When he dropped to the deck, Colton raised a brow. “Everything okay?”
“Aye.” Greyson peered up at the mast. “She’s almost ready to set sail again.”
Colton nodded. “Tomorrow, we finish installing Bob’s new appliances in the galley, and we’ll be good to go.”
“All right.” He clasped Colton’s shoulder as he headed for the gangplank. “I’ll see you then, mate.”
“Night, Greyson.”
He made it all the way back to his truck before he took his phone out again, eyeing the text. What if she was in trouble? He set the phone on the passenger seat.
She had all of Department 13 at her disposal, and he’d seen her shoot. She didn’t need protection.
Then why reach out?
He picked up the phone, cursing himself as he typed out:
It’s not practice unless the sea is moving under your feet.
Forcing himself to put his cell down, he drove home.
He’d originally bought the house between the Colonial Park Cemetery and the Savannah Theater back in 1902 and had been passing it down to himself through a family trust ever since. Drake had helped him renovate it a few years ago, so although all the historical touches remained in place, his electrical and appliances were all state of the art.
Unlike his friend Drake, Greyson had no fear of technology. He welcomed it.
Inside his garage, he allowed himself to check his phone again. There was a new text from her.
Maybe we could practice sometime.
This couldn’t lead to anything good. But he was a moth to a fucking flame. He knew better, but he couldn’t help himself. He replied quickly.
Pick a day.
He waited. No reply came. Damn it. He shoved the phone into his pocket and got out. The motion sensors in the garage lit up as he punched in the security code and entered his house. Then his phone rang.
Her name lit up on the screen, and he hesitated to answer.
Sending a text was safe. He didn’t have to hear her voice. With each buzz of his phone, the desire to hear her voice grew. He should let this go to voicemail.
But he pressed the button anyway. “Are you all right?”
There was a pause, and he instantly wished he had never hit the damned accept button. He closed his eyes and entered the house, cursing himself. What was it about this woman that made him so weak?
“I wasn’t sure you would answer.” The sound of her voice flooded him with a tempest of emotions. Relief, love, hurt, and…home.
He did his best to bottle it up, but he couldn’t jam the powder back inside the cannon now. He’d already lit the fuse. “Probably shouldn’t have.”
She cleared her throat. “I’m going to be in Savannah tomorrow. Is that too soon for target practice?”
Yes. Much too soon. He still dreamed about her nearly every night, still woke aching to hold her. And he still hadn’t deleted the damned photo off his fucking phone.
He poked at the unopened mail sitting on the counter. “I’ll be busy helping Colton and Bob install the new appliances in the Sea Dog’s galley.”
He hadn’t said no, but this excuse was the closest he could muster. Hearing her voice was a balm to his soul.
“I could come by the ship.”
He ran a shaky hand down his face, struggling to find his footing in this emotional quicksand. “What is this about?”
…
She asked herself that same question as she sat behind the steering wheel of her car with tears staining her cheeks.
Hearing his voice again had been a solace she couldn’t put into words.
She hadn’t cried since her first night back home. Back then, she’d wept for what she lost, but now… Now, her tears were from relief. After three weeks of burying herself in case work, she’d finally found her mooring. Greyson.
This man, this pirate, he was her reason for facing eternity. This wouldn’t be easy, but the second he’d answered that phone, she’d known it would be worth the effort.
Unless it was too late.
“Aura?” Just hearing Greyson say her name made her heart race. “You still there?”
“Yeah.” She took a breath, gathering her thoughts. “The honest answer is, I’m not sure. I needed to hear your voice.”
She prayed he wouldn’t hang up.
Finally, he said, “I can’t do this with you.”
Her heart twisted. “I just want to talk.”
“I’ve already said all I needed to say.” His voice was rough and raw. “Good-bye, Aura.”
The call ended, and she closed her eyes.
It really was over.
The one person who understood her, who fought for her, who cared about her, who had been brave enough to admit he loved her, was gone. She sucked in a shaky breath and lifted her head.
Snowflakes drifted down from the dark sky, weightless and carefree, and she envied them.
Since she’d returned from Scotland, she’d worked with Agent Bale to smooth things over with the MI13 division in England, and she’d been in touch with Lennox to see if he’d found any records that might shed some light on how his father had ended up owing a favor to a demon.
So far, no luck on that front. She’d finished the file on the Tyrfing and made more progress on the investigation into how Mamon had inhabited a human body. This was all important work that would help ensure the safety of others. But it was also empty.
At the end of the day, she was alone.
She hadn’t meant to reach out to Greyson. When she’d sent the first text, she’d never expected him to answer. Maybe if he hadn’t, she could’ve convinced herself to be angry with him. Instead, she ached to hear his voice.
When she’d blurted out that she would be in Savannah tomorrow, it had been a lie. Until that second, she’d had no plans to be in Savannah. When he’d told her to name a day for target practice, she’d been desperate to see him as soon as possible. Tomorrow.
But what if she could? Impossible. She hadn’t put in for time off. She’d have to pack.
It didn’t matter anyway. He wouldn’t see her.
She leaned her head back on the headrest and stared at the ceiling of the car. He’d said all he needed to say.
But she hadn’t.
Her head popped up from the seat. If being around Greyson had taught her anything, it had been to fight. If she wanted another chance with him, it wasn’t going to be easy, but it would be worth it.