Heartless Hero (Crowne Point 1)

“Fuck off,” Khalid gritted.

Theo paused. For a second I thought he’d let Khalid go. Then, in almost slow motion, he bent Khalid’s finger back. Crack.

Khalid screamed.

Sounding all at once bored and furious, Theo said, “Keep your hands to yourself.”

My eyes locked with Theo’s, still holding Khalid. The pale green depths were filled with an inscrutable emotion—if I didn’t know better, I’d say need. There was a fire in them matching the burning sky. Blood rushed fast and furious through my ears. Unintentionally, I wet my lips. His eyes dropped to them.

Theo stepped back. Khalid hung over the railing, using it for support. Theo grasped my elbow somewhat gently, considering what those very hands had just done seconds before. He steered me away from Khalid’s moans and the menacing words he yelled at our backs.

He careened me all the way to the front of the boat.

People made out and more on white leather, but I was stuck on Theo.

“You broke his finger.” Awe laced my words.

He scoffed. “He got off lucky.”

I blinked in surprise. Lucky? What else could Theo do, if provoked?

I pulled my elbow out. “Why are you here?”

He quirked his head to the side. “Hmm… that doesn’t sound like thank you.” He stepped closer, and I took a step back. My back bit into the railing. “Did you really think I would let you out of my sight? After tonight?”

Yes.

No.

I don’t know.

“Why do you care? You’ve made it clear you don’t care what happens to me.”

“Don’t care, Abigail? There’s a reason they call me your dog.”

“Stop,” I said weakly, turning my head away from him.

“Those fights I got in when we were kids?” He gripped my biceps, thrusting me to him. “For you.”

I slowly looked back, eyes locked.

“Every single broken bone. Every bloody knuckle. It was all. For. You.”

“Stop!” I yelled.

Funny Theo. Sweet Theo. Aggressively protective Theo.

It was too much.

“You want to talk about not caring? Look in the fucking mirror. All I’ve ever done is care about you.”

My heart pounded like the pop pop pop of fireworks as his grip tightened, pulling me closer until our lips were only separated by the breath of ocean air.

I darted my tongue out to wet my lips, and his eyes dropped to them, hooded.

“Ooooh! Theo and Abigail are about to fuck.”

I was pulled from Theo’s searing gaze to the boat’s leather couches where we’d drawn an audience. My classmates and peers made kissing noises at us, and a few made the jerking-off motion.