Page 23 of Serena (Shattered Queens #1)

“You’re out of your mind, you know that?” My brother laughs through the phone.

“Well, she left me no choice.” Hearing her bedroom door open, I end the call.

This woman, my woman, is such a natural beauty I can look at her all day.

She makes her way out of the room, and I follow.

She isn’t speaking to me, but I walk next to her.

I don’t like her giving me the silent treatment; if anything, I like hearing her voice, even when she’s arguing and pushing back.

Knowing her, she regrets opening up to me last night.

We make our way to the private beach. If she wants beach time, she will get it. I called ahead and reserved a private cabana. I’ll provide her with the best my name can offer.

“This way, Hermosa.” She lets me lead her to our area for the day. Her only thank you is a smile, and that’s all I need. Then I look around to make sure no one’s looking in our direction. She notices and rolls her eyes.

“Will you relax; it’s a beach.” Then she lets her cover-up fall to the ground, and I almost have a heart attack.

I’ve imagined what my vixen would look like naked, spread out in front of me.

Fuck, I’ve stroked my cock and come to fantasies and images of her.

At this moment, seeing her in hardly any clothes makes me want to come in my swimming trunks.

My dick’s been hard since I saw her this morning in her tiny shorts and T-shirt, but this is another level of temptation.

One I don’t know if I can make it through.

Serena is the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen.

She’s wearing a two-piece bathing suit. Her bottoms are surfer-short style that hug her curves in all the right places.

Showcasing her voluptuous ass, her legs are toned, and those thighs, fuck, what I wouldn’t give to bury myself between them.

Her top is pushing up her perfect breasts.

How the fuck am I going to make it through the day?

I need to take a dip in the ocean, but even the cold water won’t help.

“What?” she asks as I look around and zero in on anyone who might be looking in our direction.

“I don’t like people looking at what’s mine.”

She scoffs. “First of all, there are like three people around. Two, I’m not yours, and lastly, who are you, my father?” She pauses. “Do you want to be my daddy?” she teases.

I grab her by the nape of her neck and pull her to me.

My voice comes out husky and needy. “Baby, you can call me daddy, master, sir, whatever you want, as long as the word ‘your’ is part of it. Because whether you want to accept it or not, I’m yours as much as you are mine.

” I pick her up and head into the cold water.

“Ian…what are you—” Realizing what I'm about to do, she wiggles, but I have a firm grip on her. The more she wiggles, the more I want to say fuck it and bend her over the cabana and fuck the sass right out of her. At this point, I don’t care who would see.

Shit! I would, I would care. No one else gets to see her.

I walk into the ocean and drop her into the water.

The cold feels good against my burning skin.

“What the hell, Ian!” she yells, trying to seem upset, but I see the laugh she’s attempting to hold back.

She splashes me with water, and I lunge for her.

She shrieks, and I can’t help but laugh.

I don't remember the last time I laughed so hard. I reach for her, and she comes to me. We’re deep enough that she needs to use me as a life raft.

Serena surprises me by wrapping her arms around my neck and then pulls closer to me by wrapping her legs around my waist. She’s hanging on to me like a koala bear.

I coil my arms around her curvy figure, and we just stand there, surrounded by water, the waves rocking us.

My eyes drop to her lips; I can’t take this anymore, so I lean in.

My lips crush into hers, and they are divine.

She doesn’t fight the kiss or me, so I deepen it, and she opens for me.

If this is what heaven feels like, I’ll gladly die.

A whimper escapes her lips, and I take it as an invitation to continue my assault on them.

I bite and tug her lower lip, and her reaction is feral.

She starts to grind her pussy on my stomach, and I'm two seconds away from coming.

Pulling back to look at her, I see the lust and need in her eyes, reflecting mine.

“Hermosa, if you don’t stop grinding your pussy on me, I’m going to fuck you here.

Which I don’t mind, but the first time you take my cock, I want it in my bed, where I can worship all of you.

I wouldn’t want to stop fucking you just to kill those men watching us.

” Motioning my head to the not-so-private beach, she looks past me and sees a group of men walking along the beach.

“I’m not ready to unpack that whole statement, but can we at least stay like this for a while?”

“Of course, Hermosa.” She lays her cheek on my shoulder.

The rest of the afternoon is spent on the beach.

She’s reading the murder mystery book she brought with her, and I’m just here watching her.

Lying on her stomach with her hair to the side, I can see her back.

There are a dozen scars scattered all over it.

They’re jagged, and they seem to have healed well, but I know for certain they aren’t the result of a knife.

As if she can feel my eyes on her, she shifts position.

“I made dinner reservations.” I interrupt her reading.

“Oh, that’s very presumptuous of you. Thinking I’ll have dinner with you.”

“It’s only dinner.” I’m trying not to show my excitement at having her spend more time with me.

“Okay, just to be clear, it’s not a date.”

Oh, no to a date, but yes to the make-out session in the ocean? I don’t say that out loud.

I want Serena to relax. I made dinner reservations at the restaurant where her favorite bartender works.

I could have taken her somewhere with a Michelin star, but Serena just wants to enjoy the simple things.

I know I made the right decision when she looks at me with a bright smile. Which I've come to know are rare.

“Welcome back!” Ruby yells from behind the bar. Serena makes her way over to hug her new friend. Then we take a seat at the reserved table.

“So, you came back for the mojitos?” Ruby winks at her.

“This was Mr. Kayde’s idea, which I'm super excited about. I’m so happy I get to see you before I leave and, of course, have some more of your famous mojitos.” Serena smiles at her friend.

“Okay, I’ll be right back.” Then Ruby heads for the bar.

“Mr. Kayde?” I put my hand on her thigh and squeeze it. “Was I Mr. Kayde when my tongue was down your throat?” And I see the moment she thinks back to the kiss, shifting in her seat.

“I panicked. To be honest, this is new to me. I know this isn’t a date, but I-I don’t know. I don’t date, and I don’t go to dinner with my bosses.”

“Well, you aren’t going to date anyone else—ever.”

She narrows her eyes at me. “I got the message after the dozen times you mentioned it on our way here, but we aren’t dating, and you can’t dictate my life.”

Then I lean and whisper in her ear, “That’s what you think, and if you call me Mr. Kayde again, I will bend you over the table and smack that tempting round ass of yours.” The moment is interrupted by Ruby’s return.

“So, Serena, here are the bottles. Care to do the honors?”

I look as Serena opens the bottles that Ruby puts in front of her. There’s a breath of relief every time the bottle cap clicks open. Ruby stands in front of us, mixing all the ingredients, this time adding pomegranate.

“Here, try this one. I think you’ll like it.”

Serena takes the drink and puts it to her mouth; a small moan escapes as she gives her approval. My dick twitches at the sound. I take the drink from her and taste it.

“How much alcohol do you put in this? Half the bottle?” The girls laugh. “You should work at my cousin’s bar.” I try not to cough.

“He is quite the charmer, so you gotta watch out for him,” Serena says between her laughing. I squeeze her knee again. This time, she yelps, and Ruby just smiles at us. She walks away, but not before giving us a wink.

“So, you think Caleb is charming?” I can’t help the jealous tone.

Rolling her eyes. “Yes, he is. And it seems to run in the family.”

“Oh, so you think I’m charming?”

“Can we talk about something else?

“No, answer the questions.”

“You can be, but you're also demanding, controlling, and very presumptuous."

“True.” To stop her from overthinking, I change the conversation. “So, why a finance degree?”

“Oh, um, well, it's a stable career.” She sighs. “The truth?”

“That’s all I want.”

“Well, my dad works as an accountant, and he always wanted me to have a career that would offer stability. I figured if I went into a career that he supports, he'd be proud of me. But along the way, things changed. I’m really good with numbers and make a lot of money, but lately, though, I don't know. I want more, but I don’t know what that more is. How about you? Did you always see yourself being the head of the Kayde Empire?”

“Yes. It’s all I've ever known. Gabe knew he was going to be part of it, but I’d be the one to take over for my father. It just came quicker than we thought.”

“What about your sister?”

“Oh, Veronica is still trying to find herself. She’s struggling at the moment.”

“Because of your mom?”

Talking about my mom is hard, so I just nod.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.”

I take a deep breath. “No, it’s okay. Yes, Mom is doing well, but Vee, she just can’t face it. So, she runs away.”

“I know what that’s like. But she’s lucky to have you and your brother.” She pauses, trying to find her next words. “I don’t have siblings or much family, actually. That’s why I gravitated toward Yuri and hers. They’ve been there for me, even when my own parents couldn't.”

I see the hurt in her eyes when she talks about her parents. Ruby stops by and drops off what looks like potatoes.

“Here, I brought you some jícama.”

Serena’s face lights up. “Ohhh, thank you! Do you have chili powder and lime?” A moment later, the ingredients are delivered to our table.