25ZaraHayden bought me the prawns. We dried off with towels and I wore my dress back while Hayden kept his shirt unbuttoned. It was hard to see so many men and women check him out, with his damp wavy hair, sunglasses and low slung shorts that showed off the vee of his hips. But I maintained myself, controlling the carnal urge to tug at the collar of his shirt and kiss him, feel his calloused hands on my body. I was the one who had said I wanted to take things slow. I could keep my hands to myself for a little while. “Can’t you please hurry?” I ignored his voice and glanced at the various toys for children in bright colors. I picked up a remote-controlled toy car and wondered if Aya, Zain’s daughter and my niece, would play with it. She was at that age where she loved anything that was bright, colourful, and could hold her attention for a few minutes. “Zara, don’t tell me you want to buy this.”“Why? What’s wrong with it?” I asked, paying for the car and held the box in my hand. I

27ZaraIt was the way he said it. Every time. Hayden called me and owned every part of me when he called me his own Princess slut. The way he played with my degradation and praise kink, touching me like I was his. “Good girl.” I visibly shivered, almost panting for him to touch me when he made sure my legs stayed spread. “Play with yourself for me, Princess.”I nodded, licking my lips when he pulled away. Sliding my hand between my legs, I watched him and slowly rubbed my clit, the stud piercing on it. It hurt a little, the type of pain that brought pleasure. “Look at me, Princess,” Hayden whispered, closer to me than before. I was delighted to see him shirtless. His tattoo, his perfect tan, and his muscles were a feast for my eyes. The way his bulge formed a tent in his sweatpants made me rub faster, saying his name and shivering when my legs closed. I cried out when his palm landed on my inner thigh. “Keep your legs spread, Princess.”Biting my lip, I looked up at him, and my lip

29Hayden“Why are you making that face?” I asked, swallowing the taco we had received from the old couple who ran a small restaurant. It looked ancient, and we were the only customers here. It was our own fault. I wanted to buy the most expensive dish for her but it was made from eggplant and she hated eggplants, so we walked somewhere else until our stomachs kept growling. We found the small restaurant on the corner of the road and walked in without thinking, greeted by the old couple who ‘ooh’ed and ‘ahh’ed when we mentioned we were there for our honeymoon. They bought our lie despite our empty ring fingers and even gave us free beer while serving us our orders. Zara ate the food, forcing herself to swallow it as she thumped her chest, coughing a little and taking a big gulp of beer. “Was it that bad?” I asked, patting her hand sympathetically. “It tastes like tears of old people,” she grumbled, pursing her lips at the half-eaten taco. Holding back my smile, I exchanged my dis

PART FOUR“Yes, you silly brat, I fucking love you.” 31ZaraIt was our second last day at the Almas Peninsula. I hated the way my stomach was feeling. So I had dragged Hayden into the club. I giggled loudly at something the tan guy whispered in my ear. My eyes blurry with the flashing neon lights. “I leave you for one second and you are already flirting with someone else.” I didn’t need to turn around to see who it was. I knew it was Hayden just by his warmth presence behind me and the deep, husky voice rumbling through my ears despite the loud pop music running in the background. Just his presence made a warm feeling in my stomach, expanding in to my chest and making my heart rate increase. I must be sick. I needed to see a doctor, a cardiologist, and ask them why I was feeling the way I was. The man across me stiffened, looking over my shoulder and the arm around my waist. I snuggled back into his strong embrace, smiling prettily at the stranger as I leaned my head on Hayden’s s

33HaydenI was alive. I had realised after five seconds of not feeling any pain in my head or bleeding. The bullet had not struck me. I slammed my elbow on the ribs of the man behind me. My eyes averted to Olivia, who was standing behind me and clutching her left shoulder, that was bleeding quickly. The gun she was holding fell on the deck with a loud thud as she gaped at the persons standing across her. Zara. She was the one holding a gun, her face pale as she stared at Olivia. Smoke weaved through the nozzle of the gun as it clattered on the floor, making Zara jump and shiver. I didn’t waste time in throwing all three of them, Olivia and the two men from the yacht. The sound of bodies hitting in the water with a splash was chilling. We were near the shore and the military will catch them before hypothermia could get to them. I tried to ignore the guilt forming in my stomach and walked over to Zara, who was hugging herself on her knees, wearing my tee shirt with blood on the slee