I growled at her, swatting with my free hand. “Quit it.”

Pika squawked and joined the fight, two annoying green mosquitos buzzing around my head.

Why the hell were caiques so fucking loyal? Skittles had known Eleanor only a few weeks, yet she acted as if I was about to rip out her tiny parrot heart. Even Pika had chosen her side...against me.

You’ve only known her a few weeks, yet look at the sorry state you’re in. You’re as bad as they are.

Christ!

I dragged Eleanor faster.

I was breaking.

My resolve splintering.

Do it.

Get it over with.

Keep her safe.

Eleanor sniffed as she watched me being attacked by two birds. “Not only are you evicting me from your island and heart but you’re also denying me the right to see Skittles again.”

I clenched hard. My teeth threatened to turn into dust.

Stay silent.

Do not retaliate.

We broke through the manicured jungle and onto the top of the beach. The sand remained white in the darkness while grey clouds danced over the tide that’d become an obsidian mirror.

It would still be my paradise if the air didn’t reek of charred bone and pelt.

My chest ached.

My mind swarmed with so much death and decay.

My ears heard the whimpers of partially alive animals followed by the howls of those still fighting to survive even while missing vital parts. A woman’s scream pierced my brain. Eleanor’s scream. Her future.

My stomach roiled, and sickness blended with my rage.

My pain at losing Eleanor had overshadowed my fury, but now it nudged back into priority. My fingers curled tighter around her wrist, making her hiss with discomfort. My mouth watered to rip Drake’s body limb from limb.

This peaceful, perfect world would soon be contaminated by my brother’s blood, baptised in his death, and reborn from his tyranny.

“Sully...you’ve made your point. You win. Just let me go, and I’ll find Jealousy and stay well out of your way. You won’t see me until whatever is about to happen is over.”

I raked a hand through my shower-damp hair. Pika and Skittles gave up their rampage, twittering and landing on Jinx’s shoulders. I didn’t think I’d ever find a more perfect woman.

Tall, willowy, graceful.

Stubborn, intelligent, kind.

Vegetarian, animal lover...mine.

Fuck!

I choked, clearing my throat as I stiffened and carted her down the beach toward the helipad. “If you stay, you’ll still be at my mercy...even once this is all over.”

“You would never hurt me, Sully.” Her feet kicked up sand as she tried to tug against me.

“I would. I will. Eventually.”

“That’s not true—”

“Sinclair.” Cal’s voice whipped my head behind me, narrowing my eyes as he jogged to catch up. Like me, he wore all black. Unlike me, he carried a semi-automatic and the aura of squad commander. “You’re going through with it then?” He nudged his chin at Eleanor who stood spitting mad beside me, still trying to unravel my imprisoning fingers.

Her neck arched with ire. “We’re trying to settle on a compromise.”

Cal smirked. “Sullivan doesn’t do compromises.” He bowed. “It’s been nice knowing you, Jinx.”

“I’m not leaving!” She scratched at my arm, making me wince.

The helicopter was so close.

Only a few more strides before Eleanor would be gone.

My entire body revolted, but I pushed ahead, dragging her the rest of the way.

“Sully!” She squirmed and wriggled. “God, you’re a stubborn bastard.”

Cal followed us, his voice low and curt. “The men are ready, but the sensors are down.”

I threw him a glower. “What do you mean the sensors are down?”

“The ones around the reef aren’t working. Either the receiver is faulty or the perimeter line has had a break. We’re sitting ducks with it being so fucking dark out there. I knew we should’ve gotten sonar.”

“He flew over Serigala. What’s to say he won’t fly over this one?” I jerked Eleanor down the bamboo jetty and stopped outside the helicopter fuselage. She hadn’t interrupted, her gaze darting back and forth between Cal and me, listening to warfare.

“He won’t. This is personal.”

“Serigala was personal.”

“No, Serigala was a taunt. You’re what he wants. He won’t drop a bomb on you when he can have the pleasure of cutting you up with a fillet knife.”

“Oh, my God. What the hell is going on? Why would he hurt Sully?” Eleanor stopped trying to get free and clamped her hand on my forearm in panic. “Come. Leave with me.”

“I’m not fucking leaving,” I growled.

The stricken look in her gaze made me add a soften snarl, “Drake won’t touch me, Jinx. He’s the one who will be dying tonight. Not me.”

“All guests and goddesses have been evacuated, by the way. Arbi and a few guards will contain the girls.” Cal narrowed his eyes.

“Good.”

“I wish we had trained sharks,” he muttered. “A few obedient crocodile or two. Maybe a rabid baboon.”

I rolled my eyes. Not for the first time, Cal had tried to persuade me to come up with a pharmaceutical compound that could control any animal who drank it. To have access to powerful swimmers and jaws of death.

I’d half-heartedly given the request to Peter Beck—to see what he and his scientists could cook—but without the ability to test on animals, we’d reached a dead end. Besides, I wouldn’t enslave a race just for my own gain.

Humans were my only hunting ground in that respect.

Shifting Eleanor so she stood right by the helicopter door, I grabbed her around the waist and hoisted her into the luxurious cabin.

“Wait. No—”

“You’re going home, Eleanor.”

“I’m staying.” Tiki torches around the helipad flickered, bouncing golden flame off her glossy long hair as she leaned over me, refusing to go deeper into the cabin. She looked as if she’d embraced the fire itself, glowing from within with explosive temper.

“Sully—”

“Don’t make me bind you,” I snapped. “Because I will.”

She attempted to push me away from blocking the door. “Let me off.”

I nodded at the pilots, gritting my teeth as fresh torment ignited at the sound of engines firing on. Pika and Skittles took off with an agonising screech, fleeing from the noise.

Eleanor’s gaze tracked them until they vanished into the undergrowth, rapidly filling with tears.

It broke my useless heart to tear her away from Skittles, but I’d do it all over again if I could keep her safe.

“Sit down.” I pushed her back. “Buckle up.”

Her tears spiked with frustration. Any sign of weakness or submission disappeared beneath dangerous tenacity. “I won’t let you do this. Damn you, stop and just listen for a moment!”

“Listen?” I cupped her cheek, ignoring the splinters and daggers in my chest making it hard to breathe. “Don’t you see? I can’t listen. I can barely look at you without falling to my goddamn knees.”

“Then don’t do this!”