marked by midnight: the enemy's heiress

Chapter 65 : way back home

Cassian’s lips hovered just inches from hers, his grip tightening slightly on her waist.

Mira’s breath hitched and then suddenly she smiled.

Before he could react, she ducked under his arm and slipped out of his hold, gliding through the water toward the pool steps.

Cassian blinked, stunned for half a second.

"Mira." His voice dropped dangerously low.

She turned at the edge of the pool, water dripping from her hair, eyes sparkling with mischief.

"What?" she said innocently. "You said we came here to swim."

Cassian stared at her like a man personally betrayed by fate.

She gave him one last teasing smile before stepping out of the pool.

"Try to behave, Mr. Draymond."

Cassian dragged a hand through his wet hair and muttered under his breath,

"This woman is going to kill me."

Cassian hauled himself out of the pool and dropped onto one of the pool loungers, rubbing a hand through his wet hair as water dripped down his neck and shoulders. He leaned back, exhaling slowly, trying to compose himself.

A moment later, Mira walked over casually, as if nothing had happened, and settled onto the lounger beside his.

"Had fun?" she asked sweetly, clearly enjoying herself far too much.

Cassian turned his head and shot her a look.

"Oh, you’re very proud of yourself right now, aren’t you?"

Mira only shrugged, a teasing smile playing on her lips as she reached for a towel and dabbed at her damp hair.

"Maybe a little."

Cassian rolled his eyes dramatically.

"Yeah, yeah. Enjoy your victory while you can."

She laughed softly, glancing sideways at him. "Victory?"

"You know exactly what I mean," he muttered, leaning back again and stretching his arms behind his head.

The breeze drifted across the terrace, cool against their skin. For a moment, the two of them just sat there, the fading sunlight reflecting across the water behind them.

Then Cassian turned slightly, his gaze sliding back to her with a slow, dangerous smirk.

"Tease all you want," he said calmly.

Mira raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"I’ll get back at you soon."

Her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Is that a threat, Mr. Draymond?"

Cassian chuckled under his breath.

"Not a threat," he said, his voice lowering. "A promise, Mrs. Draymond."

Mira laughed again, leaning back in her chair as if completely unconcerned.

The breeze brushed softly across the terrace, carrying the faint scent of salt from the distant ocean. The sky above them had begun to soften into shades of gold and violet as the sun slowly dipped lower.

Mira reached toward the tray the hotel staff had left earlier beside the loungers and picked up one of the glasses waiting there.

"Looks like everything was prepared," she said, lifting the glass slightly.

Cassian glanced over. Inside was a chilled sparkling citrus mocktail, slices of lime and orange floating lazily between the bubbles.

Mira took a sip and hummed softly. "Mmm... that’s actually really good."

Cassian reached for the other glass on the tray, lifting it with a small smirk. His drink was darker, a glass of aged whiskey on ice, the amber liquid catching the last rays of sunlight.

"Of course you’d choose the fancy fruit drink," he teased.

"And of course you’d choose the classic businessman drink," Mira shot back.

He chuckled and took a slow sip, letting the warmth settle in his chest as he leaned back in the lounger beside her.

For a while, they simply sat there together.

The water in the infinity pool shimmered quietly beside them, reflecting the soft colors of the evening sky. The gentle breeze cooled their damp skin while the quiet hum of the resort continued somewhere in the distance.

Mira slowly swirled the ice in her glass before taking another sip.

"This might be my favorite part of the trip," she said thoughtfully.

Cassian raised an eyebrow. "The drinks?"

"No," she replied, glancing around the peaceful terrace. "This. The calm."

Cassian followed her gaze across the terrace. The pool stretched endlessly toward the horizon, the fading sunlight dancing across its surface.

"It is... surprisingly peaceful," he admitted.

"Surprisingly?" Mira repeated with a laugh.

"Well," he said lazily, stretching his legs out, "considering the amount of chaos you usually bring into my life."

She nudged his arm with her elbow. "Excuse me. I bring excitement."

"Is that what we’re calling it now?"

Mira only smiled and took another sip of her drink.

They finished their drinks slowly, neither of them rushing the quiet moment. The terrace seemed to grow even calmer as the sun sank lower, the last golden light slowly giving way to evening.

Eventually, Cassian glanced down at his watch.

His expression shifted slightly.

"Looks like our quiet escape is coming to an end," he said.

Mira turned her head toward him. "Already?"

"Ryan works like a military commander when flights are involved," Cassian replied dryly. "If we don’t leave soon, he’ll probably call again to make sure we haven’t decided to stay in Mexico permanently."

Mira laughed softly and stood, stretching her arms above her head.

"Well then, Mr. Draymond," she said with a playful sigh, "I suppose we should go pack up our little honeymoon bubble."

Cassian stood as well, grabbing the towels from the chair and tossing one toward her.

They dried off slowly, neither of them rushing. Cassian ran the towel through his hair again while Mira squeezed the remaining water from the ends of hers.

The air had cooled slightly now, the warmth of the day slowly fading with the sun.

They gathered their things from the loungers Mira slipping her sandals back on while Cassian picked up his shirt and draped it over his shoulder.

For a moment, Mira paused near the edge of the terrace and looked back.

The infinity pool stretched quietly behind them, its surface smooth and glowing under the last light of sunset. The place that had been filled with laughter and splashing water only minutes ago now seemed calm again, as if the evening itself had settled over it.

"It was nice," she said softly.

Cassian stepped beside her.

"Mexico treated us well," Mira added.

"It did," he agreed.

He slipped an arm around her waist as they finally began walking back toward the elevator doors.

Then he leaned down slightly, his voice dropping near her ear.

"But back home, in our city, is where I plan to finish what we started in that pool."

Mira laughed under her breath as the elevator doors slid open.

"You’re still not over that?"

Cassian stepped inside with her, pressing the button for their floor.

"Oh, not even a little, sweetheart."

...

The doors slid shut, and the elevator began its quiet descent.

Then elevator doors opened smoothly, and Cassian stepped out first, holding the door for Mira. The lobby of the resort was quiet, the last few guests already on their way out, leaving an almost cinematic stillness around them.

Cassian led the way to the sleek black SUV waiting at the curb, the vehicle gleaming under the soft glow of the resort lights. A driver in crisp uniform stepped forward and opened the rear door for them.

Mira glanced at Cassian with a teasing grin. "First-class treatment even for the walk to the car?"

Cassian smirked, opening his arm for her as if she were a queen. "Only for my queen," he said, lowering his voice so it was just between them.

Sliding into the plush leather seats, Mira leaned back, letting out a small, satisfied sigh. The cool leather pressed against her damp skin from the pool earlier, but the warmth of the evening and the company beside her made her forget it instantly.

Cassian settled in beside her, one hand casually draped across the seat behind her. "Seatbelt, Mrs. Draymond?" he asked, his tone teasing but precise.

"Only if you promise to behave in the car," she replied lightly, clicking hers into place.

"I can behave... sometimes," he muttered, eyes flicking toward her, playful and dangerous all at once.

The SUV glided smoothly onto the road, leaving the resort behind. The lights of the town twinkled faintly in the distance, and Mira pressed her head against the seat, letting the gentle hum of the car and the soft air conditioning lull her.

Cassian’s gaze kept flicking to her, amused by the occasional mischievous smile she threw his way, knowing exactly how it made him squirm. He reached over, brushing a strand of damp hair from her face. "You’re relentless," he murmured.

Mira tilted her head, a small grin tugging at her lips. "You like it."

"Maybe too much," he admitted, shaking his head slightly, though the corners of his mouth lifted in a faint smirk.

The drive was quiet, almost luxurious in its calm, with the occasional hum of the tires over the smooth asphalt. Streetlights passed like soft yellow streaks, highlighting Mira’s playful expression in turns.

Soon, the dark silhouette of the airport terminal appeared ahead, lights spilling across the pavement like a welcoming ribbon. The driver slowed the SUV, pulling smoothly up to the check-in area.

Cassian opened the door for Mira, offering his hand. She took it, letting him guide her out into the warm night air.

"Home stretch," he murmured, the faint edge of amusement in his voice. "But don’t think I’m done teasing you just because we’re on a plane next."

Mira laughed softly, squeezing his hand before letting go. "I’ll hold you to that."

They moved toward the check-in counters together, the suitcase wheels clicking softly on the polished floor. Cassian stayed close behind, his hand brushing hers at just the right moments to make her heart skip, even in the mundane routine of checking in.

Once their luggage was taken, and boarding passes in hand, Cassian finally allowed a small sigh of relief. "We made it," he said, voice low. "No interruptions.. ah well, except Ryan’s persistent scheduling but nothing else."

Mira leaned lightly against his arm as they walked toward security. "Not bad for a day that started with chaos and ended in... this. Right cassian? "

Cassian glanced down at her, smirk softening into a fond smile. "Yeah... not bad at all."