Rogue (Alpha Dom’s Book 2)

Chapter Four

Daisy

I was nervous and I didn’t know why.

Well, I did know why. I was about to come face to face with the two men who saved me. I would have to speak to them and be polite and friendly. Not something that came easily to me.

Of course it didn’t help that my father had already warned me not to be too friendly. Like I would, I rolled my eyes at my reflection. I knew better than that. I had been taught better than that.

No flirting with the guests unless it somehow benefited daddy’s business and even then only where he could see me. Not that it mattered anyway. I was too painfully shy to do more than smile coyly and stutter a few platitudes.

Sheltered. That’s what people said about me. They probably said other things as well but I never heard them. I knew I was different to other girls my age. I didn’t have the freedom they had, and I most definitely didn’t have the life experiences they had. And it had never really bothered me before today. Boys were a distraction I didn’t need and I was happy to wait for the man who would be my husband.

Until today.

Until I had nearly died and woken up to find two unbelievably handsome faces staring down at me.

Until them.

And now I was meant to play the dutiful host, be polite and friendly? It was going to be impossible. For the first time in my nineteen almost twenty years on earth I had never looked at a man and had a physical attraction.

Until them.

Straightening my shoulders I pushed my way out of my room and made my way down the stairs of the villa we always rented when we came here. It’s opulence was suffocating. I was always too scared to touch anything, in case I broke anything.

My father was at the bottom of the grand staircase and I paused as he glanced upward but it wasn’t him that made me pause.

The man next to him was tall, much taller than I remembered, his blonde artfully tousled hair and chiselled jawline made him look like the picture perfect boy next door.

How was it fair that someone could be so handsome? The body I had glimpsed as I came to on the beach was covered now, but not even the shirt could hide the hardness of the body underneath.

I swallowed hard.

And then schooling my face into a polite smile I went down to meet them.

“Daddy.” Dutifully I reached up to kiss his cheek before turning to our guest of honour. “And Aden.” I thrust my hand out and his own wrapped around mine. His fingers long and strong. “I am so glad you could make it.”

“I am happy to be hear and to see you looking so well.” His eyes roved down my body as he pressed a kiss on the back of my hand.

I could sense my fathers disapproval and my blush only deepened.

“Thank you, is your….” I searched for the correct word “friend not joining us?”

For a second Aden’s smile slipped. And then his own face broke into a polite smile.

Interesting. I wasn’t the only one used to playing this game then.

“Unfortunately something came up but he said to give you his sincere apologies.” Aden’s blonde head dipped in a nod. The smile fixed in place.

“Well I am eternally grateful to you both.” My father spoke , breaking the spell that Aden’s eyes put me under every time I looked at him. “Your friend is quite the swimmer.”

Aden laughed hard. I didn’t get what was so funny but my father had obviously stumbled upon some inside joke.

“You have no idea.”

“So Daisy.”

I jolted my hand back from where Aden’s fingertips had brushed against mine. I had been so caught up in my own head that I hadn’t heard a word he had said.

I blushed, tilting my chin up to him to hopefully show he now had my full attention. “I am so sorry….”

His smile was knowing. “Day dreaming?” The tip of his pinky finger touched the side of my hand and I jumped like I had been electrocuted.

Daddy would not like the casual way he was touching me. It was almost like he couldn’t help it.

“No, no of course not.” I blushed even harder.

“Well that’s a shame , it’s definitely a night to day dream don’t you think?”

I studied him. I had never really thought about it before but sitting next to him I had to agree. Being here, sat next to him , it was all day dream worthy.

“It is a beautiful night, one of my favourite things to do here is stand out on the terrace and watch the waves in the moonlight.” I bit my lip hard. What had made me say such a moronic thing?

“I would love to see if you are willing to show me. We have a great suite but it’s nothing like this.” His eyes swept around the room. And I bit back the urge to roll my eyes.

“Sure it’s beautiful.” Scraping back my chair I stood up. “Come on let me show you that view, they will be getting the cigars soon.” I paused. I wasn’t acting like myself at all. “Unless you would rather stay and partake.”

At first he didn’t answer and then he stood up. “I would much rather watch the ocean with you Daisy.”

“Beautiful isn’t it?” Leaning heavily on the carved marble wall I gazed over and down to the silver topped waves below.

“Not as beautiful as you are Daisy Malone.” Aden’s voice was husky and I felt the heat creep up my cheeks. I was just lucky it was dark and he couldn’t see.

“You are very sweet but I am not very beautiful…” of course I had been told I was pretty but I just couldn’t see it.

I was a bit of a plain Jane me, and that was fine. I was used to it.

“Yes you are….”

I turned to him sharply. Only to find him staring straight at me, so close I could feel his breath on my face.

My heart pounded in my chest.

“I…. “ I stammered.

“And now I’ve made you uncomfortable.” He gave a small chuckle but his eyes didn’t move from my face. “So tell me why you were in the water at all if you aren’t a confident swimmer?” He changed the subject smoothly.

“Funny story, my fathers …” I struggled to find the right words. “Associates son thought it would be funny to throw me in.” My laughter sounded fake even to my own ears.

It was only then that I noticed the way Aden’s eyes had drifted over my shoulder. Turning sharply I watched as a shadow detached itself from the wall to join us.

Wide shoulders, narrow waist. The dark hair that seemed inky under the light of the moon.

My heart flip flopped.

I was in serious trouble now there were two of them and I knew it.

Masons voice was firm as he came to step up to my side. Putting me firmly between the two hottest men I had ever seen.

“He sounds like a moron.”