Three mornings later, I push my arms through the cool water, propelling myself forward. It's early, way before Hal ever surfaces, giving me some time alone before the chaos begins. Being pretty much the only hour I can truly be myself, I swim through the water like the dolphin I've always been.

My brother, Leo, used to joke about it all the time, adamant that if I had the chance to run away and join the mermaids, I would. At a mere nine years old, I couldn't disagree, insisting he come with me as my protective older brother who I believed would take on the world with me.

Sadly, that's not always how life works out.

Nevertheless, swimming has always been one of my strong suits. I would save any money Mum left lying around the house, sneaking off to the leisure centre every other weekend.

Even when Bethany takes me on holiday, she always lies on her sun lounger, watching and cheering from afar as I draw close to fifty lengths per day.

Here, I can use the facilities for free, and damn right I'm exploiting that.

I'm alone, the entire basement pool empty as the hotel's elite residents sleep off their hangovers from the night before. It's been the same all six mornings since I got here.

'Bethany?'

Until now apparently.

Stopping mid-length, I turn, looking back at the blue-tiled doorway to the changing room. My mouth almost drops open at the sight of a topless Alex, stepping forward with a cocky smirk on his face.

'Alex?' My tone is disbelieving.

'It's good to see you too,' he replies, walking in and dropping his navy towel onto the lounger next to my towel-covered seat to reveal his black swimming trunks. I instantly tear my gaze away from his abs, the pure, defined muscle melting my eyes.

I'm thankful the water is covering me and most of my red swimsuit.

'Well, friend.' He practically grimaces at the word before shooting me an enormous smile. 'I haven't seen you the last few days.'

I shrug. 'I've been busy.'

'Not playing squash with anyone else I hope,' he teases, walking over to the water's edge.

'Not at all,' I say, laughing before clearing my face of emotion. Damn, one sentence and I'm already humouring him.

'Why so doom and gloom?' Alex exclaims, slipping his entire body into the pool, thankfully removing the distraction. Well... Some of it. 'Friends are supposed to have fun together.' He grins before suddenly a wave of water crashes into my face, and I splutter, swimming backward before wiping my hands over my eyes.

'You jerk!' I retort, and he laughs, shrugging before swimming towards me.

'I had to do something – you looked like you were about to kill me.'

'Surely that stunt made it more likely to happen?' I argue and he raises an eyebrow before stopping mid-swim, holding his hands up and attempting to retreat.

'Good point.'

I laugh, unable to resist the urge, diving forward and raising my hands, effectively lifting a tidal wave of liquid. I watch as it splashes down on him, coating his hair. He disappears under the surface for mere seconds before popping back up, wiping his eyes and grinning at me.

'You're going to pay for that,' he promises, and I squeal, turning and pushing my arms back through the water, kicking my legs out behind me. I'm moving as fast as I can, my strong swimming skills helping as I glide away.

I glance over my shoulder, grinning at the fact that he hasn't gained much ground. He's swimming fast, but nowhere near as quick as me. Water seeps into my open mouth as I laugh, effectively choking me, and I come to a quick stop. Coughing and spluttering, I feel my cheeks tinge with pink as Alex catches up, a smirk on his face when his hands rest on my hips, raising me out of the water to help me catch my breath.

'That'll teach you to be so cocky,' he says with a chuckle.

I roll my eyes after finally expelling the last of the water from my lungs, reluctantly pushing his hands from my skin. He lets go straight away and I float back slightly. 'Maybe you shouldn't have been so amusingly slow,' I retort, and he shakes his head.

'I used to be top of the swimming class,' he counters with a smile.

'Oh, wow! Check me out, in the pool with the famous Alexander Edwardson,' I exclaim loudly, my voice echoing around the empty room. He laughs.

'Alright, alright.' He shakes his head. 'Where did you learn to swim like that anyway?'

'We both went to private school,' I lie with a shrug.

'I remember,' he tells me. 'You hated swimming at Abercorn. What changed at boarding school, Ice?'

Bethany told me she'd spent most of her later education at boarding school, but I didn't know that before then, it appears she went to a school that's popular with the London elite.

I manage to cover my uncertainty and paint a neutral expression over my face. 'Things change,' I tell him.

He watches as I float back, green eyes trying to analyse me for what feels like the hundredth time since we met. Eventually they clear and he shrugs. 'So it would seem.'

'I'll race you,' I announce suddenly, pointing towards the end of the pool. Alex raises an eyebrow before laughing.

'That's not fair.'

'Why? Aren't you the legendary Alexander? Top of his swim class?' I tease, and he laughs once more, nodding slightly before dipping his arms back into the water and moving himself closer towards me. I can't stop my eyes from dropping to his exposed tattoo, unable to resist the sight of his biceps flexing as he uses them to move.

'Alright,' he agrees as we reach the edge of the pool. 'Ready?'

I look back at his smirking face and nod. 'One length there, one length back?' I suggest.

'Sure.'

'Okay.' I grin, grabbing hold of the side with one hand, curling my legs up and placing my feet against the wall. 'Ready, set... go!' I exclaim before pushing myself away from it, sliding through the water like a boat. I let myself float for mere seconds before crashing my arms into the water and forcing the liquid behind me.

Every muscle in my body aches as I concentrate all of my energy into this one tiny race. Alex is going at the same rate as me, keeping up far easier than before, and I inhale deeply before pushing my face under the water and kicking my legs even harder.

Reaching the end of the pool, I dive deeper and flip backward, feet landing on the cold tiles at the side before I push off, ready to take on the home stretch.

I don't let myself look across at him, instead focusing all my effort on beating this rich boy, determined to prove that his private education doesn't mean everything. After all, I spent my weekends at the public leisure centre where all the mums take their crying kids, where the elderly spend their mornings casually doing lengths, where teenagers cannonball into the deep end, every damn person in my way no matter how early or late I went.

Yet I can swim better than Alex.

With one final push, I reach the end of the pool, Alex about a metre behind. I grin, gripping onto the ladder and heaving myself out. Water drips down my legs as I emerge, my hair sticking to my skin when I wipe my eyes.

'Hey!' Alex exclaims, and I glance over my shoulder to see his gaze trail down my body – stopping just before the finish line.

'Eyes up here, Edwardson,' I retort, and he smirks, eyes twinkling when they meet mine.

'Just admiring you, Ice.'

'There's no need to do that.'

'Where are you going?'

I shrug. 'Hal will be up soon.'

'But we were having fun,' he objects, and I laugh, grabbing my towel from the lounger and wrapping it around my body.

'Were we?' I tease. I don't let him respond, turning away and leaving the room before he can convince me to stay.

We were having fun, almost too much. I knew what I was doing, just like every other moment I've spent with him, yet I still managed to forget the danger. When will I learn?

Alexander Edwardson isn't worth forgoing the £300,000 cash prize Bethany has promised me at the end of this retreat.