Island Fling With The Tycoon

He started walking again, along the narrow path that led to the beach. It was covered with sand, more so the closer they got, but he didn’t turn around to offer assistance. If she wanted to be stubborn, she’d have to deal with the consequences of it.

Again, not his most honourable decision, but something about Piper rubbed him up the wrong way.

Or the right way.

He grunted at the voice in his head. He didn’t need a reminder of the attraction he felt for her. He could still feel her body in his arms. Could still smell her. Still had the desire to bury his nose in her neck. Maybe brush her pink lips when he drew back, taste that mouth, the curve of it—

His thoughts abruptly stopped when he got to the beach. There were people here and if he continued down that path he’d surely embarrass himself in front of all of them. He glanced over his shoulder to check that she was still okay. She seemed to be, though the pull of her lips made him think she wasn’t pleased.

Good. Neither was he.

He grabbed a glass of champagne from the nearest waiter and drank.

* * *

Piper had to give it to Emma and Liam: extravagance could be quite beautiful.

Once she’d got over being left to fend for herself down that sandy path—which, in hindsight, was probably fair. What could he have done, carried her the entire way?—she was able to enjoy it.

The setting was magnificent. An entire stretch of the beach had been reserved for the party, which allowed for generous decorations. Emma and Liam had taken advantage. A large portion of the beach had been covered in wooden planks. A long table sat on the planks, decorated with greenery and candles, along with a bar and round cocktail tables.

On the sand beyond it were wooden squares, stacked and decorated to form smaller tables. The area was full of them, scattered with round comfortable-looking cushions as seats. Candles and fairy lights illuminated the area, which would need the light in a few moments. Currently, the sun was lowering in the sky, casting an orange glow over the ocean. It was breathtaking.

‘Pretty, isn’t it?’

Jada, Emma’s younger sister, came to stand beside her. She was a picture in a light blue dress, her short hair straight around her face, large navy earrings in her ears.

‘It is,’ Piper said with a smile. ‘So are you.’

Jada blushed. ‘You’re just saying that.’

‘I happen to mean it. But what does it matter if I’m just saying it?’ she asked, bumping her shoulder against the young woman’s. ‘I’m surprised you were allowed to wear blue.’

Jada laughed. ‘I had to. Not the same shade as Emma’s dress, of course, but since Emma wanted the wedding’s theme to be “shades of blue” this worked.’

‘It certainly does.’

Piper scanned the small crowd. Most of the people she didn’t recognise. Her mother had been an only child and she and Liam had never got along with their father’s siblings or their children. Unsurprisingly, Liam hadn’t wanted them at his wedding. Surprisingly, he had wanted her there.

She supposed that might be too harsh. They’d seen each other often enough in the last five years that her invitation was warranted. The surprise? That was her resentment talking. Her memories of how he’d abandoned her to fend for herself for two years.

It slipped in, even when she was trying to be positive.

The truth was that if it hadn’t been an all-expenses-paid trip to a Greek island during the school holidays when she wasn’t teaching, Piper would have stayed at home. In some ways then, she was glad she’d been forced to be there. She needed to move on. Her father was dead. Had been for five years. That time long surpassed the time she’d spent alone with her father after Liam had left. She had to let it go.

She wasn’t sure why she couldn’t.

‘Where are they?’ she asked suddenly, not seeing them in the crowd.

‘Over there.’

Jada pointed to a section of the beach that wasn’t a part of the evening’s celebrations. Piper clearly saw the two of them—Emma in her blue dress, Liam in a blue shirt and black pants—but something about it didn’t feel right.

‘Are they...are they arguing?’

Jada sighed. ‘For the last ten minutes.’

‘Did something happen?’

‘Nothing I can think of. I mean, Em did get really quiet while I was doing her hair, but I thought that was nerves.’

‘Cold feet?’ Piper wondered out loud.

‘I don’t think so. I’m sure Emma would have said something. She’s not exactly a great keeper of secrets.’

Piper studied the couple. It was clear they were arguing. Her brother’s shoulders were squared back, as they always were when he felt attacked. She’d grown used to the stance. Had used it as a warning sign to stay out of his and their father’s way.

‘You’re staring,’ a quiet voice said from her side.

Piper turned to see Tate join them. He followed their gaze.

‘You are, too, dummy,’ Jada said without heat. Her tone was laced with worry.

‘It’s obvious.’

‘Should one of us go check it out?’

‘No,’ came a new voice. Piper hadn’t needed Caleb to answer his sister’s question to know he was there. She’d felt him join their group. Her heart had sped up. Her body had become a little more aware. ‘Let’s give them a moment to sort this out.’

There was a long silence as they heeded the instruction. Piper didn’t do so happily. She was worried by the disappointment that had washed over her earlier. When he’d spoken about ‘allowing’ Emma and Liam to marry. Before that moment, she’d almost forgotten she wasn’t supposed to be interested in him. She’d been too distracted by the easy strength of his arms. By how he didn’t only seem to be carrying her because he’d provoked her, but because he was a nice person.

But nice people weren’t controlling. That trait reminded her too much of her father for her to make that evaluation. It was too much like her ex-boyfriend, too. The blurred lines with Caleb meant she needed to keep her distance. She couldn’t repeat the mistakes of her past. She couldn’t let her mind linger on niceness.

‘Should we stop staring?’ Jada asked into the quiet.

‘Yes,’ Piper replied. No one moved.

Then it happened.

Liam’s hand paused as it ran through his hair, before dropping with such a force Piper didn’t know how it hadn’t taken him to the floor. Emma took a step forward. Liam didn’t move. She took another, resting her hands on his chest. Liam stepped back. There was a beat. Then her brother turned and ran.

Through the tables on the sand, past the wooden planks and all the guests who were there to celebrate with him and Emma. Past his future in-laws, who were staring at him in bewilderment. Past Piper, who watched him with a sinking feeling in her stomach.

But not surprise. No, not surprise.

Moments later, they all watched as Liam jumped onto the dock, onto a boat that had just been untied. He exchanged a few words with the man at the helm. Soon he was gone.

An uncomfortable silence settled. Then came Jada’s trembling voice.

‘Did he...did he just run away from Emma?’

CHAPTER FOUR

SHE WAS GOING to kill her brother. She’d make it swift, painless, because he was family. But he deserved death for this. Running away from his fiancée on the evening of their rehearsal dinner. Four days before their wedding.

Since she was the only one of his family there, it automatically put her in the spotlight. Taking in the three pairs of eyes staring at her, she finalised the plans for his death.

‘Did your brother run away from our sister?’ Jada demanded now, a clear distinction between them and Piper in that question.

‘I was watching, same as you were,’ Piper said with a calm she didn’t feel. Her heart was pounding in her ears. She forced herself to take a breath when she realised she’d stopped inhaling and exhaling.

‘Why?’ Tate asked.

‘Why was I watching with you?’

‘Why would your brother leave our sister?’

‘Tate.’

Caleb spoke softly, but the twenty-year-old reared back as if his brother had shouted. They exchanged a look, and when Tate looked back at Piper there was shame in his eyes. She wasn’t sure if she felt sorry for him or if she was impressed at Caleb’s nonverbal abilities.

‘Do you have any idea what happened?’ Caleb asked her.

‘This is the first time I’ve seen my brother since arriving. I have no idea. But you know who does?’

She gestured to where Emma was standing. The Martin siblings’ heads collectively turned, looking in that direction, as if they’d just realised she was still there. They all moved towards her, before Caleb stretched out an arm, stopping his siblings.

‘At least one of us has to stay here.’

‘Tate will,’ Jada said.

At the same time Tate said, ‘Jada.’

Caleb lifted a brow. They both sighed.

‘Fine.’

‘I can stay,’ Piper offered, suddenly wanting to make herself useful.

The bond between the siblings was obvious, and it was making her nostalgic for something that had never been in her past. Or perhaps it had, after their mother had died and she and Liam had still sought comfort with one another.

‘No,’ Caleb said. ‘They will. Help smooth everything over here, distract people. Pretend like what Liam did and everyone saw was part of the plan.’

‘What should I do?’ she asked in a small voice, emotion hammering into her like a battering ram. It broke down the defences she’d put in place, and she couldn’t fight her instincts without them. Unfortunately, those instincts had been built and honed during her childhood. When she’d reverted to her father because he’d demanded she do so.

‘Come with me,’ Caleb said, interrupting her thoughts. ‘You’re his family. You deserve to know what happened.’

She didn’t think she agreed with that, but she was touched by the sentiment. Enough that she obeyed, ignoring the whirlwind inside her. The war, really, between the part of her wondering if she was obeying because she wanted to or if it meant she was doing it again.

She’d ignored her feelings with Brad, had obeyed. Things had snowballed during their relationship. Two years later, she was still cold from being buried under the avalanche.

She wrapped her arms around herself, hoping to hide the shudder that had gone through her body. Caleb didn’t seem to be paying attention to her though. His eyes were on Emma, her hunched-over frame keeping his focus. She glanced back at where she’d seen her brother disappear. The boat was gone, the ocean calm, as if the turmoil of the last few minutes hadn’t happened.

You’d better have a reason for running, Liam, Piper told him silently.

* * *

Emma went into his arms the moment they reached her. His heart ached and he tightened his hold before leaning back, keeping his hands on her arms.

‘We saw what happened, but a lot of the guests didn’t,’ he said, knowing his sister needed him to take control. All of his siblings needed him to, in emergencies. ‘I told Tate and Jada to pretend it was part of the evening’s festivities. If you’d prefer we tell the truth, we’ll do that. But I wanted to give you a moment to recover before you have people rushing to your side.’

Emma’s lip wobbled but she nodded, stepping out of his embrace and straightening her shoulders. Pride filled him. He folded his arms to keep from reaching out to her anyway.

‘What happened?’ he asked after he’d given her a moment.

‘He ran.’

‘Yes, we know that. But you were fighting before. What about?’

She pursed her lips, taking a shaky breath. ‘He has cold feet.’

Caleb barely kept himself from growling.

‘We made an offer on a place back in Cape Town and the estate agent called to say they accepted the offer. It freaked him out.’

‘So he ran?’ Caleb asked, incredulous. He wanted to wring Liam’s neck.

‘Well, he started freaking out. Pacing. Breathing quick.’ She dug a heel into the sand. ‘It made me freak out and...and I told him something that made him run.’

‘What?’

Her eyes met Piper’s. Piper looked back steadily. For some reason, it made Emma’s eyes fill. Before he could curse that he didn’t have a tissue for her, Piper handed Emma one.

‘Thanks,’ she said, blowing her nose. She took a deep breath. ‘He isn’t ready for marriage.’

‘What are you talking about?’ Caleb demanded. ‘He asked you to marry him. Hell, he asked me if he could marry you, which we both know takes guts.’

Piper blinked at him in surprise. He merely lifted his shoulders.

‘He loves you, Emma,’ Caleb said with a shake of his head. ‘There’s no way he doesn’t want to marry you.’

If he didn’t, Caleb would kill him. Then bring him back from the dead and force him to do right by Emma.

‘It’s true,’ Piper said softly. It was the first thing she’d said since they’d arrived. He supposed he should be happy she’d contributed at all. He was particularly happy she’d contributed with this.

Emma breathing began to sound like sobs. Caleb angled his body to keep her from the guests’ view. Piper did the same.

‘He panicked,’ Emma said. ‘About the house and—’ She broke off again.

‘It’s a big commitment,’ Piper said. ‘Especially for him.’

‘I know. But I didn’t force him to marry me. I didn’t give him an ultimatum or anything. I didn’t even tell him I wanted to buy a house.’

The more Emma spoke, the guiltier Caleb felt. He should have asked more questions. Done more than a credit check on Liam. He hadn’t protected Emma, and now she was hurt. What kind of a brother did that make him? What kind of a father figure? He could almost hear his father’s voice from the grave, asking him those questions. Hell, if his father had been here, this probably wouldn’t have happened.

He quelled the guilt with anger.

‘Did he force you to do this, Em?’

‘What? No, no. No,’ she said again. ‘I wanted to do all this.’

‘You signed the pre-nup, didn’t you?’

‘Caleb,’ Emma said sharply, her first show of emotion apart from devastation, ‘Liam wasn’t doing this for the money.’

He didn’t reply.

‘Really.’ Emma’s voice softened. ‘He ran because...because I’m pregnant, and it freaked him out. We never spoke about starting a family, and I think because of how he grew up...with your father,’ she said to Piper, ‘I think he’s scared to be one. Or he doesn’t know what kind of father he’ll be. I don’t know. I... I...’

She started crying in earnest now, and Caleb set aside his shock and admonishments—hadn’t he had the sex talk with all his siblings; what didn’t they understand about possible pregnancy and STDs?—and drew her into a hug. Her body shook in his arms. His heart shook along with it. And he got more and more upset. More determined that he should have protected her from a man who could be so careless with her heart. Guiltier that he hadn’t acted like their father would have.

‘Em,’ Caleb said softly, running a hand over her hair. ‘It’s going to be okay.’

She said something, but it was muffled since she was crying into his chest. He looked at Piper, who was staring at them both a little helplessly. He knew it was irrational, but he was suddenly angry with her, too.

She should have warned Emma her brother would be so reckless. She should have warned him at the very least. He could have warned Emma. Banned her from seeing Liam. Anything to keep this moment from happening.

Then she met his eyes and his heart flipped at the pain he saw there. At the extent of that helplessness. Something about it made him want to reach out and take her into his arms, too. Involuntarily, his muscles spasmed. Emma drew back and looked at them both. Her make-up was still flawless. He was glad that ridiculously priced make-up artist they’d hired was worth the money.

‘You have to find him,’ she said, blinking up at him. ‘Please. He’s scared, and I’m worried he’ll do something dangerous.’ She looked at Piper. ‘You know why he did this. He needs you to bring him back.’

‘He... I...’ Piper stammered. She gave a quick shake of her head. ‘No, Emma. He doesn’t need me.’

‘He might,’ Emma said softly. ‘He definitely needs me. He just doesn’t know it yet.’

Caleb admired his sister’s quiet resolve. He didn’t appreciate that it was days before her wedding, and it came courtesy of a runaway groom.

‘Emma—’

‘Please,’ his sister interrupted, aiming the full force of her puppy dog eyes at Piper. He silently wished Piper luck. He hadn’t been able to resist that look since...ever. ‘Please bring him back.’

‘I... Okay,’ Piper said hesitantly.

‘Thank you,’ Emma said, hugging Piper. Then she broke away from Piper and drew him into a hug. ‘Thank you, Caleb.’

‘Why are you thanking me?’ he asked, though he patted Emma’s back.

She aimed the puppy dog eyes at him now. ‘Because you’re going with Piper. You’re going to help her find Liam.’

Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.