Page 42 of Stand: Part One

I made it maybe ten steps before a wave knocked me off balance and sent me straight down into the water. Before I could sink too deeply, Darren’s hand caught my arm and pulled me back up to my feet.

At first, I sighed with relief but then groaned in annoyance. If he weren’t here, I wouldn’t have to worry about being left to drown on purpose. I could just wear some damn child floaty wings for all I cared if it meant he’d fuck off for the day.

“Ya know, for someone who’s in the middle of a war, you sure do suddenly have a lot more time for me than you ever have before,” I grumbled. “Don’t you have people to murder or something?”

He smirked, gripping my arm to steady me against the waves. “What’s the matter, princess? Are you sick of your husband’s company already?”

YES.

I scowled internally, wishing he would find someone else to annoy and terrorize for a little while. The man could suffocate anything without even needing to touch it.

“While you do make a very adorable cheerleader,” I replied as I pushed through the water, “I figured you probably have more important things to do.”

“Like murdering people?”

Or selling them.

“I’m sure it’s on the to-do list.”

“It tends to be,” he confirmed playfully. “But I employ plenty of people who are more than capable of stepping in when I need them to. Besides, my interest is vested in your recovery, whether you want to believe that or not.”

I almost scoffed. Just because he had a “vested interest” in my recovery didn’t mean it was honorable. Because he’d certainly been interested in sabotaging it.

Ignoring his contradictory statement, I looked on beyond the water when a curiosity I’d long had but never voiced suddenly hit me.

“I’m actually kind of surprised you live on such a wide-open beach.”

Darren arched a brow, tilting his gaze at me. “Why do you say that?”

I shrugged. “Seems like a major security risk, having such a large opening into your property. Wouldn’t it be easy for someone to just drive a boat right in and start blowing everything up?”

Darren chuckled quietly as we continued to walk against the rushing waves, my hips straining with each step.

“Why is that funny?”

“Because what you just suggested would be virtually impossible.”

“Enlighten me.”

Placing his heavy hand on my shoulder, Darren stopped me and pointed toward the trees that lined the shore. “You see those trees there? They’re equipped with defensive heat-seeking missiles. They can destroy any passing vessel within a mile of this shore, or they can annihilate any incoming projectile before it gets too close to the sand.”

Well, that seemed intense. How had I never noticed them before?

“Okay. What if they swim up in the dead of night and sneak on the property instead?”

Darren practically snorted as we continued our pace. “I have at least twenty-five soldiers monitoring the property at all times, inside and out. Not to mention the drones and the fact numerous explosives are buried underground and scattered throughout the grounds. If anyone did try to breach us, the only thing it would cost me would be my perfectly manicured lawns.”

That made me pause. I’d been walking over active bombs this entire time?

“I suddenly don’t feel so comfortable playing fetch with Camaro in the yard anymore.”

Darren chuckled softly, taking my hand in his and bringing it to his mouth to kiss my knuckles. “You have nothing to worry about. They’re activated by a code, not pressure. It’s perfectly safe, I promise.”

I grumbled, his words doing nothing to soothe my unsettled nerves. But what was worse was the fact that Darren had ensured that his turf was no place to stage a battle with his enemies. His estate was just one giant boobytrap.

“I guess that explains why Matt hasn’t just attacked you here since he knows where you live.”

“It would not be a very smart move,” he affirmed, his voice taking on a dark tone.