Page 28 of Bound in Paradise
Zack sucked in a breath that caught in his throat.
“Apparently, the girls had different mothers, so different names, different households. But eventually, the Viper got wise to it and decided to set his sights on Gabi instead, since the sister had slipped through his fingers. Gabi spent years on the run, trying to stay under the radar while Rossi pursued her. That’s how she ended up here at the Eden Resort, working as Greg Taylor’s assistant at Iniquity.”
“Y-you think…” Zack stuttered, barely able to get the words out.
“I don’t know her name, but the mother of Gabi’s sister was Russian. And I think there’s a good chance she’s the woman you’re looking for.”
Zack collapsed onto the seat, his mind reeling as he processed Saul's words. Could it really be that simple? After years of fruitless searching, had the answer been right under his nose this whole time?
"So, you're saying..." Zack began, his voice hoarse with disbelief, “That Emylyah might be Gabriella Preston's sister?"
Saul nodded, taking another sip of his drink. "It's a strong possibility. The timeline fits, and the circumstances match up too well to be mere coincidence."
Zack leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, head in his hands. "The fucking mafia! Christ. If that's true, it changes everything… but it sure as hell makes a lot of sense.”
"It certainly complicates matters," Saul agreed. "But it also gives you a new avenue to explore. Maybe you should consider reaching out to Gabriella directly."
Zack's head snapped up. "Do you think she'd be willing to talk to me about it?"
Saul shrugged. "It's worth a shot. She's a sweet and compassionate woman. If she knows anything about her sister, I’m sure she’ll tell you, although before you get your hopes up, I believe, through past necessity, they keep away from each other. But that may have changed now the Viper is dead. Either way, she should be able to at least confirm the name, and as luck would have it, she’s on the island right now.”
Zack stood, strode over to Saul, and clapped him on the shoulder, pulling his hand back fast when Saul winced. “Shit, sorry, man,” he apologized, having completely forgotten about Saul’s shoulder wound. He took his hand and pumped it, instead. “Thank you so much, my friend. If nothing else, it’s somewhere to start,” Zack breathed, trying not to let the tiny seed of hope take root, in case it came to nothing, but it was there, regardless. “And it’s so much more than I had before.”
“You’re doing so much for me, Zack,” Saul’s voice cracked with unexpected emotion. “The least I can do is reach out to Gabi and Marcus, pave the way, and see if they’re prepared to talk to you.”
“No one’s supposed to know you’re here,” Zack reminded the other man, as excited as he was at the prospect, Saul’s life was in danger.
Saul nodded. “Yeah, but they were there. They deserve to know about the threat against me in case it has repercussions for the two of them, as well.” He squeezed Zack’s hand. “I’ll let you know what they say.”
15
Dani was second guessing herself all over again.
This morning she’d stood by her decision and since Zack hadn’t been in the office, she’d headed off to his cabana to tell him. Disappointed had filled her when she discovered he wasn’t home.
After spending what seemed like every available second haunting her office, he was suddenly conspicuously absent. Had he changed his mind? Had he gotten what he wanted and left? Had he decided she was just too much trouble? Too much drama for someone as quiet and reserved as he was.
It was true, they’d been polar opposites in the past, but Dani felt she’d matured a great deal since moving to Elysium.
Or maybe life, and the events therein, had just ground her down. Either way, she wasn’t the same carefree, effusive girl she used to be. Disappointment and betrayal did that to a woman.
She had access to his phone number, of course. It was on file since he was one of the co-owners and investors in the resort, and it was entirely possible that she’d memorized it some time ago, though she’d never admit that out loud. And she wasn’t going to use it, because the other thing she had was pride. She was done chasing anyone or anything which didn’t prove itsmerit, whether it be a man, or a job, or anything else. If there was one thing she’d learned over the years, it was to be true to herself first. That if she didn’t believe in her own worth, then sure as hell nobody else would. And while it might hurt at times, at least she didn’t live feeling like she was less in any way. No matter what happened, she was good with that.
No way was she chasing a guy who didn’t show up for her. Zack knew where she was.
Dani sighed, pushing away from her desk and the pile of paperwork she'd been staring at for the last hour. Her mind was too preoccupied to focus on work. She needed a distraction, something to take her mind off Zack's sudden withdrawal and what it might mean.
Since it was almost lunch time, she grabbed her bag and headed out of her office towards the pristine shoreline of the private bay which was out of bounds to tourists because of the turtle colony that nested there. The warm sand between her toes and the salty breeze in the air usually helped clear her head. But today, even paradise couldn't shake the nagging doubts plaguing her thoughts.
Why did he always do this to her?
Dani's eyes instinctively scanned the resort grounds as she walked. Part of her still hoped to catch a glimpse of Zack's tall frame striding across the property. But the familiar ache of disappointment settled in her chest when she saw no sign of him.
"Get it together, girl," she muttered to herself. "You're stronger than this."
Continuing to the cove, determined to enjoy her impromptu beach break, she settled on the sand and pulled out her book so she could lose herself within the pages. But after reading the same paragraph three times without absorbing a word, she tossed it aside and stared out at the hypnotic turquoise ocean,tracking the waves as they lapped gently against the shore. The rhythmic sound usually soothed her, but today it only emphasized the hollow feeling in her chest.
A flutter of movement caught her eye. She turned to see a sea turtle laboriously making its way up the beach. Dani watched, transfixed, as the creature struggled against gravity and soft sand. Its determination struck a chord within her.
