Beauty in the Broken

In the afternoon, I push my comfort zone by pulling on the white bikini Damian had bought. I study my body in the mirror of his dressing room. My ribs are less pronounced, and my breasts are filling out, plus I have a newfound level of energy. Eating well agrees with my health.

Twisting my hair into a bun on my head, I tie a wrap around my waist and grab a towel. I’m taking a bottle of water from the fridge when a small gasp startles me.

Jana stands in the middle of the kitchen, a shopping bag in one hand and the other on her heart. She pulls her gaze from my arms to my face, her cheeks flushing red. “Lina, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to stare.”

“It’s a lot to take in, huh?”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“It’s all right. It’s hard not to look.”

“I saw the newspaper article, but…” She bites her lip.

“It’s worse seeing them in real life, right?”

“Right,” she agrees meekly.

“At least everyone has seen them. Now I can get on with my life.”

She regards my attire. “And wear short sleeves.”

I don’t say Damian destroyed all my clothes with long sleeves. “Exactly.”

“Don’t let me keep you.” She drops the bag and all but pushes me to the door. “Go on, then. It’s a nice day for a swim.”

She’s eager to get rid of me, but I don’t blame her. The situation can’t be comfortable. Granting her the space she wants, I venture to the inviting blue water. I haven’t been in a pool since my eighteenth birthday. As usual, Russell follows a few steps behind. It’s sweltering hot, and he’s wearing a suit.

“Why don’t you get out of that suit?” I ask. “You must be dying of heat.”

He shrugs. “Uniform.”

“I’m sure Damian won’t mind if you take a dive.”

“Thanks, but no thanks. It’s against protocol.”

We don’t speak for the rest of the way. Anne is already there, as usual drifting on a float. When she spots me, she lifts her sunglasses and assesses me with unmasked curiosity.

I walk to the deep end. “Do you mind?”

She looks annoyed, as if I’m disturbing her peace. “It’s your pool.”

In that case…I dive in, creating enough of a wave to splash her. Just because I’m hoping she’ll divert my husband’s attention doesn’t mean I have to put up with her sarcasm.

The water is heaven. The coolness ripples over my skin. Chlorine tickles my nose. When I surface, Anne is gasping, holding her dripping sunglasses in the air and patting her ruined hair. Smiling to myself, I swim a length. My muscles are weak from lack of exercise for too many years, but I slip effortlessly through the water, feeling weightless.

I swim only one more lap before I tire. Leaning my arms on the edge of the deep side, I stop to catch my breath. Disturbed by my splashing, Anne stretched out on one of the deck chairs. She makes no secret of her irritation, giving me a pouty look. I’m about to push myself out of the water when a pair of polished shoes appears in my line of vision, Italian shoes, shoes I felt against my naked heel, between my legs. I lift my gaze to the face of the owner. Damian is staring down at me, his hands shoved into the pockets of his suit pants. His shirtsleeves are rolled up, revealing a hint of his manly forearms.

He gives me a peculiar smile. “Having fun?”

“The water is nice,” I say carefully, keeping on neutral ground. With Damian, I never know how the conversation is going to turn.

Crouching down, he pushes a wet tendril of hair behind my ear. “You invited Russell to join you.”

His words are as gentle as his touch, but his eyes are probing, piercing, searching for something that isn’t there.

I swallow. “How do you know?” Is he spying on me?

He doesn’t answer, but at the edge of the pool Russell stands as stiff as a stick, Zane a short distance to the side. I bet Zane was following us, listening to what I was saying.

Damian’s voice is tender, but there’s an edge to it. “Lina?”

“It’s hot. I was only being polite.”

He traces a drop of water that runs down my neck with his finger before withdrawing his touch. “Are you going to invite me?”

“You’re busy.”

He narrows his eyes a fraction. “Am I?”

I motion to his clothes. “You’re dressed for work.”

His smile is all forced patience. “I suppose that means I don’t qualify for politeness.”

I can only look at him. Any answer I give will be the wrong one.

He straightens. “Don’t burn.” With another look that seems to burn right through me, he walks away.

Goosebumps break out over my body. The water suddenly feels too cold. I watch his retreating form with a nervousness building in the pit of my stomach. Zane gives me a cold look before he turns and follows Damian. I’m not the only one watching. Anne looks at Damian with lowered lashes and her lip caught between her teeth. She eats him up with her eyes from top to bottom, a sinful grin curving her lips.