. The waves just outside gently ebb and flow right now, but they have the capacity to grow in strength and drown someone. That’s my relationship with Hayden. Sometimes it’s beautiful and other times it threatens to kill me.

That thought fills me with sadness and anger in equal measure. I wrap my arms around my middle and stare out of the window as if a solution can be found in the sands below. I press my forehead against the glass, tears burning behind my eyelids.

How am I going to get through this without losing my mind?