“Close your eyes. If you open them, I’ll know and I’ll collar you.”
“You’re an asshole. A filthy, malignant piece of…”
His snide laughter shuts me up. “You insult me, you insult yourself. So shut up and keep moving.”
I wish I had provided proof. I wish I hadn’t gotten carried away by him. But it is too late for wishes now. I have no idea where he’s taking me, but I just hope it’s not what I am thinking. I stumbled behind him, eyes closed. I can feel jarred rocks beneath the worn-out sneakers he had forced on my feet.
“Open your eyes.”
I oblige, marveling at the sight of burning candles on rose petals floating on top of water. There’s a small boat, canoe rather, to my right. It has a lit candle on the deck, and I can see the faint outline of wine glasses, and a bottle. Sia and wine.
Even though the scenery is nice, why would he bring me here? To this place? I am suspicious, but I don’t let it show when I say, “You didn’t have to.”
He just shrugged, pushing the boat, so that it stayed on top of the water. I thought he would take me to the sweetheart garden, like he had taken Anita, but instead he had brought me to this foreign place. Secretly, I like it.
“Do you like it?”, he asked. “If you don’t, we can go back to the cabin.”
He’s asking for my opinion? Well, that’s a first. A part of me wanted to go back, but I didn’t want to anger Sia anymore, so I just settled for, “Like it? I love it. But wait, do you even know how to ride a boat?”
“I don’t think it would take much work. We just have to paddle the oars, and steer the boat in the right direction.”
“Well, that doesn’t sound right to me. If one thing goes wrong, we could drown.”
Hey I might be a wolf, but I won’t entertain the idea of drowning! I can’t even swim! Then why didn’t I decline when Sia was like, “You don’t know either so let’s go back to the cabin and call it a night?”
You know, but you just don’t want to admit it.
“We can work this thing out together,” I say rather loudly, ignoring my subconscious. I haven’t even talked to that bitch in a while. I guess being omega has its firsts.
“Fine. But if I die, it’s on you.”
I shake my head amused. He is scared of dying on a boat? What a wimp. I bite my lip to stifle a laugh. Can’t believe this is the same man who was acting all cruel earlier. I move forward to enter the boat that stays idle on the water. Sia stops me.
“Wait. Remove your shoes.”
If I can call them that. They are so worn out; one is missing a sole.
“But the rocks would pierce my feet!”, I complain.
Sia rolls his eyes. “I won’t let that happen. Your pain my pain, remember?”
Oh, how can I forget my inability to prove that I am nothing like this man?
I eye him, unsure. “How am I sure you won’t let me fall?”
Just to assure me, he says, “I won’t let you fall I promise.”
I held his shoulder, taking off the sneaker without a sole. I place my free foot inside the boat. Sia loops an arm around my waist to steady me so I won’t fall. Wow. He did keep his promise. I took off the second one, now seated in the boat. It sinks under my weight, and I hold the edges firmly. The last thing I want is to drown.
“Aren’t you coming?”, I ask. because the boat is drifting away from shore. I am surprised it’s not sinking yet.
Sia smirks. “Nah. Good luck getting back to shore.”
I started screaming. How could I have been so dumb? Entering the boat before him was a stupid idea. I don’t even know how to work this thing. Sia swiftly pulls off his shirt when he’s done laughing. I shut up at the sight of his chest. What is he doing? His shorts slide down his legs with ease, and he’s left standing in boxers. I quickly avert my eyes and he chuckles. I look at him again, trying to keep my eyes steady on his face.
“You’re blushing. It’s cute.”
I roll my eyes. Sia dives into the water with a splash. I don’t see him anywhere and I am starting to think he has drowned. My eyes survey the water once more, but that survey is brought to an end, when water splashes on me. I jump back in surprise, and I nearly groan when I see Sia’s smiling but wet face.
“Surprise.”
“Yeah, yeah. What a nice surprise,” I say with sarcasm, wiping away the water he splashed on me.
“Come and join me. The water is cool.”
“Cool or cold? I don’t even know how to swim.”
And it’s the truth. I never bothered to learn.
“Then I’ll teach you,” Sia says reaching into the boat for a wine bottle and glass. I swear all this man ever does is drink expensive wine. He uncorks the bottle, pours wine into the glass, before handling it to me. “Drink. Feel free to be around me Crinka. You’re so tense.”
Am I? Well, I didn’t know that. I bring the glass to my lips, my eyes never leaving his. I down the drink, feeling better. That’s one sweet wine. I handed him back the glass. He pours me another and I chug it down. He wants to refill my glass but I stop him. “No, not anymore. I don’t want to get drunk. That can be done when I learn how to swim.”
Sia smirks again. “So, you want me to teach you huh? Well, I don’t teach timid students. Be brave and take off your shirt.”
I scowl. “I can swim just like this.”
“Then forget about the lessons,” he says, dropping the wine glass and bottle inside the water. Why did he do that?
Sia climbs into the water when I don’t answer and for a second, I thought it was going to sink under his weight. He shakes the water off his body.
“Stop it.”
He laughs and I slap his arm. “Stop it.”
He stops saying, “Now we’re even, let’s start rowing”, he says grabbing the paddle, rowing forward. Turns out he does know how to row a boat.
“Sia, can I ask you something?”
He stops paddling, letting the boat drift slowly on water. It’s getting darker, the moon is hidden, and the candles are our only source of light.
“Shoot.”
I take a deep breath before asking. “Did you feel anything when you killed Nuella?”
His expression changed quickly and I hate myself for always doing this. For always ruining the good moments between us. Before he can talk, I say, “You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”
He sighs. “Ruarc was young when he met her. It was love at first sight I suppose. I sacrificed my happiness for him. He took me along to buy a ring. He wanted to propose.”
His eyes slid to mine. “Mate bonds can do that to you. I hid in the trees, and he proposed to her in a boat, just like this one, and she just knocked the ring off. Ruarc dived into the water, determined to find it, and do you know what the sad thing was?”
“No.”
“Then, he couldn’t swim. I thank God I took swimming lessons with Izal. Horrified, I dived into the water to save my brother. Do you know why I told you this part of my past?”
I noticed one thing. Sia had said God, not goddess, like we are supposed to. Who the hell is this guy? Not wanting to indulge in my thoughts, I gave him an answer. “No. I don’t.”
“Did Nuella feel anything when she tried to drown Ruarc?”
I don’t have an answer. I mean, how would I know? Sia realizes this and says, “Good. Then don’t ask me if I felt anything when I killed her.” His smile returns to his face like it never left.
“You haven’t entered the water.”
“It’s cold and I don’t know how to swim.”
“That’s such a stupid excuse,” Sia says, leaning in, peering at me. “It will be fun.”
“Drowning is not fun.”
“But my lips are.”
Sia kisses me, and I melt into him. I pull at his hair softly, leaning in as well. His lips had only been a distraction, because the next thing I know, I am in the water, clothes and all. The asshole had pushed me in. When I resurface with a lot of difficulty, Sia laughs at me. The water is so cold.
“You son of a bitch! I won’t let you get away with it.”
“I already have.”