Page 89 of Cruel Tides

Despite the danger, I chuckled, crossing the planks with sure steps. “I have excellent night vision.”

“I know.” The confidence in Barren’s deep voice gave my stomach flutters as I passed by him. He stayed behind to watch Kai and Leander, looking ready to grab one of them if they veered too close to the edge.

As I reached the spot where the boardwalk started branching off to different homes, I slowed my steps.

“The one with the shells,” Barren called.

I noticed the rooftop adorned with spirals of seashells right away.

Even in the dark, I could tell that the details of this particular bungalow were meticulous. Polished stones and planters created a beautiful walkway that led to the door, and I had no doubt that Barren had been the one to place every rock. “It’s beautiful,” I called back to him.

A small wooden sign carved with writing in a language I didn’t know hung delicately from the door, and something about the way the symbols curved, the intricate embellishments, seemed to invite me to enter.

“What does it say?” I asked, enchanted by everything about this place. The calm water, the smell of the wood. The endless sweep of the night sky dotted with starlight above us. I wasn’t sure what to think when Barren had taken us to his car and driven us to the edge of the island, but this had exceeded my wildest expectations.

After Barren unlocked the door, he tapped the corner of the sign with his key. “No solicitors.”

“… Oh.”

“Yes, how beautiful,”Laverne said, not sounding very impressed at all. She nosed the rocks away to make room to dip her snout into the water.“I’m going for a swim.”

“Wait, Laverne! We are guests,” Kai sputtered. He reached for her, but she slipped right through his fingers, sliding into the water with barely a splash.

“I’ll come knocking when I’m done!”was the last thing she projected before disappearing altogether.

“That’s no way to treat your friends!” Kai called across the water, but she was already gone.

Well, I was okay with it. With any luck, she’d return in a better mood.

Barren was the first to enter his home, and I found my anticipation rising when he turned on the lights.

“Dang,” Kai said with a whistle.

Polished wooden floor gleamed under the gentle illumination, reflecting the cleanliness of the spacious living area. Every surface, from the countertop in the kitchenette to the glass-topped dining table next to it, sparkled with a pristine sheen.

The second I stepped inside, my focus was solely on a short beige sofa that sat in front of large windows overlooking the lagoon. “Dang is right,” I said as my eyes scanned the back wall.

Then my mouth fell open. “I don’t believe it,” I whispered with a shake of my head. An electric drum kit sat in the back corner, complete with a stool and sound equipment. “You’re actually a drummer.”

“A hobby of mine.” Barren closed the door, and his lips almost formed a smirk as he made his way to the kitchen sink. When he started soaping up his keys to wash, Kai’s exasperated voice drew me to the back of the room.

“What is this thing?” he asked airily, standing next to what seemed to be workout equipment. His hands wrapped around the handle of a pulldown machine. Moving it this way and that, his eyebrows furrowed like he was desperate to figure out how it worked.

“For training, obviously,” Leander said, tossing Kai’s duffle bag down to join him next to the machine. He bent to pick up one of the free weights and said, “nope,” almost immediately when he tried to lift it. “Fuck, Barren. You really use these?”

“Only when I’m home long enough.” He dried his keys with a dish towel.

I gave him an inquisitive look. “You travel a lot, then?”

Although his face was passive, Barren’s tone was dark when he answered. “More than I’d like.”

It made sense. Even taking Barren’s penchant for cleanliness into consideration, this place didn’t seem very lived in. Nor did it look like it often saw company. The couch was barely big enough to comfortably seat two, and there was only one chair present at the dinner table.

Barren sat his keys up on a tiny silver hook next to the front door before blowing out a breath. “Let me show you where to put your luggage.”

“Oh, okay.” I followed him to the second of two doors connected to the living room.

Kai picked up his duffle bag, preparing to follow as well when Barren turned back. “Just her.”

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