“Your mother,” he mused. “You were close?”
“Yeah.” I swallowed and unintentionally flexed my fingers.
He reciprocated right away, tightening his hold on my hand. “I know her disappearing the way she did hurt you.”
I had to of misheard him. There was no way he knew the details of my mother’s disappearance.
It happened so long ago that she was nothing but grainy memories for me and Isa. Most people assumed she had passed away.
“What did you just say?”
He looked over at me with a gentle smile. “I know her not being around has hurt you. I understand the situation more than you’d imagine.”
I swallowed, unsure how to respond to that. Was he speaking generally or in a roundabout way confessing something? But, no, that didn’t make sense either. Draven wouldn’t have known my parents.
“Della.” He released my hand and took hold of my chin, bringing his body closer to mine as tilted my head back. His green-toned eyes bore into mine with an intensity that threw me further off-kilter. “You are beautiful.”
He was changing the subject again. Before I could call him out on it, his mouth on mine.
The softest lips I’d ever felt pressed against my own, the tip of his tongue teasing the seam between them until I allowed it to slip inside my mouth and intertwine with mine. It was the best, unexpected kiss.
The taste of peppermint was heavy on his tongue. He took complete control, slipping an arm around my back and damn near dragging me onto his lap. I wrapped my arms around his neck, kissing him back with the same fervor.
He slipped one hand around to the back of my neck, threading his fingers in my hair and pulling until I whimpered softly, the action sending a pulse of desire straight through me. The arm around my back lowered until he had a hand on my ass.
The unmistakable feel of his dark dick could be felt inched from my pussy. I shifted, pausing when he released a soft growl.
It felt ridiculously thick and large through the fabric of his pants.
I wanted to feel more.
He suddenly pulled away and gently eased me off of him, bringing his hands up to cup my face.
“I can’t fuck you on my boat, Della. No matter how badly I want to feel your pussy wrapped around my dick and taste every inch of you, it can’t happen here.”
I swallowed, trying to breathe without sounding like a steam train. “You…can’t?”
He placed a kiss on my forehead and straightened, not releasing his hold on my face. “I didn’t keep you pure all of these years to fuck you somewhere like this first chance I got. I have much bigger plans for you than that.”
I blinked a few times, feeling some of the lust-filled haze clear away as his words sunk in. They brought with them the feeling that something wasn’t right. He’d made the odd comment about mom and now this?
I didn’t know what to make of it.
My ringtone began to play, Dollanger’s soft voice obliterating the quiet that had surrounded us until now.
“I should get that,” I practically whispered.
“You should,” he agreed, lowering his hands from either side of my face.
With legs of jelly, I all but stumbled over to where my purse was resting. I’d been ignoring all the vibrations and chimes of texts and alerts. A call was different. Seeing my sister’s name on the screen had my stomach sinking. She wouldn’t be calling unless something was wrong.
“Isa?” I answered quickly.
“Where are you right now? Are you still with Draven?”
“Yes, why? What’s going on?” The blatant stress and worry in her tone did nothing for my nerves.
“Can you come get me? I don’t know why he brought me here.”
“Who?”
The background became muffled, but I could make out voices.
“Isa?” I called.
“I’ll text you where I am right now. Be quick, please. I don’t want to be here.”
Our call disconnected before I could get another word in. I immediately pulled open our most recent conversation and sent a line of question marks.
“Is everything okay?” Draven asked.
“I’m not sure.”
I began to type out another line of question marks just as my sister sent the address of where she was. A second text followed. I read it over at least three times to make sure I was seeing it correctly. I think time came to a momentary halt.
This couldn’t be happening.
I looked at Draven and felt like a complete fucking fraud standing in front of him right now.
“I’m sorry--.”
“No need to explain. Go,” Draven implored. “We can talk later.”
That made me feel worse. I gave him a forced smile and hurried off the boat without a proper thank you or goodbye. I wanted to apologize and explain I had no idea this would happen, but there wasn’t any time. I needed to get to my sister.