16. Who Is He?

The First Male’s Perspective

The sun dipped low as the clock neared 6 pm—my pulse hammered with anticipation. Tonight was the first date, the moment everything could change. At the edge of the island, I wondered:

Would my queen let me be her king?

Only these dates would reveal her choice. I had to dress to impress and contain this restless energy I hadn’t felt in years. Yes, tonight, I would show her what it meant to be wanted, desired, and treasured. I’d dreamed of a chance like this, and now, fantasy was colliding with reality. I wasn’t just a contender—I was determined to win her heart.

She was the girl I’d always imagined, a living dream. Mark didn’t deserve her—he never saw her worth the way I did. It was better that he let her go. Now I had my chance to make up for every hurt she’d suffered. But I knew the competition would be stiff and fierce. Desire pulsed between all of us—she was the rarest of jewels.

Mark never deserved her; he had only played with this beautiful angel and broke her heart. And once again she happened to cross Mark’s path, and now, when given a second chance, look at what he had done. I will make up for all the wrong he’s ever done to her. She needs protection and love, and I’m going to give her just that. But I don’t know. The competition will be stiff. We are all skilled and have had our share of women. Something we took for granted when we had girls at our disposal; we didn’t even care. It was like they came a dime a dozen! But not anymore now that we have been off the grid. A female is a rare and precious jewel; everybody wants a piece of the action. Maybe I should wait for the next female who will voluntarily come here, and there won’t be any competition.

But my weakness is I can’t resist a challenge.

How could I turn away from someone I’ve desired since I saw her? There could be no one better than her! ‘It’s worth it, even if I get a taste of her tantalizing love. I can’t pass up an opportunity like this to learn what it would be like to date my ideal dream girl.’

I looked at my watch, stretching my eyes as I realized the time had arrived. I had only a few minutes to get over to her bungalow. I stood in front of the mirror again and brushed my hair to ensure it was perfect.

“What am I doing?’ I said, grinning nervously. ‘I’ve never felt this way before. All the women I’ve been with over the years of being in a Cartel have only been sleeping companions, and that’s it. We boys don’t get to go on real dates or try to build an emotional connection with anyone. Even our families had to be physically and emotionally kept at a distance, fearing their lives being threatened by rival cartels. We shut down our feelings and see them as a weakness. Why is she making me crazy?!” I laughed. ‘I know why.’ I said, grabbing my jacket as I headed out the door, smiling from ear to ear.

I walked up to her bungalow and caught sight of her on the pier. She took my breath away—gorgeous, radiant in the twilight. I froze, barely able to breathe. For a moment, I just watched, letting the reality sink in. Then I forced myself forward, heart pounding, determined not to waste a second more.

The sexy, light-brown-eyed angel stood only eight feet away, gazing at the sky and looking delicious, leaning against the pier rail, staring. Her dark, curly hair fell over one shoulder, her dress ended midway up her thighs, and it revealed silky, smooth legs.

I sucked in a deep breath. My eyes moved up to her visible collarbones, her long, swan-like neck, her chin, and her slightly smiling, lush red lips and button nose.

“Lord, this girl is getting more appealing as I stand here watching her,” I uttered.

I will finally get to see just how sexy this vision of beauty is up close and in a different way. The girl is intriguingly attractive in an authentic way, and what’s so exciting about it is that she doesn’t even realize it. Her eyes were her best feature. Her mouth was pouty enough to conjure up images of her plump lips taking hold of my own. I can only imagine myself sucking them until blood rushes, making them swell. I can see her lips journeying down south on my body.

I cleared my mind and my throat as I approached. Excuse me, Ms. Youshouldn’tt be out here alone at night”

She turned her head slowly, looking away from the sky, letting her gaze drift inward.

Charlize (POV)

The air crackled as I leaned against the rail, lost in the endless blue. A deep, masculine voice sent a jolt straight through me—my whole body reacting before my mind could catch up. I turned, and there he was: tall, dark, utterly magnetic.

I tried to steady myself, but his presence knocked me off balance. My knees threatened to buckle at the sight of him—six feet of irresistible temptation. I blushed, pulse racing out of control.

A gorgeous dark man with a mixture of sharp but full features. With skin unlike my own. A complexion that has a rich darkness but is smooth like porcelain. When his full lips widened into a smile, I experienced a strange flutter in my chest and a throb in my core. My eyes flicked up at his, then glanced at his hair. It was different from Diamantes and Blazes. His hair was cut low and neatly tapered on the sides and back. But dark and silky straight hair gave him an intense, clean, sexy, book-smart appeal.

He had devilish, sexy eyes framed by long black lashes that threatened to steal my heart.

My legs wobbled. No man should look this good. Suddenly, I realized—this was the man from the waterfall. The memory sent a shiver down my spine.

His mouth was moving so seductively that it seemed like the words flowed off his tongue easily.

I smoothed my dress, forcing myself to act normal—even as every nerve in my body sizzled. Tell me, why? Is there danger lurking around here somewhere?”

“A pretty girl all alone and out at night. Don’t think it needs much more explanation than that. And yes, danger could be nearby” ““.

“I just needed some air while I waited for my date.” “M.’s voice came out low and husky, betraying my nerves—and my desire.

“Don’t worry. I’ll head on my way as soon as my date arrives. I was supposed to meet someone out here tonight, but Idon’tt think he will show up.”

A smile formed at the corner of his mouth. I loved his approach. He had wit, a quality I admire in a man. He stared at me with a glint in his eyes as I held his gaze.

What a moment.

“Since you sound so certain that your date won’t show up, would you like to have a drink with me? I was going to have a drink and dinner alone, but it would be nice to have the company of a pretty lady.” 

“Um, why not? It’s better than being stood up.”

“Is this your first time visiting the island?”

Our flirtatious nature sparked instantly. His presence was overwhelming, but could I trust my heart to follow where this might lead?