Page 28 of Crossbones
“Set up a meeting in Carmine,” I say. “Tell them they have two days before I kill him.”
Harrison stands there, staring hard at me. I can tell he’s royally pissed off. When he doesn’t move to leave, I raise my eyebrows at him, daring him to challenge me. After everything that’s gone on—I fucking dare him to try me. It must show on my face, or the way I’m strangling the glass because his shoulders drop and with one last scowl at Fox, he storms out.
Fox whistles. “Hereallywants to kill me.” He flashes me a grin. “You haven’t made up your mind yet, have you?” He settles back, crossing his ankle over his knee, that infuriating smirk still on his lips.
“What makes you say that?”
“That was a very diplomatic answer you gave Blondie.”
“His name is Harrison.”
Fox appears to be turning the name over for a minute but shakes his head and shrugs. “Should have told me earlier—I’m afraid it’ll forever be Blondie in my head now.” He tilts his head at me, amusement shining slyly in his eyes. “Stop deflecting. Is it because you’re not one hundred percent sure I’m a De’Vero?”
“Oh, I’m very sure you’re a De’Vero.” The lie slips easily off my tongue but it’s not fooling him.
He chuckles. “Well then, that should make your decision pretty easy, right? Seeing as you have a vendetta against the entire House.”
Now he’s just baiting me—
“Why were you at Verdun?”
He cocks his head at me. “We’re still on that one, huh? Why don’t you believe I wassightseeing?”
“Are you always going to answer my questions with questions?” I ask in annoyance.
“I don’t know, are you always going to deflect to avoid answering them?”
We stare at each other, the tension tight in the room for reasons I cannot even begin to explain. I hear the anchor being dropped and know it’s time to head to shore. I drain the rum and walk over to Fox. Taking the chain of his manacle, I lock it to a metal ring on the wall. He never takes his eyes off my face. His proximity is making my skin heat and I quickly take a step away, putting some distance between us. When I meet his eyes again, they’re smoldering with a dark energy, the amusement dipping into something almost sensual.
“How about this, Captain,” he says. “A truth for a truth.”
He must see a flicker of shock because he grins at me. “Humor me—my life could be over soon and I might have to take all my secrets with me.”
I stare at him while I think of all the questions I can ask—everything I want to know about him—starting with why he was in Verdun.
And others like, why was he flying the Black? Who gave him those scars on his back? Why is a De’Vero noble captain of his own vessel? All valid questions ,but for as many of those as I have, there’s only one that for the last few hours has continued to pester me.
“Why that poem?” I ask.
It’s my turn to register the shock on his face and I revel in it. Until a wicked smile slowly slides across his lips—which I definitely am not staring at, of course. Fox stands up, slowly bringing himself eye level with me. I’m reminded of the fact we’re nearly the same height and this close, I’m conscious of every tiny move he makes.
“I find myself growing increasingly intrigued by you, Captain,” he says. He tilts his head at me, considering. “Interesting thing about poetry—it often says the things we don’t know how to say in our own words. I chose that poem because maybe we’re more alike than you think.”
“And you think that’ll save you? Finding common ground with your enemy?”
Fox scoffs, shaking his head. “No,” he states flatly, like it’s obvious. “You already know what your decision is going to be—you just have to come to terms with it.” Before I can process that statement fully, he goes on. “It’s my turn.” That deadly smile is back on his face, looking like he’s about to go in for the kill. “Have you ever been with a man before?”
My brow scrunches up in disbelief. “That’syour question?”
“Yup,” Fox says, looking smug.
“Out of everything you could have asked me—you want to know—”
“If you’ve ever been with a man, yes, I’m curious,” Fox finishes for me. “Sexually—just in case that wasn’t clear.”
“I don’t understand what this has to do with—anything,” I say incredulously.
Fox shrugs. “Well, then you’ll have no problem giving me the answer.”
