“Why don’t you just tell them the truth now? Be honest about it. That way, they’re not surprised.”

“I can’t. If that information falls into the wrong hands, then this whole thing was for nothing. Our marriage needs to seem as real as possible. Only my closest men know the truth,” he informs me.

“But it’s your family. Don’t you trust them?” I ask, feeling my eyebrows pull together in confusion.

“I do, but I also know they are not my employees. I can’t kill them if they disobey me.”

I feel my eyes widen and my mouth drop open with shock at his words.

“I’m kidding, Myla.” He shakes his head.

I search his face, but he doesn’t appear to be joking, and all of a sudden, I feel like Alice when she fell down the rabbit hole.

“All you need to know is you’re safe. Trust me to keep you that way.”

“Alrighty,” I mutter, rolling my eyes.

“Are we done?” he asks impatiently, but I can tell that, if I wanted to talk, more he would put off whatever he needs to do and take some time to talk to me. I would be lying if I didn’t admit that that makes my heart lighten towards him.

“Well, it’s your soul, so sure.” I shrug.

His lips twitch, and I notice a small scar that slices through the middle of his full bottom lip. I also notice how his lips look so smooth. I have never been one who really enjoyed kissing, but I could imagine myself really enjoying kissing him.

“Myla?” he rumbles.

My eyes lift to his, seeing that they have darkened. I swallow and take a step back, needing to put some space between us. He clears his throat and lifts his hand to the top of his head, pulling his sunglasses down over his eyes, and I immediately feel like I have been blocked out.

Without another word, he takes my hand again and begins to lead me across the beach. This time, his pace is slower, like he’s more aware of me. As soon as we reach the bonfire, he pauses and begins to look around. I don’t know who he’s looking for, but my body is wound tight and the butterflies that erupted in my stomach earlier have not lessened. Plus, it’s not helping that his thumb is continuously moving in circles over my skin, causing my awareness of him to never calm.

“Kale!” Kai shouts, and I follow the direction of his gaze.

My eyes land on a man with short hair who is almost as handsome as Kai. He’s wearing a pair of swim trunks printed with large Hawaiian flowers on them. He starts towards us, his eyes locking on our entwined hands, and I can see trepidation in his gaze as he comes to stand in front of us.

“Mom and Dad are here,” the guy named Kale says.

I feel my body freeze, and I begin to look around, trying to pick people who also could be related to Kai out of the crowd.

“I thought they weren’t going to be home for another week,” Kai mumbles, holding my hand a little tighter.

“Did you really believe you could call Mom with news that you got married and she wouldn’t rush home to meet her new daughter?” The guy scoffs like Kai’s an idiot, and I’m beginning to believe that that might be the case.

“They were in Australia,” Kai says.

I twist my hand slightly to pinch his skin between my fingers as hard as I can, needing to get some of my frustration out. If I could knee him in the nuts without causing a scene, I would do it without a second thought.

“You got married,” Kale repeats.

I stop pinching and begin digging my nails into Kai’s palm. I’m so angry that I could spit fire. I can’t believe he brought me here knowing his family would be here, and I really can’t believe he at least didn’t tell me that he’d told his family we got married.

“Where are they now?” Kai asks, forcing me to move in front of him, wrapping his arms around me, and causing me to become immobile.

I try to wiggle away, but Kale looks between us, frowning, so I instantly wrap my arms around Kai, making it look like we’re embracing.

“I’m not sure,” he mutters, looking around, and I do the same even though I have no idea what his mom and dad look like.

“Well, before they get here, let me introduce you to my wife,” Kai says as I return my gaze to Kale.

“Nice to meet you,” I tell him softly.

“You too,” he grunts then glances behind us, a smirk appearing on his face. “Good luck. You’re going to need it,” he says, looking at Kai before disappearing.

I’m just about to open my mouth and yell at Kai about how giant of an idiot he is when I hear someone take a sharp inhale. I turn my head to look over my shoulder and see an older woman who’s wearing a swimsuit with a sarong tied around her waist and a handsome older man wearing a linen shirt and shorts.

“Fuck,” Kai groans under his breath while turning me in his arms and wrapping his hands around my waist.

“Svezda,” the woman whispers, looking at me. Then confusion fills her eyes as she looks at Kai.

“Mom, I would like you to meet Myla. Myla, my mother and father, Leia and Bane Jr.”

Kai’s mother’s eyes travel from Kai to me then back again, and I can see hurt in her eyes, which I don’t understand.

“Nice to meet you,” I tell her, putting my hand out in front of me.

Her eyes drop to my hand then lift to meet mine again. “Bane?” she gasps quietly, looking from my hand to her husband.

I take my eyes off her and look at him just as he’s pulling his eyes off me, but I still catch the look of sadness in his gaze.