55
55
KENNEDY
I’d never been afraid in my entire life that knowing exactly how you’d going to die. At first, I thought he
was bluffing, messing with me so that I could say yes, but when I realized we were above the ocean,
that was when I started to worry.
He was not going to let us drown in the ocean even if I knew he could swim. What if there were
sharks? Oh, my God.
I could only manage to breathe and feel relieved when he deployed the canopy, but I wouldn’t let this
go. That was a promise. He would get what he deserved. He nearly killed me with a heart attack. I
might not be going to die by drowning or swallowed whole by sharks, but my heart gave up with so
much pounding.
“Are you trying to land on the cruise? Are you insane?”
“Better than into the ocean, don’t you think?”
“I thought you’re an expert, asshole!” I would never filter after what he did to me.
I nearly died.
“Just trust me, darling.” God, how did this darling thing affect me? It was insane, but I still did not forget
how he forced me to marry him. Ass move.
“I don’t trust you even a little. Just so, you know, you’re gonna pay for this. Trust me.”
“I know.”
The cruise was bigger than I thought, and there was a Helipad on top. If what I thought was right, we
were going to land on that. As we got closer, my heart kept pounding so hard I could barely breathe.
Fear, anger—those were the only dominant emotion I felt.
As we started descending, I squeezed my eyes shut, but my tandem seemed relaxed and confident
while I felt like I might pee in my suit.
My emotions got the best of me. I shook to cry, really cried. I sobbed hard. I didn’t know for what.
Maybe because I could still feel my heart beating, and I wasn’t dead.
He took my open-face helmet off. “You okay, darling?”
I pulled my hands away from my face. The first thing I saw was his face. He had no more helmet on but
a huge smile on his face—like a grin from ear to ear. Then I diverted my gaze, and I saw a clear blue
sky.
“Nice landing!” That voice—I knew that voice—Lud. Then it was followed by applause—a lot of
applauding that startled me.
With my heart in my throat, my anger brewed in my blood. I was shaking while Thayer unlatched the
locks that connected us.
“Let me free.” Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!
“Kenny!”
“Asshole, you tricked me!”
“I’m sorry, Kenny, but I love cruising.” Talal laughed.
“That’s one hell of ride, love,” Again, Lud commented.
“You! I pointed at Lud. “This is your idea, isn’t it? I nearly die, you, asshole!” Once I got free from
Thayer, I took off my shoes, gathered all my strength, and threw it to Lud as long as I could. “You’re
gonna pay for this!”
Then I realized Thayer was laughing behind me. I turned to him and threw another shoe. It didn’t even
hit him—he caught it effortlessly. Out of frustration and with so many emotions building in my chest, I
shook to cry on the floor. “You’re an asshole. I hate you.”
“Hey, I would never put you in danger if I didn’t know what I was doing.” I felt him closer, so closed.
“You almost killed me.” I shook when he wrapped his arms around me, kissing the top of my head.
“I would never do that. Lud altered your altimeter. You’re too destructed with your anger to realize that
your altimeter is not working.” He was rubbing my back.
“What you put me through? What did you do to me? I would never forgive you, Thayer. If you ever force
me to marry, I will, but trust me on this.” I pulled away from his arms and looked at him in his eyes—his
expression took my breath away. He was pleading with melancholy. “I don’t even know how to look at
you without being disgusted.” Even if I was still shaking, I pulled my strength together and rose to my
feet.
I walked away from him. I didn’t know where I was going considering we were on a cruise. I just wanted
to get away from him to clear my head, because honestly, I also went too far. I just wanted to hurt him
back, but what I said was nothing but lies.
“Honey? Kennedy?”
I froze dead in my tracks. My eyes rounded in shock. “Oh, my God. Your Highness.?”
“Oh, honey. Good to see you again.” She pulled me into an embrace.
“What are you doing—” I paused, pulled away, shook my head, and chuckled in amusement. “This is a
Royal Cruise, isn’t it?”
“No, honey.”
“Your Royal Highness,” I addressed Prince Isodore.
His smile laced with sadness before he sighed. “You’ve been through a tough time. I understand. Just
don’t give up just yet.”
I left them. I just followed where the way led me.
“Need a room?”
I paused. A smile slowly spread across my face. “I guess.”
“Come here.” Carlott opened the door wide.
“Wow!” I wandered my eyes around. “This is bigger than the hotel room I checked-in in Dubai.”
“You can take off your clothes. Go, get showered. I have clothes in the closet that might fit you.”
“Thanks. I badly need one.”
“Go ahead. I’ll be right here once you’re done.”
I got in the luxurious European-inspired bathroom and stripped my clothes off. Then I entered the glass
shower room. I turned into the hot shower and went under the spray. I nearly moaned—it felt good,
relaxed my straining muscles.
I didn’t realize I had sore muscles until I was under the shower. I closed my eyes, leaning my arms
against the wall.
A gasp escaped my lips. I froze to sense that I wasn’t alone anymore. I didn’t have to turn around to
know who just joined me, judging by the pounding of my heart and the tingling of my skin.
Damn it. Damn him.
I released a shuddering breath, squeezed my eyes shut, ignored the sudden urge to turn around, and
looked at those hurt eyes again. I bit my lip instead.
I gasped again with his huge hands traced on my hips. “What are you doing here?”
“I want to take a shower.” His hands stayed, burning my skin, imprinting his scorching touch.
“Don’t you have like hundreds of rooms to choose from?”
“The last time I checked, I checked in here.”
I groaned, squeezing my eyes. “Carlott. Great. I’m done anyway.” I turned around, but he held me
captive. Surely, his fingers had imprinted into my skin as how he held me tight.
“What the fuck do you want, Thayer?” My chest heaved. My lips dried even if I was still under the
shower.
His features darkened. His jaw ticked.
“I thought you’d never ask.” Before my brain could process, he slammed his mouth against mine. My
stupid body reacted. My mouth instantly opened for him. Honestly, how could I resist a naked Thayer in
the shower? I didn’t have to look down at his package.
Wait a minute. I was mad at him for nearly killing me. Exaggerated or not, he could just ask to meet as
normal people usually did. But he wasn't just a normal person. He was a freaking prince.
I broke the kiss and pushed him away, glaring at him. Instead, I hit the wall. “What the fuck?”
He didn’t answer. Instead, he just stared at me, and I swore I felt like he was carrying the world over his
shoulder, eyes pleading, full of pain and misery.
“Fuck.” I cupped his head, smashed my mouth against him, and kissed him, showing him how
miserable I was for the past days without him. He kissed me back the same way I did. His lips glided
against mine, our tongues dueled. I melded into him.
Hands traveled up back, pulling me into his arms, my breasts pressed against his washboard chest. My
nipple hardened, deliciously grazing against his skin.
Perhaps I was done with conquering my fear through height, and I was ready to face another journey. I
kissed him more, giving all the way in—my heart and soul. And he gave me something in return. His
kiss was pure and passionate—he was giving me something back—all of him.
I moaned.
He slid his hand down, cupping my ass, the other cupping my mound. I raised my leg as I felt his bulge
deliciously poking against my lower belly.
Before I could push father, he broke the kiss, stepping back. My face warmed as I stared at him in
shock.
“I didn’t join you to take you in the shower?”
I glared further. “Then what the fuck are you doing here? And your dick doesn’t agree to you otherwise
—” Despite the hot water, my skin just ran cold.
He cupped my face, pressing his lips against mine to stop me. Then he gave me the same look. “I still
want to take you, fuck you, make love with you, every night and every fucking day of my life. Don’t get
me wrong.”
“Maybe I already changed my mind at that time.”
He drew a deep breath before he took the bottle of shampoo. He’s got to be kidding me. He poured a
good amount into his palm, then put the bottle back. He then rubbed the shampoo into my hair, still
wearing that deep sorrow expression.
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m tired of hearing that. I heard you the first time before you threw me off the airplane.”
“I’d never stop apologizing until you learn to forgive me.”
“Well then, maybe I just have to suck it up for maybe sixty years of my life. By that time, I lost my
hearing.”