The black silk shirt Ashton wore clung to his broad chest, fluttering slightly in the salty breeze as he leaned lazily against the railing. Everything about him exuded a carefree elegance. "So, are you ready to make your move?" he asked casually.

"We already have," Samuel replied evenly. Unlike Ashton’s roguish charm, Samuel radiated a calm and measured confidence, the perfect counterbalance.

Ashton glanced at him, a teasing glint in his eyes. Samuel had already ...