Chapter 26

Van was taken aback by his sudden outburst and the pure unadulterated fury in his eyes. His jaw clenched as he added icily, "you don't know Jake, and you don't know what he's trying to do!"

  "What are you talking about?" Her brows knitted in suspicion.

  "He's only using you don't you get it!"

  "You think I don't know that!" She flared up, too angry to bother about how pathetic she sounded. "You don't need to rub it in. I know that I'm an Idiot for falling for him but you can't choose who you love now can you? And that's just my misfortune." The slight tremour in her voice betrayed her and she could feel the onslaught of hot tears welling up, stinging her eyes but she bit her lips to keep them from falling. It had gone deadly quiet as each tried to control their flaring temper.

  "I should leave." Was all he said eventually before stalking to the door.

  About ten seconds later, she heard the familiar high pitched screech and knew that Karl had come to pick her up. Fluidly, she wiped the tears off her face with the back of her hand knowing what his reaction would be if he found her like that.

  She cleared the few other things left as Josh had already done the majority. Van was grateful to him for the past week he's helped but that didn't mean that she wanted or expected him to court her, and now she was feeling sorry for him. It was so unfortunate that he had to have feelings for her at a time like this.

  She heard the unmistaken furious slam of the car door and knew that something was horribly wrong.

  Dashing out in a flash, her jaw hung loose. Josh's arm was stretched forward in a formal greeting while Karl glowered furiously at him, deliberately ignoring the former's attempt at an introduction.

  This is not good.

  "I know who you are, I just want to know what you're doing here." Karl thundered with a sizzling rage and she panicked.

  "Karl what are you doing!?"

  "First tell me what this jerk is doing here," Van glanced at her brother then at Josh whose arm had fallen at his side and back at Karl, she opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out.

  "I was just leaving." Josh said instead.

  "Oh no you aren't, and unfortunately for you I have such sound memory that I recall that I once promised myself that I'd find you and make you pay for what you did to my sister so now that you're here..."

  He took a swing at Josh.

  "No!" Van watched in horror as Josh stagger back and landed in the dirt, she darted towards Karl as he prepared to lunge at Josh. "What are you doing!?" She took a hold of his arm, panicking at how utterly hard his muscles were.

  Van knew he could get out of her firm grip if he wishes to but he was only holding back because she said so.

  Josh slowly picked himself up, wiping the smear of blood from the corner of his mouth with his thumb and without a word got into his car and peeled off.

  Van felt the tension slowly seep out of her. With her hands still on his arm, Van urged Karl towards her. "Why did you do that?" She saw his eyes soften and his anger dissipate.

  "You should know by now that I'm willing to do anything for you." She tentatively sought his hand, holding it to examine his knuckles.

  "You shouldn't have," she whispered, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

  "It's my duty,"

  "I love you." Van flung her arms around her brother.

  "I love you more." Karl i squeezed her tightly.

  Rella had no idea she'd fallen asleep until she was roused by Stefan who looked well rested with no evidence of sleep in his eyes. The ride from the private airstrip to their destination was only about thirty minutes and Rella was not surprised by the sight of the apartment on an island surrounded by vast Blue Ocean. The sun had only begun to dip back into the horizon and the weather was still warm. She took in the vast landscape, huge trees surrounded the place and it looked fascinating.

  ''This place is beautiful. Is it yours?''

  ''Yes.''

What a silly question to ask, of course it's his. But she's heard somewhere that owning a piece of land much less an entire island in New Caledonia required that one followed some set of rules. ''I got the place three years back and believe me it wasn't easy. These people are very sentimental about their lands.'' He added in answer to her unasked question.

  ''It's really stunning.''

  ''It is. I'm glad you like it. I'm going to take a shower,'' He told her. "You can join me if you want to." He wiggled his brows suggestively but the look she gave him had him recoiling. ''You can use the one in the bedroom and I'll use the one in the guest room.'' And then he was gone.

  Rella quickly stripped and stepped into the shower. About fifteen minutes later, she was towel drying her hair when a maid came to ask if she would like to have dinner at the dining downstairs or at the balcony. It was then that she spotted the table for two romantically set at the backdrop of the ocean, a lone rose stood in a vase at the centre framed by two candle sticks on each side waiting to be lit.

  "The balcony would be wonderful." She smiled at the maid. 

  "Sure, I'll inform the master."

Master? She made him sound like some Duke in the eighteenth century.

  After the door closed behind the maid, Rella quickly put on a red evening gown with a sweetheart neckline framing her ample curves and stopping just above her knees. She walked past the french doors to the balcony, her heart swelling at the arrangement. Gingerly, Rella reached out and took hold of the rose by its stem bringing it to her nose she closed her eyes and inhaled the scent a ghost of a smile touching her lips. Ryan never gave her flowers or anything romantic like that.

  The warm breeze swept her hair back blowing it this way and that she was so caught up in the moment that she failed to notice Stefan's sharp intake of breath at the sight of her and how his eyes took in every inch of her and the need he felt because of that. Rella placed her hand on the railing and admired the glistening water below and the stars reflecting off of it.

  She almost jumped out of her skin as warm pair of arms encircled her. Rella swallowed uneasily, she was caught off guard and didn't know what to do.

  "Beautiful isn't it?" She managed.

  "Utterly." Stefan breathed. Rella had a feeling they weren't referring to the same thing and as if he read her mind wanting to prove that fact, Stefan turned her around until she was facing him. The pool of desire she saw in his eyes made her breathless with want. She knew he wanted her and Lord knows she wants him with her entire being but the guilt slammed into her and she looked away.

  "Look at me love." His soft command brought her eyes to him once again and she couldn't look away, couldn't bring herself to, she thought she was strong enough but her body was betraying her. "You look utterly ravishing tonight darling. I want to kiss you. I want to feel and touch every inch of you." She trembled under his heated gaze. Her eyes automatically drooped anticipating the soft caress of his lips as he dipped his head. 

He was like her very own poisoned apple, so tantalising she ached to take a bite even though she knew the harm of it. 

  When his lips finally touched hers, it took every fibre of her being to pull away from his embrace.

  "Let's eat I'm starving." She said pulling away from him. 

He pulled the chair out for her, she smiled up at him, "thanks."

But Rella ended up having more wine than the sumptuous meal in front of her while Stefan watched her in what she could only describe as amusement.