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“Good.” I swallowed thickly. “That’s...good.”

Markos drew me away, going to a spot of the beach where the slope of the sand hid the mess. He sat cross-legged, drawing me down to sit opposite him.

“I never wanted you to see that part of me,” Markos said, voice soft as though his focus was very far away. “But who was I kidding? I look like a monster. There’s no hiding what I am.”

But I’m not screaming; I’m not running.

What did that say about me? I met his eyes, searching the blue depths for regret or disgust. I found neither. Just a steady, calculating gaze that seemed to penetrate my soul.

“You’re not a monster, Markos,” I said finally. The words felt strange on my tongue, like I was speaking a language I barely understood. “You’re a businessman. One with extreme methods, perhaps, but a businessman nonetheless. Trust me, I’ve seen real demons.”

Seen. Heard of their existence. Same thing.

He laughed, a short, humorless sound. “Is that what you see? Who did you grow up around that you can brush off my actions under the umbrella of doing business?”

Merda.The truth was so close to coming out.

Part of me wanted to just tell him, to release the secret and see where the cards fell. The trickle of fear, the one that whispered ugly things—such as his disowning me or worse—kept those words from my tongue.

“It’s not just business. I see someone who protects what’s his.” I looked down at my hands. They were steady. Shouldn’t they be shaking? I had just killed a man. I studied his face, the sharp angles and scars that had intimidated me just days ago. The man they called Black Tide. The smuggler who made grown men weep before they died.

“You’re not a bad man,” I said, surprised by the steadiness in my voice. “You’re surviving. Just like we all are.”

His eyes narrowed slightly, assessing me. “You just killed a man, Serena. How does that make you feel?”

The question hung between us, heavy as the humid air. I should have felt sick, horrified, broken. But all I felt was a strange, hollow calm.

“Like I’ve stepped through a door I can’t close,” I answered honestly. “Like I’ve always been standing on this side of it anyway, just pretending I wasn’t.”

Markos nodded slowly. “I’m beginning to think I was wrong. Maybe you do belong here, Serena.”

Those words sent a shot of hope through me.

Despite the mess of being forced to marry him, I felt like I was finally ready to make my entrance onto the stage of life. But Markos wasn’t out there with me. His emotions were shadowed, but I caught a whiff of something lost and forlorn.

Without thinking twice, I pushed forward, braced my hands on his shoulders, and kissed him.

And damn me, the monster kissed me back.

His lips were firm, unyielding at first, then softened as his surprise wore off. One hand came up to cradle my jaw, his touchgentler than I would have expected from hands that had just inflicted such violence. I tasted salt on his lips—the taste of the ocean.

When we broke apart, his eyes were darker, pupils dilated. Neither of us spoke for a long moment. The waves continued their rhythmic dance against the shore, indifferent to the chaos of human emotion playing out on the sand.

“Why did you do that?” he asked finally, voice rough.

I shrugged, trying for nonchalance despite the hammering of my heart. “Seemed like the thing to do.”

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “That’s not an answer.”

“It’s the only one you’re getting.” I smirked but sobered quickly. “What do we do with the...uh, you know....”

“The body?”

I nodded, unable to speak.

“Chum the waters. There are quite a few sharks in these parts.”

With a yelp, I shot back, scooting far out of the reach of the waves. Markos doubled over laughing. I scowled at him.