Page 65 of Kai (Alpha Heroes #13)

“Trying to trick me again?” The merc tsked.

“You’re good and you’ve had a good run. Hell, you almost got me when no one else—not even Li—succeeded.

But this time around, I hold all the cards.

” He nudged his head toward me. “The sea is calming down some. Plus, a dead man doesn’t need to worry about the wind.

From now on, it’s all smooth sailing… for me. ”

He laughed at his own joke. God, how I wanted to punch him in the face.

“Think of all the wonderful ports of call we’ll visit together, Cersi.” The merc nipped at my earlobe, taunting me, provoking Kai. “You can enjoy the scenery from your berth, tied up and spread-eagle on my bed.”

Kai’s knuckles went white around his fist. I gritted my teeth. The smug merc let out another cackle. He was having a ball, so sure he’d won.

I had a good idea of what would happen next.

Fighting to slow down my breathing, I closed my eyes and imagined myself on the mat facing the most important match of my life.

Squashed against Levine’s front, my hands were tied behind my back and numb to boot.

I’d always been a fierce competitor, and yet, despite all my trophies, this seemed like a match I couldn’t win.

If you lose, Kai dies , I reminded myself. Find a way, Astor.

Across the deck, Kai’s gaze connected with mine. He understood the lack of options we faced. Without words, we spoke to each other from soul to soul. My heart broke. There were so many stories that remained untold between us, so many moments of happiness we’d have to forfeit.

A ferocious determination lit up his eyes. His message was clear. Kai would die so that I could free myself from Levine the moment he attacked. This was Kai’s plan, and I loved him for it. But it wasn’t my plan.

“I think it’s time you went home,” Levine said to Kai. “And by home, I mean the bottom of the ocean.”

“Don’t!” My eyes burned with tears—fucking tears when I needed to be strong! “I have lots of money, and I’ll do anything you want if you let him live. Anything!”

“You’ll do anything I want anyway,” Levine ground out. “Your boyfriend here is a very dangerous man, and the only other person in the world who knows I’m alive.”

“He won’t say anything,” I said, desperate. “He’ll swear it. He keeps his oaths!”

“It’s okay, Sorceress.” Kai flashed me the placid grin that had endeared him to me early on. “Remember. We honor our losses by living our best lives.”

“No, Kai, please,” I whimpered as the night sky wept a torrent of tears, and the rain tamed the ocean with a chorus of splatters.

“Bro, that was smooth.” Levine let out a morbid chuckle and braced his legs apart as he steadied himself to deliver the killing shot. “You make a dashing Prince Charming. Think of this as your heroic end. You die, so that she can live… to serve me.”

His finger tightened over the trigger.

Serenity lurched, spun halfway, and pitched several times before she went dead in the water. The sails lost the wind, the rig flapped in the night, and the boat was at the mercy of the elements. Levine staggered to keep his balance. The backs of his legs hit the gunwales.

He let go of the knife.

It clattered against the side of the boat and disappeared in the water as he braced on his hand to keep from going overboard. Fighting to stay on deck, he loosened his hold on me. It was a minimal shift, a tiny give in his brutal clutch. It lasted less than a second, but it was the break I needed.

I bent forward, and using all the momentum I could muster, threw my head back.

Crack .

My skull collided with the merc’s face. Bones crunched, and a warm splatter ran down my back.

I saw stars, but I didn’t have time to deal with the pain that shot through me.

In unison, Kai lunged from across the deck.

Even with his face mangled, Levine recovered his balance.

He clung to me, lifted his gun, and shot.

Kai staggered. My heart plunged, but the brave Marine kept coming. Levine adjusted his aim, targeting Kai’s head instead. There was only one way out of this.

Clawing my fingers, I jabbed them through his underwear and grabbed a fistful of the merc’s balls and dick. I squeezed and twisted with all I had. The brute screeched so loudly my ears rang. He didn’t let go of me or lower his gun, but for a millisecond his grip around my waist faltered.

I planted my feet on the deck and bent my knees. Then I pushed backward with all I had. Levine’s ass skimmed the gunwales, but this time around, he had no way of regaining his balance. He went over, taking me with him. At the last moment, he twisted in midair and had to make a choice.

It was the gun or me.

He chose the gun and let go of me.

I fell.

The seconds lengthened to show me the details of my death. I caught a glimpse of the clouds above, rushing past as I dropped; of the merc, catching the edge of a porthole and then dangling from one arm like a bloody bag of shit. I drew a big gulp of air, my last breath on this earth.

My back hit the water. I might as well have hit a concrete slab.

My bones rattled, and some of the air swooshed out of me.

I locked my lips and held my breath. The ocean embraced me on all sides.

My bound arms prevented me from fighting the lethal gravity pulling me down.

Down, down, I went, into the ocean’s endless void.

Entwined in the sea’s relentless arms, I sank into the dark water.