Page 47 of A Sea of Secrets
“Aw,” Lou said with a pout. “Can’t we stay just a little longer?”
Kendra took Lou’s hand, leading her into the maze. “Not happening. Come on, my love.”
“Guess we should go, too.” Fallon reached up on her toes, kissing me gently. “See you back at the academy.”
With that, she took off into another of the maze’s entries.
“Gods damn, she’s got a great ass,” Kayden said, staring at Fallon disappearing behind the hedges.
“Last one back to the academy isn’t allowed to touch it for a week!” Zane shouted, shoving Ace and running into the maze.
Ace quickly regained his balance, tearing off after Zane, shouting profanities at the merman before storming back out and heading into the maze the way Fallon had gone.
Kayden chuckled beside me. “This is our life now.”
“Wonderful.”
“Sarcastic little chameleon.” Kayden grinned, slapping me on the back. “Let’s go, Little Dick.”
“Time to get out of here,” I told myself, smiling as I headed into the maze. “Time to end this.”
Gods,I’dmissedthewarmth of my bed—or rather, the warmth of the person snuggled up inside it with his arm wrapped around my waist. I stretched, then allowed myself to revel in the calmness of this moment.
I was safe. The guys, Kendra, Lou, and Dick? We were all safe and back at the academy. Thank the gods. That was the worst trial by far, but at least it was the last. It had ended a little abruptly, but hell, I wasn’t complaining. We’d probably need to keep our wits about us just in case the Masters threw any more bullshit our way, but for now I was more than happy to enjoy some peace.
Shit.That was the last freaking trial, which meant sometime soon one of us 17 remaining Potentials would be crowned. We were so close now I could almost taste it. With that happy thought in mind, I turned to look at the guy beside me.
Zane was fast asleep, his chest rising and falling in soft, relaxed movements. His eyelids fluttered as he slept, no doubt dreaming of adventures with his dolphins, Pip and Delilah. I smiled before pressing a gentle kiss to his brow, then shimmied my way out from under his tanned bicep.
Kendra’s bed was untouched, and given she clung to her sleep like a bear during hibernation, that probably meant she was tucked up in Lou’s room.
I sighed, raking my fingers through my hair before toddling to the bathroom. I stood in front of the mirror and saw the girl looking back had seen better days. Dark rings circled my eyes, and my skin and hair were dull. What a mess.
A yawn escaped me and my jaw cracked. I shrugged out of my pyjamas before stepping into the shower and turning the tap. Blissful hot water cascaded over me once I stepped under, and I closed my eyes and let it wash away the bad juju that had settled over me from my dreams.
I’d woken more than once from flashes of a dark room full of Potentials beating, smashing, and tearing at each other. Gods, I’d almost come close to becoming that deranged, too. It wasn’t just the horrors of the trials though. Now that we were back at the academy, thoughts of my sister came rushing back in.
Arms suddenly wrapped around my waist followed by warm lips pressing to my neck and up along my jaw. I arched my neck to allow him better access. I hadn’t even heard him come in.
“Morning, sunshine,” I said softly.
“Morning, Starfish.”
He grabbed the soap, and then silently scrubbed my skin in soft, circular movements. I groaned as he worked over my back, his fingertips instantly easing the remaining stiffness of my muscles. Zane turned me around and looked at me with such care, suchadoration, in his eyes.
“I’ve got you,” he said, echoing the same words he’d uttered to me when near breaking point before.
A single tear slipped from my eye, but I smiled through the ache I felt. “I know.” And I did. I truly did. For once I was okay with letting someone else take care of me. For letting my walls down entirely, for this man.
He put his hand on my cheek and pulled me in, his lips pressing against my own. Not an urgent or passionate kiss, but one filled with all the promises of tomorrow. I leaned into it, relishing in the feel of his tongue against my own and the way he twined his fingers through my hair.
Heat travelled down between my thighs, but to my surprise, he pulled me in close and held me. Just… held me tightly, almost protectively.
I soaked up the embrace. It wasn’t until I was fully enclosed in his arms that the tears streamed out. I hadn’t realised just how badly I needed the release. How exhausted I was both mentally and physically, and how heartbroken I still felt for the loss of Victoria.
When he finally let me go, I was little more than a puddle. But I felt better for it. Stronger. I also felt ready to move on to other, more appetising things, but he grinned knowingly and jumped out of the shower.
“Where are you going?” I pouted, tugging on his arm and feeling every bit the whiny brat as he started drying off. Given the hardness of his cock, I had to ask, “More to the point,whyare you going?”
