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“I’m not on my own. I’ve got Brynla. The less people we have, the better.

Believe me, you don’t want to attract attention when you’re there.

You can help us get to the entrance of the city in case we’re attacked in a raid from the Black Guard or nomads from elsewhere, but after that we’ll be on our own. ”

I look to Brynla for her to back me up on this, but she’s sipping her drink and already looking pretty drunk.

“I don’t like this,” Toombs says. “And when I tell Kirney, he won’t like this either.”

He eyes Brynla with trepidation, and I know that he doesn’t trust her alone with me, not in the Dark City.

But I have to trust her if I want to get any of this done.

The whole reason we took this side trip to south Esland is to get Brynla’s aunt, a promise I wouldn’t dare break.

There’s no use in worrying about it now.

Toombs pulls out chairs for Brynla and me and we sit down at the card table. I slow down with my drinking and wish Brynla would do the same, but maybe she needs to do this. She’s been through a lot and after everything she admitted, I know that much.

The boys seem to be in good spirits regardless. I’m starting to think that most of them were probably relieved to not have to go to the Dark City. Brynla may look fondly upon it, but it’s a place with a harsh reputation for a reason and one that would probably eat my crew alive.

The card game continues, with Brynla being roped in for some of it before she loses all the money she doesn’t have and has enough sense to bow out.

And the ship sails on.

The drinking continues.

The card games come to an end.

And eventually the crew disperses, leaving just Brynla and me sitting side by side at the empty table, our chairs pressed next to each other.

My hand on her thigh.

Her head on my shoulder.

Closer than we should be.

But I’m not moving an inch.

“Well, what do you think?” I ask her, my lips moving against the top of her head. “Time for bed?”

She giggles. She’s been giggling all night.

“Only if we’re sharing one,” she says in a breathy voice.

I gulp, my body stiffening at the totality of her words, the implications in her tone.

“I’m afraid that’s not possible,” I tell her, trying to keep things light. “Cabins are too small for those shenanigans.”

“The floor will do,” she says, tilting up her head to meet my eyes. “Even standing up.”

I bite my lip, hard. Fuck. I don’t think I’ll survive this.

“I think we’re both a little drunk,” I tell her.

She frowns, pouting slightly. “Don’t you want me?”

Is she seriously asking me this?

“What do you think?” I manage to say.

“I think you should kiss me,” she whispers, her inebriated gaze flicking over my features. “I think you should show me.”

I swallow the brick in my throat. “I think it would be ungentlemanly of me to take advantage of a rum-drunk woman.”

She smiles and it’s so fucking beautiful I can barely breathe. The carnality in her eyes, the playfulness of her lips. A side of her I’d only dreamed of late in the night, one I imagined over and over again.

“Who says I need a gentleman?” she says in a sultry tone. “Maybe I’m the kind of rum-drunk woman who appreciates an animal.”

My nostrils flare at that, hunger panging through me, my cock painfully hard and straining against the fly of my trousers. “Don’t tempt me.”

“Or what?” she asks, reaching up and lightly running her fingers over the half-healed cuts on my cheekbone. “What happens if I succeed? What will you do to me?”

I close my eyes, needing a break from the lust in her gaze. “A good spanking, for one,” I say, my voice coming out in a growl. “Maybe a good choking while I’m at it.”

She goes silent, her fingers pausing on my skin.

I open my eyes, expecting to see her look horrified at my answer.

Instead there’s something like curiosity. And want. Her mouth is open slightly as she breathes hard, showing the pink of her tongue beyond the soft swell of her lips, and I know if I don’t do something soon, I’m going to end up doing something I regret.

It’s not always easy to be a man of honor.

“Am I interrupting something?” Toombs says as he enters the cabin, the mug of ale spilling over onto his hand, his eyes bouncing between the two of us.

“Just bringing Brynla to her quarters,” I tell him, carefully getting up so that she doesn’t slump over.

She grins and looks at Toombs, sticking her tongue out at him. “You are interrupting something,” she says, slurring her words slightly. “I’m trying to corrupt him.”

Toombs glances at me, a merry look on his face. “Corrupt him? I would like to see you try. The only honest Kolbeck left, if you don’t mind my saying. He can afford to have his morals dragged under for a bit.”

I sigh and reach down under Brynla’s arms, pulling her unsteadily to her feet. “No one is corrupting anyone tonight. We have a big day tomorrow.”

“You taking me to bed?” she asks. If I weren’t holding her up she’d be flat on the floor.

“I am,” I tell her, half making her walk, half dragging her past Toombs and toward her cabin.

Lemi gets up and follows us, looking at his master in concern.

From what I’ve learned about Brynla over the last month, she rarely lets her guard down, rarely lets herself be loose and vulnerable.

And with that in mind, it only strengthens my resolve to do right by her so that she isn’t regretful tomorrow.

“You need your sleep,” I tell her. “We all do.”

“Bye, Toombs,” she says, waving at him lazily and blowing him a kiss.

“My goodness,” I hear Toombs mutter as we leave the galley behind, and I can’t help but chuckle.

“What’s so funny?” she says as I kick open the door to her cabin.

“Oh, nothing much, just that Toombs is probably in love with you now.”

“At least someone is,” she says, giving me a crooked smile.

My skin immediately feels flushed, like the ship has gotten too stuffy and hot suddenly. I need fresh air. I need to dunk my head in the sea. And I need Brynla to go to bed lest she lead me down a path I’ll regret.

Oh, but what a beautiful path it would be.

It doesn’t help that her cabin feels unbearably small.

Lemi goes and sits patiently by her berth, his body taking up half the floor.

I lead her over to the edge of her bed and sit her down.

She wavers slightly, rocking back and forth for a moment as I crouch down at her feet and attempt to pull off her boots.

But just before I can do so, she starts pitching backward.

I act fast, grabbing her shoulders and the back of her head before it crashes into the wall.

She giggles and leans forward, her forehead pressed against mine, her fingers looped around my neck.

“Goddesses,” I can’t help but whisper, our mouths too close together.

“They can’t help you now,” she says softly.

Then she leans up, just enough to place her lips on mine.

My eyes fall closed, my decorum slipping, the wait finally over.

This is what I want.

This is all I’ve wanted since I laid eyes on her.

And she’s drugging me with her wiles, she’s making me slip into the undertow.

I can’t breathe, I can’t speak, all I can do is open my mouth wider, my tongue sliding out to meet hers, to kiss her deeply, completely.

“Fuck,” I grunt against her mouth, my hand making a fist in her hair, holding her tight until she gasps, a sound that shoots straight to my cock. Gods, I don’t think I can hold back, I don’t think I can stop myself from kissing her, touching her, fucking her raw.

Then Lemi lets out a snuff of air.

Brings a kernel of strength back to my resolve.

I pull back, my jaw clenching, everything clenching as I try to breathe in deep.

“I think it’s time we say good night,” I say hoarsely, my forehead pressing against hers, my breathing labored.

“You don’t want me,” she says, so quietly, with a wash of shame that feels like it’s removing one of my ribs.

I take her hand in mine and place it on my cock, stiff, hot and pulsing against the material.

“Does this feel like I don’t want you?” I manage to say, pressing her hand there, fighting the urge to thrust against her palm. It wouldn’t take much for me to come, not now, not after all of this.

Lemi lets out another snuff, another sign to move on.

I give him a sharp look. “You can be a cockblocker this time, doggo,” I say gruffly. “One time is all you get.”

He stares at me with wild, loyal intensity, not budging. If I didn’t know any better I’d think he was close to growling at me.

I look back at Brynla, wondering what she’s going to say.

But her hand drops away and her eyes are falling closed.

I’m moments from telling her that this is the second time she’s fallen asleep after giving me an immeasurable hard-on, but I don’t want to rile up the spirit inside her.

This is for the best, for everyone’s sake.

“Okay,” I say quietly, gently placing her on the bed. I go to the end of it, pull off her boots, thinking twice about taking off the rest of her clothes, and then pull the quilt over her, tucking it under her chin.

I place my hand on her head, staring at her with this overwhelming tenderness that’s taking me like a storm, tearing my heart to pieces, and I lean over, placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

“Good night, Brynla,” I whisper against her skin before pulling back. “Please don’t hate me tomorrow.”

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