Family Secret

Chapter 41

The twins were relentless explorers. No matter how many hallways or decks they passed, Ryan and Kyan wanted to see everything. Nate and Alexia trailed behind, their overnight bags long since dropped in the rooms, now left to play reluctant tour guides.

“Look, Dad!” Ryan pointed toward a glass elevator that ran the full height of the ship. “It goes all the way to the top deck!”

“And look, Mama,” Kyan added, tugging Alexia’s hand, “they have a candy store right here on the ship! Can we—please, please, please—go later?”

Alexia smirked. “Later,” she promised, brushing a strand of Kyan’s hair behind her ear.

They passed glimmering pools, a mini-golf course, endless restaurants with golden signage, and even a theater grand enough to rival Broadway. Ryan’s eyes were wide as saucers, absorbing every detail like he was committing it to memory.

Finally, the booming ship’s horn echoed through the air, deep and resonant. It vibrated through the deck under their feet, announcing to all aboard that departure was imminent.

The family made their way up to the top deck, joining the crowd that had gathered along the railings. The ocean stretched endlessly, deep blue glistening under the sun, while the port grew smaller by the minute.

Nate leaned on the railing, his gaze scanning the horizon more than admiring it. Old habits. He was listening to the crew, watching the exits, tracking the body language of strangers around them. He couldn’t turn it off.

Kyan, however, had other plans.

She scrambled up his side like a monkey, tugging at his shirt and jeans until she reached his torso.

“Kyan,” Nate grunted, trying to keep his balance, “what are you—hey—ow, careful—”

“Up! I want to see everything!” she demanded between giggles.

Ryan, already snickering, egged her on. “Yeah, Kyan, go for it! He can handle it.”

With one last pull, Kyan perched herself triumphantly on Nate’s shoulders, her small hands gripping fistfuls of his dark hair like reins. Nate’s jaw tightened, his expression somewhere between pained patience and reluctant amusement.

“Kyan…” His voice was low, almost a growl.

“Yes, daddy?” she teased, kicking her legs happily.

Alexia laughed—soft, melodic, and unguarded. “Oh, this is going to be a long week.”

Nate exhaled heavily, shooting her a side glance that made her grin widen. “Don’t remind me,” he muttered.

The horn blasted again, and the ship lurched slightly as it began to move. The port slowly slipped away, cheers rising from the passengers around them. Ryan leaned against Alexia’s side, pointing at the shrinking skyline. Kyan squealed from her perch, urging the ship to go faster as though it were a giant amusement park ride.

For a moment, Nate let himself glance at Alexia. Her eyes were on the horizon, the sea breeze tugging at her hair, her laughter still faintly lingering on her lips. And despite the chaos on his shoulders and the gnawing weight of his double life, something warm and dangerous flickered in his chest.

He shoved it down. Hard.

Because this was just the beginning.

After the last horn blast and Kyan’s triumphant ride on Nate’s shoulders, the family spent the next hour exploring the ship.

The twins darted from attraction to attraction with wide eyes and endless energy. They marveled at the neon-lit arcade, gasped at the open-air pools that seemed to stretch into the sea, and peeked into shops filled with souvenirs and overpriced sweets.

Ryan took mental notes of everything—he wasn’t just excited, he was calculating. Where the exits were, how crowded certain areas became, which places might be good for sneaking away.

Kyan, however, was already campaigning for ice cream before dinner.

“Nope,” Nate said firmly, steering her away from the dessert station.

“But Daddy,” she whined dramatically, dragging her feet across the glossy tile, “we’re on vacation. Vacation means ice cream anytime!”

“Nice try,” Nate muttered, though the corner of his mouth twitched when Alexia laughed.

By the time the sun dipped low, they’d worked up quite an appetite. They chose one of the ship’s largest dining halls—a buffet that boasted everything from lobster tails and carved roasts to pizza and cotton candy. The place buzzed with chatter, clinking glasses, and the sound of plates being stacked and restacked.

Nate’s eyes swept the room automatically. Across the restaurant, he spotted Rose and Kevin. They blended seamlessly into the crowd of well-dressed tourists, sipping wine and making polite conversation with strangers, but their eyes moved with subtle calculation. Both gave Nate the faintest nod when their gazes met.

Satisfied for now, Nate led Alexia and the twins to a booth near the middle. The twins immediately dove into arguing over which desserts to “call dibs” on before even ordering drinks.

A waiter approached.

“Good evening, what can I get you to drink?”

Nate looked up—and caught the way the man’s gaze flickered over Alexia. It lingered just a fraction too long, something that made Nate’s chest tighten in an unfamiliar way. His jaw flexed before he could stop it.

Alexia, however, didn’t miss a beat. She smiled politely, as though this were the first time she’d ever seen the man. “Water for me, please.”

Ryan froze. He recognized that look—the one adults thought kids didn’t notice. But he’d also accidentally brushed against the waiter’s surface thoughts. It was like tripping over a wire he didn’t mean to touch.

The man’s thoughts slammed into Ryan’s mind, raw and unfiltered.

She looks perfect, even now. Playing house with him, with them. But it’s supposed to be me. Not him. Not this pathetic excuse of a man and his creepy little brats. Alexia doesn’t need to hide with me. She could be herself. She should be mine. If he were gone, if I removed him, she’d see it. She’d finally see me.

Ryan’s heart skipped. His stomach twisted as more poured in—memories, jagged and sharp. Training. Shadows. Knives. Guns. Missions.

The truth crystallized in his mind like ice water.

This wasn’t just a waiter. He was an assassin. Like Alexia.

And worse—he was in love with her.

Ryan’s breath hitched as more spilled through.

I should’ve been chosen to be her cover husband. Me. Not him. I’ll fix it. He won’t see it coming. He’ll be out of the picture, and then… then it’ll just be me and her.

Ryan ripped himself back so suddenly he almost knocked over his water glass. His little chest rose and fell quickly, but no one seemed to notice. Nate was busy studying the waiter with narrowed eyes, Alexia was unfolding her napkin, and Kyan was still talking about desserts.

Ryan’s fists clenched under the table. His mind was spinning.

The waiter—whoever he really was—wasn’t just dangerous. He wanted to kill Nate.

And worst of all… he wanted to take Alexia for himself.

Dinner ended with the twins laughing so hard they nearly spilled their ice cream sundaes. Nate and Alexia managed to corral them, steering them through the crowd of tourists until they reached the quieter, carpeted hallways leading to their rooms.

Back inside the cabin, the twins were still buzzing with excitement, chattering about all the things they planned to do tomorrow—arcades, the pool, scavenger hunts, and most importantly, finding out if the ship had a “midnight ice cream bar.”

Nate crouched beside Kyan’s bed, pulling the blanket up to her chin. “Lights out, monkey. Big day tomorrow.”

Kyan gave him a toothy grin, then tugged him down so she could whisper, “I’m going to push Chadwick into the pool when no one’s looking.”

Nate’s jaw twitched. He smoothed her hair and muttered, “Don’t get caught.”

On the other bed, Ryan was already pretending to be asleep, one arm behind his head. His mind, however, was racing too much to even think about rest. That waiter—that assassin—his thoughts still echoed in Ryan’s skull. But for now, he kept quiet. He didn’t know how to say it without raising questions.

Nate stood, and Alexia leaned down to press a kiss on each of the twins’ foreheads. “Sweet dreams,” she said softly, flicking off the light before stepping back into the hallway with Nate.

The door to their own room clicked shut behind them, and suddenly the air seemed heavier. The king-sized bed dominated the space, looking far too inviting, far too intimate.

Alexia slipped off her shoes, her brown eyes glancing toward Nate with a raised brow. “You’re really going to try and sleep on that?” She nodded toward the small love seat in the corner, "We can share the bed, were both adults.”

Nate hesitated, loosening his tie. The thought of climbing into the bed with her—just sharing the space, nothing more—flashed through his mind, quick and dangerous. For a moment, he almost considered it.

But the danger in the idea was enough to make his jaw tighten. He cleared his throat, forcing his voice steady. “I’ll be fine on the couch.”

Alexia studied him for a beat too long. The corner of her lips tugged, though it wasn’t quite a smile. “Suit yourself.” She climbed into the massive bed, sliding beneath the covers. Her voice softened as she turned her back toward him. “Good night, Nate.”

“Good night, Alexia,” Nate said, his tone low, controlled.

He lowered himself onto the couch, shifting, adjusting, trying to make his tall frame fit the undersized furniture. The cushions dug into his shoulders, and no matter how he angled himself, it wasn’t comfortable.

Alexia lay on her side, staring at the wall. She told herself it didn’t matter—that it was better this way. Their relationship was fake, built on lies, both of them playing roles neither could afford to abandon. Still, a strange tightness lingered in her chest. No man had ever turned her down before, not once. And the fact that he did—it shouldn’t bother her.

But it did.

She closed her eyes, trying to will the thoughts away, but the memory of Nate’s hand on her cheek, his breath against her skin, returned unbidden.

On the couch, Nate exhaled slowly through his nose, staring at the ceiling. Feelings were messy. Feelings were dangerous. But no matter how he tried to bury them, Alexia lingered in his thoughts, and that—more than any assassin, more than any mission—was what truly unsettled him.