Page 80 of The Contract

“Right?” Marcus grins. “That’s what makes it so good.”

James smirks. “So, there we were, standing on the edge, looking down at crystal-clear water, maybe sixty, seventy feet below. People kept backing out.”

Marcus shakes his head. “One guy spent ten minutes psyching himself up, then climbed back down the way he came.”

I roll my eyes. “If you two are going to exaggerate, at least make it believable.”

“Elena,” James continues, ignoring me, “Damien didn’t even look before he jumped. Just tossed his sunglasses at Marcus, ripped off his shirt, and—boom—gone.”

She turns back to me, eyes wide. “You didn’t even check the water?”

I take a slow sip of my drink, giving her a lazy shrug. “I had a pretty good idea of what was down there.”

James laughs. “The hell you did! You were already midair when I saw the jagged rocks at the base.”

Marcus grins. “You should’ve seen his face when he resurfaced.”

“Triumphant?” I smirk.

“Try shocked,” James fires back. “And probably a little grateful to be alive.”

James nudges her. “And he’ll never admit it, but he was definitely rattled when he climbed back up.”

“I wasn’t rattled,” I say flatly.

Marcus snorts. “You were absolutely rattled.”

Elena studies me like I’m an unsolvable puzzle. “So, what was it? A dare?”

James and Marcus exchange a look before James smirks. “Oh, absolutely a dare.”

I glare at them both. “Don’t.”

Elena leans in, eyes alight. “Oh no, now you have to tell me.”

James grins. “A French model named Claire made a comment about how real men don’t hesitate.”

Marcus sighs dramatically. “And our Damien, being the picture of restraint, just had to prove he was the most real man there.”

Elena’s laughter spills out, bright and warm, as she turns back to me. “So you jumped off a cliff to impress a woman?”

I drain the last of my drink, setting the glass down with an easy smirk, my free hand instantly going back to her smooth legs still resting comfortably in my lap.

“Seemed like the most efficient way to shut her up.”

James and Marcus exchange another look before bursting into laughter, falling into their own conversation.

I shake my head, but I’m still smirking.

Elena leans back, still studying me with something unreadable in her eyes. “So,” she says slowly, a hint of amusement in her voice, “do you still leap without looking?”

The way she says it makes my chest tighten, but I keep my expression relaxed. “I think you know the answer to that question.”

She smiles, and I don’t miss the way she bites her lip, like she’s thinking about something.

Something that has nothing to do with cliffs and everything to do with a particular night spent in my hotel.

“I’m not sure I do, actually.” She leans forward, setting her own drink down, and the lightness of the day captures me.

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