Page 35 of King of Tides

“Your brother,” I snort. “Your brother sounds a lot like he wanted to be the one to take what’s mine.”

“I’m not yours,” she growls and stomps her foot.

“You keep telling yourself that. You’re cute when you’re defiant.”

“Why didn’t you erase my memory all those years ago?” she blurts out.

“What?” I say as I halt.

I was about to tug her to me for a kiss. We need to seal this bond before I lose my fucking mind. However, her words bring me to a dead stop.

“You saved my life. About thirteen years ago, Candido had planned to kill me. You stepped in and he told you to erase my memory if you weren’t going to allow him to kill me. Why?”

Speechless, I stand studying her face. I knew there was something familiar about her. I remember that night.

“I was pissed off at Candido as it was. I didn’t want to be involved in his nonsense, but we had no choice.”

“What do you mean you had no choice?”

“The Ricci family somehow found out about a curse on my mother’s people that allows humans to make us their slaves. We have served four generations of Riccis so far. Candido now has the power to summon us.

“That night, I had to appear when he called. However, because he wanted me to harm you, an innocent. I was able to refuse, thank the gods,” I explain.

“But why didn’t you erase my memory fully?”

“I thought I did. Apparently, the gods have been at play for longer than we thought,” I murmur almost to myself.

“Shit,” she says and pushes a hand into her hair.

“What? What’s going on?”

“I thought you were connected to Candido and his dirt. I’ve been investigating you guys. I might have mentioned your club in the reports I just turned in.

“Candido tried to kill a woman in a vision I saw. I started to investigate the warehouse where I knew it was going to go down. I saw you there and made the connection.

“I mean, I was already suspicious of your club. When you first moved in, I began to remember parts of that night from thirteen years ago. Seeing you at the warehouse linked you to Candido and I added you and your club to my reports,” she says.

“This is what you two are disagreeing about?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be sure to tell my brothers what’s going on, but we’ll make it go away for us. Ricci can fuck off.”

“But don’t you have to answer to him?”

“No. Not anymore. Once we seal our bond and my youngest brother finds his mate, we’ll never have to answer to him or his family again.”

“In that case, I’d let you fuck the shit out of me just to make sure Ricci rots under the jail.”

I crush my lips to hers before she can get the words all the way out. I love the taste of her lips. I should slow down, but I’ve waited so long to find her and have her in my arms.

Billy reaches for my towel and snatches it from my waist. I don’t think twice before I make her clothes vanish. In the nextthought, I have her legs wrapped around me as I flash us to her bedroom.

“God, I hope nothing interrupts this. I want you so much,” she pants as I move my lips to her throat.

“There isn’t anything that’s going to keep me from claiming you,” I growl.

“Wait, I need to go lock the door. What if those bastards come back?”

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