Islands

3. The Island of Vices

     We were having dinner, the dimly lit back porch was made of stone. Several tables and chairs encompassed the area as guests ate seafood and Italian cuisine.

I sat across from Mads, sitting next to Kristi. The tension was immense, but well hidden from my sister-in-law. She was gushing about her vacation with Will during spring break when they went camping and hiking in Montana.

"It was so beautiful, but it wasn't like hiking and camping here." She laughed. She took a heaping bite of salmon. I looked up from my food and saw Mads staring me down again. I turned to Kristin immediately.

"Maybe that should be a part of the activities, a family hike, or camping up in the mountains," I suggest, but only to piss off the man in front of me.

"That's an amazing idea, Alli!"
She put a hand on my shoulder and turned to Mads.
"See, this is why I brought her. She's so smart." Before she took a bite of her food she turned to Mads.

"Alli is gonna a chemist, you know," she say just beforr taking anothet bite of her fish.

"Not a chemist, a chemistry teacher," I said.

"Don't you have to be smart for that?" Mads's words hit hard. Even though I knew he was trying to get under my skin, knowing he didn't know it would hurt this bad, but I swallowed the thought. That's not true.
Kristi smacked her uncle on the arm.

"I was only joking, she can take a joke can't she? She is a full grown woman after all," he stared me down again. A full grown woman? He was messing with me, making me remember what he really thinks of me. A child.
I chuckle.

"Well I have to if I'm going to teach at a high school. Some kids tend to hide behind humor to hide their insecurities. The jokes can actually be a reflection of themselves."
I bit into my salad. If Kristi wasn't here, chances are this man would have bit me like the way he bit into his steak at that moment.

"That's interesting, I never thought of it that way." Kristi said.

A waiter came to us, I asked for a refill on my wine. Sitting in front of Mads made me nervous as hell, this must have been my third glass.

"Don't drink too much, we're running in the morning."

I nod, "It's my last one, promise."
Mads drinks from his beer glass. He tapped his foot nervously. Need a cigarette?

"Whats your policy on smoking. I know Kristi is strongly against it, are you?"
He can't help himself, an angry grin falls on his face.

"Not inside, there's a gazebo on the edge of the property, away from the trees. We follow proper fire laws, if that's what your wondering."
I shake my head as the waitress returns with wine, filling my glass.

"Leave the bottle Cindy. I have a feeling we might need more." His voice taunting.
God, this man makes me wanna pour the bottle on his head.

"I was only wondering how far one would have to go to smoke, some people always need a cigarette between their teeth, like a nervous tick." The last part taunts him.

"Those poor souls, victims of those terrible killers."

"Carcinogens. Terrible carcinogens," I say.

     After dinner, the guests began to proceed back inside the Inn. I told Kristi I needed some air, just to clear my head and call a friend of mine.
I wondered down the stone staircase leading from the back porch to the yard. Walking to the side of the compound, where a small lake curved into the island, unlike the actual lake behind the compound, it was shallow.
I slipped off my sandals, walking into the water. It was cold but calming. I walked forward until the water rose halfway up my calf.

The sound of crunching rocks rang in my ears. But before I could turn around, hands gripped my elbows forcefully keeping me in place.
The smell of cigarettes began to linger.

"You like to play dirty...don't you?"
When he whispered this, with his damn accent, his deep voice, with his rough hands firmly keeping me in place, there was a growing pleasure between my legs.
You cannot be serious! This asshole wants to ruin the happiness of your brother and his fiance. He is rude, blunt, a bigot, a judgmental shit.
I put the thought away, the pleasure leaving me.

"You started it," I said with disgust.
He laughed lifting his head up for a moment.

Leaning back down to my ear, I could feel his breath on my neck.

"Exactly what a child says when they are caught in a fight."
I stare at the water.

"If anyone plays dirty, its you. You had the bottle on the table for me to drink it."
I tried to move to face him but he jolted me to stand where I was.

"Don't move." He commanded. His voice sending a shock wave through my body.
That wasn't hot, not even a little. I tried to convince myself but gosh he was so mysteriously terrifying that I couldnt help but listen as the pleasureable pain between my legs grew. You're so weak.

"Kristi, cannot know that I smoke. I've worked very hard to keep it from her. You'd break her heart. I'm not the reason why she hates it."

I chuckle, "No...maybe its the fact that it causes disease, or maybe because its dangerous, no...maybe because it rots teeth, smells terrible and-," before I could continue, he turns my body, spinning me against the smooth wet soil. Facing him, my face nearly touching his as he leans down to me. God, he is tall.

"Its a bad habit, I know that. But she better not find out about it. Just like I won't tell her that you secretly dislike her."

My eyes widen. "That's not true!"

He laughs, "Please! You look at her like she bullied you in high school. Like she doesn't deserve to be happy."

"I just don't know her that well."

He sighs. "Come on, we both know that's not true. Shes not exactly hard to figure out."

I notice his hands still on my arms. I try to pull away.

"Now, now. I'm not leaving you, until you tell me, that you won't tell Kristi. Come on." He nearly smiles as I squirm.

"Fine, I won't mention it. But you can't say that joke again, any kind of joke that's like it."

"What joke?"

"You said I wasn't smart enough. Don't make that joke again." I tried to be stern. He smiles.

"Did I find your sore spot, love."

Do all Europeans say that? The way he said it made me want to sink to my knees. But my brain reminded me, we were at war, like he said.

"Don't call me that. You can try and get under my skin all you like, but calling me that is just revolting."

He laughs. Letting my arms go, he begins to walk away. His hands in his pocket. Turning around, walking backwards.

"Your skins not the only thing i'd like to be under."
His laugh echos as he retreats up the hill, leading to the stone deck.
My stomach clenches with nervousness as I let out a sigh.

What did he mean by that?

A/N:

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