Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 70628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 283(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 283(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
This private beach thing? It’s great, but it’s not really us.
“All right, baby,” I say, “let’s get ready to go to the beach.”
32
ASPEN
I chose a tankini. I’ve never liked one-piece bathing suits. I hate that you have to take the whole thing off to go to the bathroom. But a bikini? I’m not quite ready to show the world my scars. I have enough of them on my legs. I don’t really want to display my torso and back to the world.
The tankini is green, and it pushes my tits up so I look like I have more than I do.
Buck’s eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw me.
He looks amazing as well in navy-blue trunks. They cover up too much of his muscular thighs, but I can’t see him in a Speedo either.
Correction. I’d like very much to see him in a Speedo, but it’s really not him.
We’re not technically at a public beach. It’s a semiprivate beach. We had to pay to get in, and I’m just as glad. Public beaches tend to be crowded, even on weekdays like today. Plus, even though Luke brought a security team—of course—we’re safer here than at an actual public beach.
Katelyn called ahead and rented a cabana, so we have a place to hang out if we want to get out of the sun. Plus, wait staff visit us from time to time so we can order drinks and snacks.
Katelyn is also wearing a tankini, most likely to cover her scars as well. She doesn’t have as many as I do, at least not on her legs. I haven’t seen the rest of her.
Luke wears a pair of red, white, and blue trunks, and he looks pretty good as well. He’s not quite as muscular as Buck, but he’s a fine specimen. His hair is starting to grow out. Apparently he likes to wear it long.
The most interesting thing about looking at Buck and Luke in trunks is their tattoos. Buck has the SEAL trident on his arm of course, and then the elaborate tattoo on his back in honor of his fallen friends.
Luke’s tattoo is beautiful as well. It starts on his left hand, swirls up his arm and becomes a Raven with flaming wings that stretches out onto his shoulder and upper back.
It’s the tattoo he kept secret from Katelyn when they first met.
Two amazing men here.
With completely opposite pasts, but who are the best of the best.
Truly good men.
If I were a better person, I’d let this all go. I’d leave these two men to be good men. I wouldn’t insist on seeing Greg Wallace.
But I can’t help it.
It all seems so unfinished to me.
Maybe it’s just because Pollack didn’t enter the guilty plea that he had agreed to, and now we have to stay around here for a trial. I’ll have to get up on the stand and tell my harrowing story in front of a jury.
And I’m wondering…
Maybe that’s what he wants.
Maybe he’s punishing me.
Sure, he has to spend the rest of his life in prison. He screwed up his immunity deal. I get that he was forced to do it, but so what? It’s his own fault he was obsessed with Katelyn and went after Luke.
Besides, no one forced him to go on that island and do what he did to Katelyn.
Does he really think he has a shot at getting off at a trial?
And then I look around.
We’re not on a public beach…but it’s only semiprivate.
If the witnesses go away—Luke, Katelyn, Buck, and I—plus Nancy—they’ll have to drop the charges against Pollack.
Damn.
That’s it.
That’s why he didn’t plead guilty.
He’s going to try to have us eliminated.
And I realize…
Buck and Luke have probably already thought of this. Whether they’ve put it into words? Or even a passing thought? I don’t know. But they know. They know what Pollack must be thinking. Hence the security contingent watching discreetly over us.
I’m alone in the cabana right now, but Buck is approaching me, coming back from a swim. His hair is plastered to his cheeks and neck, and water drips over him, pasting his trunks against his muscular thighs.
He looks completely luscious.
He reaches for a towel.
“Buck…”
“Yeah, baby?”
“I just had a thought.”
“What kind of thought?
“Of why Pollack might have refused to plead guilty.”
“I’m sure it’s a thought I’ve already had.”
“He’s going to try to have us eliminated, isn’t he?”
Buck rubs the towel over his head. “He can try.”
“He’s in prison now, awaiting trial. He’s going to have all kinds of connections.”
“No,” Buck says. “Luke and I have talked about this. The connections in prison won’t be any good to him. Pollack’s a canary. They don’t like canaries in prison. They also don’t like people who abuse and torture women. Rapists aren’t treated well in prison.”
“I suppose not. But still—”