Read Online Salvaged Soul (The Ignited Series Book 3) by Desni Dantone - Free Book Online Page B

however. “You and me? We’re newlyweds,” she said. With a flirty bump into my side, she passed by me. “Looking forward to the honeymoon.”
    At that, she finally left, sashaying away in that way girls did when they wanted you to check out their ass. I took pride of the fact that I didn’t look.

Chapter 6
     
    {Kris}
     
    He was dead. Dead .
    The boat was set to leave in two hours. I knew because I’d heard everyone— everyone — talking about it. The whole island knew who was going on this mission, and were getting in their final moments before the time came to say goodbye.
    Tears, well wishes, and hugs surrounded me.
    Yet Nathan was a no-show. Since the moment I first heard the news, and heard his name dropped, I turned this island upside down looking for him. Now I sat, defeated, on a bench between the village center and the beach. Kim hovered just behind me and, though she remained silent, I felt her presence.
    I lifted my chin out of my hands when I saw Alec approach from the direction of the mess hall. He shook his head solemnly and I lowered my head again. A moment later, I felt the bench shift slightly as he took a seat beside me.
    “We’ve looked everywhere, Kris,” Alec said.
    “I know,” I mumbled.
    “He’s probably looking for you while you’re looking for him.”
    “That’s why I’ve decided to stay here. He has to come by here at some point.” Worse-case scenario was a public, hasty goodbye when he passed by on his way to the dock.
    My shoulders slumped under the weight of Alec’s heavy arm, but I didn’t care. He was there, and the weight of his arm comforted me in a way mere words couldn’t. I instinctively leaned into him, pressing my side against his.
    There was nothing romantic about it. Not anymore. I knew that. Even Alec knew that.
    For the longest time I hadn’t been sure if it were possible for me and Alec to be just friends, but as time went by, I had felt the shift in our relationship. It was more than just the fact that we were both born Skotadi, and going through a slow, agonizing change neither of us wanted. Though that connected us to each other in a way others could never understand, it was only a small piece of the very complex puzzle that connected us.
    And I was always grateful to have him by my side.
    Suddenly, his arm lifted. “Man, are you in trouble,” I heard him say, and I lifted my head to look for the target of his comment.
    Nathan’s arms spread to his sides in exasperation as he approached. His gaze shifted from Alec to me, and he mouthed the word, sorry .
    I jumped to my feet. “Where have you been?” The words came out a little squeakier than I intended, and I inwardly cringed at my weakness.
    “Fighting with Jared,” he returned as he came to a stop in front of me. His arms started to reach out for me, but he caught himself, and held them back. He looked pained, tormented—the same as I probably looked.
    “I still have to pack yet,” Nathan continued. Glancing over my shoulder at Kim, he added, “Maybe you could come with me while I do that?”
    “I’ll be back here in two hours,” Kim said to me as her answer.
    Two hours. Then Nathan would have to board the boat to the mainland. Until then, he was mine. We kept up with the charade for public appearances until we reached his room. The moment he shut the door behind us, I found myself enveloped in his arms.
    “I’m so sorry,” he murmured into my hair. “As soon as I got out of the meeting, I tracked Jared down, tried to persuade him to get me out of it. I just . . . I don’t want to leave you.”
    “Couldn’t persuade him?”
    “No.” He pushed me back so that he could see my face. “He always said he trusted me more than anyone else. Apparently, he needs me on this one.”
    “So . . . you’re still leaving.”
    He nodded solemnly, and I suspected that he worried more about leaving me behind than he worried about the mission. Whatever it was.
    “Where are you going? What is the