Chapter Five

Anna shielded her eyes from the sky-blinding sun of St. Croix and inhaled a lungful of fresh island air. For a moment, her woes were forgotten. The spectacular scenery had taken her mind away from the problems that exhausted her emotionally. With each passing day, guilt devoured her from the inside.

She’d promised she wouldn’t fall for the Martel brothers, but she found herself doing just the exact opposite. Even though they were technically her bosses, they were perfect lovers. Too perfect, in fact. They were everything a woman could want in a man. Matt with his dominant, warrior persona that had awakened her inner submissive. Justin, who made her feel secure and protected when he wasn’t being mischievous. And Raphael…Anna sighed. That man could drive a woman into perpetual horniness.

Ralph was one of those rare people with a sexual allure so potent they attracted the opposite sex like moths to flames. From the way he talked, his body language, everything he did filled her mind with dirty thoughts. And he hadn’t even fucked her yet. All Raphael did during the flight was cuddle.

Anna started questioning her sanity. Could she really repay him and his brothers’ kindness with treachery? She wasn’t cut out to be a spy. The guilt trip was too much to bear.

The sand felt warm on her feet. Anna stepped into the water and let the small tides lick her wet. Paradise. She drew another deep breath and closed her eyes, deeply wishing she could enjoy all of this without being consumed by her guilt.

“Anna…”

She startled and opened her eyes.

Ralph kissed her cheek and curled an arm around her waist. “Like the place?” he asked.

“It’s amazing.”

He’d brought her to the Martels’ private estate on the north shore of Cane Bay. The villa was situated on secluded land that used to be a plantation. Trees surrounded them as far as the eyes could see. Green. Quiet. Serene. The beach was within walking distance of the villa, accessible through a winding stone path. Ralph had told her he and his brothers bought the place for an occasional escape from their busy life. The place was a perfect retreat.

Ralph tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. His sparkling azure eyes that rivaled the color of the sea drowned her in adoration. “Hungry?”

“Getting there.” Anna couldn’t get over admiring Ralph’s captivating gaze. Now that she thought about it, she’d never seen Justin and Raphael take off their contact lenses. She peered closer.

“What’s the matter?”

“Are you wearing contacts?”

He laughed. “No. Who told you that?”

“Marian Bancroft’s secretary. She said it’s for publicity purposes.”

“Hmm. Justin must’ve told them that.”

“Why?”

“Mostly to avoid too many questions. Identical triplets aren’t supposed to have different color eyes, right?”

“That’s what I thought.”

“Well, mine are blue because I’m gifted with narias.”

“Narias? What is that?”

“It’s equivalent to a healer of my people.”

“Ah. Is that a Dutch thing? Defining social status based on the color of a person’s eyes?”

“Dutch?”

“Justin said you’re from Netherland.”

“Netherworld.”

“That again. I’ve never heard of Netherworld.”

“Of course you haven’t. But we’ll take you there soon. You’ll love it.”

“To Netherworld? Is that near Netherland or something?”

Ralph only smiled.

“Germany? Belgium?”

“You’ll know when you get there.”

Anna was still curious. “How about Justin? His eyes are violet.”

“Justin is a pasraec.”

“Um. Translation?”

“He was born to rule.”

“Rule? Okay. And Matt?”

“Matt is a suleeh. The punisher. He was born to keep law and order.”

Anna wanted to scratch her head again. “No offense, but I’ve never heard something this strange.”

“You’re too cute, Anna. By the way, I’m starving. Want to have lunch now?”

“Yes. Sure.”

The estate staff had packed a picnic lunch in a wicker basket. Ralph chose a shady spot under a tree and spread out the blanket. The wind almost blew the afghan away, but Anna quickly weighed it down with empty conchs she found nearby. She helped Ralph unpack their lunch. The cook had made them delicious-looking sandwiches, salad with island dressing, freshly cut fruits and some desserts. Anna opened the plastic container and let out a gasp when she saw gorgeously decorated cupcakes inside.

“Maya makes killer desserts,” Raphael explained. He plucked a sugared violet topper and popped it into his mouth. “Yummy. Do you know she used to be a pastry chef in Luxor?”

“That hotel in Vegas?”

“Yup. That one.”

“You must’ve paid her an arm and a leg.”

“Not much more than what she made in Vegas. Maya loves it here. It’s like all-year round vacation, she said.”

Anna could see that. If she hadn’t been forced to play spy by the syndicate, she’d love to work here, too. She’d been a city girl all her life. Her father never took her on a vacation, nor could he really afford one. When she grew up, she’d found out why their family had a hard time getting by.

Her mom had racked up an unbelievable debt before she ran off with her lover, leaving her father to shoulder the financial burden. Her father had never complained. He kept everything to himself and continued to provide their little family the best as he could. He’d never been interested in getting remarried. He’d dedicated his life only to her.

Thinking about her father made her restless. When she called him this morning, he’d told her the boss was impatient with her slow progress. Her father had repeatedly asked her to bail out and forget this whole thing. He wanted her to let him face the consequences of the mistake he’d made. Anna simply couldn’t do that. Her father would be incarcerated for the rest of his life. With his declining health, the sentence would rush him into an early grave.

“Hello? Earth to Anna?” Ralph snapped his fingers.

She startled. “I’m sorry.”

“You’re spacing out again. Something on your mind?”

“Nothing, sir.” Anna was flustered. “I’m just thinking about the calories in these cupcakes.”

Ralph gave her a look as if he knew she was fibbing. “Don’t lie me to me, Anna. If you tell me what’s wrong, I might be able to help you.”

A twinge of pain shot up to her heart. No, you can’t help us. Nobody can. We’ve been royally screwed from here to eternity. Anna cleared her throat, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill and put on a fake, brave face. “I’m fine, sir. Really.”

Ralph watched her hard, then shook his head. “Stubborn girl. You tell me when you’re ready. Now, let’s eat.”

Anna ate the lunch with gusto, putting on a show that she was fine. She tried not to think about anything else at the moment, she was afraid her façade would break apart. The Martels must never find out who she really was and she must do everything she could to save her father.

She felt stuffed when they finished eating. Sleepy, too. The combination between a full stomach and the ocean breeze made her want to doze off. Ralph had told her there would be no work while they were in St. Croix. He just wanted her companionship. She wondered if he would mind if she asked for a few hours off to catch a nap. She needed a clear head to think about what she should do next. She wasn’t getting anywhere with the secret formula, and in the meantime, the syndicate was bullying her father.

“What is that?” Ralph pointed to the book that peeked out from her tote bag. “A romance novel?” He grabbed it and ogled the risqué cover.

“Oh, that. I got it at the gift shop. I figured I’d do some reading while we’re here.”

Ralph grinned from ear to ear as he leafed through the pages. “An erotic book? Tsk, tsk, tsk. You’re a naughty girl, Anna.”

“Erotic? That’s supposed to be a romance novel.”

“Uh, huh. I see a cock and a pussy doing the horizontal hula hoop on page five.”

Shit. Anna tried to grab the book but Ralph lifted it away from her reach.

“Shh. It’s actually pretty hot.” Ralph skimmed a few more pages, then shoved the book into her hand. “Read it for me.”

“Excuse me?”

“Read the hot part.”

Anna felt bewildered. “Why?”

Ralph pecked a kiss on her lips. “Maybe we can re-enact the hot scene.”

Suddenly, she didn’t feel sleepy anymore. “I…um…”

“Read it. That’s an order.”

Order. Why, of course. Half-heartedly, Anna opened up the book, trying to find the part he mentioned. She regretted buying it. She hadn’t been paying attention to what kind of novel she’d picked when she did the impulse shopping. She’d just wanted some reading material.

Raphael tossed the remainder of their lunch into the basket and snuggled behind her. Her heart beat faster when he slipped a hand under her sundress, groping her thigh. She moistened. Anna cursed in silence. She shouldn’t be this horny when she had so much on her mind.

“Go on,” he urged. His lips were a hairsbreadth away from her ear and his hot breath seared her nape, causing delicious shivers to travel down her spine. “I’m ready for my bedtime story.”

Anna gave him a wary look. “It’s noon. Don’t you think it’s too early?”

“Don’t try to change the subject. I’ve been dying to spend some quality, intimate time with you.”

He had?

“How did you like my brothers?” Ralph nuzzled behind her ear. “They are good at bed-sports, aren’t they?”

Good? No kidding. She’d had more orgasms in the past week than she’d had in her lifetime. Anna stifled a breath when his naughty hand found its way to the juncture of her thighs.

He cupped her mound, feeling her pussy. Raphael let out a delighted purr when he found her damp. “Go on. Read it. Page five. I saw some hot action in there.”

She gulped hard. Her hand trembled as she skimmed through the pages to find the part he wanted. Anna read the passage. Her cheeks flushed hot. Goodness. Who wrote this book? She’d thought this one was going to be one of those sanitized versions of the bodice ripper romance. Well, she should’ve guessed. When the author put ‘Chloe’s Submission’ in the title, she should have expected some kinks thrown in the mixture.

“Anna.”

“Sorry.” She cleared her throat again. This was getting ridiculous. “Lady Chloe Fareweather felt the heat slowly surge from her depths as Master Wren ordered her to shed the last garment that clung on her fevered, willing body.” Good lord. Who wrote this freaking book again? Anna did a double-take at the cover. She didn’t recognize the name of the author. Figures.

“Go on. I heard somebody’s getting naked and willing. So far, so good.”

Anna rolled her eyes. Men. She continued, “The savage need within her flared without control. Burning. As she slipped her knickers down her ankles, she became aware that her nipples had hardened, throbbing in cadence with her desire.”

“Hmm. Are yours hard too?” Ralph felt her breasts with his free hand. “Damn, Anna. I forgot how pretty your nipples are. I’m dying to suck these.”

Oh, God. Anna snapped the book closed. This whole thing was just silly. “Lady Fareweather remembered she forgot to turn her stove off, so she bid Master Wren a good day and ran home. The end.”

Ralph laughed hard. “You’re a bad storyteller. No deal.”

“Sir…”

“Would you drop the sir, please? Call me Ralph.”

“Ralph—”

“Take it off.”

“Excuse me?”

“Master Raphael ordered Lady Vincent to shed all of her garments. Now.”

Anna looked around. “Out here? Are you crazy? What if somebody sees us?”

“Like we care? This is a private estate, and besides, the staff won’t wander around while we are here. They know we like our privacy.” Ralph withdrew his hand from her pussy and yanked her sundress’ spaghetti straps down. The fabric tore. Her breasts spilled out.

“Nice.” He pinched her nipple. “Hard. Just like Lady Fareweather’s.”

“Ralph…”

“I want to see you naked, out in the open. Then I want to fuck under the sun, Anna. Right here. Right now. You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for this moment. You do know I could channel my brothers when they fucked you, don’t you?” He leaned forward and whispered to her. Lust dripped heavily in his voice. “With Matt in his dojo. And when he shared you with Justin. Then when Justin fucked you in his shoddy little club? I knew all about it. Could feel my brothers’ pleasure too. It drove me insane.”

“How’s that even possible?”

“Didn’t my brothers tell you? Sharing a womb made us linked to one another. But our circle is as yet incomplete, we need a reborn to complete our bond.”

“Cevborn?”

“Our mate. You.”

“Mate? Me?” Anna echoed. During their trip to Tokyo, Justin had hinted at the same thing. “That’s ridiculous.”

Ralph let out a theatrical sigh. “I knew you’d say that. But soon you’ll understand.”

Anna thinned her lips. “Why don’t you explain everything now so I’ll understand? I’m tired of these riddles. Mate. Netherworld. The Claiming.”

For a second, Ralph looked as if he was contemplating her demand. Then he shook his head. “Nah. I’m horny and in the mood for fucking, not world history. Now, take your clothes off.”

She pouted, crossing her arms across her chest, shielding her bare breasts. “No. I don’t want to play your game anymore. If you want the prize, you’ve got to work for it.” A second later, Anna regretted her decision.

The moment she shut her mouth, Raphael eyed her like a beast that was ready to pounce on his prey. His lips peeled upward into a snarly grin and his eyes devoured her with an unmistakable hunger, promising her nothing but a hard, rough, savage fuck.

“I love games,” he hissed. “Love, love them.”

“Ralph.” Anna squealed when he leapt from where he was sitting and swept her into his arms. “Where are you taking me?” She felt disoriented as Raphael carried her towards the beach.

“Ever have dirty, wet sex?”

“N-no.”

“Good.” He stopped at the same spot where she’d soaked her feet about an hour earlier and deposited her on the wet sand, flat on her back. Ralph straddled her before she could even squeak a protest. He ripped the rest of her clothes without reserve. “Mmm. This is an easy job for such a yummy prize.” He ran his hands over her body.

Anna trembled. Being out in the sun with nothing on but her birthday suit, and pinned into submission by a heart-throbbing hunk felt wondrously erotic. Lust engulfed her. She couldn’t take her eyes off her conqueror.

Raphael Martel. A man who was as deliciously wicked as sin.

Heart pounding, blood rushing through her head, Anna couldn’t help but feel excited at what would happen next.

She touched him, feeling his face. A gentle ocean breeze caused his hair to dance around his broad shoulders. His blue eyes never left hers. Calculating. Silently devouring with such intensity that every cell in her body answered his mating call without her realizing it. Anna felt hot and needy all of a sudden. Her pussy thrummed. Moistened. Her nipples hardened even more.

Ralph grabbed her hand and brought it to his mouth. He sucked a finger. Anna moaned. The sensation of his hot mouth elicited a deep, drawing ache in her sex. Her pussy clenched. Her sexual moisture leaked. She was ready for anything he had in mind. Anything.

He gave her a hard suck before pulling her finger from his mouth. Then he leaned down and licked her lips. A mere caress at first. Explorative. Curious. Anna parted her lips, welcoming. He dipped his tongue into her mouth. Tasting.

Anna grabbed his hair and crushed her lips on his with hunger. He mauled back. His kiss was as hot as the first time he had kissed her. Like a man who wasn’t afraid of staking his claim and branding her as his. When he tore his mouth from her, she was shaking with arousal.

“Babe.” His hand tightened around her breast. Teeth nipped the soft skin of her neck. “Mine. Ours.”

His. Theirs. The declaration brought a mixed feeling within her. Belonging to three men, sharing her body and soul. It sounded wrong, a taboo for society, but it felt so damn right.

How could this be possible? Anna closed her eyes, thinking that nothing made sense anymore.

Jolts of ecstasy seared her deeply as Ralph found her nipple and sucked her like he had promised.

God. Her eyes flew wide open. She fisted his hair as her back kinked in pleasure. Blue sky and bright sun almost blinded her. The sunrays warmed her skin, but Ralph’s touches and kisses burned her even hotter.

She threw her head back, her body quivering as Ralph trailed some soft, butterfly kisses to her navel. The ache in her sex thrummed as hard as the pounding in her heart. She knew what was coming. The brothers loved to kiss, especially that particular part of her body. But it just didn’t seem fair. Matt and Justin had never allowed her to return the favor. She closed her thighs just as Ralph was about to lick her pussy.

“Anna!” Ralph seized her knees and forced her to open her legs. “Come on.”

“No.” Defiance was in her voice. “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.”

Ralph paused, then laughed. “Wench. Okay. I can play your game too.”

Anna grinned triumphantly. “Let me do the honor.”

“By all means, beauty.” He spread his arms wide. “I’m feeling generous today.”

She scrambled up, pushed him to sit and straddled him. Undressing a gorgeous guy was the best gig she had ever landed.

Ralph slid his hands on her thighs, feeling her as she popped open his shirt button. He was wearing a white cotton shirt—nothing underneath it. His chiseled abs, hard muscles encased in tanned, velvet flesh bared for her to see. The buzzing arousal made her dizzy after she witnessed him almost bare. In person. Intimately. Playing doctor out in the sun. How naughtily erotic…

He was hard when she touched his groin. Too hard, it felt like he had stuffed a rock under his pants. Anna became frisky. Everything else was forgotten. Her problems. Her guilt. All she wanted was to enjoy this very moment with Ralph. Nothing else mattered.

Impatiently, she opened up the front clasps on his faded jeans and pulled down his zipper. Anna forgot he was a commando type of guy. His cock lurched from his dark thatch. Hot as the sun that beat down on her skin. She palmed him. Squeezed him. Marveled at the hard, virile flesh that throbbed in her hands. Droplets of pearly pre cum glistened on his slit.

Anna leaned down to taste him.

“You can’t.” Ralph halted her.

Huh?

“You’re not allowed to taste our seed. Not before the Claiming.”

That again! “What’s the freaking Claiming?”

“Babe, haven’t you figured it out?” Ralph pulled her into his arms. “It’s when you officially become ours.”

His explanation still didn’t make sense because that was exactly what she’d been doing with them. “Don’t tell me you’ve never had a blow job.”

“Of course, I have. But I’ve never tasted my bed partners. The exchange of liquid lust is strictly forbidden if the partner isn’t your predestined mate.”

“Is that a Netherworld thing?”

“Damn right.” Ralph yanked her hips down and ground his erection on her pussy. “Fuck.” He shuddered in ecstasy. “I’ve wanted to do this since I saw you in Justin’s office.”

Anna gasped. His veined shaft rubbed against her wet sex lips. Her pussy contracted, waiting to be filled. She had a thousand questions about the revelation she’d just heard, but any thought brewing in her mind evaporated the moment Ralph penetrated her. The thick, long cock speared her open and slammed home.

She let out a wordless cry. He had stretched her full.

Ralph growled when their bodies became one. His hands clamped tightly on her ass, fingers digging in her flesh. “Fuck, babe,” he hissed, his eyes blazing. “You feel even better than what I’d imagined.” He kissed the hollow of her throat. “Come on, babe, ride me. Fuck me like you mean it.”

His plea made her even friskier. Blinded by lust, Anna seized his shoulders and fucked him like a demented demoness. Ralph hissed as she sank and pulled as fast as she could, as hard as she could, wanted, needed, riding him towards the ultimate completion. He made urgent murmurs, begging her to fuck faster, rougher. Anna slammed into him, over and over, the ecstasy had enslaved her whole, making her nerves shriek with manic need.

A sudden climax ambushed her in mid-slam, swept her mind blank. She stopped, flying high with the endorphin. Her pussy gripped his shaft tightly. Her body quaked.

“Bad, Anna. You need to finish me.” Ralph yanked her down, burying his whole erection inside her.

But apparently it wasn’t enough for him. A second later, she found herself lying flat on her back. His cock slipped out from her as Ralph struggled with his halfway shed jeans. He stormed curses while he kicked them off.

Anna scrambled to sit but Ralph pushed her back down. Her legs were wrenched open and he was inside her again. Her breath was knocked out of her lungs.

“My turn.” Ralph thrust. “My fucking turn and my turn to fuck.” He crushed his mouth on hers, his tongue plunging into the cavern of her mouth, plundering her the way his cock plundered her pussy.

He listened in and out fast, ramming in short, urgent strokes until Anna felt lightheaded. She’d barely recovered from her earlier orgasm and another one would be coming fast if he kept fucking her this way.

Anna tore her mouth from him, filling her lungs with much needed air. Ralph quickened his pace, pounding her mercilessly. The storm of pleasure gathered rapidly. He hammered her into the sand. She writhed, panting, trying to hang on from the overtaxing pleasure.

Ralph slammed and yanked as if he was blinded with his lust. His jaw clenched. Muscles corded. His grip on her tightened. He came hard.

Anna climaxed seconds after him. She heaved and surrendered to the rapture.

It took her a long time before she swam back to reality. She couldn’t move. Her strength had left her. Her body tingled from the aftermath. White shimmering sensation cocooned her. It was heaven.

Ralph jerked and emptied his seed inside her. Her pussy milked him of the last drop. When he had nothing left to spill, he rolled off her and swooped her into his arms. He kissed her deeply until she felt all of her bones had melted into gel.

The waves started licking their naked bodies. Anna had heard about dirty sex, but this one felt really dirty. Naked under the sun, coated in wet sand. But the experience felt incredibly erotic. Anna loved it.

They touched and kissed until she noticed that Ralph had hardened again. “I don’t think—”

“Don’t worry,” Ralph cut her off. “I know you’re tired. What do you think of a nice, hot bath?”

“You’re going to bathe me?”

“Of course. But don’t blame me if I help myself to second helpings.”

Anna laughed. Sex fiend. But she didn’t mind at all.

* * * *

Raphael noticed the empty bed beside him when he stirred from his sleep, and knew that Anna had sneaked out of bed. He didn’t open his eyes, only listened to find out if she was around. He heard faint sighs and fingers typing on a keyboard. Anna hadn’t left the bedroom. She was using a computer.

He peeked. The room was dark with all the curtains drawn. Not even the moonlight had a chance to penetrate the windows. Ralph liked absolute darkness when he slept.

A soft, blue glow from the monitor illuminated the farthest corner of the room. Anna was hunched on the floor with a netbook on her lap. Her fingers hammered the keys furiously. The screen flashed rows of codes. So she wasn’t checking her emails or something. Anna was up to no good.

Hacking? Most likely.

He recognized the netbook Anna was using. It was his. Anna was hacking his computer.

Interesting.

Ralph shut his eyes and listened some more. Soft breathings. Keyboard dance. Then silence. He became curious and peeked again.

Anna sat with her hands covering her face. Her body shook. She was crying in silence.

Damn it. Ralph fought the instinct to jump off the bed and console her. How long was she going to continue this charade? She looked as if she was at the edge of the breaking point.

She was only cheerful when he distracted her with sex. If she thought he weren’t looking, Ralph caught her brooding as if the weight on her shoulders became too much for her to carry. Something must be done.

And soon.

Ralph pretended to awaken from his sleep and groped the empty side of the bed. “Anna?” He schooled his voice sleepy.

A startled gasp echoed from where she was sitting. “I…I’m here.” Fingers hammered the keyboard and the netbook was shut down hurriedly.

“What are you doing there?” Ralph kept his pretense of being clueless.

“Just checking my emails.” Feet shuffled and Anna climbed onto the bed. “Miss me?” Her voice cracked.

No matter how hard she tried to sound normal, Ralph could hear her distress. “Yeah, missed you.” He wrapped her in his arms.

She snuggled closer and buried her face on his chest. Her cheeks were damp with tears.

Ralph stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head. “Love you,” he whispered.

Her body stiffened.

She didn’t believe him? She should’ve felt the sacred cevborn’s bond the moment they were intimate. Once the rite of Claiming was performed, one couldn’t live without the other, nor would they desire anyone else but their predestined mate. Netherfolks mated for life. Till death do they part. Unlike humans on the surface world.

He stroked her hair one more time and let his breathing slow as if he had drifted back asleep. Anna lay immobile, but he knew she was still awake. Maybe she couldn’t sleep, he mused. After a while, she must’ve thought he was completely out, she clutched the edge of his boxers and cried silently in his chest. His heart sank. This had to stop. The charade had gone far enough. She didn’t deserve to continue suffering when he and his brothers could help with the solution to her problems.

He needed to talk with Justin tomorrow.

* * * *

After they finished their breakfast, Ralph excused himself and slipped into the estate’s library to call Justin. His brother beat him. Ralph’s cell rang the moment he closed the door.

“How is she?” Justin asked.

“Not good. She’s falling apart.”

Justin cursed. “Matt just found out her father was abducted some time last night.”

“You’re still using that private detective?”

“Around the clock. Her neighbor filed a missing person report when she couldn’t find him this morning.”

“Her neighbor?”

“Anna paid her to do some cooking and laundry for him. Joseph Vincent is ill.”

“Bad?”

“She said he had a bypass surgery last year. Did she do anything odd yesterday?”

“I caught her crying last night while hacking my computer.”

“Think she might know what had happened to her father?”

“Could be. She got a phone call around dinner time and looked disturbed afterwards.”

Justin went silent for a moment before he said, “I’ll fly to St. Croix tomorrow. I think it’s time we come clean about everything.”

“Finally.” Ralph drew a relieved breath. “It’s been long overdue. Matt too?”

“Yeah. But we might not be on the same flight. He has to take care of some business with Beautycor first.”

“Understood.”

“Keep your eyes peeled.” Justin disconnected.

Ralph pocketed his cell phone with mixed feelings. He was glad that he and his brothers could soon wrap up their business on the surface world and go back home to Azura. But he also felt worried that things might not go as well as they’d planned. Anna had only been their girl for less than two weeks. Not enough time to woo a woman and convince her she belonged to the three of them. Forever.

He padded back to the dining room to find Anna. She might be interested in going out sailing today. He wanted to take her mind off things until Justin and Matt arrived from New York.

The dining room was empty. One of the staff, Reggie, was taking the last of the dirty plates to the kitchen.

“Did you see Anna?” Ralph asked him.

The young man stopped. “Miss Vincent is in the gazebo, sir. I heard her saying she wanted to catch up with her reading.”

Ah. “Did you see her carry her laptop?”

“No, sir. Just some books.”

“I see. Thanks.” So, Anna was telling the truth. He’d thought she’d continue to try to hack their network to find that formula, which she would never find unless hell froze over.

Even if Justin wrote down that concoction and posted it somewhere in their personal network, anyone who read it would think it just a bunch of babble. Without the magic of the wielder, the secret formula was as useless as a snake oil recipe.

Ralph went outside to find her. When he got to the back garden, he didn’t see her. But he did see her book lying on the gazebo’s bench. Where could she be?

He treaded along the winding stone path to the beach. He thought she might be there. She’d confided she couldn’t swim and dipping her feet in the water was the closest thing to swimming.

When he got there, Anna was nowhere to be seen. The beach was empty.

Where did she go? Ralph slipped into uneasiness. Suddenly, something bothered him but he couldn’t put his finger on it. He decided to go back to the mansion, thinking that Anna might be in her room. Then, he saw odd foot tracks near the stone path.

He studied them closer. Two sets of tracks. One was made by someone who wore heavy boots and the other was smeared, bare foot, like somebody had been dragged on the sand. An alarm rang in his head. Instinct kicked into high gear. His heart pounded faster.

Anna.

Had something happened to her?

Ralph followed the tracks. They led him to the estate’s sugar cane grove. Uneasiness turned into a full-blown dread. He was supposed to keep an eye on her and he hadn’t done a very good job at it. If something happened to Anna, Ralph wouldn’t be able to forgive himself.

He ran through the jungle of green stalks with long, blade-like leaves. The tracks had become difficult to see and he had to rely on his sense of smell. He followed her scent, like a bloodhound hell-bent on chasing his prey. It seemed they went uphill towards the lighthouse. The tower perched on the rocky pass, overlooking the sea. The place itself had fallen to rubble from years of disuse, until Justin ordered a contractor to fix it about a month ago. Ralph didn’t think the renovation had started yet. And since the estate was a private area, it should be off limits to everyone besides the staff.

Ralph stormed out from the sugar cane field and into a clearing. He instinctively fisted his hands when he saw what was happening near the lighthouse. Anna was running from a burly man, clutching her hand in agony. He was driving her to the edge of the cliff.

Ralph’s heart skipped a beat.

That man wouldn’t think to…

Ralph hissed and summoned his power, charging forward to save Anna.