Michael gave a slight smile, tinged with a hint of bitterness. “Don’t make me out to be that bad. I love her, so I went for it. I’m just being true to myself. Isn’t loving someone about wanting the best for them? I’m just following my heart.” With that, he turned and walked away.
Ivy raised an eyebrow. Maybe this playboy wasn’t as bad or shameless as she’d thought. Without saying anything else, she followed him.
Ryan pulled Echo down to sit on a rock by the beach. As Echo snuggled into his arms, she met his cold eyes and asked, “What’s the deal? I didn’t do anything wrong, so why are you mad?”
Ryan looked down at her, his expression darkening without saying a word.
Seeing the complexity in his eyes-complex enough that maybe even he didn’t understand it-Echo raised an eyebrow.
Forget it, she thought. She’d ask him something simpler.
“Boss, anything else?” Just then, Hawk walked up, interrupting Echo’s thoughts.
Ryan’s voice was cold as he answered, “Do what you’re supposed to do, and stop worrying.” If Hawk was asking, it was because he was nervous. Ryan’s tone grew serious as he added, “If it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen. There’s no avoiding it, so we face it head-on. What’s there to be nervous about? Even if the sky falls, we just ignore it.”
“Yes, sir,” Hawk answered loudly, and his voice was echoed by all the others present.
As long as Ryan was around, no danger seemed too big to handle. That was the confidence everyone in the Dark Family had.
As Hawk left, Echo found herself still nestled in Ryan’s arms, having completely forgotten what she’d been thinking about earlier. Without saying a word, she looked out at the horizon where the sea met the sky.
When she looked up, she realized how quickly time had passed. The sun was setting, and the day had flown by.
The sky was ablaze with red and orange, casting a colorful glow over everything. It was beautiful, almost dreamlike.
It was Echo’s first time seeing the sunset, and she couldn’t help but feel mesmerized.
“You love me?”
A cold, harsh voice broke the silence, and Echo flinched, instantly turning her head to meet Ryan’s fiery gaze, lit up by the setting sun. The flames in his eyes made her pulse race. Ryan had heard her.
“Is that a problem?” Echo raised an eyebrow, asking casually.
“No,” Ryan replied, lowering his gaze to meet hers.
A hint of happiness flashed in his eyes, matching the glow of the sunset.
“Mm.” Echo nodded and turned back to face the sunset, her reaction casual, like it didn’t mean much to her.
Ryan saw this and slowly brushed his fingers across Echo’s cheek, gently turning her face toward him. He leaned down and whispered, word by word, “I give you permission to love me.”
Then, he lowered his head and kissed her, capturing her lips, as if he wanted to pour every ounce of joy and unexplainable happiness into that kiss. He held her tightly, almost as though he were trying to press her into his very soul.
The sunset bathed them in a stunning, golden light. In the thin, colorful glow, they kissed, a beautiful and intense moment.
The forceful energy, the domineering aura, and the radiance surrounding them left everyone watching in awe.
On this nameless, dangerous island, this moment would forever remain a memory.
Bill, who had been resting on a middle rock behind Ryan, couldn’t help raising an eyebrow. He reached over and tapped Cobra lightly, muttering, “Looks like Boss is in a good mood?”
Cobra rubbed his forehead and replied quietly, “Seems like it.”
Bill was confused. “In a place like this, Boss is actually in a good mood?”
Cobra shot him a look. “You think Boss is just anyone? If he’s not happy, should he cry or something?”
Bill raised his eyebrows and fell silent.
Hawk, who had walked over, glanced at the two of them and said quietly, “Pay attention before speaking. Where are your eyes? Clearly, this mood is because of Echo. To be happy on this island? Ryan’s not your average guy. That’s the behavior of a madman.”
Bill and Cobra exchanged a look, then both chuckled. They didn’t speak again, just leaned back against the rocks, watching the two of them bathed in the sunset. It was a rare softness that masked Ryan’s usual hardness. Maybe it was the light reflecting off of him, but it seemed like he was a different person at that moment.
The kiss ended, and Echo met Ryan’s gaze, which was filled with a mix of domination and amusement. She raised an eyebrow and asked, “What about you? I’ll ask again.”
Ryan smiled, a bloodthirsty grin spreading across his face. “I already told you, that word ‘love’ doesn’t exist in my dictionary.”
Echo nodded thoughtfully. “So can I take back what I just said?”
Ryan’s face immediately darkened. He grabbed Echo’s waist, twisting her face toward him. His voice was cold. “Say that again.”
Echo wasn’t scared of his anger anymore. She patted his hand and said firmly, “I know you love me, so no, I’m not taking it back.”
Ryan stared at her, and seeing her calm yet unwavering expression, he couldn’t help but smile. His earlier anger melted away. Without saying a word of agreement or disagreement, he gently stroked her cheek.
Echo knew Michael was right-Ryan didn’t understand love. All he had were the instincts of a beast. He didn’t know what loving someone meant. But once she realized this, she could feel Ryan’s love.
He didn’t get it, and she wasn’t going to force him to learn, either. The heart of a beast was the sharpest and most genuine. She didn’t need him to come to any realization. The way things were now wasn’t so bad.
It was an uneventful day. No danger came their way. Although the place they were in wasn’t completely safe, it gave everyone, especially those who were already exhausted, a chance to rest and recover. It gave everyone some emotional space, and they all used the time to get their minds right.
The moon set, the sun began to rise, and everyone had spent the night on the jagged rocks. Those who were tired and worn out now found themselves reenergized.
The next morning, Ryan and Hawk were sitting together, and Hawk, noticing that Echo was still fast asleep, frowned.
“Get up, all of you! What’s wrong with you?” Hawk muttered as he went to tap Echo, who was sleeping in Ryan’s arms.
With so many men awake on the island, it was a little much for a woman to still be sleeping. Although Hawk knew Echo was a big fan of eating and sleeping, it was time to start thinking about appearances.
Ryan didn’t stop him. He let Hawk poke Echo’s head, which made her jerk awake in pain.
“Who’s there?” she said, her voice still groggy.
Cobra, with a lazy smile, teased, “Don’t make us look bad.”
Echo, still feeling the sting from Hawk’s poke, blinked her eyes open and found herself staring into Ryan’s calm gaze. Hearing Cobra, she turned her head to look over Ryan’s shoulder. Everyone was awake now. Some of them still had their eyes closed, but it was clear they were just resting. Echo turned back to Cobra and shot him a glance before sitting up straight.
Behind her were members of the Dark Family, technically her subordinates. In a room full of Ryan, Bill, and the others, she didn’t mind, but now, surrounded by so many of her subordinates, she couldn’t afford to act like a lazy fool. If she couldn’t set a good example, it would be just like Cobra said-it would be embarrassing. Leading by example was Ryan’s rule.
“What are we doing now?” Echo asked as she sat next to Ryan and glanced at the others.
“What do you want to do?” Bill, leaning on a rock, asked her with a smile.
Echo narrowed her eyes. “I know better than to ask. What’s there to do right now?”
Ryan nodded and said, “Nothing to do.”
Echo raised an eyebrow, instantly understanding what Ryan meant.
This island was not for wandering around. None of them was the adventurous type, and no one cared to explore what had happened here in the past-it didn’t serve their purposes. Right now, they had food and water, so there really wasn’t anything to do.
The only thing left was to wait, wait for Tiger to show up.