Page 106 of Onyx Realm

My blood ran cold. “You’re sure it was meant for you?”

“Pretty sure.” She kicked at the sand, sending a spray of grains into the surf. “She was acting strange from the moment she showed up, claiming she’d cleared it with you to take me out.”

Holding out my hand, I took the bottle from her and took a long swig. Fuck. This was bad.

We walked and drank in silence. The crashing waves drowned out my thoughts as the alcohol began to numb my senses. Serena paused, staring out at the horizon where the sun was beginning to dip low.

“What did Atlas say back there?” she asked suddenly. “I know you were arguing about me.”

I hesitated, weighing whether to tell her the truth or cushion it. But after everything she’d been through, she deserved honesty.

“He thinks you might be involved with whoever’s been threatening my family.”

She laughed, a harsh, bitter sound that carried no humor. “Of course he does. Because I’m an expert on mobs, what with all the exposure I’ve had growing up.”

The sarcasm in her voice was thick, but it couldn’t disguise the slur from the booze.

“I don’t believe it,” I said firmly. “Not for a second.”

“Good.” She took the bottle back, her fingers brushing mine. After taking a long pull, she dropped to the sand, sitting with her legs crossed.

I joined her after a moment, keeping my distance, and hating that I had to. “You’re very calm after what happened.”

“Believe it or not, it’s not the first time I’ve been held captive by bad men—and I’m not talking about you.” She passed the bottle back. “It happened when I was fifteen.”

“What?” I rasped, unable to believe what I was hearing.

“Yep.” Serena held out her hand for the bottle again. Realizing I hadn’t taken my turn, I took a long pull first.

A curious little wave raced up the sand to see what the fun was all about. Serena leaned forward, brushing her fingers against it in greeting. Startled, the wave immediately retreated into the sea.

Fuck...I was drunk.

“I was allowed to spend the summers in Italy, so long as I stayed on the family estate. I slipped into town one night when the nanny was in bed with cold medicine. A rough crew passing through took me, and well, nearly stole my innocence,” Serena explained in a voice that was far away.

A murderous rage, the likes of which I’d never felt, consumed me. I shot to my feet, ready for action—only to feel the earth sway under me. “Give me their names.”

Serena waved her hands dismissively. “That was a decade ago. And I don’t know who the men were. But that’s why it didn’t bother me to kill that man today—vengeance on my past. I nevertold my family, either. They would have locked me up for my safety, and they already kept too close an eye on me. I needed to keep what freedom I had, so I bottled up the incident. You’re the only one I’ve told.”

The waves crashed into shore, echoing the terrible beat of my heart. She’d been through so much in her short life. But she was here now, and she was safe. I would forever make sure of that.

“Thank you for your confidence.”

She nodded. “It turned out all right. They never touched me, and they let me go the moment they realized who my family was,” Serena added, and then took a sip.

“Who’s your family?” I jumped on the opening in the conversation. If I could discover that detail, if I could put to rest the rumor that she was a threat, it would forever protect her from the rest of the Twelve. But I was fast losing control of my thoughts and ability to interrogate. Emotion was the only thing remaining.

“I can’t tell you, pirate. You’ll hurt them.”

“I swear, I won’t.” I would never.

“Why?” she whispered.

Why? That was a good question. But the answer presented itself without my control. “Because. It will hurt you.”

Serena sighed and crawled over to me. Laying her head on my lap, she looked out to sea. “That’s why it’s so funny that you think Baldwin is my lover.”

I bristled. That was a name I was supposed to hate. But for the life of me, I couldn’t remember who he was.

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