Page 76 of Cruel Tides

That got me, and I nearly stumbled a step.

“The one I got you. If you still have it,” he added.

It took a second for me to compose myself before turning around and throwing back, “Why, are you taking me swimming?” I crossed my arms, teasing, “I thought you said your island palace had nude beaches.”

For a moment we just stared at each other, eyes locked, when the front door slammed open and Laverne came right through it, a fish wiggling in her mouth.

“Ren!”she said, shuffling right over to Barren.“I brought you a fish!”

Barren took it gratefully, holding the writhing thing in his hand like he wasn’t sure what to do with it next. “Thank you,” he said stiffly. Laverne’s head teetered back and forth, pleased.

So much for our brief moment alone.

Laughing at the sight, I turned around, heading for my bedroom. “Well, I better get packing.” At least I’d be able to wear my own clothes for however long we’d be gone.

Plus, the swimsuit Barren had bought me. I couldn’t forget that.

18

Claira

“Thanks for taking me to the airport, Gram,” I said, sinking back into the passenger seat of her Buick. The windows were halfway down, letting in a chilly breeze that ruffled my hair and brought the unfamiliar smells of the city with it. Behind us, my suitcase and carry-on balanced atop her golf clubs and caddy.

Although the ride was cramped and Gram had been pushing the speed limit by a good fifteen miles per hour, I was grateful that the guys had agreed to let her drive me.

Okay—maybe ‘agreed to’ was a stretch. Gram hadn’t given them much say in the matter. So when Barren asked later if he could send a car full of his kingdom’s agents to follow us and make sure we arrived at the airport safely, I couldn’t find it in my heart to say no.

It wasn’t that I’d have minded taking the rental car Barren had called back to the house, but I was enjoying this time alone with Gram. As soon as she’d heard which airport we were headed for, she’d used the trip as an excellent excuse to visit her cousin nearby.

“Of course, dear,” Gram said, leaning into the dashboard as she deftly weaved through the thick traffic. Her nose was perilously close to the wheel, and I couldn’t help but wonder if it would survive the ride unscathed.

“I never make trips out this way as much as I mean to. Though it’s a shame John couldn’t come along,” she said, stealing a glance at the rearview mirror. My heart raced as she pressed down on the accelerator to whip around a car that wasn’t quite up to her speed. “But you know how he is. Can’t stand the hustle and bustle of the big city.”

Despite my white-knuckled grip on my armrest, I managed a strangled laugh. Gram wasn’t the worst driver, but she was fearless, and I could never quite guess what maneuver she would pull next.

I chanced a look back at the endless stream of cars behind us. The closer we got to the airport, the more people seemed to be headed in the same direction. “I don’t blame him. The traffic here is insane.” Plus, Dad coming along with us would have meant he’d miss even more time out on the boat, and I didn’t want that. “It’s not like we have enough room in here for all the tissues Dad would have needed, anyway.”

That got a good laugh out of Gram.

“And the flight was last minute,” I added, trying to sound nonchalant. If Dad were here, he would have sensed how nervous I was, and that would have made him nervous, too. This was a big step for me—leaving my hometown and venturing to an unknown island…somewhere. Damn, I really needed to figure out where we were going.

I gestured to her golf clubs in the backseat. “And this way, you get to see Auntie Glenda. But isn’t it a little cold for golf?”

“It’s never too cold for golf,” Gram said more adamantly than when she’d bullied three guys double and triple her size into letting her drive me to the airport. “Besides, your auntie and I have a tradition. We always play a round before we settle in for a visit. If we don’t, we end up arguing the entire time and forget to enjoy ourselves.” She sighed like she was reliving the memories. “Trust me, a little physical exercise is a great way to bond. Especially when you butt heads like two old billy goats otherwise.”

I snorted. If that were true, perhaps the guys ought to take up golfing together.

I hunkered back in my seat, crossing my arms over my chest as I pictured Kai and Leander struggling to make heads or tails of the array of clubs Gram kept in her bag. “Well, I can’t wait to hear who wins,” I said, then added, “Assuming they can find the scorecard on one of your frozen bodies.”

Gram threw her head back and laughed, the sound a comfort to my nerves. “Oh, don’t worry about us.” Although she kept her gaze on the road, her eyes sparkled with mischief. “Glenda tops off our golf flasks with Bourbon. We’ll be warm enough to play through a blizzard.”

I shook my head. Goodness, those two were a disaster together. A fun disaster, sure, but still a disaster. “Isn’t it illegal to drive a golf cart under the influence?” I asked, mostly teasing. It was a miracle they managed to hit the ball straight, given how much they drank.

“Only if they catch you,” Gram said, nodding sagely. Now that would be a police chase I’d pay money to see.

When we pulled up to the drop-off zone at the airport, Gram threw the car in park and turned to me, her lips pulling into a stern line. “You better behave yourself, you hear me? With whatever this nonsense is that you’ve gotten yourself into,” she said, wagging a finger.

“You better behave, too,” I said with a chuckle. “So Dad doesn’t have to drive up here with bail money.”

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