His smile returned, but even so, he remained angry.

  “Whatever the reason you’re angry with Mr. Hoffman, you can resolve your differences or toss him aside. Life is too short to go through being forced to deal with someone who makes your life miserable.”

  “Something I ordinarily live by but thank you. I needed the reminder.”

  We fell into a sweet moment, which was a welcome surprise. However, knowing that Vissarian was Bratva combined with the constant concern I had about Antonio and the Bruni Crime Syndicate meant I couldn’t let my guard down.

  Maybe that wasn’t possible any longer.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked.

  “I’ll admit I wouldn’t mind eating something terribly bad for me.” I caught him off guard, the sunshine returning to his face.

  “Such as? Chocolate. All women love chocolate.”

  “Don’t assume. I’m allergic.”

  “You’re allergic to chocolate?”

  I nodded several times until a noise caught my attention. I glanced toward the ocean, expecting to see the boat had come closer. No. It appeared moored. While I could see some beach, with the rocks and cliffs surrounding, I had no clue what could be making the noise.

  “Yes, I am.” I glanced toward the water, suddenly anxious. “Did you hear that?” I shifted in my seat, finally standing so I could get a better look at the direction of the sound.

  “Maybe. What are you hearing?”

  Suddenly, a cold shiver skated down my spine. “Oh, no. That’s a whine.”

  “A whine. Are you talking about someone in distress?”

  I threw my hand over my eyes, squinting. “No. Not someone. A fur baby. What you heard. A dog is caught in a net. He’s being tossed against the rocks. We have to help him.” Without thinking, I took off running.

  “Wait. Hold on.”

  I wasn’t waiting. If it was the last thing I did, I would save the pup’s life.

  CHAPTER 10

  Vissarian

  Women.

  I’d known a half dozen women who tossed aside any concept of danger. My mother fell into that category. She’d been tossed into an orphanage as a young child in Russia, fleeing the horrible conditions and abuse at fifteen. She’d been used by men, suffering immeasurably until my father had come into her life. Even then, she’d embraced the terrifying thought of her family being forced from the only country she knew for a better and safer life.

  America.

  Safety and burgeoning wealth hadn’t softened her tough exterior. She’d been the one with the iron fist, raising her sons to be decent human beings.

  I’d dated a couple of women who’d been forced to show acts of bravery for various reasons. Seeing Fallon racing toward obvious natural danger, I was reminded how much I appreciated, even adored strong women.

  There was something so delicious about peeling away their defenses.

  Guilt had no place at this point in time.

  Then there’d been one. The one. Also an animal lover.

  Fate was testing me.

  Fallon rushed from the bar, immediately accosting anyone who appeared to work at the hotel. She was demonstrative in her questions, flailing her hands as she demanded answers.

  Goddamn it. Grabbing her phone and shoving it into my pocket, I moved away from the table.

  “Hold on,” I told her as soon as I raced to her side.

  “No. We need to get to the baby. He or she won’t survive the high tide. How the fuck do we get to the shore?” She was close to being frantic.

  The poor young man was astounded, the fingers of one of her hands wrapped around his shirt, refusing to allow him to scurry away.

  “Um. Um…” He looked to me for assistance.

  “Is there a way to get to the beach?” I pressed. Beach. There was barely a shoreline, disappearing the moment the tide came in, which was what it was actively doing. Fuck me. This was risky as hell. I cursed under my breath in Russian, furious with both myself and with the beautiful woman for risking our lives for an animal. Somehow, I knew I’d never be able to stop her at this point. Maybe I should admire her for her obvious conviction.

  Instead, I wanted to toss her over my lap, spanking her into submission for her ridiculous act, brave as it was. She could get herself killed.

  He pointed down the path. “It’s dangerous. Rocks. But there is an access. You need to watch out. The tide is coming in.”

  She didn’t bother waiting, taking off running toward where he’d pointed. I reached her just as she ripped off her sandals, tossing them aside.

  “You can’t do this,” I said as I moved in front of her.

  “Just try and stop me.” Her eyes flashed, daring me. I’d be damned if her brazen attitude didn’t turn me on.

  “Let me go down first.”

  “You listen to me. I will help this baby. Come with me if you want, but you’re not stopping me.” She threw me a look that said she meant business before moving to the rocky path. It was apparent nothing was going to keep her from following through with her determination.

  Grumbling under my breath, I yanked off my shoes as she’d done, determined to keep her from killing herself. Goddamn, this woman was hardheaded.

  She was agile and quick, stepping carefully yet not wasting any time.

  “Be careful,” I called.

  Only her deep hiss was given as a response. I glanced up to the railing, noticing several people were watching us. What the fuck was I doing? I might enjoy outdoor sports, including a neighborhood game of softball, but rock climbing wasn’t in my repertoire.

  The fact she was making decent time annoyed the hell out of me. I glanced at the ocean waters. The tide was coming in quickly.

  As another horrible whine floated from the shore, I gritted my teeth. Seconds later, I was able to better see what we were dealing with.

  A net. A matted mound of fur was encased in what appeared to be a fisherman’s net, struggling then unable to continue fighting. I couldn’t believe the animal was alive after being tossed against the rocks. At least with the higher surf, the blunt impact had been lessened. Still, I knew better than to think the poor creature would survive his or her injuries.

  There was no actual bottom step, just a drop-off that appeared to be a couple of feet. That didn’t stop Fallon. She jumped off, pitched forward when her foot hit a rock, but she righted herself within a split second.

  Cheers from the crowd above continued irritating me, but if she registered their approval or the sound, I wouldn’t know. The woman was completely concentrated on freeing the animal.

  “Help me!” she called as she ripped at the net. “You’re much stronger.”

  She tossed that out like it was a bad thing.

  I lunged forward, dropping down to within a foot of where she was struggling to bring the animal from the surf.

  “The baby is stuck. You need to help me.” She was fighting with the rope, tearing at it with everything she had. “Please.”

  “Hold on.” I tumbled forward, reaching into my pocket for the Swiss Army knife I always carried.

  As she peered up at me, I could see tears in her eyes. The whine from the animal was pitiful, but not nearly as much as her expression.

  “Okay, just hold on. We can do this.” The rope was digging into the animal’s side. I’d need to be very careful. As soon as I began to cut a portion of the rope, the creature began to flail.

  “Shush, baby. We’re here to help you. It’s going to be okay,” she said softly as she stuck her fingers through one of the holes, trying to stroke the animal.

  I continued cutting, hating the angle, but at least the blade was sharp.

  When I began making some headway, her body began to rock.

  “Please hurry.”

  Goddamn, her voice was pitiful. If this creature died because I wasn’t fast enough, she’d never forgive me. Somehow her welfare and that of the animal had become important to me.

  “You need to help me.”

  The voice inside my head was suddenly different, one from years before. Momentarily lost, it took Fallon’s hard push to bring me back to the present.

  The surf was rising, water splashed across our legs and coming dangerously close to covering the creature.

  I had to rip a portion of the rope but finally managed to create a hole big enough that Fallon was able to slip her arms inside. With tremendous gentleness, she pulled the remainder of the net free, gathering the animal into her arms.

  She couldn’t care less she was getting wet, doing everything to shield the baby.

  “She’s shivering. Come on, baby. We’ll get you out of here.”

  Fuck. When she peered up at me with imploring eyes, I immediately began to unbutton my shirt.

  At that point, a collective cheer floated down to us, bystanders clapping our success. I yanked the shirt from my body, immediately wrapping the material around the mound of matted fur. “We need to get out of here. We don’t have much time before high tide. Let me take her.”

  “No! I’ve got her.” Just then, the animal lifted her face, peering at me in the same way Fallon had done before.

  Well, fuck me. There was no chance I wasn’t saving the dog or the woman.

  No one would call me a hero, but I’d be damned if I was going to allow either one to continue hurting.

  She managed to get to her feet, holding the ball of fur so tightly I was surprised the pup could breathe. Yet I sensed the animal felt safe, her exhaustion finally allowing her to keep from flailing. With a determined look on her face, Fallon moved toward the rocks, ignoring the almost brutal splash from waves as the water pummeled the rocky shore.

  I moved in behind her, pressing both my hands against sharp edges as I protected her body with mine. Together, we climbed the rocky crevice, taking our time. Thank God the dog was satisfied with nuzzling against her neck.

  When she almost slipped, the crowd above gasped. I glanced up, noticing there were at least two hotel workers waiting at the top of the path.

  Fallon slipped again, her foot completely missing one rock. This time, her body was pitched against me and I teetered on the rock where I was standing, certain the three of us would crash against the rocks below. Somehow, I managed to grab the edge of another, my clasp a death grip.

  “Oh!” Her scream grabbed at the man inside and I threw my arm around her, preventing her from slipping away. “Oh, God.” She wrapped one arm around my neck, taking gasping breaths.

  For a minute, we hung precariously. I took a deep breath, finally throwing my other hand against the rock, managing to tighten my grasp. Fuck me.

  “Oh…” she moaned. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be sorry. We’re almost there. Don’t look down. Keep going.”

  “I’m terrified of heights.” Her teeth were chattering.

  Now wasn’t the perfect time to remember that. “You got this and I’ve got you.”

  “O-kay.” She pulled herself up, even managing to press a kiss on the dog’s head. I realized as we neared the top, even with all the time spent in the gym, I was getting too old for Indiana Jones-style adventures.

  As soon as we were within a foot of the top, the employees reached out. As expected, she wasn’t releasing the dog to anyone. The men grabbed her arms, pulling her free.

  I took a quick look down to the rocks. Another three minutes and we couldn’t have saved the dog. Shit. This wasn’t what I had planned for today.

  Hands reached out to me, but I pushed myself up, hoisting my body over the final edge.

  The moment she was safely topside, another cheer erupted, this time even louder than before. I took a final step, hoisting myself up and immediately bending over, pressing my hands on my trousers so I could catch my breath.

  A towel was thrown in my direction, but I immediately wrapped it around her shoulders.

  “How is she?” I noticed both Fallon and a few of the guests were staring at my back. Reaching behind, I realized my shirt had bunched up and behind my weapon. While neither she nor anyone else made mention of it, I’d caught the quick look of fear in her eyes.

  She’d pegged me a bad guy. She was right, but not necessarily for the reasons she believed.

  “I don’t know. Her fur is matted. She’s so skinny. Does anyone recognize this baby?” She asked the question loudly.

  One of the employees shook his head. “A stray.”

  “Don’t you have any decent animal activists on this island?” Her anger and determination matched what little I knew about her. “What about a vet? Do you have any vets here?”

  The poor kid looked at me for help.

  “Why don’t we get the dog inside and I’ll see what I can do.”

  “She needs a bath. I don’t have a bathtub.”

  “Come on. We’ll go to my cottage.” I grabbed our shoes, half laughing at myself for being out of shape. At least she didn’t argue with me, although I had to admit to myself at least that I had no idea what the fuck to do from here.

  Sure, I loved animals like the next guy, but I hadn’t come on this trip expecting to rescue and harbor one.

  Still, I’d all but promised Fallon I’d help. When I tried once again to take the dog from her, the look she gave me was as full of venom as any I’d seen from a woman.

  I remained quiet, rubbing sweat from my face with my arm as we headed down the path leading to the cottages. I moved ahead of her, sliding the keycard into the lock. She nuzzled the dog, hesitating to come inside. When she rubbed her face against the dog’s head, the pup finally licked her cheek.

  The delight and relief in Fallon’s eyes were notable, maybe managing to crack a portion of my rough exterior.

  “Come on. Let’s see what we’re dealing with. Then I’ll make a few calls. But you need to listen to me. You can’t go off halfcocked like that again.”

  “The last time I looked, I was the mistress of my own destiny. I know what I’m capable of.”

  Oh, the need to spank her was stronger than before.

  She took a few seconds, her eyes darting back and forth across mine with such defiance I was shocked. I’d be damned if she wasn’t trying to determine if she could trust me. What in the hell had the woman been through? It wasn’t my place or my business, but the continued thought of protecting her lingered in the forefront of my mind.

  “Fine. Let’s see if we can help the dog.”

  “The baby. She’s just a baby. I do appreciate your help.” She tossed out the last words even as she continued glaring at me.

  Her words dripped of formality. “You’re welcome.” I held the door open and she took a few seconds studying the cottage. “The bathroom is this way.” The cottage itself was incredible with every amenity thought of.

  The views were even better, the thought of vacationing here already entering my mind. First of all, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d taken some time off, but more than that, my distrust for Ludolf was only increasing.

  I turned on the bathroom light and she immediately placed the pup on the bathroom counter, gingerly peeling away the shirt. The look on Fallon’s face captured my attention and the way she brushed fur from the dog’s face could melt even a soulless man’s heart.

  Some might say I didn’t have one. I chuckled inwardly from the thought. Who knew I’d be worried about the fate of a wayward pup.

  “I think she’s Great Pyrenees. She’s beautiful. Look at her eyes.”

  She gently tipped the pup’s head so I could see. They were a beautiful chocolate brown with flecks of gold. Just like the woman tenderly caressing her.

  “Soulful.”

  She nodded. “Will you turn the water on in the bathtub? I’m going to check to see if she has any broken bones.”

  “You’re sure she’s a her?”

  Her laugh was sultry, her eyes flashing amusement. “I do know how to check and see if I’m dealing with a male.” With a wink, she returned her attention to the dog, slowly rubbing her hand down the front of the pup’s legs.

  I shook my head, resisting the filthy retort my mind had already created. As I turned on the water, I listened to Fallon telling the dog everything was going to be okay.

  I certainly admired her determination and courage.

  “Don’t forget to pull down the handheld showerhead for me. I cannot believe someone did this to you and what the fuck is wrong with the people who work here? They knew she needed help long before she got to this point. She’s emaciated. Don’t worry, Bella. You’ll never go another day hungry as long as I’m in your life.”

  “Bella?”

  “I need to name her. She looks like a sweet Bella. Don’t you?”

  The dog responded by licking her face. “Let me guess. You’re a Twilight fan.”

  Even though she threw me a hardened look, an immediate blush swept across her jaw. “I was much younger when the movie came out. But you wouldn’t know since you’re so old.”

  Her attempt at making a joke was momentarily lost on me until she laughed.

  “The water? The showerhead? Now! Old man.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” When I glanced into the mirror, I almost burst into laughter. The reflection of her face had the opposite effect of what she was likely going for. My cock was already twitching as another wave of desire hit me hard. Just like had occurred when I’d been kissing her. Or when she’d kissed me. “But you are going to get it for this.”

  “We shall see. You couldn’t handle me.”

  Being able to laugh with someone, truly laugh was as unusual as the way we’d met and connected. It was exactly what I’d needed. Seeing her with the dog allowed me to see just how incredible she was as a human being.

  I did as she requested, even grabbing the bottle of shampoo so it would be handy for her. At least the beautiful tub would have some use.

  “Thank God, I don’t think she has any broken bones. Just one cut and it’s not too deep. I think we got to her in time.” Fallon sounded relieved. “Is the water ready? Not too hot, but warm enough to take the chill off?”

  The dog shook, covering her with salt water, which allowed me another chance to hear her lilting laugh. For a few seconds, I was lost in both memories and wishes. Only the wishes were no longer from the past. They were definitely about the here and now.