Page 95 of Treasure of the Abyss

“She…is my home,” Jax finally replied, closing his eyes. “I would never wander again, so long as she were safe. Anything I have, anything I can give, I would give to protect her, to see her smile. But she is not safe in the Facility, amongst our people. And she is not happy living in acage.”

“And your answer is to stay away as much as you can?” Though there was no malice in Arkon’s voice, the words cutdeep.

Taking a deep, steadying breath, Jax turned to Arkon. Their friendship had never been one of secrets or mistrust. “I have been away because I have been gathering supplies and searching for suitabledens.”

Arkon’s expression slackened. “You mean to take heraway.”

“Ido.”

“You’re the foolish one,Jax.”

Anger swept through Jax’s chest like fire, but Arkon spoke again before he could open hismouth.

“You should have told me. Anything I can do to aid you, simply ask. Along the same lines, why haven’t you toldher? Do you know how much that would have eased herworries?”

Just as quickly, Jax’s anger was snuffed out, replaced by a deep, gnawing guilt. Arkon had always been the clever one; Jax was a hunter, an explorer, and secrets and subtleties were unnatural tohim.

Jax bent down and lifted the container full of greens. “I will tell her upon our return. She needs to know…the only one at fault has beenme.”

“It will do you bothwell.”

Macy was notin the main room of their den when Jax returned, but he could hear the shower running. He placed the containers on the floor near the table for her to sort throughlater.

His hearts pounded as he approached the lavatory. The door was open, and steam hung near the ceiling, making the air warm and thick. He should have realized the things Arkon told him long before, should have noticed the effect he was having upon her, should have shared his plans with herweeksago. He’d only refrained because he didn’t want to give her falsehope.

There had to be someplace farther than the other kraken’s willingness to follow, a place beyond the reach of humans, where Jax and Macy could make a den. He just needed time to findit.

Her body was a dark shape through the foggy, curved glass of the shower stall. She had her fingers in her hair when she turnedaround.

“Jax?” Macy asked, rubbing away a patch of condensation to peer through at him. She smiled when she met hiseyes.

“Perhaps you could wipe the rest clear,” he said with a smile of hisown.

Macy laughed. Instead of wiping away the rest, she ran a finger through the condensation, making two large circles below her face. He didn’t realize what they were meant to be until she made a smaller circle at the center ofeach.

Jax grinned. Despite everything, she still found it in herself to joke, to laugh, to play little games that made them both smile. Her personality brought him as much joy as their physical connection — evenmore.

“I missed you,” she said, turning the wateroff.

“And Iyou.”

She cracked the door and reached out to grab the towel hanging on the wall nearby, providing him a glimpse of her bare shoulder. She wrapped the towel around her body, slipped one leg through the shower opening, and angled her foot to flex her shapelycalf.

Though the conversation he needed to have with her weighed heavily upon Jax, he didn’t think he could resist her teasing forlong.

“I have a surprise for you,” shesaid.

His curiosity had always been easily provoked, but her words were particularly tantalizing — what could shemean?

“And?”

She opened the door fully and stepped out of the shower, her fingers gliding over his chest as she neared him. Her touch sent tingles across Jax’s skin and heated hisblood.

Macy leaned forward and kissed him. He opened his mouth to her, kissing her back in a slow, sensual caress of lips and tongues. She bit hislip.

Jax started, eyes flashing open. Had a female kraken done that, his lip would have been torn to shreds, but Macy’s bite only excited him further. He growled and reached forher.

She laughed and retreated out of his reach. “You have to findit.”

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