Irrevocable (Fated series (can be read as a standalone) Book 3) Page 4

  I flicked through them quickly, finally stopping on one and when the photo-slide feature timed out and moved on, I had to go back to it and freeze the screen.

  I knew that I would, for the rest of my goddamn existence, remember the very first time I saw Jasmin. Her face appeared for the second time on my Mac screen and awakened a feeling from so damn deep inside of me. A feeling that was so alien to me, it was as if I had never felt it before, but I knew I had and it scared the fuck out of me. My heartrate raced like I was out running; I could feel the sweat as it started to burst from my pores and appear magically on my skin. For the first time in a long time, my feelings surprised the hell out of me. I physically moved my head backwards away from the screen, pushing it into the headrest. I reached out my hand and ran my finger over the picture of her face. The screen distorted under my fingertip, but even that couldn’t distract me from her absolutely stunning beauty. She was outside somewhere on a gorgeous summer’s day; her long blonde hair was blowing slightly and she was moving it away from her face with her hand. But it was her beautiful smile that drew me in and I knew I would do anything to be the one that could put such a look of pure joy on her face. Instinctively I moved a hand to my chest as I checked for my gold chain, and with it the wedding bands that had hung on it for many years. They almost felt warm to the touch under my white, button-down-collar shirt.

  Looking at her brought back long lost emotions, emotions that I hadn’t allowed to rise for the longest time.

  Looking at her, made me feel like I was looking at home.

  I hadn’t known a home in a very, very long time.

  I let out a loud exhale. No, I was wrong. It was fine, I could deal with the feeling. I hadn’t recognised it at first, but now I was convinced it was lust.

  Plain and simple lust.

  Lust could be sated, that was a fact I could deal with and act upon.

  Boarding in Cartagena, Spain went seamlessly. I was pleased to find their security was robust.

  ‘Mr. Edwards, if you would like to follow me, I can see you to your stateroom.’

  ‘Thanks,’ I replied, following along behind the steward. He was almost jogging to keep ahead of me as my long legs ate up the carpeted corridors in front of us. Patience had never been a virtue of mine and I needed to get from A to B as quickly as possible. I was a man on a mission. He stopped suddenly in front of me, nearly causing me to crash into him. I let out a rather pissed-off sigh.

  ‘Or would you like me to show you where the rest of your party are, I know they haven’t left the ship today?’ My arrogance was harassing him and he looked flustered, offering me an option that he thought might make me happier.

  ‘No, that’s fine thanks. I’ll find them in good time.’

  I was eager to shower and change. I knew I needed to blend in and watch from afar for a while. I wasn’t supposed to be here. Brent had contacted me less than two days before with concerns about some fellow passengers. Alex and I had decided that I needed to check out the problem personally.

  So here I was.

  After looking at Jasmin’s picture more times than I would allow myself to remember, I had decided she should be part of my cover for appearing on the ship. I needed a reason for being here and it would pull the security detail closer to the family we were protecting.

  Many, many times in the past few hours I had tried to convince myself that this was the only reason she was going to have to marry me.

  Fortunately, I could pick up some clothes in Madrid that wouldn’t scream “FBI suit on holiday” to everyone. I had also picked up a dress for Jasmin. She had remained at the forefront of my mind since her face first appeared on my Mac. I had studied her on and off ever since. Her bank account had shown me that she probably wouldn’t have a suitable dress with her, to get married in today. I had taken care of that immediately after I had decided she was going to be my cover. I bought a few more things that any self-respecting lady would have for her wedding day, too. I knew, if I was honest, I wanted her… badly. But I preferred to deal with fact. I needed a solid cover story and she was exactly that. Nothing more and nothing less.

  The stateroom I had been allocated was too far from where I needed to be. That much information I took in as the steward unlocked the door and showed me my room.

  ‘Just before you go. Where are the rest of my party?’

  ‘Your friends from your stag party, sir, are at the bar by the main pool. Your wife-to-be and her family are taking part in the water aerobics, also in the main pool. You should be able to find them easily as most passengers have disembarked today, pre-arranged excursions to sightsee Spain.’ He smiled with hope at the thought he might have placated me with the required information.

  I made the guy feel that uncomfortable

  ‘Is everything arranged for the wedding?’

  ‘Yes, sir, the ceremony is booked for three hours’ time. The packages have been taken to the young lady’s room. It’s lucky you booked with us, Mr. Edwards as not many companies can offer this service anymore.’ He uttered the statement and gave me some information about my room. I watched as, with his free hand, he pulled down the front of his deep-red, gold-trimmed uniform jacket with unconscious pride. I watched as he lifted one of my cases onto the rack and turned towards me with a smile, looking for his tip. I was more attuned to the body language he had just shown me, than any of the trivia he had just listed. I passed over a note, uttered my thanks and closed the door firmly behind him.

  I stood in the shower, letting the hot, soapy water run down over my skin. I hadn’t slept in over twenty-four hours and needed to shower badly. It had to refresh me and cleanse me, but most of all I needed it to relieve myself of the pressure that had steadily built up in my balls. For hours, I had stared at every single photograph I could find of Jasmin. I was absolutely sure, I had never wanted a woman more. My hard-on throbbed and refused to be ignored.

  ‘Fuck,’ I moaned, cursing myself. I should have accepted Simone’s offer, perhaps I wouldn’t be in this state now.

  I placed my left hand against the silver-tiled wall and closed my eyes, I rested my wet head down onto my bi-cep. I reached down and grabbed my balls tightly with my right hand. I was so ready to blow, I knew it wouldn’t take more than a few strokes. I moved my hand slightly higher feeling my ball-sac tighten into itself as it prepared to feel me run my hand up and down my length. Relief coursed through my body as I took a firm hold of my shaft and began to move my hand rhythmically up and down. If I opened my eyes and looked, I knew the head of my cock would be practically purple under the pressure building deep down within me. I didn’t want to open my eyes, all I wanted to do was to concentrate my mind on the photographs I had been staring at all day. I hadn’t jacked-off over a picture since I was a teenager looking at porn mags. I came hard and fast, hearing a deep groan force its way out from my closed mouth. My release shot far up the shower wall, my balls flexing time after time as they emptied themselves.

  Finally, my body relaxed and so did I.

  I allowed myself ten more minutes under the running water before dressing and going out to find the woman I was set to marry in just over two hours.

  I closed the door to the stateroom behind me. Normally, I would have left a security device on the door in case of unwanted intruders, but I hadn’t bothered. Let them look around, if that’s what they wanted to do. The only thing they would be able to open was my old battered guitar case. It would give them no information at all. I needed to take in the situation at the poolside without being noticed and had hastily put on some black running shorts and slung a small towel around my neck. I moved my rings on the chain around my neck, so they rested down my back and not on my chest. The day was warm and anyone left behind on the boat would surely be soaking up the sun.

  Finally, after jogging along some corridors, I came outside on the main deck. The bright white light hit my tired eyes, the sun was reflecting its rays off every single surface. I was lucky I thought, as soon as the s
un’s strong rays connected with my still damp skin, I had a natural olive skin that tanned easily. I could already see the start of sunburn on a few unfortunates.

  I placed my shades down over my eyes and started to run a little quicker. I loved to run. It gave me a buzz and the endorphins immediately started to pump their way around my body. It was second only to sex, or to slowly squeezing the trigger on my gun. I let out a deep sigh of appreciation.

  I didn’t have to look around to find Jasmin and her family. My eyes homed in on her almost as soon as I heard her laughter filter over to me. Her laughter seemed to travel deliberately to find me, on the Mediterranean Sea breeze, pulling me to her like it was a sound I had heard in my dreams many times before. My heart rate accelerated and my nostrils flared, taking in the extra oxygen I needed to stay in control. My mouth dried up and I swallowed. This was a heightened state of lust like I had never experienced before. This job needed me to be on top of my fucking game, nothing else would do. Me behaving like a teenage boy was not going to happen. I liked Bella and I loved my job, I had a one-hundred percent record that wasn’t going to be ruined by thinking with the wrong fucking head. Gritting my teeth firmly together, I refused to give in to the magnetic pull this woman seemed to have over me. I concentrated on the job in hand and not the fact that my cock was good to go again at only the sound of her laughter.

  I ran on.

  Wrap-around sunglasses were one of the best pieces of equipment I owned. When you can’t see someone’s eyes, you don’t have any idea what they’re looking at or taking in. I quickly counted that there were roughly twenty-five people on the main deck. Two couples had small children, so I removed them from further inspection. Although both the ladies in the party watched me as I ran past them, so I nodded to them in acknowledgement.

  I ran on taking in the whole scenario. I caught sight of two goons lay out on sun loungers at the end of the Olympic size pool, they were a definite possibility. It could be, however, that they were just arseholes by nature and not by choice. Having reached the furthest part of the main pool area, I jogged around the end and allowed myself at last to stare into the water. I had been listening to Jasmin and what I knew to be her brother, almost unconsciously. They were playing volleyball and seemed to be totally relaxed in each other’s presence. A few of the wooden loungers had been moved around the deck, breaking their normal regimented layout, which allowed me to slow up and with good reason. I made my way walking through them, took the towel off my shoulders and blotted at the beads of sweat on my face.

  Mrs. Carpenter was sat on the edge of the pool with her legs in the deep blue water, watching her grown-up children as they played and enjoyed each other’s company. Dr. Carpenter was close to her under an umbrella, pretending to read a newspaper. He raised his eyes up to his family and then back down to the print over and over, as he struggled to maintain the cover of being on holiday while wanting to watch his family, in a bid to try to protect them. His body language read as uncomfortable. That would have to be brought up in conversation, it needed to stop.

  But it was the woman in the pool that I couldn’t tear my eyes away from, her long blonde hair was wet and stuck to her shoulders, the same sun-kissed shoulders that went in and out of the water as she jumped up and down trying to beat her brother in the game. Her skin was perfect and I licked my lips in appreciation, I could almost taste her. With a final flurry, she jumped higher as she served the volleyball towards her brother.

  ‘Take that, you cheat,’ she shouted.

  The shot was true, but he pretended to have difficulty returning it back to her. Jack forced his body backwards into the water, throwing his arms up high and creating a large splash that arced over the top of their laughing mother. She shrieked and a smile tugged at the corner of my mouth, however it soon left as I caught sight of more of Jasmin than I had prepared myself for. For the first time, I realised she was wearing an obviously old and almost see-through white bikini. Without the need for eagle-eyed eyesight, I caught sight of two picture-perfect sized breasts. I had large hands and I knew that my hands would fit like a pair of gloves around them both. I knew that with absolute ease I could have pointed out on a colour swatch chart the exact hue of her large areola.

  ‘Jesus. H. Christ,’ I expelled quietly through gritted teeth. I covered up my face once again with the small towel I was carrying, as I fought to control the blood surging around my body. It took everything I had, every bit of my well-trained restraint, to not jump in the water and cover what I knew without a single doubt, moving forward, was going to be mine.

  I realised I had come to a complete standstill and spurred my trainer-clad feet on to move. After completing one more fast lap around the pool, taking in another group of possible thugs who were drinking at the furthest end of the bar, and willing my hard-on to calm the hell down, I stopped abruptly next to Brent and the others.

  ‘Afternoon,’ I offered to Brent. He had already seen me running on my first lap. It was good to see he was as aware as I demanded he should be and that Alex paid him to be.

  ‘John.’ Brent sprung around and went to shake my hand. Knowing the plan that I had conjured up in my head, I immediately pulled the stocky bloke towards me in a hug, which I knew would look less formal. At first, he was tense and then he played along, joining in with the one-handed grab and hug routine, smacking each other on the back for added measure. I one-arm hugged all the guys after they had hopped off their bar stools. For once, instead of being their boss and friend, I was just their friend, at least that’s what I hoped it looked like. I was well-aware that the men I had been brought in to check on, were without a doubt on the deck watching our every move.

  ‘Right gents, we have a change of plan. I’m going to collect the Carpenter family. I’ll see you all in Jasmin’s cabin in ten minutes.’ I watched as they took in the information, and then made my way back to where it seemed my future was swimming in the most fucking see-through attire known to man.

  The cruise ship was everything I had ever dreamed of. The circumstances that we were on board for though, were less than dreamy. Brent and the team had shown us that they were more than capable of taking care of things. I had been told to expect their boss today which, reading between the lines of, could only mean that there was something on board the ship they weren’t happy with and they were acting on that hunch.

  Call me crazy given the situation, but I was loving being with most of my family. Jack was fun to be with, after his initial anger at being dragged to Southampton had dissipated we had decided to use all the facilities on the ship, just trying not to constantly think about what was happening to Bella. The three of us had always been close, I just wished she was with us now, but I knew in my heart she was right where she was meant to be, with Nathan. The security team with us had assured me that their boss, Edwards, knew what he was doing and that she’d be well looked after by Nathan.

  Our poor worried mum and dad just stuck close to wherever we were.

  Today’s latest “reliving our childhood adventures,” was volleyball in the main pool. The ship was pretty empty today and I had taken full advantage of that. Jack had been asking me to swim for the last couple of days and I had wanted to, given the heat, but all I had with me was a ridiculously old and well-worn bikini, that I needed as few people as possible to actually witness me wearing. It was so thin that I knew it was bound to be see-through in several places when it got wet. I had come out to the pool in a towel and dropped it only as I had lowered myself into the welcoming cool water. As ever, mum was as close to us as she could be without being in the water, as she couldn’t swim. I watched as her eyebrows raised, taking in my outfit.

  ‘Jasmin,’ she whispered. ‘I know you don’t want our money, God knows you have turned down your father and I often enough, but later we are going to have a girlie shopping spree on board.’

  I started to shake my head. She raised her hand stopping me.

  ‘I, for once, am not taking no. I’m sorry,
my love, but you’ll give your father a heart attack wearing that…’ She moved her head towards me gesticulating to my very nearly obscene bikini. I smiled at her as I swum closer and gently splashed water at her bare legs.

  ‘Thanks, Mum… you’re right, I could do with a couple of things.’ I didn’t want anything more from them than their love and continued support, but even I knew when I was beat. I thought back to the large wardrobe in my cabin. It held the only two dresses that I owned, and my few pairs of shorts and T-shirts had only taken up the space of half a drawer. My underwear was awful, I had even stopped hanging it out when it was washed, I didn’t want anyone to see it on the line. As I’d unpacked I had appreciated just how very fragile my life was becoming. Sure, I owned a chocolate-box style cottage and as much appreciated as it was, it was nearly collapsing around my ears. I had hardly any clothes and none of them were remotely new, luckily classic was my fashion style, most of them hadn’t even started off as even mine. A nearby town had a fantastic charity shop and having built up a great rapport with the old ladies who volunteered in it, if anything came in that they thought I might like and was in my size they put it by for me. I owned nothing, apart from Coco, that was remotely in good shape, oh and my one recent gift to myself, a brand-new sketch pad and pencils. I was sure something on this trip would inspire me to put pencil to paper.

  ‘Jass,’ a shout came up from behind me.

  Jack was impatiently waiting for my attention, so he could start trying to thrash me at another game, we had always been competitive siblings. I watched now as my well-over-six-foot little brother warmed himself up in the pool, swimming a few widths and then stretching out. His black eye had turned yellow and was fading in the sun, it did nothing to detract from his good looks. I had noticed a few other bruises on his torso, they just added to his masculinity. It must have been a hell of a scrap. I looked at him again, trying to see what other women would see. He had short, blond hair and his eyes were such a bright blue, they matched the colour of the water we were swimming in. He had a couple of tattoos, he had told me earlier that they were tribal. He was well-built and I couldn’t help but feel proud at the admiring glances other women had given him since “our holiday” had started.