AllFreeNovel
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If he thinks I’d sharemybirthright with him—
No, not now. Forget the braggart. Focus on your mother.
I take a step forward and slide my hands up his arms to his shoulders. “And just what is to be the nature of our relationship?”
The faraway look in his eyes leaves, and he focuses on me. Something new takes hold of him. It is no longer a lust for riches and glory.
He crushes his mouth to mine. All intensity and passion.The thought of himself becoming the new pirate king has him worked up. And he thinks himself worthy of my attention. He doesn’t hope I will kiss him back. He expects it, and I have to if I’m to keep Riden hidden from him.
I cringe as I remember Riden probably heard some of that.
“What’s wrong?” Tylon asks against my lips.
“Nothing. Come here.” I need to give Riden more time to get away. I grab Tylon by the lapels of his captain’s coat and swing him around the next bend of the tunnel, even farther away from Riden and my mother, before pinning him against the wall and kissing him like I mean it. Now that I have him right where I want him, I let the siren go.
My movements are meaningless to me. My mouth moves automatically, leaving my mind free to wander elsewhere. I hope Riden can remember where he’s going.
I imagine him carrying my mother all the way to the ship without any trouble befalling them, tucking her away safely in my rooms. Then he’ll come find me, maybe smash Tylon on the head because he somehow knows how much I loathe him, even though I told him otherwise.
And then he’ll take me in his arms and kiss me. Because he wants it and knows I do, too.
Just a light peck on the lips, but as I try to leave he’ll pull me back for more. And I’ll be secretly pleased that he wants more.
He’ll pin me against some hard surface, place his hands on either side of my waist, and lean down until all the air between us is gone.
I put my hands on his face, feeling the hard planes of his cheeks with my hands. That pleases him. I feel his lips turn into a smile as he continues to kiss me. His lips move to my throat, and I move my hands to his hair.
But instead of the silky locks I’m expecting, I touch loose curls. I open my eyes in a snap and stare at sun-colored hair.
Not Riden.
I’m kissing Tylon.
He’s still busy at the base of my neck when I spot an enormous figure rounding the corner over his shoulder.
“Tylon.” I slap his shoulder.
He pauses long enough to see that it’s my father before adjusting himself, leaning against the wall next to me, and sliding his hand behind my back to rest on my hip. He’s holding me against him as though I belong to him. I loathe it.
Tylon grins. “We took your advice and stopped arguing.”
Not a muscle in my father’s face twitches. “Go stop arguing elsewhere. The tunnels are no place for it.”
I turn away as though I’m embarrassed, but the truth is I can’t stand to look at my father any longer. Not after knowing what he’s done. It’s as if he’s a different person, when in reality I’m only beginning to understand who he really is.
A monster.
“Then we’ll be off,” I finally say. I grab the hand at my hip and pull Tylon in the direction of our ships. It’s the direction Riden went in. The direction my father just came from. He couldn’t have spotted Riden and my mother or else I would have heard a struggle. Oh, but I hope Riden didn’t get himself lost.
And stars forbid my father have plans to visit my mother tonight.
I traverse with Tylon down the tunnel, his arm tucked in mine.
He leans his head against mine and asks, “Where are we going?”
“Your rooms.”
His breathing hitches, and his steps quicken. Meanwhile, my eyes are scanning every turn and bend in the tunnels for Riden, hoping to spot him before Tylon does.
