Chapter 319 Chapter 320

Chapter 319 Chapter 320
Chapter 320

Nina’s POV 

My lungs seized, the air completely trapped inside my chest as I stared down at the dark, violently churning water far below the cave ledge.

"Nikolai!" I shrieked into the echoing abyss, my voice raw and cracking with pure, unadulterated panic. My fingernails scraped against the wet, jagged stone floor as I fell onto my knees at the very brink of the drop. Tears blinded my vision, hot and fast, streaming down my cheeks as I frantically scanned the roaring foam. "Nikolai, no! Nikolai!"

There was nothing. Just the deafening thunder of the crashing waterfall and the violent, dark swell of the sea smashing against the base of the cliffs.

My heart slammed against my ribs so hard I thought it would burst. The agonizing terror of watching the only man who kept me alive throw himself off a cliff made my stomach twist into a violent knot. He was gone. He had jumped into the dark, churning depths, leaving me completely alone in the cold shadows of the cavern.

"You idiot!" I sobbed out, leaning over the wet edge until the spray from the water soaked my hair. "You absolute, arrogant, suicidal idiot!"

Suddenly, a heavy splash broke through the surface of the water down near the base of the natural spring where the cave opening met the warm pool. A long, sharp, dark fin sliced through the water, gliding fast and smooth across the surface straight toward the inner rock ledge.

My breath hitched in my throat, every muscle in my body freezing in pure horror.

"Oh my God," I whispered, my voice shaking violently as I backed away on my hands and knees. "Oh my God, a shark. He jumped straight to a shark."

I scrambled back toward the edge, my hands trembling so hard I could barely push myself up. Before I could even scream for help, a massive, muscular frame broke through the surface of the pool with a loud, refreshing burst of water.

Nikolai slicked his dark, wet hair back off his forehead with one hand, his broad shoulders gleaming like polished bronze under the soft light filtering into the cave. Beside his waist, the dark creature surfaced, breaking the water with a soft, friendly clicking sound.

It was not a shark. It was a massive, sleek grey dolphin, gently nuzzling its wet snout directly against Nikolai's bare hip.

Nikolai looked up at me standing frozen on the ledge above, a low, smooth laugh rumbling through his broad chest as he rested his hand against the creature's smooth head.

"She is cute, isn't she?" Nikolai called up to me, his dark eyes sparkling with a rare, bright amusement that completely transformed his rugged face.

I stared down at him, my jaw hanging open in utter disbelief while my heart slowly restarted its rhythm. "Nikolai! Why are you out there acting all dangerous?!"

Nikolai let out another low, rich laugh, the deep sound echoing off the damp cavern walls and washing over me like a warm wave.

"It is a dolphin," Nikolai replied smoothly, stroking the side of the creature's slick gray back. "And you should learn to embrace nature, Nina. It brings peace and calm."

I rolled my eyes dramatically, standing up on my trembling legs at the edge of the spring sprouting from the beautiful, ancient stone fountain that fed the natural pool. "Peace and calm? You just jumped off a cliff into an abyss, Nikolai! You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"I got you a dolphin," Nikolai said, his handsome face softening into a playful smirk as he motioned toward the water beside him. "Come, let us play."

I looked at the deep, clear water swirling around his chest, then looked at the sleek marine animal swimming in lazy circles around his waist. I took a small step backward, shaking my head rapidly.

"No, no," I said, crossing my arms tightly over my chest. "You know I cannot swim."

"Come," Nikolai repeated softly, extending one broad, calloused hand toward me while the animal made another happy clicking sound. "Mr. Dolphin and I will teach you."

I hesitated at the edge of the smooth stone fountain, looking back and forth between Nikolai's steady hand and the dark creature gliding through the water. My pulse fluttered nervously.

"Are you sure that is not a shark?" I asked, my voice laced with suspicious caution.

Nikolai threw his head back, letting out a genuine, hearty laugh that made my chest ache with a sudden, overwhelming warmth.

"I have no intentions of killing us both," Nikolai said, his voice dropping into a low, comforting tone that held zero lies. "Trust me."

I chewed on my lower lip, looking down into the deep, crystal clear water. "What if there are snakes or crocodiles inside?"

Nikolai's lips curved into a sharp, irresistible smirk, his dark eyes locking onto mine with an intense, magnetic focus.

"Then we dance with them," Nikolai whispered, his tone laced with that dangerous, fearless charm that made it impossible to look away. "With the danger."

He stretched his broad hand further out toward me, his fingers waiting steady in the air. "Trust me, Nina."

I took a deep, shuddering breath, letting his voice anchor my frantic nerves. Slowly, carefully, I lowered myself over the edge of the stone fountain and gently stepped inside the warm spring.

The water immediately enveloped my legs, sending a relaxing, soothing heat straight through my chilled body. I gasped softly as the dolphin glided right up to my thighs, gently pressing its smooth, wet snout against my knee.

"It is okay," Nikolai murmured, guiding my hand down until my fingers touched the creature's back. "Touch her."

The skin felt slimy and smooth at first, but as the dolphin let out a soft, playful squeak and nudged my palm, a bright, helpless laugh burst out of my throat. The creature circled around me gracefully, splashing a small spray of water against my waist, making me giggle like a child.

Within minutes, the paralyzing fear that had gripped my chest completely evaporated. I found myself floating in the warm, crystal clear spring, holding onto Nikolai's strong forearms while he moved me smoothly through the deep water, teaching me how to kick my legs in steady, rhythmic motions.

The morning passed in a bright, beautiful blur of splashing water, soft echoey laughter, and quiet instruction. Nikolai remained right beside me the entire time, his heavy, protective grip never leaving my waist whenever the water grew deep, his presence an unshakeable wall of safety.

By the time the high morning sun cast bright, golden beams straight down through the upper opening of the cave, my stomach let out a loud, embarrassing rumble that echoed across the quiet spring.

I stopped paddling, holding onto the smooth stone edge of the pool as I looked over at Nikolai with a dramatic pouting face. "Damn, I am so hungry."

Nikolai swam over to the ledge, resting his broad arms against the flat rock as he looked at me with an amused glint in his eyes. "We can catch a fish from the outer reef."

"No!" I snapped immediately, shaking my head violently. "I cannot even eat fish now because I am friends with a dolphin, and I wouldn't want to roast his neighbors!"

Nikolai stared at me for three seconds before letting out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head at my ridiculous logic. "Unbelievable."

He pulled his massive frame out of the water in one smooth, powerful motion, water cascading off his dark skin as he grabbed his shirt. "Stay inside the warm spring. I will be back."

I floated comfortably in the warm water, petting the playful dolphin as it swam lazy laps around my legs. True to his word, Nikolai returned less than twenty minutes later carrying a heavy makeshift bundle made from large green tropical leaves.

He set the bundle down at the edge of the stone spring, unwrapping it to reveal a bright, colorful pile of fresh wild fruits, along with several strange looking ones I had never seen before.

"Where did you get these?" I asked, pulling myself up to sit on the dry, smooth stone edge beside him, my legs still dangling in the warm water.

"From the upper ridge fruit trees," Nikolai said quietly.

He picked up a strange, bright red fruit that looked like a cross between a wild plum and a bush apple. Instead of handing it to me immediately, Nikolai held it up in his hand.

"I will take a bite first to make sure it is safe," he said calmly.

He brought the fruit to his mouth, taking a firm, crisp bite and chewing it slowly while I watched his jaw work with anxious eyes. He waited ten full seconds, assessing his own body with that cold, tactical precision he applied to everything.

"No stomach ache, no dizziness," Nikolai stated smoothly, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Safe to eat."

He stretched the rest of the sweet fruit out to me. I took it from his hand with a soft smile, taking a large, greedy bite. The sweet, rich juice burst across my tongue, quenching both my intense hunger and my parched throat instantly.

We sat together on the edge of the spring under the warm morning sunlight, eating quietly as the gentle sound of the fountain bubbled beside us.

After I finished devouring three large fruits, I leaned back against the stone wall, rubbing my stomach with a long, dramatic sigh. "I am still so hungry."

Nikolai looked down at the remaining fruit, then looked over at the cool, sweet water sprouting directly from the central stone fountain at the far side of the spring.

"We have to swim to the edge of the fountain and open our mouth," Nikolai said, a faint, rare spark of playfulness entering his low voice. "Should be fun."

I looked at the splashing, clear stream bursting from the fountain rock, pulling my knees up to my chest. "I am scared."

Nikolai tilted his head, his dark eyes locking onto mine with a soft, undeniable warmth that made my heart skip a beat. "Why, when you have Aquaman with you?"

A breathless laugh escaped my lips before I could stop it. I didn't argue. I slid back into the warm water, letting Nikolai guide me as we swam together across the clear pool until we reached the base of the bubbling fountain spring.

The cool, sweet water showered down over our heads, washing away the salt and sweat of the past two days. I tilted my head back, closing my eyes, and opened my mouth wide, taking in large, refreshing gulps of the pure, sweet fountain water as it splashed down over my face and chest.

Nikolai stood just inches away from me in the chest-deep water.

He didn't drink. He simply stood completely still, his dark eyes fixed entirely on me. He watched the clear streams of water trickling down the delicate, pale line of my throat. He stared at the faint blue veins pulsing softly against my neck, the heavy wetness of the water soaking through my clothes, and the way my bare skin gleamed like pure porcelain under the bright, golden sunbeams streaming into the cave.

A heavy, dangerous silence settled between us, thicker and far more intense than the roar of the water.

Nikolai’s jaw clenched tightly. A dark, possessive flame ignited deep within his eyes, his breath hitching in his chest as he took a single, helpless step closer to me in the water, his broad hands hovering just millimeters away from my wet waist.

He leaned down until his lips were hovering right against the sensitive skin of my wet neck, his warm, heavy breath vibrating against my skin as he whispered softly, "Damn it, Nina. I'm sorry, but I can't help it."