I laughed as her words fell into place in my mind, the truth a bit too close to home. “I guess. Now, are you going to help me? There is a lot of food here.”
“Oh, I don’t want to come between you and cheesy potatoes.” She giggled but reached back into her trolley and poured herself a glass of juice too.
I laughed. “The food I grew up eating was nothing like this. If it had no taste, that’s what I got for my meals. But I’d gotten used to it, and it’s kind of blowing my mind tasting real food again.”
“If there’s one thing I can guarantee you, it’s that you will be well fed here at Isla de Sangre.”
I found myself relaxing around her. She spoke calmly, was a bit too excited over food, which I loved, and she was friendly.
“How long have you lived here?” I asked as I took a mouthful of the steak. I might have moaned out loud, earning myself another giggle from Eliza. How could this food taste this good?
“Almost five years,” she answered. “And there are lots of perks. Like once a week, we get off, and all the staff go to the beach for the day and swim and eat. You’ll need to come with me next time. There’s coral, and the most colorful fish swim there.”
“That sounds heavenly, though I must warn you. I can’t swim.”
She didn’t even bat an eye at me. "That’s okay. I’ll teach you.”
Who was this wonderful girl? She was the kind of friend I’d always dreamed of having.
“I’d like that a lot.” I continued eating while a sense of warmth flared over me. Perhaps not everyone on this island was a crazy-ass possessive or dominant.
“Did you know that most people on the island are talking about you? Word spread fast about the new girl permitted to live in the mansion with our Alphas." She hesitated at first, then said, “You know you’re the first female Hendrix has allowed to stay in his house.”
What the heck?
Throat tight from the news that took me off guard, I dropped my fork a bit too fast. It clattered against the plate and vegetables, making a loud bang.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” She hastily got to her feet to collect the beans I’d managed to throw across the table. Rapidly, she picked up every last piece.
“It’s okay. It’s my fault.” I helped clean up the mess, and she wiped down the table with a rag, then tucked the mess onto the lower shelf of the trolley.
“I shouldn’t have said anything,” she said, already on her feet and collecting her trolley.
“Eliza, it’s okay.” I got to my feet. “You did nothing wrong. It just surprised me because I don’t know exactly why I’m here. Before yesterday, I didn’t even know Hendrix existed.”
She nodded, her cheeks reddening. “I think I should go back now. Mother will send a search party out for me otherwise. I’ll return later to collect the plates." She pushed the trolley to the door and looked back at me over her shoulder. “It was really nice meeting you, Syn. I don’t have many friends here.”
“Maybe we can be friends,” I said.
With a shy smile, she hurriedly left my room, the lock clicking in place, and suddenly I felt confused. What was that all about?
Inhaling sharply, I tried to shake off that paranoid feeling running up my spine. Coming into the compound, I’d seen lots of women… mostly naked, but they looked like they lived in the mansion. Except they didn't. So, why did Hendrix insist on putting me in this room then?
Standing up, I walked outside onto the balcony where a cool breeze blew through my hair. Tiki torches lit up the pool area downstairs where I spotted River diving into the crystal water lit up by underwater lights. There were women down there too, only in bikini bottoms.
I chewed on my lower lip, part of me wishing I was that brave. But with the scars on my back, I wouldn’t ever dare go out in public exposed. There was a reason Brayden rejected me…he couldn’t stand that I wasn’t perfect. He was embarrassed by me.
I tried to shake away the horrible feelings settling in my chest. I’d dealt with them most of my life, but for some reason, seeing the beautiful women surrounding the Alphas made me more aware of my imperfections.
I watched River swimming. He’d done about twenty laps of the long pool when he eventually climbed out. My gaze instantly dipped over his body, the muscles in his back, his strong legs, and how his shorts clung to his ass. The man was built, and from up here I could just make out some of the tattoos across his back.
A blonde rushed over to him. They chatted closely, then he placed his hand on her breast, squeezing it.
My reaction froze me all over, my heart thundering at spying on them in their private moment. All the while, my nipples tightened painfully against the fabric of my bra as I squeezed my thighs together. He whispered something in her ear as he trailed his hand down her stomach and slipped his fingers under the elastic of her bikini bottom.
I found myself leaning forward to hear his words, while every part of me thrummed with my heartbeat.
The woman moaned, and I couldn’t help myself. In my mind, I imagined me being the blonde pressed up against his chest. To have his words in my ear, his fingers touching me. I swam in a growing need, in burning jealousy. And River was giving me a reason not to look away, the longer he kissed the woman, fingering her out in public.
I couldn’t stop myself from staring.
Without warning, River raised his gaze, and looked straight at me, grinning. Like somehow he’d known I was watching him this whole time. And he never stopped fingering the girl.
I flushed instantly and practically threw myself into the room. Madly, I drew the curtains shut then pressed my back to the wall, admittedly breathless.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
I shouldn’t have been spying, especially when I knew how deadly these Alphas were. River had already hinted at me being a plaything. Seeing me practically in heat watching him was only going to give him the wrong idea.
And yet, I was so wet and turned on that I marched right into the shower...hoping for just the right water pressure.