Strong For Too Long Trilogy ✔️

15. Vladimir

CHAPTER 15: Vladimir

Thirteen scoffs where she lies on the lounger, "Who knew that when you said we were doing some shopping, it meant sun-tanning with an entire beach of gorgeous men?" She mutters in question, dryly as she skulls on more ice tea and orders more. I roll my eyes under my glasses. Samsara lies on the lounger next to me, her phone vibrating.

"It's Reynolds. The guys are wondering where we are." She informs me, just as my own phone goes off with Aaron's name blaring on the touch screen. I sigh in defeat and take the damn call.

"Yes, dear." I answer with over the phone.

Aaron sighs in defeat, "I wondered when one of us would get ahold of you girls. Where are you, love? Surely with all this shopping you'd all be coming back with more bags than your persons." He comments with a chuckle, musing the thought of me shopping, he sounded like he adored the normality of it.

I lift my glasses, the sun sparkling along the transparent water of the beach, "Am I on speaker?"

"No, do you want to be on speaker?" He asks me, confused, sounding enclosed in the hotel room.

I hmm in answer, waiting.

"We're listening, by the way-WHEN THE HELL WERE YOU GOING TO TELL EVERYONE YOU ARSEHOLES GOT ENGAGED?!" Branson yells at me. All the guys were huffing their agreements too, which enforced the uproar with the girls overhearing it on my end, given their proximity and Branson's choice of volume.

Eight stills and snaps her head my way, Thirteen's jaw drops in betrayal and Samsara is the first to speak, "Hang on a minute, Aaron proposed?" Samsara gasps beside me and sits up immediately.

I look over to her, slowly, "We can talk about that later, they still think we're shopping." I tell her.

Thirteen scoffs, looking around in disbelief, "Yeah, for hot guys. Oh lord, look at that one. He's hotter than even Javier, and bigger too." She notes, causing ruckus on the other end of the phone, Madison giggles in agreement.

"Hang on a second, where the hell are all of you?" Javier says, lowly.

I roll my lips in, the girls start laughing.

I giggle too.

"Pipsqueak."

I purse my lips, "Okay, alright. We're sun-tanning by the beach in bikinis and rating hot guys while watching the target. No offence, but you guys are all incredibly gullible. Grab your swim suits. Finders, keepers, losers, weepers. Good luck, boys." I tease, laughing as I end the call with an uproar of the males suddenly yelling out curse words, all directed to us. I giggle when I end the call and lie back down.

Samsara clears her throat, "Explain." One word. One order.

Eight sits next to Madison as Thirteen stands out to get more sun against the wooden railing.

"Yes, he proposed to me." I confess, Samsara squeals as she sits down next to me and grabs my hand, the ring on my wedding finger from two nights back. His every word got to me, right when I was practically boring my eyes out and he proposes. Madison laughs, slapping her bare knee.

"He's been waiting to do that for years, Olive." Samsara tells me, embracing me tightly in congratulations. I return her hug, we talk for what feels like hours before a trampling stampede of heavy footsteps echo, right when we were getting comfortable, I'm getting a massive, six foot four shadow. I lift my head up before Samsara squeals as Reynolds begins tickling her. Branson throws Madison over his shoulder, roaring over as he sprints with her down the stairs and towards the water. A heated, half-naked Aaron Westlake straddles me.