Chapter 9 The Start of the Plan

Daniel's POV

We got to a private resort in Batangas late in the afternoon. Ryker wasn't there when we arrived, so he was probably in a meeting. Russell and Claire got out of the car when I pulled over. They hurriedly ran towards the beach. I just looked at them and smiled at the beautiful water and the view from Russell. I immediately got off my phone and took a picture of her.

"Why don't you walk up to them, sir so that you can get a great photo of them?"

I turned to the older man next to me, whom I hadn't noticed was there.

I greeted the older man with, "Good afternoon."

He smiled at me as he greeted me. "Oh, my name is Jose, and I'll be with you here at the resort for two nights and one day."

"I am..."

"Yes, Daniel, my boss already told me your name."

"Is it so?"

Mang Jose took me to the three cottages, which were close to where I parked my car. Ryker told Jose that Russel and Claire were sharing a room and that we were in a separate room. The cabin is clean and organized. On the inside, I can see Russel and Claire at the beach, watching the sunset. It has a glass wall and a big, thick curtain that can cover up the glass wall. The room is big, has a king-size bed, and has its bathroom. I took my stuff to my room.

After we put the things in the girls' cabin, the older man left me. A bit later, Russell and Claire came up to me. They looked at the cottage and went inside. I followed them in.

"Wow, nice room," Russel said.

"I agree with you," Claire said.

"Here's your key room," I told them.

Russell scowled. "Why is it my brother, and you have your room?" she asked. "And we shared one room?"

"I'm not sure." I just said. Ryker might go to sleep with a girl again, so he doesn't want us to be in the same room.

"Leave them be. Also, it was fun when we shared a room, remember?"

Russel smiled. "Oh my gosh, I remember that."

The two girls probably forgot that I was with them, so I made myself stand out. "Are you going to change your clothes?"

Russel turned her gaze on me. "Yes, and why do you ask? Do you want to come with us?" Russel asked, annoyed.

"Why? Would you like me to come with you?" I said, smiling. "I am big help if you ask."

Russell snarled at me, "You are an actual pervert," and pushed me out of the cottage. "I'll let just you drool, but you can't touch me."

I laughed and ignored what she said.

--

Ryker and I sat on a large tree branch before the bonfire and drank the beer I had brought. Manong Jose put it in the cooler, which is why it was so cold. When I turned around, I saw two girls happily playing on the beach. They stand on the edge holding hands, and when a wave comes, they run away laughing out loud like children.

I could not take my eyes off Russell. I never thought I'd ever see her grow up. Ryker and I were both 12 years old when she was born. Seeing her become a beautiful woman is a big deal for me. And, thank God, I only had to wait for one more year. I can keep my word and bear up under it.

"Do you like my sister?"

When Ryker suddenly spoke up, I turned to him. I just smiled, and I didn't answer his question. I drank beer instead.

"That annoying brat always argues with me. And my mom is always coming to the rescue."

"Your parents waited for her a long time. You can't blame your parents for spoiling her."

I glanced at Ryker. "Is the guy you saw at her school the last time still wooing her?"

Ryker smirked. "No, of course not anymore. He feared me. Russell didn't have any other suitors who came to his house because their knees were shaking the first time they saw me."

"Because you threatened them. Did you tell them you are going to end their business? You're going to shut down their business, or you're going to make sure that no company will hire him?" This is how Ryker always scares off Russel's suitors. As soon as he saw those guys at school, he knew it was Russel's suitor, and before Russel even noticed, he was leading the way.

Ryker chuckled. "Do I have to change the script? There is a guy. I can't tell if he's flirting with her."

"Really? Who?"

"You remember the guy Russel went to prom with? The one who made Russell hate you?"

"I don't remember his face, but I will never forget that night. Why? Is he after her?"

"I'm not sure, but that's what I suspect. I haven't caught that guy yet, but once I do, I won't miss what he did before or what he is doing now."

I didn't speak anymore. Ryker will do that. He is too watchful and close to Russell, so she sometimes runs away to get away from him. Ryker was silent for a moment and watched the two women in the distance.

"Claire is beautiful." Ryker said out of the blue, "She's changed a lot."

I looked back at the two women off in the distance again. "Yes, that is true. You like her?" I asked.

"I just said that." Ryker asked, "Why did you ask that question right away?"

"Because I know you, buddy. You don't say who is beautiful. It means you mean it if it comes out of your mouth."

Ryker chuckled. "Claire is young. What you are thinking is impossible."

"I wasn't thinking about anything, but I am now because of what you said," I said. "Age doesn't matter. That is not what makes you who you are or defines you as an individual. If you worry about other people, you won't be happy."

"Are you OK with the age gap?"

"Of course," I said. "Why? Are you not?"

Ryker shrugged and didn't answer, but I already knew it. Since then, he has had a crush on Claire, as I have on his sister. After a while, Russell and Claire came over to us, and it surprised me when she grabbed my beer and drank it out. It was new to me and was an indirect kiss.

"That's not a light beer. It's Red Horse," I told her since she had almost finished my bottle. "It was an indirect kiss, you know?"

"Argh," Russell shook as if she was going to throw up. She drank the rest of the bottle again and finished it.

Her face goes red. I don't know if it was because of the beer or because she realized what she had done. As she bent forward, my arm touched her soft breast. It felt like electricity was coming from her skin, which made my whole body tingle. I instantly moved away from her, which almost made her fall.

"Haist, what's wrong with you?" She gave me a growl.

"Sorry, you drank all my beer. I had to get one." I lied, but I got a bottle of beer from the cooler.

"Give me one," Russel said.

"No, this beer has a volume of 9.9 percent alcohol and is a strong beer that is not for everyone," I said.

"Why? Because it has a slightly sweet taste with a hint of bitterness?"

"Yes. It has a slightly sweet taste with a hint of bitterness, leading to a strong kick of alcohol. You might get drunk."

Russel gave me a mean look and ran toward me. He pushed me until I fell and landed on the sand. Ryker and Claire both laughed.

"I think you are drunk, dude," Ryker said, laughing.

I ignored that because I was looking at Russell's face. She was on top of me, and both hands were on either side of my head in the sand. Her breast was almost touching my lips. My lower half was throbbing. I immediately pushed her off me, surprised her, and she fell on the sand.

"Haist, you are such a rude guy. You don't need to push me," said Russel, irritated.

I noticed Claire whispering to him after she looked at me. "Because he's irritating. You saw him push me."

I never said a word or even apologized. Instead, I sat down next to Ryker and drank a beer in one gulp to relieve the tension I was feeling. I have to calm myself down.

'Damn, I have a boner.'