Wicked Island Of Ireland - Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

Manuel raised his eyebrows as if to ask why Declan would think such a thing. Declan glanced at Isu before answering.

“Well, she’s beautiful. Probably the prettiest Asian woman I’ve ever seen.”

Manuel narrowed his previously smooth brow, carefully observing Isu’s reaction.

“Oh, Declan, that’s racist. You’re always making racist comments, so you’re probably desensitized to it.”

Declan refused to concede.

“It’s not racist—it’s a compliment. Let’s ask that educated-looking gentleman over there whether it’s racist or not.”

Without asking Isu, the person in question, for her thoughts, Declan pointed at Hayden. Hayden swept his rain-soaked hair to one side, fixing Declan with a piercing gaze.

“I don’t care whether it’s racist or not, but it’s certainly idiotic.”

“What?”

“Do you think she’d be flattered by you saying that?”

The other men immediately sided with Hayden, playfully jeering at Declan.

Declan was taken aback. Conservative upper-class white men rarely called out racial insensitivity.

“You’re quite direct.”

Declan offered Isu a brief apology before redirecting everyone’s attention by opening his bag.

The bag was adorned with dainty badges. It seemed to belong to a woman—inside were a large scented candle, a diary, a tablet, a bottle of water, a camera, snacks, and protein powder for dieting.

Hayden immediately unwrapped the candle and placed it on the table. Then he turned to Jena, the flight attendant, and asked bluntly:

“What do you think are the chances a search party will find this island within three days?”

Jena wiped the smeared mascara around her eyes with the back of her hand before answering.

“…I’m not entirely sure, but less than 10 percent.”

The atmosphere chilled like someone had thrown cold water on them. Jena sighed deeply.

“The plane would have gone down dozens of kilometers from this island, somewhere in the sea. Search parties will look for the black box signal first and search nearby islands…”

“…”

“After about a week, they’ll calculate the estimated crash point. If they have smart staff, they might calculate today’s ocean currents and find this island… but the chances are slim.”

Everyone’s faces paled with despair. Only Hayden maintained his composure.

“Everyone, empty your pockets.”

Hayden searched his trouser pockets first and placed his possessions on the table: a multi-tool knife, five condoms, and chewing gum.

Manuel’s attention went straight to the condoms. His curious brown eyes scanned the packaging.

“Ultra size for 8 to 10 inches? Killer.”

Hayden rested his chin on his hand, his lips curving into a smirk.

“The angle’s killer too.”

As Hayden displayed his confidence, DeHart’s dejected expression eased. Leaning back against the wall, he joked:

“Speaking of angles, I’ve got a good one too. Curves upward like a banana.”

The rigid atmosphere gradually relaxed. Soon, expressions of confidence about size emerged from various corners. Laughter occasionally punctuated the conversation.

Isu found Hayden fascinating. Despite regarding people with arrogant glances, he didn’t seem to draw resentment—a sign of exceptional social skills.

Such ability wasn’t acquired through short-term education or learning. It required extensive social experience and the backing of substantial wealth to display so naturally.

What did he do for a living?

The moment curiosity struck her, she caught Hayden’s eye. He tickled her cheek with his gaze, aqueous as a spring river, relaxed and confident.

Looking into someone’s eyes often reveals their thoughts. Hayden’s eyes showed no tension toward unfamiliar people.

Rather, he surveyed her face with the fond gaze one might give a small pet. Hayden made no attempt to hide this look; in fact, he emphasized it.

Though she couldn’t understand why, she didn’t want to feel intimidated or avoid his gaze. She looked directly back at Hayden.

His composed face interestingly shifted. Yet his gaze remained unwavering.

That clear, steady gaze created the feeling they were alone, despite being surrounded by others. Isu’s cheeks burned as if intoxicated. Had it not been for Declan’s interruption, she might have truly been captivated.

“Speaking of psychos keeping women captive on this island, aren’t most islands off southern Ireland owned by the Graham family?”

Nate nodded as he retrieved items from his pockets.

“That’s right—those crazy people who like to toy with others.”

Isu, whose attention had been captured by Hayden, suddenly furrowed her brow. The employee badge for Graham she’d seen in her dreams flashed vividly before her eyes.

“…Graham. Graham?”

“Huh?”

“Is the Graham family wealthy enough to own islands?”

Nate eagerly answered.

“Not just wealthy—they have so much money they could throw it away every day and still have plenty left.”

Isu anxiously fiddled with her lips.

She couldn’t understand how she had become entangled with such a wealthy family and ended up imprisoned on this island.

“I see…”

She wanted to methodically recall what had happened, but the persistent feeling of being pursued made her keep looking over her shoulder.

Jena, who had been watching Isu’s strange behavior, showed interest in Graham.

“Could someone explain the Graham family to this Californian?”

After everyone had emptied their pockets, lip balm, phones, pens, and energy bars lay on the table. Declan glanced at the assembled items and replied to Jena:

“The Grahams are British royalty. They own subsidiaries in various fields—defense contractors, major hospitals, pharmaceutical companies. In short, they’re a family with an obscene amount of money.”

“But why do people say they toy with people?”

“Well, about twenty years ago, the once-admired Graham family faced major criticism over a surrogate mother scandal. They paid and impregnated nearly a hundred women.”

Nate added:

“I heard about it from my parents. The government launched an investigation, but for some reason, it fizzled out without conclusion.”

Declan narrowed his eyes.

“What if the Graham family is buying islands again to imprison women and continue those activities? If they’re conducting clinical trials, that would explain why Isu was trapped on this island.”

Manuel, who had been listening to the conversation, seriously examined Isu’s abdomen, as if gauging whether she might be pregnant. Declan didn’t miss this.

“Manuel, why are you looking at Isu’s stomach with such lewd eyes?”

Manuel flinched.

“Lewd? What are you talking about? I’m just looking, what’s wrong with that?”

Isu was lost in thought about the Graham family. As if trying to catch her attention, Declan massaged the back of Manuel’s head and said:

“Be careful of this guy, Isu. He has a thing for Asian women. A few months ago at the club, he was chasing only Asian women.”

“I did not.”

Upon hearing this denial, Declan whispered in Manuel’s ear:

“So you don’t like Asian women? What about her? Isn’t she secretly sexy?”

Manuel slowly surveyed Isu. She was about 5’4″ (164cm). Her tightly wrapped body revealed ample br3asts, and her fleshy thighs stirred male desire.

Her cheeks were as tempting as peaches, her skin white and translucent. Her eyes curved upward like those of a fierce cat, harmonizing with her plump lips.

Manuel’s face grew hot imagining what sounds those lips might make in intimate situations.

Blushing to his ears, he tried to feign indifference:

“Well, not bad.”

Isu ignored their faint whispering and looked out the window. Her mind was troubled.

If the Graham family truly experimented on women, and if she had been imprisoned on this island for that reason, she wouldn’t be safe even if she escaped.

She might die from experimental side effects, or Graham might pursue and recapture her.

Imagining the worst, her lower lip trembled.

Mad scientists.

Crazy rich people.

Insane Grahams.

“Oh, my phone turned on! Let me see…”

Declan, who had been fiddling with his phone, jumped up.

The screen had turned on normally, but displayed a frustrating warning:

“No service available in this area.”

Then the screen filled with static and went dark. The black screen perhaps foreshadowed their future. Declan tore at his hair.

“Damn it… We should leave some kind of rescue signal on the shore in case rescue teams pass by while we’re here.”

BOOM!

Thunder struck, illuminating the window.

Hayden’s face, seated by the window, lit up magnificently. In that fleeting moment, he seemed to smile.

Smiling at the sound of thunder that felt like it could tear your body apart was an odd reaction. Isu managed to move her stiff lips.

“Are you okay, Hayden? Can you… handle this situation?”

She wanted to say something, anything, fearing her heart might split if she remained silent. As if gladly embracing this feeling, he replied:

“I like thunder. It’s cute when people get startled.”

Bad taste.

Strange preference.

A conversation better left unstarted.

BOOM!

Thunder struck again. Isu felt a peculiar sensation as she observed the shadows playing across his handsome face and averted her gaze.

“I don’t particularly…”

Declan apparently disliked thunder, covering his ears. Looking out the window, he spoke with difficulty:

“I’d like to keep sheltering from the rain, but search teams might miss us. Let’s put our life raft on the beach and spell S.O.S with rocks inside it. It’s a 10-person raft, so it’s not small.”

The football players agreed with Declan. Jena followed them, saying she wanted to know where on the island they were.

Isu and Hayden stayed behind to prepare the shelter for sleeping. Fortunately, the moonlight, though hazy, allowed them to see objects inside.

Hayden hesitated for a long time, as if reluctant to touch anything, before finally removing dust-covered cups and garbage.

Isu was also trying to tidy up, but she was conscious of her underwear, which revealed not only her thighs but also her panties whenever she spread her legs slightly.

Yet she couldn’t keep her legs crossed the entire time…

Moreover, if she fell into a deep sleep, she might not notice if the jacket flipped over. She didn’t want people staring at her backside.

She moved with her legs pressed together as much as possible. When picking up wooden cups from the floor, she crouched rather than bending over.

Just then, wind and rain gusted through the wide-open door. Her wet jacket lifted, then clung damply to her waist. Hayden’s gaze fell on her backside.

In the darkness, his blue eyes glowed intensely.

Those eyes were saying something—something provocative and sensual, though she couldn’t fully interpret it.

She hastily pulled down the jacket clinging to her waist, but the blue gaze wouldn’t withdraw.

Her mind became dizzy. She stood up abruptly, foolishly rubbing her forehead.

“I… I need to find something to replace these clothes when daylight comes.”

She wanted to make it clear she wasn’t dressed this way by choice, and certainly not to seduce him.

Their communication was misaligned. Instead of dismissing her comment as she expected, he fingered his belt. His hand, veins prominently visible, gleamed in the moonlight.

Unlike his smooth face, his hands bore many small scars and were rough. Someone’s words flashed through her mind: hands reveal a person’s life story.

Those hands slowly unbuckled the leather belt. Then, unbuttoning and unzipping, his water-soaked pants fell to the floor.

Isu glimpsed navy blue trunks. Though the surroundings were dark, the bulging contour at the front was clearly visible.

“…Hayden.”

Isu called to him urgently.

With each fall of his firm chest, his breathing spread, making her feel like her bl00d was burning.