"I want visitation rights! I want to remember her," Boston turns to snarl at Rumi, who rolls his eyes.
We pass other ships and my heart thunders as we come to dock much faster than we should. Our ship moves with the speed and grace of Rumi's power and for once I wish it wouldn't. I wish I could slow down time, make this moment last. This might be for the best but that doesn't mean that change isn't painful.
"Let me talk to her. Alone," Rumi amends.
"No."
"Alone," he repeats and this time his eyes turn dark and Boston turns on his heel without another word. Boston's hands leave me altogether and it feels as if he's being torn away from me.
"Don't do that to him," I snap.
"Look at me," Rumi commands. "I'm going to say this quickly before I change my mind." The muscles in his jaw cord, the veins in his neck black and bulging. "You can be part of my crew that stays on land. You can...gather and direct souls to me. You can go home and still keep the bargain. It's your decision. I can't let you go...but I can offer you that."
A knife to my heart. My stomach drops so much I swear it's fallen to the ground between us. Do I want that? I look away from Rumi to look at the sea, the never ending horizon, and my attention slides to Jac now laughing with the crew. What's behind me? What is there in Himond other than Boston? Disappointed parents. A society I'll never be good enough for. Dread.
"I want to stay with you." I exhale and it's a weight lifted off my shoulders and chest. There. I said it. "I'm tired of playing someone I'm supposed to be." Rumi's brows furrow as he processes what I'm saying. "I've already chosen you twice. And I'll choose this again."
His mouth parts, revealing all of his teeth as he smiles wildly. "Say that again," he whispers. "Just one more time. I couldn’t have heard that right."
I laugh, tentatively reaching out to take his hand. He lets me interlace our fingers and with my other hand, I trace his tattoos. "I'm choosing you." I pause. "With one condition." He lifts a brow. "Everyone will forget me...except when we come back to shore to visit. Then they can forget and live their lives when we leave until we come back again. Do you understand?"
"Done." He nods firmly. He jerks me to him and I stumble into his chest. His hands skim my neck, cupping my cheek. His lips brush mine. The tattoo on my arm stings as the conditions of our deal change. When he speaks again, I feel it in my very bones. "Could it be that more than all the things you don't want, you've finally decided that there is something that you do want? More so than your freedom?"
It might be wrong of me. Foolish even. But it's real and it's true. The only thing keeping me from my future is one last goodbye that's really more of a see you later. My heart swells with the bittersweet emotion. I get what I've always wanted without giving up the people I love the most. It's more than I could ever ask for.
Together Rumi and I will travel the world and death will follow. History will hate us but it won't even remember our names. Together we're free.
Also by Rebecca Grey
Ruined by Fae Saga
Ruined
Madness
Heartsick
The Cursed Kingdom Series
The Cruel Fae King
The Cursed Fae King
The Crowned Fae Queen
The Twisted Crown Series
The Shadow Fae
The Iron Fae
The Lost Fae
The Prince’s Games Duology
Vengeance
Vanquish
Coming soon from Rebecca Grey:
Made From Death, Book one of the Fae-tal Enemies Series
ABOUT REBECCA GREY
Rebecca Grey leads a busy life. Somewhere between raising two kids and daydreaming about being a reality television star, she writes. As a reader she enjoys books filled with arrogant boys, who she would never waste her time on in real life, and large fantasy or paranormal novels. Much of her love for these things are reflected in her books.
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Chasing Boston Page 17