Page 85
Eventually Syrus tilted his head to catch Luke’s gaze. He was sleepy-eyed, a look of lax satisfaction on his face, but there was a certain hesitation there. “I meant it, Luke. Tonight. I must have this bond settled. I need it. Never again can I let you be so vulnerable.”
“I’ll call my sister,” Luke told him quietly. “She or Violet can watch Colby.”
Either way, he’d have one of them come to the house. He needed Colby in the safety of his own home. Truthfully, he wasn’t in any hurry to leave Colby at all, but there was a tension in Syrus, even after what they’d just shared. Like Luke wasn’t the only one who’d been terrified out of his mind by what had happened today. And if this was what Syrus needed—tonight, no delay—Luke would give it to him.
“You don’t have more questions?” Syrus asked suspiciously.
Luke laughed. “Oh, I have questions.” He carded his fingers through Syrus’s long hair. “I still don’t know exactly how old you are. I don’t know if you’ve taken sailors or just heard of it from your people’s stories.” He gripped Syrus’s strands and tugged. “And I don’t care. I really don’t. Keep your secrets if you want. Tell me in fifty or a hundred years. I just want you with me. With us.”
Syrus broke Luke’s hold, rose, and kissed him. Luke drank it in, their tongues dancing languidly. He’d meant every word he’d said. Whether it was something inherent in merpeople or something inherent in Syrus himself, it seemed a certain amount of mystery was a part of life with Syrus. And since the only life Luke wanted was one with Syrus in it, he’d make his peace with occasionally only knowing half the story. It didn’t matter. Not the way Syrus mattered to him.
Luke had made his choice, and he would stand by it with everything he had.
29
SYRUS
Syrus stood at the front door and waited as Luke hesitated, then turned once more to the black-clad youth waiting impatiently for their departure.
“If he wakes up,” Luke said, his tone borderline imploring. “If he’s fussy at all—just call, okay? I’ll answer.”
A lie, since Luke would not be anywhere near his phone. Violet seemed to understand that just fine, because she shot Syrus a knowing glance before raising her brows at Luke. “Sure thing, Uncle Luke.”
Luke nodded, made as if to speak again, then changed his mind and started to follow Syrus, only to whirl back and face his niece. “Tell me truthfully. Between the early hours at the bakery and all the…other stuff… Are you in danger of failing out of school?”
Violet’s brows rose even higher. “I’m en route to be valedictorian.” She cocked her head and tutted at Luke. “You’re not a very attentive uncle, are you?”
Luke grimaced and ran a hand through his hair. “Your mom should really brag about you more often.”
Violet shrugged a careless shoulder. “She’s still bent out of shape I dropped ceramics.”
“Why did you?” Luke asked.
Syrus bit back a sigh as he fought the urge to tug Luke out of the doorway and into the car himself. But he supposed the “not very attentive” comment had gotten under Luke’s skin and now he needed to prove himself. Syrus would be patient.
At least for another two minutes.
“The teacher found my artistic lens too disturbing,” Violet told them without inflection.
“And…was it?”
Violet only smiled.
Well, that was quite enough of that. Syrus cleared his throat and recaptured Luke’s wandering attention. “Come, dearest. I sang Colby a lullaby. He’ll sleep deeply and well. I swear to you.”
Luke stared at him for a moment, then let out a breath. “Right. Okay.” Finally, he took Syrus’s hand and allowed himself to be led out of the house.
“Enjoy your mysterious outing!” Violet called after them. “Try not to get arrested for public nudity.”
Syrus frowned as he tucked Luke into the driver’s seat. Was that a real reason for imprisonment here on land? How foolish.
His poor Luke was nervous on the drive to the beach. Not that he told Syrus as such, but his bouncing knee was proof enough. This would be the time where, if Syrus were a kind, mortal man, he would tell Luke that the bonding could wait. He would soothe his fears and reassure him that they had time, that Luke could in fact take as long as he needed, that he could come to terms with all that had happened.
But today Syrus had been too close to losing…everything. He couldn’t let it happen again. He wouldn’t. And while he might hold himself accountable for the danger his family had been placed in—might hold that wound deep in his soul for many years to come—Luke had chosen to forgive him. He’d made that choice with eyes wide open, and Syrus’s sweet mate would have to live with the consequences of that, wouldn’t he?
Starting tonight.
They arrived at the parking lot, predictably empty at this late hour. The night was very dark around them, the clouds covering any hint of moon in the sky. Syrus kept hold of Luke’s hand, guiding him in the darkness on the narrow, rocky path.
