Page 174 of A Promise so Bold and Broken

Lessia wished the heat crawling over her skin might melt her into a puddle so she could disappear between the planks beneath her feet.

“He definitely will not.” Loche also drew closer, even though his eyes still wouldn’t meet hers. “And he will also begin to question the assumption that I’m the one to take him down if the… halfling”—Loche appeared to force the word out—“isn’t in love with me anymore.”

“No,” Merrick snarled as he stepped toward the regent. “You won’t go near her.”

“I forgot how possessive you become.” Raine shot her a sorrowful smile. “I’m honestly surprised the regent is still alive.”

“Merrick!” The sound of Kerym slamming into Merrick danced across the sea, and Lessia watched with wide eyes as the former tackled him to the floor, vicious snarls ripping from their throats as they each got hits in.

“M— Fuck!” Kerym panted. “You k-know we…”

“No! He. Won’t. Touch. Her.”

Kerym crashed into the floor as Merrick overpowered him, blood trickling from his nose as he glowered at the feral silver-haired Fae.

“You know we’re right,” he wheezed as Merrick lifted a hand again, his other wrapping around Kerym’s throat.

“You do,” Raine echoed. “It’s for her safety.”

Merrick’s chest heaved, his face a shade darker than she was used to, as his eyes moved from Kerym to Raine and finally to her.

When she felt her face fall, his teeth slammed together, but he finally dropped the fist angled to Kerym’s face.

“Fuck. Fine!” Refusing the hand Raine offered him, Merrick jumped to his feet, and with a flick of his hair, he stalked away.

Lessia was certain he’d go somewhere—anywhere else on the ship—not to have to watch, so when he stopped after only a few feet, his arms crossed as he leaned back against the railing, apprehension layered over her like a shadow.

She didn’t want to put him through this again.

Every nerve within her began firing, wanting to argue, to run, to do anything else.

But as she glanced at the horizon, noting how the sun had already begun its descent, its pink-and-orange light mingling with the blue of the sea, she realized there wasn’t time to come up with another solution.

It felt as if a cloud drew in when she sought Merrick’s eyes again, as if every feature of his face darkened when pain sparked to life in his gaze, and despite the jacket she wore, she shuddered as if the chill wind brushed bare skin.

“I’ll go first,” Raine muttered.

“I’m sorry.” Lessia continued to hold Merrick’s gaze as Raine approached her.

Merrick shook his head, but when he tried to pull his eyes away, she wouldn’t let him.

You and me.

They were the only words allowed in her thoughts when Raine wrapped his arms around her—as unwillingly as she felt—and rubbed his hands down her arms.

You and me.

Moving them to her face, Raine hissed, “Should have had another damned drink first,” and she couldn’t help but snort when he dragged his fingers down her cheeks.

Merrick’s mouth quirked—as if it needed to mirror hers.

She had to admit… it was the tiniest bit funny how disgusted Raine looked when he pulled her into a hug, his cheek sliding against hers as he fought a recoil.

“Done,” Raine exclaimed, moving away from her so swiftly she might have been offended had the situation been different.

“My turn, Golden Eyes.” Kerym wiggled his brows, ignoring the rumble in Merrick’s chest as he swept her off her feet, cradling her like a babe and nuzzling his nose against her neck.

“Whew, you really smell like Merrick.” Kerym winked at her. “Must have been some trip to your house.”

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