Chapter 294: The first step of Therapy
Miller
"Make sure you both sort out whatever crisis is going on between you and stop bothering me," Nico said, his voice crackling slightly over the video call the exact moment our flight touched down.
We had literally just taxied to a halt on the private runway when we called him to confirm our arrival.
I rolled my eyes at the screen and cut a glance toward Leo, silently wondering how on earth he had ended up with such a spectacular jerk for a cousin. Even when we had first approached Nico for assistance regarding the specialized couples’ retreat, his responses had been wrapped in endless layers of sarcasm.
"I don’t know if the program will actually work for your specific issues, but it’s an entirely private island, so tread carefully," Those had been his parting words of advice right before we boarded the plane.
The retreat itself was located on a secluded, unnamed island tucked away in the tropical waters of the South Pacific—a classified sanctuary built exclusively for high-profile Enigmas and their partners who were actively trying to manage their complex biological dynamics and make their relationships work.
"Yes, yes, thank you so much for the overwhelming vote of confidence, Nico," I shot back, intentionally dripping with the same sarcastic tone he was using on us.
"Where the hell is Leo anyway?" Nico demanded, squinting through the camera as he looked around the background.
I shifted my weight and walked over to where Leo was standing on the pristine wooden dock, waiting for the arrival of the private transport that would ferry us across the remaining stretch of water to the island. "Right here. Your favorite cousin wants to speak to you," I murmured, handing the phone over to Leo. Once my hands were free, I stepped closer to the edge of the dock, looking out at the endless expanse of the crystal-blue sea, and heaved a deep, emotional sigh.
This was the first time in what felt like an eternity that I was actually going on a proper vacation. Even though the core purpose of this trip was a structured couples’ therapy designed to heal the deep-seated friction between Leo and me, it was still a definitive break from the grueling demands of the hockey season.
It was a vacation, and deep down, I genuinely hoped to spend these three months healing our hidden wounds, falling in love over and over again with my Enigma.
Out of pure, restless curiosity, I crouched down at the very edge of the dock, lowering my hand until my fingers dipped into the cool, sparkling water.
I scooped up a small palmful, splashing it playfully into the air, and then I turned back toward Leo, who was still fully engaged in his technical conversation with Nico.
With a mischievous grin, I flicked my wrist, sending a sudden spray of seawater straight across his shirt.
Leo didn’t wince, but a deep, heavily unamused frown immediately formed on his face. He cut his dark eyes over to glare at me, his gaze cold, but he stubbornly refused to interrupt his conversation, continuing to speak to Nico as the water dripped down his cheek.
The intensity of his glare only made my smile widen, and unable to resist the temptation, I kept crouching there, splashing small drops of water at his legs over and over again just to push his buttons.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he ended the call, slipped his phone into his pocket, and looked out toward the horizon as a sleek silhouette appeared. He smiled softly, the cold glare completely evaporating. "Nico said this private yacht will take us directly to the sanctuary’s coordinates, but the sea trip takes about a full day to get there."
I nodded, standing up and stretching my legs, entirely ready to climb aboard the luxury vessel as it pulled up alongside the dock.
Leo stepped onto the deck first, but as I stepped up onto the edge, preparing to join him on board, Leo suddenly leaned forward, caught me completely off guard, and gave me a firm intentional shove backward.
I lost my footing instantly, plunging straight off the dock and into the deep, warm water with a loud splash.
I submerged a second later, shaking the water from my hair, and looked up to find Leo leaning over the polished yacht railing, a wicked, thoroughly satisfied grin appearing on his face.
"I am highly confident the ocean water will be incredibly beneficial for your current state, Miller," Leo called down to me, his voice adopting that smooth, mocking medical tone he loved to use when he was being arrogant. "Sea water contains a high concentration of sodium, magnesium, and calcium, which acts as a natural antiseptic to clear your pores and reduce systemic inflammation. Consider it the first step of your therapy."
I burst into a fit of genuine laughter, rubbing my palms slowly over my face to clear the salt from my eyes as I treaded water. I swam closer to the side of the yacht, right below him, and stretched my right hand far up toward the deck, silently offering for him to pull me up.
But Leo just let out a dry, knowing scoff and immediately took a step back, turning on his heel to head toward the main cabin where the captain and the crew were waiting.
The bastard saw straight through me. He knew me far too well; if he had actually taken my hand, I would have used every single ounce of my leverage to drag him straight into the ocean right along with me.
Chuckling at his sharp instincts, I hauled myself out of the water, climbing up the side ladder and stepping onto the pristine deck completely dripping wet, the water pooling around my sneakers.
The yacht’s captain, a polite man in a crisp white uniform, immediately stepped forward alongside his primary crew members to greet us.
"Welcome aboard, Mr. Reid, Doctor Ackerman," the captain said with a respectful bow. "We are the specialized transport team from Sanctuary Island. We will be managing your navigation and comfort for the duration of the twenty-four-hour voyage."
Before the dripping mess on my clothes could ruin the premium teak wood of the deck, one of the attentive crew members stepped forward, politely handing me a thick, oversized white luxury towel.
"Allow me to assist you with that, sir," he said warmly. "If you will follow me, I’ll lead you directly to the master suite so you can change into dry clothing, while the rest of our team handles your luggage and brings it up to your quarters."
I thanked him, wrapping the heavy towel around my freezing shoulders as I followed him down the carpeted companionway of the yacht. The interior of the vessel was stunning, lined with polished mahogany and plush cream-colored furnishings, leading to a massive private stateroom at the stern.
The moment the crew member closed the stateroom door behind him, leaving us in absolute privacy, I tossed the towel onto a nearby armchair.
I immediately began stripping out of my heavy, sodden clothes, peeling the wet fabric away from my skin.
I was just working on unbuttoning my soaked shirt when I felt the sudden sensation of warmth approaching from behind.
Two strong, familiar arms wrapped securely around my bare waist, pulling my back flush against a solid chest.
Leo hugged me tightly, burying his face into the crook of my neck, his deep Enigma scent, instantly enveloping my senses and making my heart race.
I went still for a few seconds, a soft smile tugging at the corners of my lips as I leaned back into his solid embrace.
’’Tell me the truth, Leo,’’ I murmured, my voice dropping into a low flirty tone as I tilted my head back to look at him. ’’Did you only push me into the ocean just so you could get me naked the second we got inside the room?’’