I got the impression that he knew which one he wanted, but he was keeping the captain away from me on purpose.
Curiosity reached level red.
I didn’t have much time to think on it, though. Not long after Brando cast his line, he snagged a yellowfin tuna, and a fight of epic proportions was underway. It’s one thing to know something, another to see it—Brando’s muscles strained with the battle, and I was impressed when he singlehandedly pulled up a massive fish that had to be at least seventy pounds.
Aunt Lola’s delighted finger had nothing on mine.
“Ah! Always has been a lucky son of a sea maiden!” Captain said, shaking his head. “Nothing has changed!”
Uncle Tito and Aunt Lola, who were so relaxed that it was almost comical, cheered, both beaming with pride at their nephew.
Agwe congratulated him on his catch and offered to clean it so we could have grilled tuna for lunch. I wondered if I’d get a piece. He might not want to feed me.
I looked in the direction of the mountain when he began to gut the monster fish. The innards made me woozy, the smell of fish blood strong, even with the constant breeze. The noise, that tearing of meat from skin, made me cringe. The fight to keep the awfulpop!out of the forefront of my thoughts was hard when he tore the fish to shreds.
Brando noticed. He looked down at me, blocking the sun. I smiled to reassure him and then lifted my left hand, fist balled. He lifted his and we pounded—the clank of our rings missing. The loss of the sound almost made me cry, but I pushed the feeling down.
I cleared my throat. “Good catch, Fausti.”
“I always catch the good ones,” he said, teasing.
I narrowed my eyes at him.
“What?” He sat down next to me, accepting another beer from Captain O’Malley with a nod. He took a pull.
His skin was wet with exertion, his face exhilarated with winning the battle. He had caught our lunch and was about to feed us. And the only reason I thought he surrendered his catch to Agwe to clean was because he didn’t want to bloody Captain’s yacht.
“The goodones?”
“I caught the bestone,” he amended, kissing my lips in a cool caress.
Agwe snorted. He was up to his elbows in fish guts and scales. Even so, I couldn't escape his narrow eye.
Brando stared at Agwe while he stared at me. “Your man,” Brando said to Captain. “He thinks he knows my wife.”
Uncle Tito and Aunt Lola turned. She had beenclickingas Agwe prepared our lunch.
Captain shifted a bit, looking between Agwe and Brando. I hoped Brando wasn't looking for trouble. We were miles from shore, nothing but water surrounding us.
“Nah, he means no disrespect,” the captain said, picking up on Brando’s tone. “But he feels he knows her type. He didn’t want your wife to come aboard. Superstitious is Agwe, aye? Thinks your beautiful wife is, ah, a nymph. Says if she moves, all of the men aboard will be enchanted to their deaths.”
“Huh.” Brando sat back more comfortably, not a bit appalled. More like intrigued. “Why can't they all feel that way?” he said almost to himself.
Agwe jutted his chin at me. “She sink our boat and then suck it down below de surface, hair afire and emerald eyes glowing, laughter that sounds like de crack of lightning, man. She be de last ting we hear too.” Then he turned back to gutting the fish.
Me? A nymph? I laughed but stopped when he looked at me. I felt what he had been hiding—fear.
“I’m not,” I said, almost defensive. “I bleed.” He had no idea how much I had.
He said something in a language that I didn't understand. Captain O’Malley translated.
“Agwe says even an enchantress has blood.”
“Oh, but I needed a transfusion,” I said.Shut up, Scarlett! Just let the man think what he wants!
Agwe laughed, but it was almost a sneer on him. His top lip curled up to reveal straight white teeth close to the color of the inside of a pearl. “It not de blood that makes you magic, it be what's in it. He—” he nodded toward Brando “—can survive you. Someting ’bout him not right too.”
“Good enough for me,” Brando said, taking a long pull of his beer, almost in ecstasy. “Too bad we can't tattoo his logic on your legs, Ballerina Girl.”
