“She doesn’t. Just ask her.” That was a low blow, and he knew it.
I tried to rip my wrist away, but he held tight. “Would ye just hold me hand, for the gods’ sake?”
“Sure, I’ll hold your hand, like you hold Ava’s,” I sneered. Now that we were alone, I couldn’t help the accusation from slipping out.
Danny scoffed. “Someone's gotta do it, since your hands are too occupied with your own cock to make her feel better.”
“That’s just like you, isn’t it?” I spat. “Now that we aren’t together, you intend to keep her company.”
Danny’s tone bit with irritation. “Say what you want about me, but you should know Ava better than that. What she and I have is purely platonic, and we're not interested in each other like that.”
“Yeah, sure. Ava’s the most beautiful girl alive. Any man would trip over himself to be with her, and you’re looking to take your shot now that I’m out of the way. You don’t even bother to hide your flirting; you do it right out in the open, and in front of me. You have zero respect for our marriage.”
“Former marriage, mate, may I remind you, and I told ye it’s not like that. She needs comfort, and so do I, if ye haven’t noticed. If ye’d pay attention every once in a while, ye’d see I’m just as mentally fucked as she is. We support each other, because we’re too much alike.”
Danny paused, and I was certain he was grinning as he quipped, “Since Ava and I are so similar, you might consider asking me on a date. We already know crazy is your type. We’d have a wild time.”
“Fuck you.”
“And fuck you too, mate. If you got your shite together, you could get her back, but you're too busy acting like a big baby. Sorry that mommy’s no longer here to change your diapers, but it’s time to take the binky away and be a big boy.”
I nearly raised a fist to punch him in the face, thought better of it, then begrudgingly wrapped my arms around his shoulders, jumping onto his back. As long as they were just friends, I guess I shouldn’t care.
But I did. And I wish that I didn’t.
I was just as tall as Danny was, so it was more than awkward, though he didn’t struggle to carry my weight. “If you tell anyone about this, I’ll kill you,” I threatened. If a photograph of us got around the city, I’d be mortified.
“Aw. You better hold on tight, you cute little spider monkey,” Danny chortled.
“I fucking hate you,” I growled, but my words were shoved to the back of my throat as Danny jolted forward. I had to cling to him as tightly as I could, because the effect was like riding a rollercoaster. He rocketed toward our destination so fast it felt like I was riding in a car at top speed. My stomach tumbled, and my body braced itself as I was jolted from left to right. I might as well have been put inside a blender.
Once Danny came to a stop, I immediately let go. I staggered off, leaning over and trying not to gag. “Ugh. I can’t handle that again.”
I could hear the grin in his voice. “That’s a typical response after someone’s just got done riding me.”
“Keep implying things and digging yourself a bigger hole.”
“If it’s a bigger hole you want, boss, I can make it work.”
“Shut up.” I pushed the remnants of nausea down and rose up. “Is everyone here?”
“We’re fine,” Ava said as she used her tactical wheelchair to move through the sand. “Let’s open this shield.”
We gathered at the edge of the beach, close to the water. Ava’s clothes rustled as she reached out to place her hand on the shield. Seconds ticked by incredibly slowly, and though I expected to hear a shattering sound or some kind of tear, the only thing in the background was the sound of the waves.
“Nothing’s happening,” Marcus said quietly.
My heart dropped. Come on, pigeon. I pleaded with the gods for something to happen— anything— but it didn’t. The shield remained standing, and Ava’s hand slapped against her lap.
“I can’t do it.” Ava sounded close to tears. “It’s not going to work. Without my magic, there’s no way to open the portal up.”
I managed to choke words past the massive lump in my throat. “Try again. You have to?—”
“I can’t, Charlie. It won’t respond to me.” Her voice shook. “I’m powerless now. I put the shield up, but I can’t take it down or even make a tear. Not without what I lost.”
I hated that I did this to her. I’d die a million times over just to have the chance to take it all back.
“Well, we can’t be standing here with our dicks out and our pockets full of six Divinity Keys, waiting for Charlie’s daddy to come and give us a spanking. We gotta get through somehow,” Danny insisted.
