Under Black Skies (Beneath Black Sails, #3)

by Clare Sager

“Everyone leaves,” she muttered, so quietly, it might’ve been to herself rather than him. “They leave, they die, or they let you down. I know that. I know.” His heart shrivelled. Oh, Vee. He fastened both hands around the cup to keep them from her.

But every time he and Vee touched, it shook through him, stirring a storm of emotions—care, want, comfort, desire, a drive to protect… All of it far too strong for just friends. And every touch chiselled away his self-control.

But he’d never seen a good friend stretch her arms in the air and felt such an overpowering urge to run his hands from her waist, over her ribs, up her arms, and trap her hands while he kissed her to within an inch of her life.

It was getting harder and harder to pretend being her friend was enough. It wasn’t just that he wanted to touch her, to hold her, to do wonderful, wicked things to her. He wanted to sleep at her side, to whisper secrets in her ear and listen to hers, to share himself, his life… everything.

“Just Vice,” Knigh muttered, leaning closer to Billy. “She doesn’t like Miss Vice—gets a bit… stabby.”

Maybe it’s impossible to be with someone and not get hurt in some way, eventually, but a relationship means you’ve decided that the joy is worth the pain.”

Didn’t matter if it was a foolish smile on her face. Didn’t matter one bit, not when his warm gift still glowed alongside her own magic. Not when she’d share her bed and herself with him again tonight. Not when she’d explain to him about Drake’s co-captaincy tomorrow and they’d look through the clues and work it out together.