Her hands went to her hips. “You’re saying it was an act of faith in me, choosing the treasure over me?”
I shook my head, laughing softly. “Sofie. Look where we stand. Look at the royal fleet behind us. I would not be here if I did not choose you above all else.”
“Then I suppose this is the part where we both forgive each other.”
“No, pet. This is the part where we stop being complete idiots. When all this is over, we might even agree to revisit our vows.” My throat bobbed as I swallowed. “We could make them true, this time.”
“You want to be married for real?” Her eyes grew round. “I’m not sure a true relationship is meant to start as ours did.”
“What, with a raid and trickery? I see you are still poorly versed in pirate culture. This sounds like the perfect start of a romance to me.”
“Don’t joke, Jax.”
“I’d never.” I held up a hand. “There’s nothing to jest about. Despite the circumstances of our meeting, despite those of our parting, I love you, Sofie Dar’Vester, and no other. You’ve changed my life forever. The least you can do is fall for my charm and rugged good looks.”
She leaned forward on her perch, and I unwittingly took a step closer, one of her knees grazing my abdomen near where she’d re-stitched me. “Falling in love with you was easy. But we’re from different worlds. How is that love supposed to grow into something that lasts, hm?”
Despite her words, her hand reached out, a finger curling under my beard. We were so close now. Close enough to be aware of her breathing, to count the red lashes framing her lovely eyes.
Close enough to kiss.
“Love me for my money,” I said, my voice low as I leaned a fraction closer.
Her mouth quirked.
“No? For my power, then.”
She arched a brow.
“Ah. Then you’ll simply have to love me for all the adventures we’ll share together, and for my unyielding devotion to you.”
The tether of tension between us lifted as her eyebrows buckled into a furrow. “I’m not becoming a pirate.”
“And I’ve no interest in attending Dewspell. Trifling details.”
“Importantdetails,“ she corrected, withdrawing her hand.
I seized it, turned it, and pressed a kiss into her palm.
“When I learned that the sorceress who cursed the princess of Endergeist was on a ship near part of my own fleet, I thought the gods themselves must’ve put you in my path to save me.” I kissed her wrist, held her hand to my cheek. “And save me you have. I’ll give up my title and fleet tomorrow if it means a life with you, Sofie. Just promise me it won’t be a boring one.”
“I don’t think anything could ever be boring with you around,” she said, her eyes locked on mine.
And then our faces were moving closer again, her chin lifting to raise her lips towards mine. I stepped closer, setting my hand on the rope running through the log she sat upon—
And felt a stinging in my fingertip.
My vision blurred, robbing me of the sight of my wife looking up at me with such fierce love and passion in her eyes.
The last thing I heard before I collapsed, slipping beneath the rope and down into the gray waters of the salty bay, was Sofie calling my name.
Then everything went dark.
Chapter twenty-nine
Sofie
ThedayIlostJax was yesterday and weeks ago all at once.
