Spark, стр. 8

it easy and keep up with the exercises to make it strong again.

I still couldn’t talk much or eat hard solids, but at least, I could finally move my

jaw again. It was sore and stiff while my voice was dry and dull, but Sid assured me

that, in time, it would all go back to normal so long as I stuck to my recovery plan

and followed the exercises.

That day, I had scrambled eggs for breakfast, and it was the best damn breakfast

I’d ever had, especially since Darren had to leave the island early for some

mainland business.

Darren was much busier while on the island. Since he couldn’t attend his

meetings face to face anymore, he had to resort to new ways of delegation. It

seemed that Scott handled a lot of it too since he wasn't around as he normally was.

I didn’t mind it so much, as it meant more time away from Darren.

Once I finished my breakfast, Ginsby told me that Darren had assigned another

guard for my trips outside. Benito, a tall, lanky-looking SOB with dark hair, stood

next to Hank; they both wore the exact same black suit, white shirt, and black tie.

They even wore the same black sunglasses. Geez, had Darren contracted the Men in

Black to guard me? I thought it was strange, especially since the guards on Darren’s

estate all wore black combat gear. Maybe the threat out here wasn’t as great as the

ones back at the estate.

After being woken from my nap and reluctantly changing into a knee-length

flowy dark pink halter dress and light brown leather flip-flops, I headed over to the

door to signal I was ready to leave for my mandated walk. I wondered if I would get

a treat afterward.

Hank and Benito both stood from the fine black leather lounge chairs added to

my suite to accommodate them and walked over toward the door to unlock it. Yes, I

was actually locked in this room unless I was granted access to leave. Another fine

reason to be depressed.

Hank unlocked the door and stepped out. I followed him while Benito trailed

behind me, walking through the house until we finally came to the front door. The

house was actually quite spacious for an island home. Many windows to let in

natural light and mostly creams and shades of blue and turquoise decorated the

interior. Thankfully, my suite was on the first floor, so I didn’t have to walk the

stairs.

When we reached the front door, Hank opened it and allowed me to walk past

him into the warm sunshine. It was very warm on the island, but the breeze was

always something to be thankful for. Apparently, a hurricane had hit land several

miles away, and the winds from it were felt all the way here.

Humidity sank into my skin as I wandered down the stone walkway until I finally

hit the sand. It was perfectly white, and the water couldn’t be a more beautiful

shade of clear blue. But all the beauty in my sight couldn’t slake the overwhelming

disinterest I felt. What good was a beautiful private island if you couldn’t even fully

enjoy it?

I slipped out of my flip-flops and left them in the sand before taking a few steps

toward the shore. The moment my toes touched the water a, “That’s far enough,

Miss Jaden,” left Hank’s lips. I didn’t even acknowledge him. I squished my toes

into the wet sand, feeling the warm bath-like water wash over my feet. And still, I

felt nothing.

I casually strolled along the shore, Benito and Hank not more than twenty feet

behind me. I did my best to let the scenery drown them out, but it was tough to

ignore two stalking shadows behind you. At least, the water felt nice against my

feet and ankles.

As I walked, I pondered the necessity of this walk. One foot in front of the other.

What difference did it make? I had walked five hundred feet from the front door

and didn’t feel any better. But to be fair, I didn’t feel any worse either. In a

stubborn fit, I stopped walking and plopped my ass down, my knees bent and my

feet digging in the soft, warm sand.

“Miss Jaden,” Hank said, “our orders were to take you for a walk on the beach,

not to sulk in the sand.”

Take me for a walk? The fuck was I, a dog?

Irritated, I leaned over, took my two fingers, and started writing in the sand.

‘Drag me then,’ I wrote and went back to staring out at the ocean.

They weren’t going to make me walk anywhere. I’d fight them, and they’d just

end up injuring me. Walk over.

Hank sighed heavily as he and Benito walked over to a nearby palm tree to lean

against it. I didn’t bother to turn around. I knew where their eyes were and where

they would remain. Mine, on the other hand,