Page 19 of Black Reign

Kane looks at me.

“Options?”

“You have two.”

“Let's hear them.”

“You join the mermaids.”

Three women are laughing in the water while Drew attempts a synchronized-swimming move nobody requested.

“Or?”

“You stay here with me and reconsider every friendship that brought you to this moment.”

Haverhill studies the scene.

“Bookworm would've chosen option two.”

“Bookworm wouldn't have boarded the boat.”

“True.”

He drinks.

One of the models calls his name.

Kane looks at me.

I look back.

“Don't.”

“I wasn't going to.”

“You thought about it.”

“I thought about swimming.”

“Same ocean.”

His face splits into a grin.

“Blackwell, you're like a human prenup.”

“Someone has to be.”

I check my watch.

No unusual digital traffic.

No unauthorized signals.

No drones.

No nearby vessels behaving suspiciously.

Vale picked Europe because he wanted privacy.