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The ground beneath my feet seemed to roil and swell, mimicking the waves that’d stolen everything.
“Try for one day,” Anna said, sharing a silent conversation with Jack before directing her words to me. “One day to see if you can forgive the sea. We’ll show you what we need help with and then, tomorrow night, you can make the call. Stay a week and prepare to leave. Or stay a week and embrace this new country as your own.”
Jack leaned back with his arms crossed. “There’s your offer, Aslan.”
Anna waited for my reply.
And Neri...
She just raised her head, her dark sun-touched hair wild around her shoulders.
Our eyes locked, and all it took was a whisper from her. “You can say goodbye to them out there. That’s your sanctuary now. You should at least visit them to let them know you’re okay.” She flinched. “Sorry, didn’t mean to use that word.”
A small smile twitched her lips, somehow turning mine.
Whoever these people were.
Whoever this girl was.
They were dangerous.
So fucking dangerous to my cracked and waterlogged heart.
Dropping my gaze, I studied my empty glass. “Why...why are you doing this for me?”
A shift of positions and a circle of stares before Jack finally murmured, “Because if Anna and I were ever lost at sea, I’d want someone to love and look after Neri as if she were their own. You’re someone’s son, Aslan. A son who is now an orphan...unless we can find your parents—ocean willing. Hopefully, they’ll be found in a week, and you’ll have far easier decisions to make, but for now, you’re with us and you have a home here.”
He laughed, dispelling the weight of the evening. “But only if you work for your room and board. Growing teenage boys aren’t cheap, you know. In fact, if you don’t pay your way, I might be tempted to throw you to the sharks. Save my bank balance.”
“Jack. Oh my God.” Anna rolled her eyes. “Your sense of humour sometimes.”
“That was funny, Dad.” Neri giggled.
I surprised myself by cracking a smile. “The sharks could’ve already eaten me, but they decided I wasn’t to their liking.”
“Not salty enough, huh?” Jack chuckled. “Well, we can fix that. Come on The Fluke with us and you’ll soon embrace the sea as if you were born to it.”
Neri stood and pushed her chair back, coming to stand over me.
Goosebumps darted down my arms as she stuck out her hand. “We don’t feed you to the sharks and you come on the ocean with us tomorrow. Deal?”
Jack cleared his throat, drawing my gaze to his.
Once again, I got the sense that he was aware of the strange closeness forming between Neri and me. I wanted to assure him it was purely because I’d lost my little sister and, even though no one could ever replace Melike, Neri’s innocent presence was a much-needed cure.
But then Jack slouched and smiled, nodding as if to give me permission to touch his precious daughter.
Slowly, I placed my hand in Neri’s.
It wasn’t the first time we’d touched.
I doubted it would be the last.
But it felt different.
Binding.
Eternal.
