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The moon peeked through the clouds, and a snicker found me through the dark. The silhouette of a small figure stood not far from me.

“My dear boy. You are so screwed.”

“I could’ve been,” I muttered to myself, pinching at my brows, wanting to take that back.

“What stopped you?”

“You know what.” I clenched my jaw. “Plus, I knew her as a kid. It’s wrong.”

“You would’ve been a kid when I was around your age, and I’d fuck you now.”

A laugh coughed out of my chest, my head shaking. “We need to put a warning label on you.”

“Too hot to handle.” She grinned, showing off her few teeth.

“With all those layers, you really are.”

“This one is different. That troubles you.” She grew serious. “Release the past, or it will always keep you from a future.” She clicked her tongue. “Or peace.”

“Getting philosophical on me?”

“My way of saying get your head out of your ass.” She rolled her milky eyes to the sky. “You already know the truth; you are simply too scared to face it.”

“Too scared of what?”

“Being owned by a pussy.” She snorted, shuffling by me. “Confirming we are headed for Hangzhou?”

“Yeah,” I grumbled. Hangzhou was run by fae, a stunning, prosperous place at the head of the Hangzhou Bay, sitting between Shanghai and Ningbo, controlling a lot of imports. The fae in power made gambling a huge part of the city. They created a playground for the wealthy and the desperate, hoping to win some kind of fortune to survive in these times, only to return home more destitute than when they went in.

It was also the best place for shady deals. Ju didn’t reign there, making it a perfect place to get supplies and regroup.

Stomping into my cabin, I slammed into my bathroom, stripping and stepping into my shower before it even heated up. Cold water stung my skin, and I welcomed it, wanting the torture, craving the pain. Anything to take away my thoughts, lessen the need still throbbing in my dick. My hands went to the wall, and I leaned under the stream. I could still feel her heat, hear the moan she tried to hide from me, see the way she bowed into me. My gaze caught where she cut into my side and her nail marks on my arm. She had enjoyed inflicting pain as much as feeling it.

“Fuck,” I hissed, my hand wrapping around my shaft. It was so tight it hurt, making me go insane. I was a breath away from tracking her down, bending her over whatever surface we were near, no matter who was there, and fucking her so hard I’d make sure Killian, wherever he was, heard her cry outmyname, knew it wasmycock inside her, claiming her.

Did he fuck her? Know the feeling of sliding into her?

A growl gurgled in my chest, my molars crunching down. A violent possessiveness washed over me, my hand stroking harder. The vision of her on her knees, her mouth sucking down my cock as her cat teeth dragged faintly down my shaft.

Grunting, I clamped down, rubbing firmly. Sex was always something I was up for. Even bad, it was good. But I wasalwaysthe one in control. The one to dominate, even if my lover got out her whip and toys. I took lead. Whatever they were into, I was down for, but I was never out of my league or too desperate not to walk away.

Katrina was twisting me up. I had no willpower. My awareness of her, even when she wasn’t in the room, was worrisome. The yearning to always find her, challenge her, fight her, was not something I was used to.

Why her? Why, out of all the women in the world, was she the one who had woken something in me?

My aggravation with her only increased my need, my balls tightening as I pictured myself pumping into her as she held the sword to my throat, the blade cutting into my skin the moment I released inside her.

“Shiiiit!” My cum gushed over my hand and onto the tile, my legs unsteady under me. Taking several pulls of air, I fell against the wall. Reality slowly set in, and with it, chagrin over who had gotten me off.

Not seeing Katrina as the little girl I knew, but as the woman she had become, was a problem. I needed to keep her squarely in the box marked “Do. Not. Open.” Because as much as Kat said I was the one who wrecked her life, she was the one who took everything from mine.

“Land Hoe!”

“It’s landahoy.”

“There’s just one hoe?” Sprig sat on my shoulder, nibbling on a pancake Zid had made this morning. “That doesn’t seem good for business.”

“Ahoy… not a hoe.”