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That man I’d do anything for, follow anywhere.
Instead, I pulled the boat even further east, but Étienne didn’t let me escape, swinging his boat in front of ours, cutting off the route back.
“Léonie!” he shouted again. “I need to talk to you! Stop that boat!”
“No!” I called back, and I saw his dark eyes harden at my disobedience, his brows draw together in angry confusion.
“Get out of here!” Hugo shouted. “This isn’t your territory, Étienne!”
But Étienne only jerked his head at Mano to take the wheel and then sprung to the prow.
“Every place my wife’s foot lands is my territory.”
I jerked the wheel to the left, trying to get around him, but with a sudden, risky leap he jumped into our boat.
It was a mountain lion’s leap, with a lion’s cool, arrogant confidence in his own power.
My heart pounded as he towered over me, pulsing with heat, and I grabbed a boat hook and pointed it straight at him.
“What are you doing here?”
If I pointed this hook right at his chest, it was like I could keep that pulsing, restless energy away too, keep it from infecting me again with foolishness and delusions.
“Léonie! Ma chérie! I’ve been hunting you for weeks!”
“Léonie who? Léonie is dead. Didn’t you find my body?”
His jaw dropped and he reached out for me as I knocked his arm away with the hook.
“What the hell were you playing at? It almost goddamn killed me when I thought that body was yours!”
His fists were clenching and unclenching, a muscle pulsing low and tempting in his throat.
“I am dead. To you.”
“No! I need to talk to you. I need to explain everything to you.”
“Don’t bother,” I spat out. “Mano already explained enough. You know, you could have just married Faustine in the first place. And saved me having to go through this.”
He winced.
“I have never, ever wanted Faustine. Never, ever wanted anyone but you.”
“Why was my ring on her finger then? Why were your hands all over her?”
“That was to fool your family and force them to return the bride-price! Just let me explain!”
I scoffed. “You are a liar, Étienne. And I know that now. You aren’t the man I thought you were.”
His face looked lined, dark purple shadows under his eyes.
“Put that hook down and listen to me.”
He took a step closer, but I raised the boat hook to his throat.
“No! I don’t just do what you say anymore. You lied to me and manipulated me. I don’t need to hear any of your explanations. You go your way and I’ll go mine. Everything is over between us.”
Étienne struck his own chest with his fist, then made as if to jab the boat hook through his throat, the sharp edge cutting through his fingers and making blood drip down his arms.
