Page 28 of Through the Water

Those crutches were going to slow him down considerably.

Killian flashed me a confident smirk, one of his eyebrows cocking up in amusement. The older man at his side seemed less impressed as he dissected me with a thoughtful frown.

I was busy debating the pros and cons of attempting another growl while snapping my teeth when Killian’s gaze swept across my face. The scrutiny left me feeling out of sorts, like a specimen in a lab. I lowered my fists, tucking my trembling fingers into the fold of my dress, suddenly eager to be dismissed.

Had I been born anyone else, I imagined I would have found the quirk of his mouth mesmerizing, his words little more than playful teasing. If I hadn’t known any better, I would have given Killian second and third chances, hoping he’d prove himself to be different. I would have wasted precious time trying to understand what made him tick while he hid his true nature behind pretty smiles.

I was wrong before.

Killian wasn’t devastatingly handsome.

He was charming—which might have been worse. A bear in the woods was a blatant threat, but charming men weren’t bears. They were the foxes appearing in folklore—tricksters who cleverly camouflaged their true nature to outsmart prey.

By the time their victims sensed danger, it was too late.

Unfortunately for him, I’d had my fill of charming men and seeing my own terror-filled face reflected in the glow of their sharp-toothed grins.

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