Page 65 of Wed to the Devil
Moving down the beach past Daisy, I start walking quickly toward the house and the safety of Dare’s arms.
ChapterTwenty-One
DARE
“Holy shit,” Talia breathes as she looks up at the sleek white hull of the megayacht that I’ve brought her to. “This yacht is huge. It’s gotta be six or seven decks and have multiple bedrooms too.”
I walk her over to the ship's stairs, guiding her with a hand to her lower back. “We should’ve just stayed on the yacht instead of trying to have our honeymoon in St. Bart’s. If I had put a minute’s worth of thought into the plan, I would’ve realized that we were vulnerable to my brother and Daisy showing up.”
Talia glances up at me and purses her hand over my arm. “There’s no way you could’ve known.”
“I should’ve prepared for an interruption. Instead, I just got wrapped up in the excitement of the wedding. I swear to you, it will not happen again.”
Her lips thin and she glances away. I’m not sure how to interpret her expression so I straighten and hurry her forward. When I reach the steps, Captain. Weathers is waiting there for me. He greets us with a slight bow.
“Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Morgan. Welcome to our ship, The Evangeline.”
Talia smiles at the captain. “It’s good to see you again. I must say, I didn’t expect to find you waiting for us.”
“Captain Weathers has been sailing with me for years. He works for the family full time. Any time that I have to sail somewhere and do not want to sail myself, Weathers is there for me.”
I clap Weathers on the shoulder. He merely inclines his head again and gives me a cool little smile. “We have everything ready for you.” He gestures to the stairs and I help Talia climb up, making sure that she doesn’t somehow lose her footing.
“Weathers, we will show ourselves to the library. Let us know if you need our input at all.”
“Yes, sir.” Weathers inclines his head again and spots a uniformed steward walking across the deck. He hurries over to talk to the man, his movements brisk and efficient.
“Is this boat staffed, then?”
My lips twitch. “Yes. There are over twenty people working to make the trip as smooth as possible. I have a rule that staff should not interact with me unless it’s an important issue. But feel free to talk to anyone that you see. They will be more than happy to help you with absolutely any request.”
She wrinkles her nose. “To be totally honest with you, all I want right now is to sit down and relax.”
“Well, you came to the right yacht. This yacht is all about relaxation.”
The gentle, rolling waves rock the megayacht, luring me into a peaceful and soothing refuge. It’s away from all the chaos that seemed to swirl around us.
The sparkling white exterior of the yacht glistens in the midday sun, its luxurious curves shimmering in the water. The scent of the sea is a constant in the air. It was easy to forget at this moment that we aren't on a romantic holiday, but rather in the middle of a tumultuous and complicated situation involving my twin brother, Burn.
The thought turns my stomach sour and makes me want to physically punish someone.
I take a deep breath and savor the warmth and beauty of the yacht. Being here is like being in a second home. I have always loved sailing and yachting since I was a child, something about the open sea, with the horizon stretching out before me, that gives me an exhilaration like no other.
I stride around the deck with Talia's arm tucked in mine, determined to give her a tour. Cautiously I glance at her, my emotions swelling with a gruff protectiveness. "You don't have to worry," I say through tight lips. "Nobody will touch you while I'm here."
Even though I can admit to myself that Talia is indeed a capable and independent woman who can look after herself, something inside tells me I need to watch over her. A feeling at the pit of my stomach. I have no idea what it is, but whatever it is, it won't go away.
We arrive at the back of the yacht and I swing open the heavy door. A huge, opulent library awaits us. Everything is made from oak; a long table and matching chairs dominate the space, while its mahogany bookcases are filled with books and odd-looking trinkets. It's twice as big as the one I have back in Harwicke, and I'm forever in awe of its grandeur no matter how many times I see it.
"Oh my god!" Talia gasps with astonishment as we enter the room. The scent of books instantly fills our noses and I gesture for her to take a seat. She looks around in amazement, absorbing every detail of the vast selection of books on the shelves before her.
"This place is incredible," she breathes out in awe, eyes wide. I smirk and recline into the chair opposite her, studying her expression and silently laughing at how overwhelmed she seems.
"I'm glad you like it. This is one of my favorite spots onboard the yacht," I reply calmly, leaning forward again.
I walk up to one shelf and run my fingers across the spines of some of his favorite books, a wave of nostalgia washing over me. Talia quietly watches me, her expression soft and understanding as she realizes what this place means to me. "Do you want to talk about it?' she asks gently, her voice barely above a whisper.
I shake my head, not wanting to break the peaceful atmosphere we've created within this room by bringing up painful memories. Instead I gesture for us to have a seat at the large table in the center, away from all the reminders of my past life on board this yacht.