Cristiano Barasi removed his sunglasses and lifted the telescope to get a better view of the island he had just purchased from the deck of his yacht. A grin tugged at his lips as he admired it. It was perfect for the beach house he planned to build. But his expression shifted when he spotted something on the shoreline.

Someone was lying on the sand. Face down. Even from a distance, he could tell it was a woman.

“Cedric, move faster.” Cristiano commanded, his tone sharp and urgent.

The ...