Page 92 of Until It Was Real

“What does sleeping in the grotto for punishment have to do with anything?”

“My brothers aren’t going to leave us alone tonight,” I explain as we walk through the sand toward the cave. “And I don’t want to have to kill one of them for watching you when you come.”

She grimaces. “I hate to agree with you.”

“But I’m right.”

She growls. It’s adorable. “Don’t let it get to your head, Mr. High and Mighty.”

“I thought I was Mr. Control.”

“You can be both.”

We reach a rocky outcrop, and I stop. “You have to crawl to get inside the cave.”

She motions to the rocks. “Lead the way.”

I grab the sleeping bag from her and crouch down. I place the sleeping bags on the cooler and push it in front of me as I make my way through the rock formations, hiding the cave from the naked eye. As soon as I reach the entrance, I whirl around and pull Dakota into the cave.

“Wow.” She scans the area. “It’s huge.”

She shivers and I nudge her toward the center of the cave where a fire pit is. I wipe off one of the logs and help her to sit before unrolling the sleeping bag and placing it over her shoulders.

“Tell me about the lover’s curse.”

I switch on the lantern and set it next to us. While I get a fire in the pit going, I explain the curse to her.

“Legend has it, the pirate Black Jack was in love with Margaret Hale, the daughter of the lighthouse keeper. When her father discovered their secret affair, he arranged for her to marry a wealthy man instead. On the night of her wedding, Black Jack kidnapped her, intending to escape the island by boat. But a violent storm rolled in, trapping them inside the grotto. The next morning, only Margaret’s body was found – Black Jack had vanished. Some believe he drowned, while others whisper that Margaret’s ghost keeps him trapped in the cave, forever doomed to roam.”

Dakota sighs. “How romantic.”

I groan. “No, you can’t be into ghosts.”

“Why not?”

“Because between you and my brothers, I’ll never win another prank war.”

“You need to try harder. I can think of a bunch of pranks.”

I narrow my eyes on her. “No more pranking me by messing with my keyboard.”

She wags her finger at me. “As long as you behave.”

I launch myself at her and tickle her ribs. She giggles and I allow the sound of her happiness to fill up all the empty spaces inside me.

“Don’t touch her!” someone shouts, and I jump to my feet.

I scan the cave, but I don’t see anyone. “Knock it off, Raider brothers!”

“Who are the Raider brothers?” a voice calls back.

“My asshole brothers.”

Dakota slaps me. “Don’t call them assholes.”

“Leave the woman and go,” a voice says from behind me.

I whirl around. “I’m not leaving my woman in your clutches.”

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