Page 15 of The Sea Witch's Son

And those eyes. I have never seen such a vibrant shade of violet before.

Finley was a handsome boy, but Marlin… he’s a man. A man blessed with a beauty cruel in its perfection and a body built to match.

“I wasn’t disappointed.” I swallow, trying to tear my eyes away from his face, “I was surprised. Finley was a gentleman.”

“I’m curious.” He slithers closer, the height difference forcing me to crane my neck back, “What makes a man a gentleman?”

Those violet eyes trail down my body, burning through the layers of clothing and leaving them in a pile of ash at my feet. I’m an insect under a microscope, hopelessly waiting for the scientist to peel back the layers and study the flesh and blood underneath.

Which he does. Painfully slowly.

Starting at my neck and working his way down to my legs, Marlin takes his time dissecting me. His eyes linger at the slope of my collarbone, the curve of my breasts and waist, the length of my legs.

By the time he makes it back to my face, my body is on fire and my breathing is far from regular. Awareness throbs from every corner of my being, the unsteady beat of my heart serving as a warning.

This man is dangerous.

And really fucking hot.

“He helped me.” The words are thick balls of cotton, barely making it past my throat, “Finley saved me from a potentially bad situation.”

“Hesavedyou, did he?” Marlin licks his lips slowly, drawing my attention to the sharp cut of his jawline, “Sounds like a hero."

“I didn’t say he was a hero.”

“I should hope not. That would mean you’ve already forgotten the most important rule in Wolf Hollow.” He chuckles softly, looking down to roll up his sleeves, “There are no heroes here.”

A glimpse of dark ink on pale skin captures my attention. Half-hidden under Marlin’s sleeve is a tattoo. A swirling mass of ink that consumes his flesh in what looks to be a sailboat crashing down into the sea.

Cold fingers graze my jaw, tilting my head back to look at him.

“This place is full ofbadpeople, little saint. Cruel, selfish men who would love to hear you scream until that pretty voice of yours is all gone.” His grip tightens when I try and pull away, “But you already know that, don’t you?”

His knuckles graze the edge of my sweater and I suck in a breath. Marlin smiles, watching my reaction when his fingers dip beneath the material.

“I didn’t say you can touch me.”

The words come out garbled from the cage locked around my mouth.

“You didn’t say I couldn’t either.”

His smile widens when I flinch against his touch. He strokes me again, his fingers making a lazy yet purposeful trail across my skin.

“Tell me to stop.” Leaning down, he purrs into my ear, “Tell me to take my greedy hands off your precious body.”

I jerk against his grip, but the hold doesn’t loosen. A growl escapes my throat, the rising frustration taking away the fear.

“Take your disgusting paws off me.”

A low rumble fills my ear, the sound of his laughter making my stomach clench for an entirely different reason.

“Ask menicely.”

I glare back at him, my jaw starting to ache from his grip.

“Take your hands off me.”

“Please, little saint. You forgot to say please.”

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