Page 125 of Heir of the Beast

I smile, and Laura sees me and rolls her eyes, saying I’m too mushy for her. Not sure how she knew I was thinking about Apollo but ~whatevs~.

I glance down at my brown gown and take a breath. I did not want to stand out in the rich-colored gowns that were available.

My hair is in a low bun, and I tried my hardest to cover my cleavage but failed. The dresses are made to show off female assets, no doubt.

I look at Laura and grin. She is in a rose gown, looking radiant. Good, let her have her fun.

I only need Pierce again once Apollo is better. And I want to avoid seeing Siron or drawing any more attention to myself.

Time to get my priorities in line. Fairy Godmother Inc. depends on me, and me alone.

We are led to the upper deck to get fresh air, and to take in the dark beauty of the open sea. It’s terrifying and stunning at the same time.

The wind whips tiny hairs out of my tight bun as I rest my hands in the metal rail. Closing my eyes and taking in a deep breath, the salty air refreshes my soul.

This experience is truly amazing no matter what happens.

I can hear Laura laughing and it makes me smile. She is something else, and I am glad she is my friend now. It’s crazy how fast things can change here. I hope she finds what she is looking for here.

Maybe they will let her stay if Apollo is saved? Maybe everyone has the option to stay if they choose. I’ll have to ask Mort about that later.

I see large waves as far as the eye can see. The massive ship moves up and down with each hard collision.

I turn and see the crew cleaning the ship from the recent battle, the bloodshed being washed away as if it never happened.

I killed men here.

A shiver slithers down my back. ~Don’t think about that,~ they were bad men.

Laura is enjoying the shirtless men as they work to clean themselves and the ship. I can tell by her high-pitched laugh that she is excited.

I freeze.

Siron is sitting on a tall chair as he removes his torn black shirt to reveal a bloodied bicep and other bulging flesh. My cheeks heat to dangerous levels.

Are all these men built like gods? What do they feed the babies here, for the love of Pete and Mike and any other name I can think of?!

It’s like their muscles are made from titanium—bulletproof. Great genetics. I look at his dark tattoos and raven hair and take a breath. Too bad he is a pirate and an unsavory soul.

I look away, not wanting to draw attention to myself by staring.

That’s the last thing I need.

I need to get off this damn ship. I close my eyes again and focus on calming my breathing.

I’m not sure how long I stand here staring out into the sea before I feel a presence beside me. I don’t look because I know who it is.

Bleeding hearts.

I see his large, tanned hands grip the rail like me as I continue staring forward. Why is the man seeking me out? I can tell he is looking at me. My skin is tingling, and I feel almost naked, exposed.

I grit my teeth and look to my right as our gaze’s clash, the black stare piercing me. I wish I could see his face. It’s very frustrating.

He steps closer to me, making my body tense.

I think I’m glaring at him.

Siron tilts his head and pulls out his notepad. He writes while looking up at me then hands me the note. ~Miss me? ~it reads.

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