Chapter Eight

“Penny for your thoughts?”

The familiar voice made her stiffen before she turned to face Ethan. He stood there, his suit slightly wrinkled, his crooked tie betraying the fact that he never cared much for appearances.

His suit fit him well, dark and understated, though the slightly crooked tie betrayed his usual disregard for appearances.

“Ethan,” she greeted coldly. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”

“I could say the same,” his tone taut. “This isn’t exactly the safest place for you to be. I warned you earlier…”

“Good thing, I’ve always been able to hold my own.”

“Maybe you’re right. But I know these men, and Vincent is as bad as Lorenzo, if not worse.” he snapped.

“You’re playing a dangerous game, Elena.”

Ethan stepped closer, the intensity of his scrutiny making her heart race.

“What is it that you really want Elena?”

“I want answers. I want to know what happened with my father. I was doing fine, even before you wedged yourself into all of it.” she shot back, the truth of her motives cutting through the tension.

His hand shot out, gripping her wrist tightly, his control barely held in check. “You don’t get it, do you?”

Elena yanked her wrist free, eyes blazing. “I’m not afraid of ghosts, and I’m sure as hell not afraid of you.”

For a moment, neither moved. The air between them crackled with unspoken tension, old wounds ripped open and bleeding. Then, without warning, Ethan’s lips curled into a smirk—cold, calculating, and utterly devoid of warmth.

“You’re going to get yourself entangled too deeply,” he murmured, almost amused. “And when that happens...”

Before he could finish, a shadow fell over them.

“Everything alright here?” Lorenzo’s voice was smooth, but there was an unmistakable edge to it.

Lorenzo stepped closer, his gaze flicking between her and Ethan with a calculated calmness that made her stomach twist. Ethan took a step back, his expression hardening.

“Just catching up with an old friend,” Ethan muttered.

Lorenzo turned to Elena. “I see you’ve met my head of security.” He gestured at Ethan. “Don’t let him psyche you out, you know… He takes his position very seriously.”

“Oh, I’m sure he’s fine,” Elena replied, injecting lightness into her tone. “He just cares about you.”

Lorenzo's smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Good to hear. I’d hate to think my head of security wasn’t keeping things under control.” His words dripped with a subtle mockery, but his gaze never left Elena’s.

Ethan’s jaw clenched. “I don’t work for you.”

“No, you work for Nico,” Lorenzo said, his tone as smooth as ever. “But you’re here, as my security detail, on Nico’s orders. So, in a way, you do work for me.”

Sandwiched between the two men, Elena felt the heat of Lorenzo’s presence beside her, the electricity between them making her head spin. She stepped to the side, out of his line of sight, but Lorenzo leaned in, his breath warm against her ear.

“You really have a knack for getting caught between rivals, don’t you, Elena?” he murmured, his voice low, teasing.

“If you’re referring to Vincent, I’m sure he understands that I’m not interested in snagging you.” she spun around.

Lorenzo’s chuckle was soft, almost intimate, as if they were sharing a private joke. He followed her.

“I’ve seen the way you watch me... it’s like you’re wondering how I pull off such charisma.”

Elena’s laugh was soft, but her eyes gleamed with challenge. “Maybe I’m just waiting to see how long it takes before you trip over your own ego.”

“If it’s not a case of extreme admiration, then you must be imagining all the ways you could destroy me…” His voice dropped to a seductive whisper.

Elena swallowed hard, forcing herself to maintain eye contact. “If that’s what you think.”

She walked past him to the outer deck.

The faintest buzz of radios drifted in from the edges of the yacht, just audible beneath the music and laughter. Elena monitored the horizon, but all she saw was darkness—no sign of the storm brewing.

The soft chime of a bell echoed across the deck, signaling the start of the evening’s festivities.

“We should get back to the other guests,” she said, turning away from the horizon.

Lorenzo leaned in, his breath warm against her ear. “And miss the chance to watch you squirm? I think not.”

He paused, then added, his voice dropping a notch. “What’s your deal Elena?”

“What do you think my deal is?” she said lightly.

Lorenzo’s smile was slow, dangerous. “You’re not as clueless as you present.”

“Am I?” she challenged, raising a brow. “Or are you just reading too much into things?”

“I know exactly what you’re doing, Elena.”

Lorenzo stepped closer, his gaze never leaving hers. The air between them crackled with tension, charged with the unspoken, the unthinkable. She knew she should step away.