Page 55 of Captured in Love
For once, the words fail me. I want to be angry at Isak for doing this to us, but the truth is, I get it. We’re competitors, and it’s only my fault that I stupidly thought there was something more between us. Or that whatever it was would be enough to sway him to our side. He’d said the Scottish witches had taken something from his clan, and it’s clearly important enough for him to risk his life in the Ballendial Games.Of coursehe wouldn’t give up his place in the competition over a couple of kisses with a woman he barely knows.
My cheeks flame with embarrassment, and I hide my face in my hands. I’m tired and thirsty and starving, but all I want to do is crawl in this crate and shut out the world.
A hand touches my shoulder, and I look up to find Levi crouched next to me.
“Hey,” he says. “You okay?”
I swallow past the lump in my throat, press my lips in a thin line, and nod.
He lifts one eyebrow, telling me without words that he knows I’m full of shit.
“I’ll be fine,” I say and drag in a huge breath. “Just get me something to eat.”
Levi’s green eyes turn so tender, the lump in my throat grows until I can barely hold back my tears.
“His loss, babe,” is all he says.
Raphaël helps me up and wraps his arm around my waist to support me. “You know, he could have sunk the boat easily. Instead, he just stranded us here.”
“Yeah, great.Sofucking nice of him.” Levi stands and turns toward the boat’s wheel. “We need to contact the coast guard and have someone tow us back.” He steps forward, then glances back at us. “You two get changed and get something to eat. I’ll deal with this.”
I let Raphaël lead me into the cramped cabin. First, I drink a bottle of water, hoping it will help with my headache. With Raphaël’s assistance, I finally shed the sticky wetsuit and head for the shower in the miniature bathroom. There’s barely room enough for one in there, so Raphaël waits outside while I rinse myself off with tepid water. When I return to the cabin, I find a small feast spread out on one of the two narrow beds.
“Wow, I had no idea you guys got so much food,” I say, sitting on the edge of the bed, wrapped in one of the towels we borrowed from our room at the guesthouse. “Did Levi get any yet?”
Raphaël runs his fingers through his damp black hair. “I took him enough to feed a small army,” he says with a smile. “He’ll likely be back for more later, but don’t let that hold you back. You need to eat. And don’t go anywhere.” He fixes me with a stern look.
That has me smiling. “Where would I go?”
Raphaël clicks his tongue. “You know what I mean. But we’re getting out of here soon. Levi contacted the coast guard, and they’ll be here in an hour or two.”
He disappears into the bathroom, and the door shuts behind him with a click. Another bottle of water lies on the bed next to the food, and I drink deeply, even though my empty stomach growls for food. Then I take a piece of dark rye bread, a slice of pungent cheese, and a carrot stick, and dive in. There’s a pot of pink, salty roe, some sort of coleslaw, and cheesy crackers, and I taste a bit of everything.
I’ve never had a picnic on a boat before, and it’s a very pleasant experience, especially compared to what happened earlier. The boat rocks lightly, Levi’s footsteps echo somewhere above, and there’s the sound of Raphaël taking a shower. I’m alone for the first time in what seems like ages—even though it’s barely been a day since I sat in my power circle in our room and charged up those protective crystals for Levi and Raphaël.
My body is only now coming to realize that I’m not in mortal danger anymore. Yes, we’re stranded in the middle of the sea, but despite the low clouds and the occasional gust of wind, the waves are gentle, and we’ll soon be rescued. A part of me wants to take the longest nap in the history of naps, but at the same time, my thoughts buzz with everything we’ve been through.
We nearly died.
Several times over.
Despite Levi’s thrill-seeking tendencies, our jobs rarely involved seriously dangerous missions. Maybe Levi protected me from the worst of it, or we’ve really been playing on a completely different level. Turns out, having my life threatened takes a toll on more than just my body. All at once, my eyes are swimming with tears, and I swallow a mouthful of bread before I choke on a sob.
Cursing silently, I pat around for a tissue—I don’t want Raphaël or Levi to return and find me in pieces. I take a corner of my towel and dab at my eyes, then blink furiously to keep myself from breaking down.
You’re okay. You’re safe.
The door to the bathroom opens, and Raphaël appears on the threshold, rubbing his hair dry with a towel. He’s completely naked, and it’s a magnificent sight, but he takes one look at me and darts forward at superhuman speed.
One moment, I’m perched on the bed, holding a half-eaten apple, and the next, I’m on the other bed, sitting on his lap as he crushes me to his chest.
I gasp, the sound loud in the quiet cabin.
“What’s wrong?” Raphaël demands. “Are you hurt?”
I shake my head, then press my cheek to his hard, naked chest. “Just the day catching up with me.”
He angles me away from him to look into my eyes. His irises are nearly black in this light, yet warm in a way I remember from when we were dating, long before I got involved with the Ballendial Games.
