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I leave ht try to contact ht now

But I notice Natasha has hers, which she checks She looks pained for a h

Asking her if anything’s wrong, she shakes her head, sain once I take her hand

There’s a tall security gate between the path and the beach, which I open, ushering her through

The late afternoon sun is slowly dropping behind soht splaying out across the ocean from the horizon

It’s breathtaking to watch, but I can’t takeher take in the sensation of wet sand between our toes, the sea, and the approaching sunset

It’s just perfect She’s perfect

The beach is secluded, technically on private property But being attached to the coastline, there’s no real way to keep it a hundred percent off-limits all the time

Rounding a bend that curves away from the house, towards a cave I want to show Natasha, we both stop e hear and then see a group of people

I tense up, growling without s to my arm

I’ve seen people on the beach before, no big deal But at a glance, I can tell this is no usual crowd

“Let’s just go,” Natasha pleads, shivering again as I pat her hand with mine

There’s a bonfire burning low and what looks like about a dozen kids

I say kids, but at e, everyone under thirty is a kid, it feels like

Except for Natasha, of course That’s different

I can see a few girls in bikinis, wearing their boyfriend’s jackets to keep the cold away

Most of the group is well-built, naked to the waist college jocks The clinking of bottles, slurred words, and rough laughter once they spot us puts me on alert

The area’s full of them when school’s out but they usually stick to the public beaches

If I was alone, on any other day, I would probably just walk away and it’s pretty clear Natasha thinks that’s a good idea

I figure she’s right, but e turn to leave I hear one of theht that stops me in my tracks

The thud of a beer bottle hitting the sand after it whistles past my ear is the last straw

“Michael, no,” Natasha begs ed along by h to tell her to stay out of the way

The crowd jeers again, with so the obvious

“Look out, Rich You’ve pissed off the big guy now!”