ISOLATED

c h a p t e r 2 5

Chapter 25

Genesis carefully lifts the fabric of her bikini, the tan lines already appearing and she smiles to herself. "What?" Hannah notices the smile and she keeps her eyes on her friend. "That oil you gave me works fantastically," Genesis explains.

"What oil?" Gael interrupts the conversation, sitting down on Genesis's towel. Water drips from his dark hair down his face. He quickly shakes his head to shake the water out of his hair and he looks over at the girl. "Some type of tanning oil," Genesis explains and she lays down on the towel, her legs resting over his.

Gael's fingertips stroke her legs and he looks at the two others. "The guys and I are headed out for the night, so you girls have the yacht to yourselves," he explains. "Where to?" Natalia asks, taking her sunglasses off her face. "Sebastian came up with the plan," Gael says, "I'm just going with him out of the goodness of my heart."

Hannah scoffs.

"I bet it's some type of strip club," Hannah explains, "or a whorehouse. That man hasn't had sex in months, I bet he's desperate." Genesis glances at Gael, but his gaze is at Hannah, paying attention to what she's saying. "I'm sure he'll take the other guys into consideration," Genesis explains, but the look she receives from Hannah and Natalia already speaks volumes.

Sebastian doesn't care who's married and who's single.

Gael stays with them, enjoying the silence. The sun is at its peak, making the heat feel like it's burning, but Genesis doesn't complain. Eventually Gael gets up and he goes back to the water. Genesis watches him through her sunglasses.

"You didn't know?" Hannah starts the conversation once she's certain that Gael won't hear. "Know what?" Genesis braces herself for the worst news possible. "The boys like their strip clubs every now and then," she answers, "Gael hasn't gotten prostitutes since you got married to him, but-"

"He what?" Genesis looks at the girl and her heart sinks. "You heard me," Hannah giggles, embarrassed to say the words again. "It's just that-" Genesis wants to come clean, but at the same time she hates discussing Gael's sex life with the girls. "We haven't done anything, and it's already been a while," she answers, "He wanted to make a deal and ever since that he's been so touchy with me – but still no sex."

Hannah and Natalia listen to every word she's saying, not for gossip, but because they genuinely care about her. And they care about Gael.

"Don't think too much of them at a strip club," Hannah answers and she leans back, "It'll only hurt your feelings." Natalia puts her sunglasses on and she scoffs. "Just enjoy their money, and when he gives it, enjoy the sex," Natalia says, "I'm sorry we gave you the illusion that we have wonderful relationships."

"We have wonderful relationships," Hannah corrects her, "We just turn a blind eye." Natalia nods at the different terms used for the same statement. "So they have sex with other women and you turn a blind eye?" Genesis asks and she leans back on her pillow.

It's quiet for a few minutes. Ginny's stomach turns at the thoughts creeping in her stomach and she takes a deep breath. "No," Hannah explains, "The guys don't cheat." It's a confusing situation. "But as Hannah said, don't think of it too much because it will hurt your feelings." Natalia lays back down on the bed.

Genesis soaks in the information against her will and she rests down on the bed. "I'm going to go say hi to James," Hannah says and she gets up. Gael looks at the girls from the water and then focuses back on the guys. Hannah walks in their direction and the second she reaches them she kicks water in Gael's direction.

"She's hurt," Hannah hisses. Gael furrows his eyebrows together and he looks at her. "I didn't do anything, don't come for me," he says and he holds his hands up in surrender. "Oh please, she knows about the strip clubs," Hannah says. Gael's eyes widen and he turns to the girl. "And who told her about that?" He knows she'd be upset about that, which is exactly why he didn't mention it.