Page 77 of Blue Arrow Island
I cross my arms, matching his stance. “I’ll take you to the place I found it. But only if I get to come with you every time you search, and only if we can leave some food for Rising Tide.”
“What the actual fuck?” He turns around and paces a few steps, then returns to glare at me. “Tell me you think you’re funny and that was a joke.”
“Which part?”
He gapes at me like I just grew two new heads. “All of it! I try a softer approach and you respond like this? You said you wanted information for information and I held up my end of the bargain.”
I shrug, trying to look resolved even though I’m shaking inside. “Now I want something else too.”
He puts his hands on his hips, narrowing his eyes in a furious look. “Absolutely the fuck not. Tell me where it was.”
“Your softer approach sucks.”
I look away, hoping he thinks I’m unconcerned even though my heart is beating so hard I’m surprised my rib cage isn’t audibly rattling. The location where I found the knife is my only leverage. I need information about this island, and going with him is how I can get it. Also, I can’t leave Olin and the others at Rising Tide to starve while I eat three meals a day. It’s not right.
The muscle in his jaw tics as he pinches the bridge of his nose, takes in several deep breaths and lets them out.
“It’s not safe out there,” he says, his tone measured.
“That’s a risk I’m willing to take. Put a weapon in my hand and you’ll find out I’m not as helpless as you think.”
“I don’t think you’re helpless.” He says it like I’m a five-year-old he’s trying to placate.
Fuck this guy, and all men who underestimate me. The well of fury inside me, usually at a steady simmer, is threatening to boil over. I tip my chin up a notch, holding his intimidating gaze.
“Pick a woman from your security team. No weapons. If I pin her within ten minutes, I get to go with you.” I hold out my hand to him. “Deal?”
Brows hiked up to his hairline, he stares at me for two long seconds before shaking my hand. His enormous hand dwarfs mine, his touch warming me all over.
“Okay, deal. One round only. No two out of three or three out of five.”
I laugh, knowing he doesn’t think I have a chance of winning. “One round.”
“Tomorrow morning, first thing.”
“Great. We can start searching right after. If Felix can spare me in the garden, I mean.”
Something in the way he’s looking at me makes the bottom of my stomach fall out.
“All this confidence because your dad taught you self-defense?” There’s an edge of amusement in this voice.
I told him and Nova during questioning that I had “some” fighting skills, but I made sure to downplay my abilities, just like I did at Rising Tide.
“He was a really good teacher.” I shrug.
We stand in silence, our gazes still locked. This close to him, the pull of residual aromium is stronger. I don’t even care that he’s sweaty. In fact, I might evenlike it. Marcus doesn’t have the edges aromium gave Pax, but somehow, he seems even more powerful to me. He could command me with his expression, his voice, or his touch, and I don’t know if I could?—
The aromium is taking over again. I clear my throat, making myself stay focused.
“And the food is part of the deal? We can spare it, and they’re starving.”
“That’s the idea. They’ve got a choice—food or aromium.”
I glare at him, his oversimplification aggravating. “Virginia’s not giving anyone that choice and you know it. She’s choosing. And there are children.”
His scowl returns. “You don’t get it. Those kids could kill us in two seconds flat. And they would if Virginia told them to.”
“It’s just some food, Marcus. Not a lot. We can leave it in a place they’ll find it so they can all have one good meal.”
