My Beloved: A Thin Love Novella by Eden Butler Read Free Book Online Page B

was almost sneering and Kona’s body tensed, his fists curling when the girl kept her hand on his chest and took a step forward. “Like you don’t know.”
    He didn’t have time for the bullshit.
    He was marrying Keira the next afternoon. They had planned not to see each other that night, to keep the anticipation of the wedding night greater. Tomorrow would be a cluster of activity and stress and Kona needed to talk to her before they both got caught up in the wedding chaos. He needed to apologize for not coming getting back to her soon that today. He also had to speak to her about Ransom’s surprise guest, but Nya stayed where she stood, keeping him away from Keira, her eyes intense as she stared up at Kona.
    “That haloe can’t give you what you need, Kona.”
    Grunting, he pulled her wrist from his chest and dropped her hand from him like it was infected. “That haloe is my breath. My life. She has been since I was a kid. She always will be.” Kona felt his stomach drop, like the heavy weight of his heart had moved down and sat like a rock in his gut when he looked over Nya’s head and saw Keira watching them, the muscles in her face tight and her nostrils widening as she exhaled.
    “Kona…” Nya said as he darted after a fleeing Keira. She caught his elbow when they reached the bar and he stopped, distracted as he lost Keira in the crowd.
    A quick jerk of his arm and Kona turned on the girl, repressing the need to scream at her. “Get your fucking hands off me.” His voice was low, but still carried and the girl stepped back from his massive, imposing frame, her gaze veering around the room when it grew quiet and still.
    “Mr. Hale, the wedding…”
    “Is not your concern.” He took a breath through his nose, trying to get his heartbeat to slow. “You’re fired.”
    Kona ignored the calls after him, his son shouting his name, Mark and Leann, his aunties, asking what had happened. He only wanted one thing and she had just stormed through the exit without a backward glance.

 
     
     
    Keira loved the sound of the ocean rushing against the beach. It felt like music to her. That low, steady rush of the water wetting the white sand went through her body, straight into her mind. She closed her eyes, leaning against the railing of the balcony in her room, trying to let the music of the waves take her from her thoughts. It was the sound she wanted in that moment—the first time since they’d landed on the island that she had even a moment to herself. All her other time was spent on the wedding, the family, Kona being the center of attention; Kona lapping it up like he needed it to survive.
    Like she was just an afterthought not worthy of his time.
    “God. I sound like a whiny brat.”
    Forehead down in her hands, Keira tried to focus on that sweet sound below her, the cool whisper of wind that licked her skin and dotted the air with salt water.
    It wasn’t working. She kept seeing Kona in the distance, miles from her, moving further and further away. In her mind, when she imagined this, Kona was surrounded by patting hands, clinging to him, touching him and his smile only grew the more he was touched, the further he drifted from her.
    She knew she was being stupid. After all, this had been her plan from the beginning. She’d let Kona do what he wanted. She wasn’t his mother and didn’t want to be one of those wives who led their husbands around by the balls. He had a life before and after her. Same as Keira. She wouldn’t ask him to give that up just as she wouldn’t want him asking her to leave behind her studio, her work in Nashville, Bobby—everything that was important to her just to be with him.
    And yet…
    That vision was becoming closer to reality than what was comfortable for Keira. Of course she was still a bit annoyed that he’d left her hanging all day, to make pointless small talk with Leann and Mark while Kona was paraded around Kahuku like some conquering hero returning to collect