As the yacht edged closer to shore, Vixen roughly bound Luca's wrists to the wheel with a length of rope. Luca gritted his teeth, but didn't resist. Clearly the minx still didn't trust him.
"I'll be back shortly, darling," Vixen purred, sarcasm dripping from her words. Then, taking her chain along, with catlike grace, she leapt fearlessly from the rocking yacht onto the wooded shore. Luca tracked her fiery hair flickering between the trees until the forest swallowed her from view.
Now alone with his whirring thoughts, Luca slumped against the wheel, emotions churning. What was he doing helping the woman who had ended Leonardo without a second thought? The Vixen he loved was truly gone, consumed by ruthless ambition.
And yet...looking at the situation strategically, perhaps he could still use Vixen to his own advantage. The lord's seat was empty now after all. Perhaps an alliance with Vixen could pave the way to him rising to fill that power vacuum...
