Zack moved her arms up over her head. “Honor bondage,” he growled, nibbling at her ear, his warm breath spreading goosebumps racing across her sensitized skin. “Grab the bars and keep hold of them until I say you can let go.” Dani dutifully wrapped her fingers around the dowels on the headboard while Zack took his time, worshipping every inch of her body with hishands and mouth until Dani was writhing beneath him. “I need you,” she whimpered, trying to angle herself just right against his rock-hard cock.
That’s when the hammering on the door started.
“What the hell?” Zack groaned, burying his face in Dani’s neck at the interruption.
“I don’t think they’re going away,” Dani remarked, blowing her hair out of her face in frustration as the hammering continued.
“Stay right there, I’ll get rid of them,” he promised, rising from the bed and grabbing a pair of shorts.
And she did. For long minutes she remained right where she was, naked, legs spread, her hands wrapped around the bars in the honor bondage he’d placed her in. Even when her body cooled, she stayed there, tipping her head to one side as she tried to make out the low sound of voices in the living room.
Time stretched but Zack didn’t return. How long did she stay here like this?
There was an old-fashioned analogue alarm clock on the bedside table and Dani watched as the seconds ticked interminably by. After ten minutes had passed, she’d had enough. She moved her hands and wiggled her stiff fingers. She felt ridiculous… and embarrassed.
An unwanted memory of her mother waiting for her father to turn up crept, unbidden, through her mind. As a child Dani had always believed her father worked late and should finish earlier. Now she knew it for what it was; her mother forcing herself into a state of constant readiness in case he pulled himself away from his family for long enough to visit. Her stomach twisted at the thought.
Unaccountably let down, Dani untangled herself from the sheets and sat up, her muscles protesting after being held in one position for so long. Somehow it wasn’t the same when theadrenaline of desire wasn’t holding you hostage. Something was clearly wrong for Zack to be gone this long, but surely he could have spared a moment to explain instead of leaving her hanging.
She wanted to shower. To wash the disappointment and niggling unease away, but somehow doing so in Zack’s cabana with visitors in the living area seemed like too much of a vulnerability. So instead, she freshened up as best she could and retrieved her clothes.
She was dressed and sitting on the bed, wondering if she should make her presence known to whoever needed Zack so badly, try to leave quietly - difficult since the front door was through the lounge - or just sit and wait indefinitely, when Zack finally came back.
“I’m so sorry,” he apologized as soon as he set foot in the bedroom. It did nothing to soothe the irritation that had been growing over the past thirty minutes. She knew it wasn’t altogether Zack’s fault, but she felt like she was coming second in his life once again. She felt like she was becoming her mother, something she’d sworn she’d never do.
Zack dragged his fingers through his already disheveled hair, clearly agitated. “It’s just that… Emylyah’s here. On the island. And I need to see her.”
And there it was. The reason he’d pushed her away all those years ago. The reason he was pushing her aside now. Ice flooded her veins. In a matter of moments, she'd been relegated to being the other woman in the presence of his wife.
Just like her mother.
25
Dani was quiet as he rushed around getting dressed, ready to meet with Emylyah. Too quiet. Then again, perhaps that was to be expected under the circumstances.
But she had to know he was doing this forthem, didn’t she? The whole reason he’d been desperate to find Emylyah and free himself from their ridiculous marriage was so he could forge a future with Dani.
Of course she knew. He’d told her as much, more than once.
While the timing left a lot to be desired, Zack was excited to meet up with Emylyah and get this over with. To finally negotiate his freedom.
When Marcus had arrived to tell him the news, Zack had been completely poleaxed. Of all the things he’d expected in his search for his missing child bride, her turning up, right here, out of the blue wasn’t it, and now his head was all over the place, making it hard for him to concentrate.
But Dani… “I reserved a table for the two of us at Bahamian Rhapsody for dinner tonight at seven. Why don’t I meet you there?”
Dani searched his face, and he briefly wondered what was going on behind the dratted mask of indifference she liked to slip on. Surely, she must be excited for this too? So often she brought up his farce of a marriage as a stumbling block. She had to be as impatient as him to have the whole ridiculous situation dispensed with. Didn’t she?
He’d have liked to discuss it all with her, but there was no time. Emylyah was only here for a short amount of time. There was nowhere on the island for her to stay, since the resort was full, and unregistered visitors were usually strictly forbidden. But Marcus had finessed it with Luca, on the understanding she wouldn’t stay more than a few hours. Everything he needed to accomplish had to be done now.
Before she disappeared again.
And Zack got the impression that was a distinct possibility.
From all accounts, the woman was easily spooked, so Zack was keen to do everything that might be necessary and remove Emylyah from his life. The possible mafia connection was yet another reason to do so. With his billions, he couldn’t afford to be linked with criminal organizations and have the nature of his wealth questioned. It would destroy his businesses and his credibility, bringing with it the kind of shade that would be impossible to step out from.
Dani nodded and opened her mouth as if to say something. But in the end, she just shook her head, gave him a quick, somewhat distant peck on the cheek, and walked past him to the door, leaving without looking back.
Fuck! Apprehension nipped at him, but Zack didn’t have the option of reassuring Dani right now. Besides, he’d done so over and over. If she didn’t believe him by now, then whatever he said in this rushed moment probably wasn’t going to sway her. He just needed to get through this, meet up with Dani later, andbe able to dispel her fears once and for all because Emylyah was finally in his past. He was so close he could taste it.
