His eyes track every inch of me, flick to Dove, then back again.His jaw flexes.His nostrils flare.Then his expression settles.A decision made.
He strides toward Dove, cups her shoulders, and turns her to face him.His head dips, his mouth close to her ear.She stiffens, spine ironed straight.
Whatever he’s telling her, she hates it.
Her eyes dart to me, accusing and wounded, before she whispers something back to him, a rebuke too soft for me to catch.Her hands curl against his ribs, not pushing, but not accepting, either.
They argue quietly.Harsh breaths.Narrowed eyes.Controlled frustration.He doesn’t raise his voice, and she doesn’t snap back.It’s mature and healthy, the way they challenge each other without spilling anything loud enough for the family to hear.
Then she exhales, shoulders sagging, and gives the smallest nod.I know her well enough to determine that she still disagrees but trusts him anyway.
Sliding a hand across his cheek, she runs her thumb along his jaw.He closes his eyes like she’s grounding him, sealing whatever deal he just whittled out between them.
She murmurs something, a final warning or plea, one last piece of her I’ll never be allowed to translate.
Then he squares his shoulders and pivots to face his family.
“I’m taking Jag back to Sitka, and Dove is staying here.”When they protest, he talks over them.“I’ll bring the guards and return before any of you start hyperventilating.”
My stomach hardens.
Whatever he intends to do with me, I know it’s going to push me to the brink of my control.
He murmurs something to Kodiak.Whatever it is, Kodiak turns away and lumbers toward the main house, his heavy steps swallowing the dock.
Wolf moves to the cleats and starts untying the mooring lines.That’s when Dove breaks into motion, hurrying across the gangway and coming straight for me.
Security tightens instantly, a wall of muscle and weapons closing the path, but she waves them off and pushes through, stepping right up to me.
She grabs my shirt in both fists and yanks me down until her mouth is at my ear.“Don’t you dare hurt him.”
“I won’t.”
“Promise me.”She leans back to see my face.
“I swear it.”I lift my hand between us, extending my pinky.
Her chin trembles as she stares at it.Then she loops our fingers together and kisses them with a reverence that kills me.
I kiss them next.The easiest promise I’ve ever made.
Without warning, she throws her arms around me and hauls me against her chest.
I fold into it, starved for her affection.My arms crush her tight, imprinting the shape of her into my bones.
Her hair brushes my jaw.Her heartbeat thuds against mine, and for a moment, I let myself feel the weight of what I’m losing, what I never had, and what I never deserved.
“Whatever’s going on with you…” She pulls away, letting her hands skim down my arms.“Don’t let this be the end of us.”
That’s a promise I can’t keep.
So I offer her the best smile I can manage—forced, thinly-shaped, and broken at the corners.
Behind her, Wolf steps onto the gangway.
With a sigh, she gives me a final, longing look and goes to him, walking right into his open arms.
He holds her, whispers private words, and leaves her with a claiming kiss.An oath, a line drawn, and a silent agreement, all shoved into that single collision of mouths.
