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“I don’t care if I’m king,” says Castor. “I told him that.”
Annabelle puts her hand on his leg. And I smirk at her polite action of telling him to clam up.
“It’s not that,” she says, “and it’s also not that you think Castor coming into the pod will cause us or me harm.”
I glare at her because she’s wrong. Those are exactly the two reasons why. I told her as much. And I know Castor. He might say he doesn’t want to be king, but he does. And this isn’t something you can change your mind about. Once Glyden has our time as king, we won’t get it back for decades. He thinks he’s in love. But I don’t want to have to see him harden into regret. No, I’m protecting both of them.
“Look at him, Annabelle. He’s never going to understand. He’s never going to believe that I want you more than being king. He’s the fool.” Castor flips her to him. “I’m not lying when I say it. I don’t care. If you want me to leave everything and go live with you in Boston, be an exmanti, as the Skyrothasians call them, I will. I. Love. You.” He kisses her chin. “And he’s too thick-headed to believe anyone but himself.”
I watch him roll to the edge of the bed, on his way to the bathroom.
“I’ll be back in a minute. Can I get you anything, Annabelle? A hammer to clock him over the head with?”
She smiles at him. “No, I’m good. I’m going to clean up.”
Castor pauses, stretching at the end of the bed. “Smells like Holter’s making you some real food.”
“I’m hungry.” She licks her lips. “Make sure you come back.”
“I will, because I’m not done.”
“I’m not either.” She winks at him, and we both watch him leave the room. Her hands clench at the rumpled sheets between us. When she turns to me, her blue eyes are turquoise. “You’re going too far, Nico.”
“It’s what I do.”
She pushes on my shoulder, and I let her push me down onto the mattress. Her eyes are wild. “You are more than the old you.” She climbs onto me, straddling me. Her hair is wild. My hands go to her ass, holding her down on me. Fuck, I just had her, but I could have her again. Over and over. A mermaid’s hunger isn’t easy to fulfill, but I’m here to try for it. I’m here to keep her loved forever.
“The old me wouldn’t have let him into the pod room. The old me wouldn’t have let him anywhere near you if I thought a hair on your head would be out of place when he left. Tears... Fuck no, Little Krill. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
Her face twists up in anger. “So, only you are allowed to hurt me?” Her hand swings at my cheek, but I catch it with my fingers wringing her wrist.
“No.” I hold her wrists.
“No to me hitting you or to the hurt?”
“If you want to stick a knife in my neck, Little Krill, I’ll let you. I’m addicted to you. But I’m not going to let him hurt you.”
“Nico, that’s what love is. When you love, you risk getting hurt. There must be something wrong with me.” She smacks her head with her other hand.
“There’s nothing wrong with you.” My forehead furrows. Her arm is relaxed in my hand. I bring her wrist to my lips and kiss it.
I ignore the bathroom door closing with a click.
“Isn’t there? I love you. That clearly means there must be something wrong with me. No, that’s not fair. Nico, you’ve changed, you’ve really changed. I can see it. Hell, I’m sure everyone can see it. I wanted you to figure out why you didn’t want Castor in the pod on your own. But I don’t want to lose him. I know you need more time, but we don’t have it. I wish we did. I wish I could give you all the time you need to understand on your own. It’s just not possible.” She puts both of her hands on my chest, elbows locked. She whispers, “Castor has always been someone you looked up to. Someone you think is better than you.” She shakes her head like I let her down. “But he’s not. He’s different. As different as you and Holter, or you and Eros. You don’t need to compare yourself to him.”
I glare at her. I glance at the rest of the bedroom, the bathroom, and the kitchen beyond. Like I have the X-ray ability of a pervisculum and can see the rest of the house. She thinks I compare myself to Castor. A male who has had nothing but privilege his entire life. A male who was the second-best at goal-scoring behind me. He didn’t get better grades than me. He’s not the reason I’ve done anything in my life.
Annabelle’s chest rises and lowers. “You know what? Maybe you can trust me—know that I know things too. It’s fine...” She leans to roll off me, but I grab her arms, pinning them to the side of her body, holding her on me.
“I don’t?—”
She pats my chest with her loose hands. “Take a deeper look, Poseidon. You’re not dumb. You can pull this off.” She cocks her head to the bathroom door.
I release her, my fingers freeing her, and nod. I honestly don’t know what she’s talking about.
She crawls off the bed but then flings herself back on and kisses my belly. “I love you, but you’re impossible, Nico Portsmouth.” She saunters out of the room.
“I love you too,” I whisper and stare at the ceiling.
