“What will help is seeing the bodyguard I don’t need any more now our case is almost closed up.” She fidgeted with an unraveled string dangling from her shirt’s cotton hem, wound it around her finger then tugged it off. It snapped in the right spot but then loosened another inch. Stupid cotton. Huh, even it matched her unraveled thoughts. During her time in the safe house, Ben had erected a professional wall between them and she hadn’t had a hope of tearing it down, not when doing so would have meant him being pulled from her job. Something she’d never allow when she’d needed him just as much as she’d needed Lydia.
As she relaxed her cheek against Lydia’s shoulder, her sister’s sweet vanilla scent surrounded and comforted her. “At twenty-one, I should’ve been able to handle a little separation from you, but it wasn’t possible. Your life was on the line, and the danger you were in was all I could think about.”
“Those were the hardest weeks for me too.” Lydia wrapped an arm around her shoulders and sniffed. “There were nights where I’d lie outside in the dark and stare at the sky wondering if you were looking at the same stars as me. Re-identification was incredibly painful, and I hated you’d soon have to suffer the same loneliness as me.”
“I felt lonely anyway, re-identification or not. The pain went both ways.” Their twin bond was strong and always had been, no matter any distance separating them. She pulled a lock of Lydia’s glossy brown hair, now dyed back from the bright red her handler, Agent Gilchrist, had disguised her with. “I missed you, badly. Losing you was like losing a part of me.”
“I missed you too, and I’m glad you’re here with me now rather than still at the safe house. I wish our family were as well.” A tear slid down Lydia’s cheek and Saria wiped it away with her thumb.
“Don’t cry, or you’ll make me start. Ben said its best they remain at home until all the loose ends in our case are tidied away. We’ll all be back together again soon.” It wasn’t fair her sister had to get married without their parents and brothers here, but their continued safety had to be maintained.
“What do you think of Tyler’s family? At least they get to be here.”
“I love how they watch out for you. They’re so attentive.” Tyler and his three brothers owned Whitehall Shipping, and this super-yacht formed part of that fleet. Unfortunately, they were here though, because they’d gotten caught up in hers and Lydia’s case only a few short weeks—
“Excuse me, ladies.” Henry, one of the wait staff, stood over her in his crisp crew whites holding a silver tray with drinks.
She patted her thumping heartbeat. “You shouldn’t sneak up on a girl like that.”
“My apologies, Miss Saria. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
“No, it’s not you. My nerves are shot.” As they had been for months now.
“Perhaps I might whistle then the next time I approach. Master Tyler did warn me to take extra care.” Henry had worked for the Whitehalls for years, and when Ben had handed her over into Tyler’s care, he’d made sure all on board were aware of her fears.
How she hated those fears. She should have been able to break the excessive worrying now she and Lydia were back together again, but it appeared it would take more than two days to override the year of complete agitation running from a killer had caused her. “Whistling would be perfect. Thank you, Henry.”
“Then that’s what I’ll do. I have your drink.” Henry passed her a lemon and lime bitters, and her sister a glass of iced tea before stepping across to the wooden slatted side table and setting the men’s drinks down on black leather placemats for when they finished swimming in the pool. He arranged a bowl of nuts and snacks on the table center then whistled a jaunty tune as he strolled to the stairwell.
“I think you should ring Ben.” Lydia playfully dunked her ice with the bright red straw then sipped her drink. “It’d give you some peace of mind, and it’s clear you need to hear his voice.”
“It’d be more relaxed if I had him here. Surely bodyguards need to unwind too. He should have come.”
“See, you do like him.”
“He’s also thousands of miles away in Auckland.”
“Then I’ll call him for you.” Lydia yawned and patted her mouth. Her eyelids fluttered and she shoved them back open.
“Are you getting enough sleep? It is your first trimester and you need to rest.”
“It’s not so much the baby but Tyler who enjoys keeping me awake at night. Which I quite like by the way.” She set her drink down and smiling, curled onto her side and slid her hand under her cheek. “I might just have a nap though while he’s busy burning off some energy.”
“Then I’ll leave you to your rest.” If only Saria could sleep herself. Her worry over the killer, even though he’d been caught, still kept her awake no matter the hour of the day or night. She rose, straightened her yellow tank top over her blue cutoffs and wandered to the top deck’s waist-high glass railing. Four floors below, the waves sloshed against the side of the ship.