Hours later, after the sunset, we are standing in front of a huge yacht.

I am amazed, but prevent my jaw from dropping open as Leroy's family is already getting on board. The yacht must be about thirty-three meters long, and it is painted white, but at the lower edge, it also lights up in blue colors in the nightly evening hour, thanks to the LED lights. It is beautiful. 

But even the wonderful view can't stop me from being quietly afraid to climb on it.

Swallowing, I realize that Franca is the last one to get aboard, while Leroy comes towards me and Danny, whom I hold by the hand because he is also afraid of the yacht. Leroy had something to discuss with the port, which is why he appears late. 

"What are you still doing here?" His voice is already near my ear.

Both Danny and I just look at him and Leroy returns our glances confused for a moment before he realizes. Sighing, he rolls his eyes slightly. 

"You shitheads," he grumbles softly, lifting Danny onto his hip and grabbing me by my hand. Danny tightens his grip on him as I toy with the idea of admitting to him that I really don't want to go on the yacht, but then I pull myself together.

Leroy wouldn't care and besides, I would embarrass myself with such a statement.

Once on the yacht, Leroy puts Danny down again, who was apparently just afraid to get on, because now he runs straight to the other kids, which makes me raise my eyebrows in amazement. Well, I wish I could relax that easily too. 

"Come sit with us, Katrina," Franca shouts at me, who is already sitting with the others on the chairs overlooking the water.

I realize that I am standing here as if I had been ordered and not invited, so I approach her with a slight smile. As soon as I'm sitting too, I feel a little safer, and watching the sea like this is such a wonderful sight that you completely forget where you are.

Not even an hour later, I feel a little better while the others are all talking. Leroy is standing at the railing having a conversation with Alexander.

His shoulders, which are tucked into a dark blue shirt that stretches across his chest and then falls flat against his stomach, are a little tense.

The two of them don't seem to have a good conversation, because Alexander also looks displeased. 

I wonder what they are talking about...

As Alexander leaves, I have the urge to take his place and approach Leroy, especially because I would like to talk to him about what my mother told me today, but I would not like to talk about it in front of his family and when Kelly suddenly stands up to approach him, the idea is over.

I can't believe how bold she is. Doesn't it make her uncomfortable after he turned her down?

Now that she's standing next to him, she even puts her hand on his shoulder, which makes me clench my teeth tightly, especially because Leroy doesn't keep his distance.

He allows her touch, as he always does, but he doesn't want mine. Although I don't like to admit it, this sight bothers me a lot.

Why can't he just be colder with her, as he usually is with me? And why the hell can't she just leave? How much longer am I going to have to live with Kelly? 

Unable to handle the stab in my stomach any longer, I excuse myself for a moment and go to the other end of the yacht to be alone for a moment. 

Why do I even feel such bullshit?

The guy is never nice to me, kidnapped me and forced me into this marriage, told me several times how little he likes me, and yet I feel something for him, but why?

Because he is a little bit kinder to me? And it's not directly kinder, it's just more normal.

Why didn't I run away when I was allowed to go for a walk alone this morning and also the last time?

Why does he let me go out alone at all, damn it, what's wrong with him?!

Why is he suddenly so different towards me, it makes it harder for me not to fall for him...

God, I shouldn't even be thinking about that, you're just crazy, Rina! 

I gasp when suddenly two hands grab the railing to my left and right, trapping me, and it's not long before the familiar smell of wooden needles and leather hits my nose.

It's Leroy. 

"Why are you here all alone?" He murmurs in my ear and I shiver as his warm breath brushes the back of my neck. I feel the warmth of his body against my back. 

"I needed to think," I reply softly. It is partially true but I won't tell him the other part. Even though he's my husband, I still don't want him to know how I feel when Kelly gets close to him.

"About what?" He asks, leaning his head against my shoulder.

I tense involuntarily. And that's what I find so strange.

The moment is strange because we are not often close, on the one hand, I feel very comfortable and on the other uneasy. I can't explain it to myself. 

"None of your concern," I say quietly and carelessly. I widen my eyes as I realize what I've said and want to turn to him to see his reaction, but he doesn't take his head back, so I leave it at that. 

"Can I help you with that?"

I stumble. Did he really said that?

This time, I do turn to him, which he allows, but he doesn't take his hands back, so I have to lean my back against the railing.

Leroy's brows furrow as if he is also a little surprised at what he has just said, but the expression disappears just as quickly as it came.

I swallow. From this closeup, I realize once again how beautiful he is. His face is quite hard and angular, but still beautiful, especially because of his eyes and his lips. 

"I spoke to my mother on the phone today. She told me everything," I explain to him. His expression remains emotionless.

"I'm sorry about what happened, but here you have confirmation that I had no idea about any of this and that I'm not plotting with my father. The way you went about it was wrong, Leroy. You hurt me and forced me into this marriage because you thought I was a spy, but it's not true and for what have I wasted my time now? Why have I been locked up all these weeks - soon to be two months - with a man who was a stranger and who always had nothing but a hateful look for me? For nothing. Because I don't know Pablo Di Fina and I have no connection with him at all." 

Once again my stomach hurts. I didn't really mean to say it like that. I wanted to make him come closer to me, I didn't want to push him away, but my mouth was faster than my head.

Leroy stares at me, takes his hands back, and suddenly rests them on my waist before pressing himself against me. Surprised, I hold my breath. 

"I still would have brought you to me. As soon as I found out you existed, I would have taken you to me," he murmurs against my lips and I shudder. "Besides, I was telling the truth when I informed you that I believed you after you promised me not to be involved with your father." 

"Why?", I whisper, feeling the need to be even closer to him. I want him to hold me, to hug me close, ignoring the quiet voice in my head that tells me this is insane and not right.

"Because you belong to me," he says, just when I thought he would say no more.

His words make my heart beat a little faster.

"If you feel that way, why do you always let Kelly touch you?"

Damn, I didn't mean to say that!

Leroy raises his eyebrows slightly before the corners of his mouth twitch a little. 

"Jealous?" 

"No," I hurry to say, which makes Leroy suddenly laugh. Surprised that he actually laughed, I blink in perplexity at first. Then I shake my head, coming back to myself. "You wouldn't be jealous if a man would approach me, but you wouldn't like it either, right?" 

Leroy shrugs. 

"I don't know, we'll have to try it out." 

I smirk slightly at his words.

Try it out? Heads would fly. 

"I just don't like it." 

"What do you want, chica?" He asks, suddenly leaning down to me.

I exhale shallowly and tighten my grip around the railing. Yeah, what do I want exactly?

Why can't I just say it? Then yes, it's toxic, wrong, and completely insane! And totally questionable! 

The fact is, I desperately want to be closer to him, I just need that.

"I-," I start softly and clear my throat as my voice breaks. Amused, he glares at me. "I want to be your wife," I repeat the words, as I did a few days ago. Yeah, that doesn't sound too bad.

Leroy told me to prove it to him, but I just can't make the first move and he seems to understand that now.

Slowly, he brushes a strand behind my ear with his index finger, down over my temple to my cheek, and stops at my chin before lifting it abruptly. 

"What if I take the right then, to do anything I feel like with you?" He breathes dangerously softly to me and I hear the warning from his words, but they are welcomed. 

"I don't know, we'll have to try it out," I reply quietly, stealing his previous words, which makes Leroy's eyes light up.

His gaze falls to my lips and something in my stomach tightens.

"Challenge accepted," he murmurs before his lips stop in front of mine.

I close my eyes, fluttering, as he kisses my upper lip and then my lower lip. He pauses briefly so that the cold wind brushes my hot cheeks before he places his mouth fully on mine.

I shiver and automatically wrap my hands around the back of his neck while he lightly pulls my lower lip between his teeth and runs the tip of his tongue over it. I open my mouth and his tongue moves in slowly but intensely.

I gasp, caught off guard by the sensation and the taste - his taste, which pleases me so much that I press myself even closer to him. I never want it to end, want to be all his, as I fall in love with the feeling of his hand clawing into my hair, directing my head so that he can push his tongue closer into my mouth. 

I fall in love with the moment - with my first kiss under the stars.

☼ ❅

THEY DID IT!!!
Communication. I am so proud of them *wipe a tear away*
*mascara ruined*

Well, Leroy my boy... you defenetly found a way to help her...

We should be glad... he didn't throw her over board, drowned her and continued with his life, right Leroy?...

☼ ❅