Page 139 of Anchor

That’s why he grinned. “Exactly.Different.”

Fuck. “You can’t steal my bracelet, Seth. And even if you somehow manage to get it off my wrist, you can’t use it.” He wasn’t Mud.

“I know that. That’s not what I’m here for, I promise.”

I raised a brow. “So, Radock didn’t send you here, but you came on your own?”

“No, no, he did. Radock sent me to make sure that you don’t die and that Taland doesn’t die, either.”

“Oh, so now he cares about my life all of a sudden!” I laughed bitterly. “Why—because he wants to finish me off himself?!”

I still remember the look in his eyes, after I told him everything he wanted to know. The whole fucking truth—and he just said,kill her.With such ease. Without batting a lash. Socoldthat even Kaid had been shocked.

“No, he doesn’t. I told you, everything is different now. He doesn’t want you dead anymore.”

“Because of my bracelet.”

Seth shook his head, his smile gone. “Because of your magic. Because of what it means for us. For Selem.”

So many things ran through my mind at once. I knew who this guy was, and I remembered how he’d beenhappyto get his turn at torturing me a few weeks ago, how he’d been about to kill me just now at the order of his brother. I remembered all of it, but I also knew one thing—on my own, the possibility that I could get Taland out from wherever he was right now was weak.Veryweak. I had no idea what awaited me there, and if Seth really would tag along, my chances were far greater.

“It meansnothingfor you because I am not Selem.” I wasn’t the IDD now, either. Not Madeline’s granddaughter, notnothing—I was just me. Just Rosabel.

“But Taland is,” said Seth, and that made my stomach twist violently.

Yes, Taland was part of Selem, and wherever he went, that’s where I’d be, but…

“Then we’ll let Taland decide what to do once he’s safe.” I looked Seth straight in the eye. “If he chooses to use this to help Selem, so be it. If not, we won’t.”

A pause.

“Wouldn’t have pegged you for the submissive type,” Seth finally said. “You look like someone who’d want to…take the lead,you know.”

I raised a brow. “I would with someone likeyou. But when a man knows what he’s doing and proves that I can trust his leadership, that he’ll keep me safe and look after me first no matter what, submitting’s easy.” I gave him a plastic smile, just because. “I have no problem with obeying then.”

“Oh, damn,” Seth said, bringing a fist to his lips, as if he’d heard the most interesting thing in all his life. “That’s…that’s…fuckinghot!” The guy was genuinely surprised.

“Then be a man and you’ll be just fine.” I turned the ignition on again and looked out the windshield, part of me still having trouble believing that I was actually doing this, that I wasn’t kicking Seth out of the car, but that I intended to drivewith himin the passenger seat.

Surreal.

“Wait, wait, what does that mean—be a man?That’s pretty vague. What does being a man mean? Because women nowadays are asking for too much,” he said.

This time I did laugh—how could I not? “No, Seth. Women are just asking to be treated like human beings, likeequals,to be loved and respected and protected, just like always. But don’t worry. Once you become a man, everything will come naturally to you.” And I winked.

All of this just to spite him and to mess with him, and I didn’t even know why.

“But how? How do I do that? Sounds so…complicated.” And he wasnotkidding.

“Well, I’m no pro, but maybe you can start bynottorturing a woman when she’s wounded, bleeding, chained to a fucking chair in your basement, Seth?” I batted my lashes at him innocently. “Maybe that’ll be a good start.”

The way he turned pale as he looked ahead but saw nothing, while the wheels in his head turned…

I honestly couldn’t believe this washim.

“Maybe, maybe—we’ll see,” he finally said, shaking his head as if he hoped to clear his thoughts that way. “Anyway—where are we stopping for breakfast?”

He must have thought himself a comedian. I reached for a bag of chips from the backseat that I’d gotten at the store and dropped it on his lap.

---