One Year LaterAnushka's P.O.V. I look at myself in the full-length mirror and smile. I met Jordan eighteen months ago, and he adopted Dakota a year ago. Now we are finally getting married. The past year has been a whirlwind. Both of our businesses are thriving, and our families are growing. Yurkov and Corrine are expecting a daughter in a couple of months. They got married right after they reconciled. My other four brothers have calmed down and are all dating women I approve of. Yes, they asked for mine and Dakota's approval. I turn to look at the other two women. Courtney and Dina are also getting married today. We decided to do it together, just like we did with the adoptions. Another thing we all did unplanned was get pregnant. The three of us have small, matching baby bumps. We're due in six months, within weeks of each other. As I said, this past year has been a whirlwind. "You two look so beautiful," I say as we stand together. Our dresses are all white, but they're slig
Anushka's P.O.V. Being one of the most successful women in the country comes with its perks. At age twenty-four, I'm a millionaire with a successful business. People say I had everything handed to me, but that isn't true. My father's business was failing, and I gave him an ultimatum. Let me take over, make me the majority shareholder, and I'll turn it around. If he didn't, I would let it fail and start my own business. It may sound cruel, but my dad is a chauvinistic jerk who thinks a woman's place is in the kitchen, barefoot and pregnant. As soon as I took over, the business began doing well. I kicked my dad out and gave him the same severance package he had given the women in the company when he laid them off: nothing. My mom died when I was thirteen, and I had no siblings, so it was just me and him until I went to college. Luckily, I graduated high school early and began college at sixteen. I graduated with my master's degree in business at nineteen. You would think that would
Anushka's P.O.V. The next morning, I wake up bright and early to the sound of seagulls outside our window. There are no meetings, phone calls, or screaming people to deal with. I don't want to waste a minute of our time here. I stretch and turn over to look at Dakota. She's staring at me, smiling. "Are you ready?" she asks as I pull her against me to snuggle. "Ready for what sweetheart?" I kiss her cheek, and she giggles. "Ready to find me a Daddy." I guess my hope that she would forget about that once we got here was wishful thinking. "How about we get dressed and take a walk on the beach?" She nods excitedly but doesn't get up. "Mommy, does it make you sad that I want a Daddy?" Dakota sits up, so I do the same. "No, honey, it doesn't make me sad. I just don't want to share you with anyone else. I like having you all to myself." She crawls onto my lap to hug me. "It's okay to share. My teacher says sharing is caring." I chuckle as I kiss her head. "Okay, I'll think about
Jordan's P.O.V. I can't believe how this day is turning around. I may have been poisoned just for being a tourist, but look what happened afterward. I was saved by two angels. I came to the island to get away from the stress of New York's hustle and bustle. The last relationship I was in ended badly. I'm finding that being young and wealthy brings out the leeches. I thought Cora was a good person. However, she showed her true self when I started denying her extra money. I kicked her out and haven't spoken to her since. That was six months ago. I haven't been looking for a woman to get into another relationship with. It's too draining to find out who wants to be with me because they like me or because they like my money. I could immediately tell that Anushka was different. She has no idea who I am, and her don't mess with me attitude is refreshing. I have a feeling she would have left me on the beach if it wasn't for Dakota. That little girl is a ray of sunshine. I haven't b
Anushka's P.O.V. When we get to a small restaurant not far from the hotel, we're shown to a booth. Dakota insists that she needs to have one whole side of the booth for herself to color in the coloring book they gave her when we walked in, so Jordan and I have to sit together. "Is this your first time on the island?" Jordan asks us. Dakota suddenly becomes very interested in her coloring while sneaking glances at us as though we can't see her. "Yes. This is the first big vacation we've been on." I reply while taking a sip of my water. Jordan leans back and puts his arm on the back of the booth behind me. He's not touching me, but it still feels intimate. "I've never been here either, so we can discover the island together," Jordan says as the waitress comes over to take our order. It's closer to lunchtime than breakfast, but we all want pancakes and sausage. Dakota orders chocolate chip, while Jordan and I order blueberry. "Blueberry pancakes are mommy's favorite," Dakota sa
Jordan's P.O.V. I know it's way too fast, but I can't help it. With Dakota on my shoulders and Anushka's hand in mine, I feel whole. I've heard of love at first sight, but I never believed it was real. Is it possible to fall in love with not only a woman but her child as well? When Dakota asked if she could call me Daddy, it made me happier than I'd been in a long time. Again, I know it's wrong to allow myself to feel so attached to them when after these two weeks on the island, Anushka may not want anything to do with me. I will just have to work that much harder to win her heart. "How are you feeling? Any side effects from the poison?" Anushka asks as we walk. I feel like a fool, but I've been so swept away by her and her daughter that I forgot all about being poisoned. "I feel okay. I better look at those pills and see when I'm supposed to take them again." I pull the bottle out of my pocket, and Anushka takes them from me. She reads the label and sticks the bottle in her po
Anushka’s P.O.V. I wake Dakota and pull her in my arms as Jordan prepares to leave the bedroom. When the door to the room flies open, my heart drops. Why is someone breaking into our rooms? I look at Jordan in fear. He runs over and wraps his arms around both of us while pushing us toward the sliding glass doors. Being as quiet as he can, he opens them, and the three of us run outside and around the corner of the hotel. “Could you see who it was?” I ask him softly. “It was just one man, who I've never seen before. You and I just met today. Who would come to both of our rooms?” Jordan asks as he peeks around the corner. He turns and holds his finger to his lips so we’ll be quiet. I nod while Dakota looks at us in confusion. I hold her tight as my heart feels like it’s going to beat out of my chest until Jordan comes back over to us. “He went in the other direction talking on the phone. Let’s sneak back in and get our thin
Corbin’s P.O.V. I can’t believe I let them get away. I didn’t think they would be in the same room. I figured I could get to Jordan first and then get Anushka and her daughter. Now they’re gone. Whatever hotel they’re staying at won’t be as accessible, I’m sure of it. I just have to be smarter. If they're going to the New Year celebrations on the beach tonight, it will be the ideal opportunity to get to them as there will be hundreds of people around. When my phone rings, I ignore it. Why did I agree to help this asshole? I don’t understand why he has a problem with Jordan or Anushka. He doesn’t tell me anything. All he does is give me orders. Well, this is the last time. After I kill the three of them, I’m done. As the sun begins to set, I head to the beach to wait. Three dead bodies are the price of my freedom and tonight I will get my freedom.______________Anushka’s P.O.V. We ordered pizza for dinner and it was okay, but not as good