Stuck in an Island with Twelve Beautiful Women
Chapter 1073

Chapter 1073: Chapter 1073

"I’m sorry," she whispered. "I just... felt close to you."

Jude nodded, his chest tight.

She stood, walked back toward the treehouse without another word.

He sat there until the stars began to fade.

In the morning, Stella and Emma were making breakfast, their laughter ringing bright through the camp. Natalie was by the river, collecting smooth stones for her new sculpture. Everything seemed calm.

Until Grace turned and smiled at Sophie.

And Sophie froze.

Because Grace’s smile was the same smile Rose wore.

And Layla.

And Zoey.

The same smile that meant something else was looking through their eyes.

Sophie’s breath caught, her hand gripping Jude’s.

"She’s changed," she whispered.

Jude said nothing.

He knew it too.

The fire crackled softly in the quiet of the morning, casting faint amber light across the clearing. Jude stirred beneath the thick fabric of the blanket wrapped around him and Sophie, her breath warm against his neck. He didn’t want to move, didn’t want to shift the stillness between them. Her arm draped over his waist, her body curled into his like she was part of him. For a moment, there was only this, heat, silence, the sweetness of her skin, and the lingering taste of last night’s kisses still fresh in his mouth.

But the island never let them stay in peace for long.

He kissed Sophie’s forehead gently, then eased away, careful not to wake her. The sun had not yet broken through the dense canopy, but Jude could feel its approach in the way the birds began to stir, chirping quietly like they too feared disturbing the veil of night.

Outside, the air was thick with dew, the trees glistening like they’d been painted in moonlight and honey. The others were still asleep in their homes scattered throughout the forest clearing. Layla’s house was quiet, but Rose’s window was open, curtain drifting like a lazy whisper.

Jude made his way to the stream, not to fish but just to breathe, to think. The events of the last few days clung to him like a second skin, too tight, too heavy. Grace’s transformation had been the final confirmation. Whatever this force was, it wasn’t just infecting them; it was seducing them. And worse, the women he loved were embracing it.

The water was cold when he knelt beside it, dipping his fingers into the current. His reflection looked back at him, tired, shadowed, older somehow.

Then arms wrapped around his waist.

"I thought I’d find you here," came the sultry voice behind him.

It was Emma.

Her hair fell like silk over his shoulder as she rested her cheek against his back. "You always disappear when the sun’s still hiding."

"I needed quiet," he said softly.

"You could’ve taken me with you," she whispered, pressing a kiss between his shoulder blades.

He turned slightly, meeting her eyes. They were still clear, no glow, no unnatural light. Just Emma. Playful, teasing, wild Emma.

"You’re not scared?" he asked her quietly.

"Of the island?" she shook her head, her lips curling. "No. Of you leaving us? Maybe a little."

He chuckled, the sound low. "I’d never leave."

"Then kiss me."

And he did.

Her mouth met his with hunger and need, not rushed, not urgent, just deep. Like she wanted to remind him that he was still here, that they still burned for each other despite everything changing around them. He laid her down on the moss-covered stone beside the stream, her fingers in his hair, legs wrapped around him, their bodies moving in rhythm with the river’s gentle song.

Later, as they lay together with the sunlight finally spilling through the trees, she ran her fingers across his chest, tracing circles lazily.

"Let’s explore today," she said. "Farther than before."

He nodded. "Let me get Sophie. And maybe Stella."

Emma grinned. "I like how you think."

By the time they set off, Sophie had joined them, along with Stella and Natalie. The group carried packs of dried fruit, fire-starters, and their knives, not that the women seemed worried. There was something electric in the air, something thrilling about being alone in the wilderness together.

The forest shimmered in hues of gold and green. Trees loomed tall and twisted, roots curling out like fingers. Jude led, machete in hand, slicing through the dense vines as the trail wound away from the familiar into uncharted wild.

They moved as a unit, laughing, brushing against each other as they ducked under branches and navigated ravines. Natalie clung to his arm when they crossed a muddy slope, her breath hot against his ear as she whispered, "You always make me feel safe."

Behind them, Sophie and Emma joked with each other, occasionally reaching to swat at one another’s hips or lean into a shared kiss when no one was looking. Stella was quieter, more watchful, but she smiled when she caught Jude’s gaze and reached to tuck a leaf out of his hair.

By midday, they reached a small waterfall they hadn’t seen before. It spilled from a cliff into a pool below, surrounded by ferns and pale white flowers that looked almost translucent in the sunlight.

"Let’s rest here," Sophie said, already kicking off her shoes.

The girls stripped quickly, laughing as they ran into the water. Jude hesitated only a moment before joining them, the cold shocking and exhilarating. Stella swam close, wrapping her arms around him underwater. Her lips brushed his neck as she whispered, "You’re mine for the next ten minutes."

He didn’t resist.

Their bodies moved beneath the surface, breath catching in gasps above the waterline as the others laughed and splashed. Sophie floated on her back, letting the sun kiss her skin while Emma and Natalie chased each other around the rocks like playful sirens.

When they finally crawled out to dry in the sun, hearts pounding and skin tingling, they laid close, bodies tangled, warmth radiating off their bare skin.

"That was perfect," Natalie murmured, resting her head on Jude’s chest.