As Delia followed Ethan into the villa, her facade of composure crumbled, her distress evident in the tremble of her hands and the quiver of her voice. Turning to Ethan, she couldn't contain the torrent of questions and emotions swirling within her. “Why didn't anyone warn me about Natasha?" Delia demanded with hurt evident in her green eyes. "I had no idea Rafe was involved with her." Ethan's eyes softened, his eyes reflecting empathy. "Delia, Natasha doesn't mean a thing to Rafe," he reassured her, his tone gentle yet firm. Delia scoffed incredulously, her frustration boiling over. "It certainly didn't seem that way tonight," she retorted. Ethan sighed, a mixture of sympathy and frustration flickering in his eyes. "Yes, Rafe and Natasha have history," he admitted. "But that was awhile ago and long before he met you. I can't even begin to tell you how much you affect him." Delia shook her head in disbelief, her heart heavy with doubt and insecurity. "If that were true, Et
The sound of crashing waves provided a soothing backdrop as the moon casted a luminous glow over Delia's figure as she stood by the water's edge, her gaze fixed on the horizon. For a moment, Rafe simply watched her, his heart swelling with a mixture of longing and regret. He knew he had hurt her, and the thought gnawed at him relentlessly. Summoning every ounce of courage he possessed, Rafe took a hesitant step forward, the cool sand shifting beneath his feet. "Delia," he called out softly, his voice carrying across the gentle night breeze. Startled, Delia turned towards him, her eyes widening in surprise as she caught sight of him standing there, his imposing silhouette illuminated by the moonlight. “Rafe," she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper. For a moment, they simply stared at each other, the air thick with unspoken tension. Then, as if drawn by some invisible force, Rafe took a step closer, his gaze never leaving hers. “Delia," he murmured, his voice a low
As Rafe hoists Delia over his shoulders and carries her to the villa, her body trembles with a mixture of nervousness and excitement. His palm kneading her behind, he easily holds her weight up the rocky terrain. When they finally enter the villa, he leads them straight to her bedroom. With a swift motion, he throws her onto the bed, the mattress bouncing beneath her. Delia's heart races as she meets his hungry gaze. She scoots back nervously, her eyes locked on him as he approaches with a predatory glint in his eyes. But before she can protest or resist, he grasps both her legs, pulling them forward while simultaneously stripping off her pajama shorts, leaving her bottom half bare to him. Rafe stares at her beautiful glistening core as if entranced, his desire evident in the hungry look in his eyes. "Mine," he whispers hoarsely before diving in and tasting her directly for the first time. Delia gasps at the sensation of his warm tongue, her fingers clutching at th
As Nate's figure disappeared from their view, Delia's attention was abruptly seized as Rafe's strong grip enclosed around her arm, yanking her into the villa. “Why is Nate here again, and why are you just in your towel?" Rafe's voice dripped with possessiveness, his eyes ablaze with jealousy. Feeling her anger flare at his accusatory tone, Delia wrenched her arm from his grasp with defiance. "He was just here to check on me. Where were you this morning?” Rafe's predatory aura intensified as he closed the distance between them, his steps deliberate and menacing. “He sure likes to check on you a lot”. Delia instinctively backed away until she felt the cool surface of the wall press against her back. Before she could react, Rafe seized both her wrists and pinned them above her head, causing her towel to slip away, leaving her exposed to his hungry gaze. Turning her around to face the wall, Rafe pressed his body against hers, the heat of his desire palpable against her skin as
As Delia awoke from her unexpected afternoon siesta, the soft glow of evening light filtered through the curtains, casting a warm hue across the room. Blinking away the remnants of sleep, she glanced at her phone, half-expecting to find a message from Rafe. Disappointment flickered briefly as she saw none, but she brushed it aside with a shrug, reminding herself that he had promised to see her later. She decided to head to the beach and take a dip into the ocean to freshen up. She slipped into her white one-piece swimsuit and made her way down the beach access. As she reached the shoreline, the sound of crashing waves greeted her. Without hesitation, Delia waded into the ocean, the water refreshing against her skin after the warmth of the day. To her surprise, she spotted Ethan in the distance, his muscular arms cutting strong strokes through the water as he swam laps in the open expanse. Delia waved out to him, a smile lighting up her face as their eyes met. Ethan returned
Delia was curled up with a book in the cozy reading nook of her villa, when she he was startled by the sound of the doorbell. Looking at the time, she thought Rafe may have returned earlier than expected. She made her way to the door and opened it to find Phillip standing at her doorstep, looking a bit disheveled. “Phillip, what are you doing here?" Delia's voice betrayed her confusion. "Delia, lass, I hate to bother you, but my car broke down a little ways from here," Phillip admitted sheepishly. "I think I left the headlight on draining the battery. I was wondering if you could give me a jumpstart?" Delia's brow furrowed in concern. "Of course," she replied with a reassuring smile. "Let me grab my keys, and we'll head out right away." "Thank you, lass. I really appreciate it," Phillip said earnestly. “It's no trouble at all," Delia reassured him, leading the way to her Mini parked outside. "Let's get you sorted out." With Phillip settled into the passeng
As Rafe carried her into the villa, Delia's protests fell on deaf ears as he firmly held her in place, his grip unyielding. "Rafe, put me down!" Delia exclaimed, her voice echoing through the halls as she thumped against his back, her frustration mounting. In response, Rafe's hand came down on her behind, lightly slapping it. He walked through the villa, out onto the veranda and then the pool area. He finally set Delia down on her feet. With a deft hand, he removed her top and unbuttoned her shorts, pulling them down and leaving her standing in nothing but her lace bra and underwear. “Rafe, what are you doing?" Delia questioned as she met his intense gaze. But Rafe's eyes darkened at the sight of her. “Let's go for a swim," he suggested in a husky tone, as he removed his shirt, revealing his sculpted eight-pack. Delia's breath caught in her throat as she stared at him in awe, the realization dawning on her that this man before her was nothing short of a god. Without wa
Rafe tenderly carried Delia through the corridors of his mansion. As he reached his bedroom on the third floor, he carefully laid her down on his bed and covered her with a blanket. “It's over now, Delia," he murmured softly, his voice a soothing balm in the darkness. He didn’t think she had seen anything but wasn’t sure how much she may have heard during the chaos. Climbing into bed beside her, Rafe wrapped his arms around Delia, pulling her close to his chest. He held her tightly, offering her warmth and reassurance as she shed silent tears, her emotions raw and unguarded in the quiet of the night. Safe in Rafe’s embrace, Delia finally succumbed to sleep. As Rafe pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, he found solace in the simple act of holding her close, knowing that he would do whatever it took to protect her from harm. Rafe lay awake beside Delia as his mind churned with questions and doubts. The sudden attack by the rogue pirates on the villa seemed too calculated t