Drake Sisters 03 - Oceans of Fire

thing.”
    “What is that? She can’t help flirting. Flirting defines who she is.”
    “I think Hannah expects her to apologize to you.”
    “The world will come to an end first. Sylvia has never apologized to anyone for as long as I can remember, and we went to kindergarten together.” Abigail watched the other dolphins as they moved around Kiwi. “I want to get a couple of shots of them with him. They know I’ve put something on his wounds.” She pulled her camera out of her bag. “Do you mind staying a little longer, Joley?”
    Joley shook her head, a small grin on her face. Abigail was already shooting away with the camera, snapping pictures like a madwoman, doing their aunt Carol proud, wading out into the water to her waist to get better shots, oblivious of the cold water soaking her jeans.
    The wind came in off the sea and the gulls took flight, circling above them as the dolphins began to form small groups and go off in different directions to hunt for food. “Look what they’re doing,” Abigail said, obviously excited. “See how they leap and spy-hop? They’re communicating where the hunt is on. See how they’re herding the fish into a smaller and tighter ball? They’re calling in the others.”
    “What the hell are you doing, Abigail?” The voice broke the early morning silence, thick with ire and Russian accent.
    Abigail nearly dropped her camera in the water, juggling it to keep it from falling. She spun around to face Aleksandr Volstov. He looked handsome. Clean. Immaculate in a suit. Not in the least rumpled or wet. Even his hair was combed. “Great. How did you get down here? You’re on private property.”

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    “I ought to shake you. You have about as much sense as a crab.”
    Joley coughed delicately, earning her a glare from her sister.
    “Don’t you ever sleep, Aleksandr?” Abigail demanded. “Sheesh, Joley. What good are you with that gun? Why didn’t you just shoot him? I brought you along for a reason and it wasn’t to be staring at the scenery. You were supposed to be on guard. I thought you were going to shoot anyone who came near us.”
    “You have a gun?” Aleksandr demanded, his accent so thick they could barely understand him. “I would be asleep if I didn’t have to worry about you ignoring every warning I give you. Damn it, Abbey, what the hell is wrong with you? Do you have a death wish?”
    “No, I have a gun,” she replied calmly. “We were very careful. What did you expect me to do? Crawl into a hole because you claim some hit man might be gunning for me? I have important work to be done.
    I have a life here. I have two sisters who are about to get married and we’re planning a double wedding.
    I’m not slinking around my own backyard because someone may want me dead. You’re an Interpol agent. Go arrest him and stop bugging me.”
    “Go, Abbey!” Joley cheered. She stepped forward and stuck out her hand. “I’m Joley Drake, by the way, one of Abbey’s many sisters. I saw you last night but we weren’t properly introduced.”
    “The singer,” Aleksandr said. “I have heard you on the radio. Your voice is beautiful.”
    “Thank you.“
    Abbey made a growling noise. “Why are you being nice to him? You’re my sister. Don’t let his charm fool you.”
    “I was admiring his shoulders and chest more than his charm,” Joley admitted, winking at the Russian.
    “Besides, didn’t I hear that you’re engaged to him?”
    “I am not engaged to him.”
    “Yes, you are,” Aleksandr said. “You said yes when I asked you and you took my ring. I believe you still have it.“
    Joley stared at her sister with wide eyes. “Is that so?”
    Aleksandr nodded. “It was a family heirloom. And in Russia we honor our word. She agreed to marry me and so we are engaged. We have only to get married.”
    “It was most definitely not a family heirloom, you liar. We bought it at that little shop. And we aren’t getting married,” Abigail corrected.
    “Why not?” Joley asked.
    “Because I absolutely detest him, that’s why,” Abigail said. “And if you keep coming on Drake property, Sasha, I’ll have you arrested.”
    “By your boyfriend?” There was a distinct drop in the temperature of Aleksandr’s voice. It went from Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    warm to ice cold.
    Joley shivered. “I thought you were her