Burian’s mouth curled, but he ignored the prince, thrusting his thumb into my mouth. Sweat and oil mixed with the taste of my own blood, and I turned my cheek. The pirate chuckled.
“Don't stand up too fast. I think you'd break your nose on the wall before you broke your dick.”
“You seem a little too interested in my manhood, boy,” Burian growled, the corners of his mouth lifting in amusement at his own insult.
“That's what you call it? I thought it was a maggot.”
Burian’s smile tightened.
“How do you masturbate? Through the prongs of a fork? Look—you can barely even grip yourself.”
“I won't ask you again.”
“Or have you never done it before? It’s easy, I'll walk you through it.”
Burian turned slowly, spine curving as he glanced at Kye over his shoulder. “Shut your mouth or I'll shut it for you.”
“Kye,” I warned, fear fluttering in my stomach as I tried to assess this new line of questions from him.
“Look at her. Even as you sit at her entrance, she stares at me.”
Burian shoved to his feet, bracing his weight on my shoulders. I grunted as he slammed me against the wall, but he’d already turned on his heel.
“Is it your first time? Disappointing. Maybe you could find another pirate to offer some decent—”
Kye’s voice choked off as Burian’s fist slammed into his jaw. His head rocked back on his shoulders, but he swung to face forward again, teeth bright pink.
“Maybe it's never seen a girl before. Do you get stage fri—”
Burian punched him again.
I pushed myself upright, blind terror stabbing through my heart. It became a living, breathing thing. Clawing. Biting.
“No!Kye!”
“Open your mouth, boy, I’ll show you how big I am.”
“Oh, thank Aalto. It’s been too long since I last flossed my teeth.”
Another blow landed on the side of Kye’s head, knocking him against the wall. He rolled his skull and blinked up at Burian, a fresh cut dissecting his eyebrow. “What's wrong? The truth too hard to swallow?”
Burian grabbed Kye’s collar, leaning forward, a sneer contorting his lips.
Kye grabbed the man by the nape of his neck. And headbutted him. The cabin ignited with molten fury.
The pirate’s knees buckled as he fell forward into Kye’s lap. Kye twined Burian’s long hair in one hand. “Keep your hands off mywife,” he whispered, then drove his fist into the pirate's face.
Twice.
Three times.
A fourth, and a crack split the air.
Burian grappled drunkenly to escape, feet useless.
“You’re a dead man,” Kye promised, watching him slither to the floor, the bridge of the pirate’s nose split open. “You’re fuckingdead.”
73
