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“I did, to get a guard I trust on his door.”
Annabelle kicks her legs, turning, and one of the sharks, not Mickey, is rubbing its flank along her side.
Nico has all the emotions on his face at once, but his legs are faster than any of us. “What the actual fuck?” he yells as the side of his fist hits the open button on the first airlock.
Both Holter and I are right behind him, stepping in completely clothed before the dry door shuts. Nico’s reaching for the door to the next airlock before I’ve even formed a complete thought.
I jump between him and the flood button, my arms crossed. “Stop Nico. They’re trained sharks. Milo’s trained sharks.”
“My mate is out there with sharks.” Nico turns to Holter. “I trusted you, and you fucking leave her out there with sharks? After Alder?”
Holter puts his hand on Nico’s shoulder and spins him around. “I didn’t leave her out there. She told me to come inside. Demanded it.”
“You can’t listen to her.”
“I can and fucking will. She’s an adult with ideas of her own.” Holter’s in Nico’s face.
“Ideas of her own? She has no idea where she is or what is going on around her.”
The two of them are so focused on each other that they haven’t noticed Annabelle in the first airlock. The water is draining and her head is above the water. She’s holding the sticks in one hand. Behind her, outside, three sets of eyes are watching like they can’t believe she’s left them outside.
“Guys.” I tap their shoulders.
“Shut it, golden boy. The commander has something he needs to tell us. Like how he fucking knows everything.”
“Holter?” I say.
The water has drained past her waist, and she’s glaring at the three of us, only they haven’t noticed yet. The rushing water is loud. I move away from the control panel to the other side. It won’t open now.
“You know what your problem is?” Nico growls.
“No, why don’t you tell me?” Holter has his shirt off, still thinking we’re all going for an impromptu swim caused by Nico’s temper.
The door between the first airlock and the one we’re standing in opens. The fans of the waterside airlock whirl the water away.
“Boys.” Annabelle’s lips are firmed.
“Belle.”
“Annabelle.”
“You looked like you were having a good time out there.” I smile at her over Nico and Holter’s heads.
“I was. Mickey, Chompers, and Sharknado are well-behaved. But it’s different in here, I see.” Her smile directed at me has my insides flopping.
The water kicks in, spinning up to give Annabelle the desalination shower from being out in the ocean. I reach for the stop button but too late. It spins water over all of us, clothed and not.
“Serves you all right.” She washes the ocean water off her skin, and when Nico and Holter reach for her, she turns her back. Even so, she’s got her hand in the middle of Nico’s chest, and she gives him a quick kiss.
We’re through the second airlock before anyone says anything again. Annabelle holds up her hand.
“Alder’s awake.” Nico’s voice uncharacteristically jumps.
“What?” She hops. “Your dad’s awake! That’s fantastic.” She hugs him, and he’s a better male than I am. I don’t think I could hug her naked, like she is, like he is, with his wet robe now on the floor.
I need to pull off my wet clothing too. Soon, we’re all naked. But Nico carries Annabelle to the pod bed, shutting the door behind him.
It’s the right thing to do. Holter and I aren’t their pod mates. I have to put my dome, our nation, first. And Holter. If anyone in the city belongs with his Belle, it’s him. It’s things like that which make me want to be king. Change. Nico’s made a lot of changes, and I can too. I will.
