Chapter 26
Thrill
Sinta
Rapid had a yacht.
I mean, I shouldn’t be so surprised. He was a Prince, probably way richer than I could even imagine.
But he had a yacht, that he kept moored near the cliffs a ten-minute walk from Rising House.
Cliffs that had a super-secret staircase leading down to rockpools that the guys made me promise not to tell anyone about.
Watching him and Elijah skilfully prepare to sail out to sea had been amazing.
Now that we were anchored among thrashing waves with the island barely a blip in the distance, I wasn’t feeling so great.
This was nothing like travelling to the island had been. This yacht was smaller and jerked with every little swell of water – making my steps unsteady and my knees akin to rubber.
Was I clinging to the rope safety rail like my life depended on it? Yes.
Was I staring into the deep almost-black water, honestly expecting something to lunge up and attempt to eat me? Also yes.
Turns out I was not an ocean lover.
Standing in my improvised swimmers, already damp thanks to the rain, I imagined I looked like a shivering frightened mess.
“Come on, Sinta. You’ll have fun, I promise.” Rapid cajoles.
“Ah, maybe in a minute?” I cringe, jolting when another wave slams into the side of the yacht.
“There is no need to be scared. We will help you.” Fade tries to be reassuring.
But I am very much adamant that I do not want to be in that water.
Maybe I had some deep fear of the ocean I’d never before discovered?
That would explain the distinct feeling that I was about to shit myself.
“You guys go on, I’ll wait with her.” Tomashi offers.
Every single one of us looks at him with the same ‘What the fuck?’ expression.
He huffs a growl and rolls his eyes. “My kitsune needs a minute, and she’s not going in yet, so you guys go ahead, and I’ll keep her company. I won’t try to kill her.” He adds when Fade goes to speak.
“I was going to say, ‘be nice to each other’, but now I am truly worried.” Fade murmurs.
Tomashi’s growl raises every hair on my scalp.
I even raise a wobbly hand to pat my head, worried I’m rocking an Einstein style.
“I mean, if you’re sure—”
“Yes!”
“I was talking to Sinta.” Elijah snaps at Tomashi, eyes narrowed. “Sinta, if you are comfortable with it?”
“Honestly, he’s not on my radar right now.” I mutter, eyeing what looks distinctly like a shark fin about a mile or so out from the boat.
If I could run over water, I’d already be gone.
Someone snorts, but that triangle of impending death is moving closer, so I choose to give it my attention.
“Alrighty boys,” Rapid begins, pitching his voice like some sports announcer. “Ready, set, hold on to your bits, and go!”
Turning a little to watch them, I see that Rapid has disconnected part of the rope guard on the other side of the yacht and rolled out a ladder.
Instead of climbing down said ladder into the water, they’ve just sprinted and flipped off of the deck like maniacs.
“Holy shit.” I mutter.
There are three distinct splashes – each male hitting the water – and then the sounds of exhilarated shouts.
“Not a fan of water?” Tomashi drawls.
“Apparently not a fan of the ocean.” I counter, nearly crying out when the boat rocks and I scramble to stay upright.
The boys cry out again, their laughter echoing.
They seem to be enjoying themselves just fine.
Distracted by my very apparent fear, I don’t see Tomashi approaching until he’s pressed against my left side, his breath ghosting my neck.
“Not a thrill seeker?” He murmurs.
Thrill seeker. I was – I’d used to love parkour, when I was younger and dumber I’d shoplift simply for the thrill of not getting caught. I’d always wanted to own a motorbike – ignoring the fact that I didn’t know how to ride – because watching people speed past on them made me crazy with envy.
And come on, I was proud to say I was a savant of sexual thrill.
But I didn’t see how swimming in the ocean with a storm brewing overhead was fun.
“I am.” I tell him defiantly, then cling to the rope as a wave sweeps under the boat. “Just not right now.”
“Scared of a little water?” He sneers.
Turning my head, I’m surprised by how close he is – if I were to lean forward by a hair, our lips would be touching.
“No.” I deny.
A thick black brow hitches up in challenge. “Then get in the water.”
I glance down at the churning sea, crashing violently against the yacht’s hull, and then over where the guys have swum further out and are now visible.
They get hit by a huge wave, are violently dragged under, and I watch them tumble and spin with the current before pushing up for air.
They’re laughing, but they were also just put through the equivalent of a tumble cycle in a washing machine.
“No thank you.” I rasp.
He mumbles something under his breath – the words pathetic, scared, and pussy reaching my ears.
I glare at him, feeling a mix of annoyance and fear in my middle.
It made me nauseous.
My dragon huffs smoke – not impressed with his bully attitude.
“I thought you were supposed to be nice?!” I growl.
“I am being nice.”
“Calling me pathetic isn’t being nice.” I snap, not liking the nonchalant look on his face.
“Is it my fault you’re scared of a little bit of water?” He counters.
“I’m not scared of water.” He scoffs at me, so I add, “I’m scared of what might be in the water.”
And being dragged down by a wave and drowning before being eaten by a shark or something.
“There is nothing. Rapid scared them all off.” He rebuffs. “You’re being pathetic.”
“Stop saying that.” I grit out.
I could stand being called just about anything else, but pathetic was where I drew the line. My foster parents loved throwing that word around when I disappointed them.
Which was often.
“Then grow a fucking spine and get in the water. I’m not staying on the boat all night with your whimpering ass.” He demands, grabbing one of my arms.
“No one asked you to.” I deny and shake him off. “Go on, go away. I don’t need to be supervised.”
“Like I’m going to leave you alone on Rapid’s boat.” He snorts.
“Why? What the hell could I possibly do with a boat?”
“Steal it. Damage it. Steal something on it. Hide something on it.” He lists lazily, his dark eyes hard. “I don’t trust you, and I won’t put anything past you.”
“What the hell for? What have I done to make you not trust me?” I hiss, incredulous and kind of hurt.
“Exist.” He answers simply. “The others might have decided to let you in, but I haven’t. I’ll be watching you, every day and every hour, until you slip up and I can ship you the fuck out of Rising House. As far as I am concerned you are temporary, and I won’t allow you to hurt them in any way.”
“Why would I want to hurt them?!” I screech, the words almost stollen by a harsh wind. “Did it ever cross your mind that I’m just here to study and build a future? Not everyone cares about some rich guys and a bunch of princes, you know!”
His eyes narrow, turning dangerous.
His hand seizes my arm, so tight that when I shake it there is no chance of dislodging him.
“You know who we are?” He snarls.
The blazing, dangerous fury on his face made me wary.
“Literally everybody on campus talks about you guys. I’m not stupid – even if my friend didn’t tell me, I would have figured it out eventually.” I point out, my voice wavering.
“You know who I am.” It wasn’t a question, but I nod anyway. “Then you know just how easy it would be for me to make a nobody like you disappear.” He growls, so close I could feel his breath on my lips. “One wrong move, one mistake. I’ll bury you in a shallow grave in a forgotten human desert with all my other kills, and not one being will miss you. Am I understood?”
“You’re a fucking asshole.” I whisper, my voice hoarse.
His grin is sinister. “Oh, I’m much worse.”
He yanks me from the guard rope with a hard pull, my arm barking in pain, and flings me over his shoulder.
“Put me down!” I cry, struggling, even as he moves lithely over the rocking deck.
“No.”
“I don’t want to go in, you fucking bastard. Put me down!” I growl, kicking and smacking at his back, trying to roll my hips out of his grip.
“Keep it up, and I’ll tie up your arms before I throw you in.” He threatens.
I immediately still.
“I don’t know why you are being so dramatic, they won’t let you drown.” He huffs.
“They aren’t the ones about to throw me in.” I point out. “You talk about how much you don’t trust me, well guess what? I wouldn’t trust you with one of my toenails, let alone my life!” I spit at him.
He doesn’t even seem bothered about my statement.
“Good.” He laughs.
And then the arrogant son of a bitch throws me in.
My scream echoes over the water as I fall, but its quickly drowned out by a rushing sound, my body plunging into the cold depths.
I immediately try to surface, my legs and arms kicking.
I’m panicked and I can’t see.
I’m pushed further under by another wave and thrown about like a ragdoll.
Unable to control my frightened scream, water rushes into my mouth, my limbs flailing.
I try to find the way up.
But I can’t.
I’m disorientated, confused, and scared. Everything looks dark, there is no light to tell me the way up, and it feels like I’m trapped in a never-ending space of navy blue.
If I die down here, I’m going to haunt that son of a bitch and make sure his bed is always wet.
Still spinning, wide eyes searching the gloom, I feel something grasp my arm and tug.
Before I know it, I’m being pulled upwards and my face is breaking the surface, dragging in desperate gulps of air.
I cough and spit, rejecting the water I’d swallowed.
An arm tightens around my waist, flattening my back against a set of defined abs and a hard chest.
“Calm down. Just breathe.” Is growled into my ear. “You’re fine. In, and out. In, and out.”
I do as I’m told, trying to slowly suck in air and then force it out.
I stutter a little and cough, but eventually I can do it without issue.
“There, not so hard, huh?”
I mumble a curse and suck in some more air, still feeling shaken.
“Do you feel it yet? That thrill of survival? Of knowing you just did something dangerous?”
Blinking, becoming aware of more than just my panic, I take stock of my body and emotions.
Surprisingly, I do. That familiar pounding thrill, the smug knowledge of survival, that addictive lie of invincibility.
Adrenaline, now that I wasn’t so panicked, was rushing through my veins like the greatest high.
I stutter a low laugh, shaking my head.
“Still think I’m a bastard?” Tomashi croons against my ear, his lips brushing my skin.
Turning in his arms, my legs knocking against his, I grasp him so the water can’t tug me away and press my breasts against his chest.
When my back had been pressed against him, my ass had been nestled firmly against his member.
His very alert, very excited member.
Brushing my stomach against it, watching his pupils dilate, I briefly wondered if he was hard for me or the adrenaline rush.
Then I decided I didn’t care.
His dark eyes track my every breath, so focused on my throat I could feel it like the firm trail of a fingertip.
“See how easy it would be for me to kill you?” He whispers, his hands dragging over my hips. “How easily I could take everything from you?”
I say nothing.
But I feel pissed. And hornier than I should.
And so fucking confused.
He smirks, all smug arrogance. “Still think it’s a good idea to piss me off?”
Pressing close, I skim my lips against his.
They’re softer than I thought. And warmer.
Fucking hell, head out of the gutter Sinta.
I glare into his eyes with a fiery hatred I can’t actually summon.
“Yes.” I hiss and slam my hands onto his shoulders, shoving him under the water.
I don’t wait around, turning and swimming towards a laughing Rapid the moment Tomashi’s head goes under.
“He deserved that.” Rapid snickers, reaching out a hand for me. “Are you okay?”
“I am now.” I murmur and let him pull me against his chest.
I loop my arms casually around his neck, his own wrapping around my waist.
“Good.” He looks behind us, grinning wickedly. “Better hold on.”
This time when the wave pushes us under, I come up laughing too.
But I’m still scared of sharks.