His frown grows deeper. Then he drops my hand, lifts his sunglasses to the top of his head once more, and turns his body so he’s standing right in front of me.

“You’re my wife.”

“Pretend wife,” I remind him quietly.

His eyes flash with something I haven’t seen before and his jaw goes hard, making my breath catch.

His face dips and he whispers against my ear, “None of these people know that it’s pretend.”

It wouldn’t be so bad if the effect he has on me was also pretend, but when he’s touching me in any way, it’s difficult to keep things separate.

I let out the breath I was holding and pull back so I can look into his eyes. “You’re right,” I acknowledge, hoping he will let me go.

He searches my face, and without another word or giving me any other option but to walk with him, he takes my hand, intertwines our fingers, and leads me towards a giant fire that is set up in the middle of the beach. As we approach the bonfire, I notice the men lifting their chins to Kai. He does the same in return. I also notice that the women we pass all devour him with their eyes before shooting daggers at me.

I’m so caught up in watching the people we pass that I don’t notice that Kai has stopped until my hand is tugged. I turn my head to see what’s holding him up.

“Kai!” a beautiful woman wearing a gold bikini yells, running up to us, looking like she just stepped out of an episode of Baywatch. Her hair is dark brown and down around her shoulders. Her body looks like she spends her days counting calories and working out. Even from just looking at her, I feel insecure.

As she nears us, a smile lights Kai’s face up, and he drops my hand just in time to catch her as she throws herself into his arms. Jealously like I have never felt before ignites in my stomach as I watch them embrace. She is the first to release him, but even then, his arm stays around her. I have never been one for violence, but the urge to rip his arm off and beat him with it causes me to fist my hands at my sides.

“Myla.” Kai says my name and the woman’s face lights up again.

She catches me off guard when she steps away from Kai and throws her arms around me. My hands go out to my sides, and I stand there awkwardly, not knowing what I should do.

“I’m so happy to finally meet you,” the woman tells me as she releases me and steps back to stand near Kai.

“I—” I look at Kai when I have no idea what I should say or who this woman is.

“Meka,” Kai says warningly, grabbing my hand again and pulling me closer to his side.

The woman looks up at him, and I realize she is not quite as old as I first thought she was. And she has the same lips and eyes as Kai.

“Myla, this runt here is my sister, Meka. Meka, my wife, Myla,” Kai says, making me feel instantly nauseated.

I didn’t realize I would be meeting his family, let alone meeting them as his wife. I can’t imagine that this will be easy to explain or easy to undo when the time comes, and having other people involved will only make it that much more difficult.

“It’s nice to meet you, Meka,” I finally get out.

Another smile lights Meka’s pretty face up as she looks at her brother then back at me and shakes her head. “You said she was pretty, but you didn’t tell me how pretty,” Meka says, making butterflies erupt in my stomach as Kai’s fingers flex around my hand. She takes a step back then holds up her hands in front of her, forming a box with her fingers before squinting and closing one eye. “You guys look perfect together—her with all that blond hair and you with that long, womanly, dark hair.” She giggles, and I cover my mouth when an unexpected laugh explodes from it.

“Don’t encourage her,” Kai grumbles from my side, but I can see the side of his mouth tip up slightly in a smile.

“Seriously, you guys look good together,” she says as she looks at her brother, her eyes going soft.

“All right, kid, If you’re done annoying me, tell me where Kale is.”

“You’re never any fun.” She pouts, putting her hands on her hips.

“And you’re always a brat,” he tells her, but his tone is loving.

I have seen Kai be soft before, but I have never seen him the way he is with her.

“He was near the barbeque pit the last time I saw him.” She shrugs then waves off in the distance when someone calls her name.

“Thanks, runt.”

“Anything you want to know, Myla, you call me. I know all of his dirty secrets,” Meka says, making me smile before she walks off towards the water.

“I might do that,” I say under my breath as Kai begins walking again. “I didn’t know I was going to meet your family,” I tell Kai as my feet move double time to keep up with him through the thick sand.

“It’s not a big deal.” He shrugs.

I can feel myself frown at his words. I have no idea how he can say that it’s not a big deal when, to me, it’s huge.

“They know we’re married. We’re not staying married, so I think it is a big deal,” I say, tugging his hand and forcing him to stop.

“Myla, I’ve told you from the beginning that I wouldn’t let anything happen to you. I know what I’m doing.”

“This isn’t about you keeping me safe, Kai. This is about you lying to your family.”

“My family knows me. They trust me to always make the right decisions. So, no, it won’t be easy, but in the end, everyone will know I did what I had to do,” he says adamantly.