Page 33 of The Maverick (WaterFyre Rising #7)

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

VANESSA

I’d never flown first class, never mind on a private plane. Apparently, Natalie’s husband, Grayson, owned this plane, which he allowed his friends to use. It baffled me how the wealthy folks lived.

I wiggled in the comfortable seat as I flipped through a wedding gown magazine that Attikus had given me. The man thought of everything. He’d already given me a website to look through, but this magazine offered dresses from several boutiques on Maui.

“Do you want anything to drink?” Attikus asked, sitting across from me, looking through a folder.

“No.”

“Are you still mad?” He placed the folder down.

“You could’ve given me a heads up about what you were planning. This is our wedding. I want a say in it too.”

I was used to doing everything, so it was a relief to have him take over this wedding planning.

After we sealed the deal, perhaps I could share more information with him.

I didn’t want him to back out once I revealed I was breaking my mom out of prison and his wife could be imprisoned.

That could be too much for any husband to accept.

“I was trying to help you. You’re dealing with a lot. Do you want me to ask the pilot to turn around, and we can reorganize the wedding?”

“No.” I rolled my eyes. He knew I wouldn’t waste time like that. “What else do you have planned? I want to see the agenda.”

He smirked and pulled out a paper from the folder he was looking at. I glanced at the organized document. We had an appointment with Happily Ever After Boutique after we landed.

A justice of the peace would fly in tomorrow to meet us for the ceremony in the afternoon. Then a photographer would take photos of us. He had a dinner reservation at some restaurant on the island. Nothing was scheduled for Sunday or Monday, and we’d fly back on Monday evening.

Astounded, I looked up and met his eyes.

“I left two days open for my wife to do as she pleased.”

“Where did you find the time to organize all of this?” I asked.

“I have several assistants who help me run my businesses. I told them what I needed, and they got it done. Like I said, you were stressed.”

“You’re doing so much for me that you’re neglecting your greenhouse.”

He shrugged. “I’ll work on it soon. There’s no rush. The HH-Pods will be available for everyone to purchase by the end of the year.”

I remembered reading about it on the Healthy Horizon website. “What are you planting?”

“Anything I can eat.” He eyed me. “Feel free to help whenever you want.”

“I might take you up on that offer.”

“I don’t want my fiancée to look anxious in her photos,” he said. “Push all your worries away for the next few days.”

The image of the severed finger popped into my head. “Do you know who the finger belongs to yet?”

“Yes.”

“Who?” I leaned into the table that separated us. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because of this.” He pressed a finger to the space between my furrowed eyebrows. “You’re stressed again. I only found out yesterday.”

I recalled him mentioning he’d had a bad day yesterday. “So you kept the news to yourself to protect me from anxiety?”

“What’s wrong with that? Isn’t that what a caring fiancé should do?”

I wanted to retort that this was a fake relationship and he didn’t need to go overboard. But my heart softened toward him. No one had ever been this thoughtful or protective of me.

“Nothing’s wrong. You make me look like I’m failing in the fiancée category.”

His eyes darkened with mischief. “You can always make it up to me later. I’ll take a rain check.”

How could he still joke like this?

I didn’t reply to that comment. “Whose finger was it?”

“You don’t need to know.”

“I certainly do.” I gaped at him. “It was sent to my grand opening. That was a message. We’re in this together, aren’t we? You agreed to help me, but I’m not going to sit here and do nothing if someone is threatening you or me.”

Something shifted in his eyes. “What would you do if someone threatened your fiancé?”

“I’m an artist, Attikus. I have extremely creative ways to hurt my enemies.”

“You’ve piqued my interest, Lily Pad.” A sly smile tilted onto his lips. “How?”

“If I tell you, I might incriminate myself.”

“It’s okay. I won’t tell a soul.” He pressed a finger to his lips.

“Let’s just say that a pencil, pen, or paintbrush can be a useful weapon.” I pursed my lips. “I’ll attack when they least expect it.” Pretending to hold an invisible paintbrush in my hand, I stabbed it into the air. “Unpredictability is an advantage.”

“You sound like a war general who’s been strategizing an attack plan.”

He had no idea how many sleepless nights I’d experienced trying to find a way out of this mess. I’d envisioned several ways to retaliate against those who had hurt my mom and me. It was my therapy to live out the fantasy in my mind.

“When you’re surrounded by dangerous people, you have no choice but to come up with several attack plans . . . and several escape plans.”

His expression shifted, and I could tell he wanted to ask me a question. But he said, “I should be extra careful around you.”

“You should,” I said. “I have to protect my assets.”

He smiled, knowing I’d repeated his words.

“So whose finger was it? I’ll keep asking you until you tell me.”

“My high school principal.”

“What?” My eyes widened. “What does he have to do with me or the gallery?”

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out. Maybe the package was meant for me.”

No name was on the package, but I’d assumed it was for me. Even so, something seemed off.

“Let’s not talk about this anymore, okay?” He leaned back, looking casual and handsome. “We’re heading to our wedding, so let’s put the stress aside so we can relax. We both need a vacation.”

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been on vacation. My mom’s freedom and the blackmail had loomed over me for so long that I had become used to the stress.

“Okay,” I said.

“Have you been to Hawaii?”

“No.”

“Do you have any idea what you want to do for those unscheduled days?”

“Not yet. Let’s play it by ear and see what happens. Sometimes, it’s best to let things be.”

Though I could see something swirling in his eyes, he said nothing.

Attikus was a scheming man who fascinated and terrified me. What if I wasn’t careful enough and fell into one of his traps?

“What are you scheming about?”

“What makes you ask that?” He tapped his fingers on the manila folder.

“I can see it in your eyes.”

“I had a plan, and it had nothing to do with you.” He reached across the table and grabbed my hand. “But now it has everything to do with you.” His gaze intensified as he kissed my hand and each of my fingers.

I couldn’t take my eyes from his lips nibbling my skin. I sucked in a breath, trying to control the moan that wanted to come out. “What do you mean?”

“Would you believe me if I said you’re the reason I have to reorganize my life?” He opened my palm and dropped a kiss on it. “You have beautiful hands and elegant fingers.”

I lost all train of thought. All I could think about was him standing shirtless in the kitchen with the knit pants hanging low on his hips.

“You have a beautiful face and an exceptional body,” I said before I could stop myself.

Realizing my mistake, I tried to yank my hand from his grip, but he wouldn’t let it go. A wide smile stretched his face, transforming it. He was gorgeous when he smiled like that.

“You’re welcome to explore it anytime you want.” His eyes sparked. “I think we should do a lot of exploring in the next few days. What happens in Maui stays in Maui.”

I couldn’t believe what he was proposing. I wasn’t thinking correctly and feared I’d say something I’d regret.

So the safest reply I came up with was, “We can explore snorkeling.”

This time, he released my hand. I busied myself in the magazine and looked at the same page for the rest of the flight.

Attikus turned on his laptop and began working as if the provocative conversation and crazy proposal hadn’t occurred. He was pushing my buttons, but why?

I scolded myself for even considering the proposal. This was our vacation—my escape from reality. Could I have a moment of fun without repercussions? Was that what he meant? Was I reading too much into his offer? Was this vacation exempt from the contract? Did I want it to be?

Stop it with the madness, Vanessa.

Then the pilot announced we’d be landing in twenty minutes.