Chapter Four
1164 Words
CHAPTER FOUR
She was screaming now, begging Summer to breathe… Her sister’s eyes were open, staring, so she must be okay, right? “That’s it, Sum, look at me. Breathe… breathe…”
But Summer wouldn’t take a breath—not ever again. The blood on her neck, the hole in her throat…
Winter screamed and screamed, before hearing the g*n click right behind her. She whirled around to face her sister’s killer, and he pressed the g*n against her body and shot her, the bullets slamming into her belly…
She went down, and he stood over her, firing again and again and again…
“No!” Winter sat up in her bunk, breathing heavily, dragging precious oxygen into her lungs. She spent a few moments catching her breath, calming herself.
Slowly, the sound of music seeped into her brain, the irritating thumpa-thumpa-thumpa of a heavy dance beat.
“You have got to be f*****g kidding me,” she growled and got up, pushing back the bedroom curtain.
That asshole was having another party. “Nope. No f*****g way.”
Winter, incensed, and riding on adrenaline from her nightmare, tugged on her jeans and an old T-shirt and stomped up on deck. In her bare feet, she stalked along the jetty and pushed past the bodyguard without speaking to him. She was surprised that he didn’t make any attempt to stop her, and a moment later, she heard him speaking into his walkie-talkie. “She’s on her way up, boss.”
What the hell? But Winter was too riled up to stop now. She had no idea where she was going, but eventually she found herself on the main deck. To her surprise, there was no crowd of people and she stopped, frowning. She hadn’t imagined it; she’d seen them on the deck, crowding around a few moments earlier.
“Miss Mai.”
She whirled around to see him, Raziel Ganz, smiling at her. “If you’re wondering where everyone went… they went back to their rooms. My staff.” He looked around and spoke aloud to some unknown person. “Cut the music, would you?”
The music stopped, the bright lights dimmed, and just a string of small white lights lit the deck. Winter was confused. “You… what the hell is going on here?”
Gan smiled. “You didn’t reply to my invitation, so I thought I’d try a more imaginative approach.” He titled his head to the side. “And you’re beautiful when you’re angry.”
Hell, no. “So, this was a trick?”
“A plot, yes.”
“It’s creepy,” she said, no humor in his tone. “And I don’t appreciate it.”
Raziel shrugged. “Then I misread the situation and I apologize. But you’re here now… Can I at least apologize for last night in person?”
Winter wasn’t in any mood for a rich man’s games. “You did that with the hamper. Which I can’t accept, obviously.”
“And yet you didn’t send it back. Curious.”
Winter flushed. Asshole. “Not yet, but I assure you, Mr…? I’m sorry, I don’t remember your name.” A cheap shot but she enjoyed it.
“Call me Raz. You can assure me of what?”
“The ‘gift,’ ‘apology,’ whatever you want to call it… will be returned untouched. I do not accept your apology. I just want you to be considerate of the people who live here on the harbor.”
Raziel Ganz held up his hands. “You’re completely right, of course.”
That stopped her. “What?”
Raz sat down at one of the tables and nodded to the chair opposite for her to sit. “You’re right. It was selfish and inconsiderate of me to throw a party without at least considering the inhabitants here. You must think me a rich, spoiled man.”
Winter was a little disarmed by that, and she slowly took the seat, narrowing her eyes at him. “Aren’t you?”
“I am, I admit. I am. But I’m also just a man. I make mistakes. I’m sorry, Winter.”
He seemed genuine and Winter felt her anger dissipate. “So, this whole ruse was in aid of what?”
Raziel grinned and his whole face lit up. There was no denying he was a spectacularly handsome man. “A little payback. For the three bird-flipping incidents.”
Winter smirked then. “You deserved them.”
“I did. And I wanted to meet you.”
Winter half-smiled. “You could have just come and said hello. I’m right there.”
She pointed down at her home, which, she had to admit, looked a wreck next to this behemoth of a boat. “But why would you want to meet me? Of all people?”
Raziel smiled. “Because you’re different. You don’t kiss a*s. You don’t care about all this.” He waved his hand around casually.
“You get all that from a couple of rude gestures?” Winter was bemused but Raziel nodded.
“I do. Plus… I will be upfront; I asked around about you. People here really like you, Winter.”
She flushed at the compliment, a warm feeling blooming in her chest. She was touched, but she didn’t want to show it to this man.
This man, who she hated to admit, was surprising her. She liked that he didn’t pretend that he wasn’t absurdly privileged, but also that he knew there was more to life, to a person, than wealth. “Who are you, Mr. Ganz?”
He chuckled. “It’s Raz, please, and my business is shipping, but I’m hoping to move into property. Portland is one of the most up-and-coming cities in the word right now. I want in.”
“I see.” She didn’t know what else to say to that. What did she, a piano tutor, know about shipping?
“Winter… have dinner with me tomorrow night. No pressure, just dinner.”
She gave a confused chuckle. “Why?”
“Because I like you, and I want to get to know you.”
She studied him for a long time. “I won’t be one of your conquests, Raziel.”
“Like I said, just dinner. No expectation except for your company. That’s all I ask.”
Winter opened her mouth to refuse him—and instead found herself saying yes.
Raziel watched her walk back to her houseboat, pleased when she turned to look back at him. He waved, and she raised an unsure hand in reply. Raziel smiled, seeing her disappear back into that pathetic ramshackle place of hers.
Oh, you will be one of my conquests, Winter Mai. I’ll give you a life far away from that floating dump, and you’ll wonder why you ever went up against me.
I always get what I want, Winter. And I want you…
- Writer
