Page 135 of Cruel Tides

As soon as I finished sweeping and hosing down the pier, the front door swung open.

“Ren! Where have you been?”Laverne hopped out, slapping down on the wet walkway.“Kai-Kai asked me to find you.”

Crouching down, I flipped an overturned rock, returning it to its rightful spot along the path leading to my front door. “Been around,” I mumbled as Laverne slid over to me. I winced when her tail hit the rocks, knocking more out of place.

“You’d better get in there. I think they want to talk to you.”

I was aware. I had a habit of tuning into the thoughts and emotions in a room before deciding whether to go in it. It was how I knew Laverne consideredSprautthe most adorably intriguing creature she’d encountered on land. And it was how I knew Kai was getting more anxious every minute Claira remained closed off in my bedroom.

Additionally, I knew exactly what Leander was going to ask of me, which was the reason I couldn’t go back inside.

“Come on, Ren.”Laverne nudged my hand.“You can’t mope out here forever. So what if that harlot went swimming with another merman? It wasn’t your fault she acted out and got everyone upset.”

My jaw clenched. “Claira didn’t act out.”

Laverne’s eyes rolled as she threw back her neck, exasperated.“I don’t understand why you’re all so obsessed with her. What has she even done for you? I’m the one who brings you fish, Ren! Remember?”

“You do bring me fish,” I said, chuckling to myself as I stood up. I gave her head a firm pat. “Thank you, Laverne.”

Claira had done a lot for each of us, but I knew Laverne wouldn’t understand it. One day she would. When she recognized her soulmate. Until then, I had to hope she would soon stop giving Claira such a hard time on her own.

“Let’s go in,” I said, brushing off my knees. I’d hoped to wait until everyone was asleep. But that would only prolong the inevitable. And I needed to wash my hands after the work I’d done outside.

I was barely able to step through the door before Leander was in front of me, straightening up to try to get into my face.

“Where the fuck have you been?” He clasped me by my shoulders, rage simmering just below the surface of his eyes.

“We tried, man. She still won’t tell us what happened,” Kai said, his voice thick with emotion. “I don’t think she trusts us…”

Leander dug into my shoulders with a desperate grip as he threw the words behind him. “Barren knows. He fucking knows, and he won’t tell us.”

I shook my head, but Leander’s eyes narrowed.

“Don’t fuck with us. I know you know. Youhave toknow.”

“No,” I said with a grunt. “I can’t do it.”

His grip intensified as he snarled the question, “You can’t, or you won’t?”

The pain was minimal, but my shoulders involuntarily stiffened. “Won’t.”

“This was your kingdom’s whaleshit!” Leander released my shoulders with an unsuccessful shove. “If we were ever friends, Barren, you will go in there and read her mind. Find out who fucking did this. Who made her so scared she couldn’t even tell her fuckingmateswhat happened to her. The mates that aresupposed toprotect her.”

His hands clenched into tightly wound fists, his knuckles turning white with the force of his grip. I didn’t need to read his thoughts to know his attention was fixated on my jaw. But before he could swing, Kai wrapped around him, holding him back.

“Whoa—deep breaths. Barren isn’t the problem here.” Although Kai tried to hide it, I could detect a hint of apprehension when he looked up at me. “He cares about Claira as much as we do, and if he won’t do it, he must have a reason.”

This was exactly what I knew would happen.Alhey. Turning, I went to the sink and could hear Leander’s teeth grinding together with a fierce growl behind me.

“Shhhh. Dude, calm down,” Kai whispered. Leander’s breaths were loud and exaggerated as I washed my hands.

Then Leander let out one last deep breath, and his shoulders relaxed. “Fine. If you won’t read her mind, then try fucking talking to her,” he pressed. “Do something, because from here it looks like you don’t give a damn about her at all.”

My jaw was so tight, my teeth were on the verge of shattering. “Mmh.”

I cared. I cared about her enough to keep my distance.

“Don’t give me that, Barren. Fucking go!”

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