Page 80 of Wanted: Rogues and Bards

Urk, true.

Lirion was desperate to get to his sister. He wouldn’t do anything to upset Fenric or the group as long as his sister’s rescue was on the line. He might hold feelings of his own back. Or he was indulging Fenric to keep him on the hook. Fenric didn’t know the other man well enough to guess, as they still hardly knew one another.

Shit, did Fenric want to ask Lirion and stir up a hornet’s nest? Part of him yearned for the answer, though, with the hope it would be yes.

Any possibility of carrying the conversation further and asking for advice on how to even approach this died a quick death as Lirion and Maxie approached from below deck. Well, it was fine. Fenric wanted to sit on this for a day or two and get his mind wrapped around it before deciding what to do.

“What”—Lirion’s eyes roved over the tub, brow beetling—“are you even doing?”

“It’s Tub Time,” Rain explained cheerfully. “Feel free to join in.”

Lirion’s expression didn’t clear in the slightest. “That does and does not answer my question.”

Fenric looked at Lirion, who appeared as if he’d been carved from sunlight itself, and felt his heart constrict. Dammit, why did the man look so beautiful just standing there? His pink hair was windblown, and since boarding the ship, he’d taken to spending most of his days shirtless. The sun had turned his golden skin into an even more handsome bronze, while his trousers seemed to always hang enticingly low on his hips. The man could turn heads no matter what environment he was in, but sunlight favored him best.

Fenric mentally groaned and kicked himself. Stop thinking poetically, dammit!

Belstrom was the one who answered Lirion’s question. “Whenever we desire to consult with Rain, we will shuck our boots and pants and lounge in the tub with him. He adores the company, and it is a marvelous chance to refresh ourselves on a hot day.”

Maxie looked over the tub with newfound delight. “When I first saw Rain’s tub I thought it was interesting, but I had no idea we were permitted to join him.”

“Of course. You are always welcome,” Rain said.

Maxie immediately pulled a leg up and started untying his boot, grinning widely.

Lirion didn’t, but he was studying Fenric, his expression unreadable. “What were you consulting with Rain about?”

Like hell Fenric would honestly answer his question. He lied. He lied like the sneaky rogue he was without blinking an eye. “I’m trying to explain to my friend here that bounties don’t expire.”

Lirion stared at him like he knew Fenric had deflected the question. He didn’t call Fenric out on it, though, instead just going along with it. “Is this the thing about the governor’s wife?”

“Yeah, yeah. Just a little thing,” Rain said with an absent wave of his hand, as if the matter wouldn’t get his balls cut off if he was caught. “And then there was this other small misunderstanding with a cult in Strandby.”

“Oh, cults.” Lirion smirked. “I like cults. Individually and as a group. Wait, what type?”

“One of those our-race-is-superior ones. They tried to kill me since I’m a hybrid.”

“Eww, yuck. I take back what I just said.”

Rain’s face darkened, and he clearly was remembering some part of the fiasco. “I was unaware at the time that the mayor’s son was one of the ringleaders, and the mayor took exception to me giving his son a burial at sea.”

Lirion cocked his head and narrowed his eyes at the pirate. “Was he still breathing when you tossed him in?”

Rain flashed him the biggest shit-eating grin. “Screaming, in fact.”

The incubus shrugged as if it wasn’t a big deal. “Sounds like he had it coming. But yes, let’s avoid Strandby.”

Maxie had his other shoe off but had paused with his hands on his belt buckle. He was staring at Belstrom’s legs with a tight frown.

What was this? “Puppy, you getting in or not?” Fenric inquired.

“I, um, want to but…” He continued to stare at Belstrom. “I find the idea of sitting next to Bel a little intimidating.”

Belstrom pointed to himself. “Me?”

“Your thighs are just so incredible.” Maxie sighed. “I’ll look like a twig next to you.”

Straightening, Belstrom preened. “I do possess magnificent legs.” As he spoke, he lifted one of those massive tree trunks and wriggled his toes, water glistening on his pale leg hair and dripping off rippling muscles. “Contrarily, it appears Rain’s and Fenric’s legs are massively muscled, but they do not intimidate you, correct?”