Lunars of the Caribbean

Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge (31)

Thorne was ready to blow Kaito's head off when he caught him crouched in front of Crescent. He knew Cinder had some kind of thing for him. But if he was under Levana's control, and was harming Crescent, he had some bad news for Cinder.

Kaito did as he was told and moved away from Crescent. Thorne kept his gun trained on him until they were on opposites sides of the cave, and Cinder could grab the guy if he tried anything.

Cinder and Kaito's awkward and silent reunion fell from Thorne's mind as he dropped his gun and went to Crescent's side. The shirt he gave her was a pile of scraps on her upper body. She was barely awake.

"Captain," she breathed, overwhelmed with joy.

Tears brimmed in Thorne's eyes. He felt so conflicted. He was happier than he'd been in years to finally see the love of his life again. After two long years of waiting and worrying, here she was.

Deeper in his mind was an unrelenting loathing and desire to maim aimed at Sybil and Levana. They took Crescent from him. They tortured her for information. They deserved to die in a thousand painful ways for their crimes.

He saw the links around Crescent's wrists. They held her to the cave wall and made her wrists so raw her skin was red. He didn't have a key or lock pick to set her free.

Crescent saw him drowning in anguish and looked up at her chains. "The governor of Port Royal's library," she whispered, and the chains released her.

She was so weak she fell into the pool. Her tail and arms unable to push her to the surface. Thorne's reflexes were fast, and her caught her by her arm and pulled her back up.

Before something else horrible happened, Thorne pulled her out of the pool and scooped her up in his arms. He held her tight and tried to convince himself that the water falling from his eyes were drops Crescent had kicked up from the pool.

She was soaked and freezing, and gladly clinged to Thorne for warmth and because she missed him so much. "I thought I'd never see you again," she said, smiling bright as the sun. "I can't believe you found me."

"I never stopped looking," he promised. He kissed the top of her head and held her tighter. He was terrified that something terrible would happen that would separate them again. Parting them forever.

Crescent gripped his shirt and kissed his jaw. "Thank you. You're the best captain in the world."

His breathing was shaking, and his heart pounded like a drum. "If I was the best, it wouldn't have taken me two years to find you."

She shifted and looked up at him with those eyes. Those gorgeous, ocean blue eyes that could convince him to destroy the world if it would make her happy. "It's been two years?" she questioned, so worried and innocent.

Thorne couldn't meet those eyes. "Two years, four months, two weeks, and five days," he said, watching the ripples in the pool of water. Yes, he'd counted the days since Crescent had been taken from him. Yes, he counted after years of waiting and fear for her safety. Yes, it was acutely weird, and he was okay with that.

Apparently, Crescent thought it was sweet. She let go of his shirt and held his head by its sides. He pulled his face down and kissed him.

Thorne was wide-eyed at first. He and Crescent had only kissed once before this, and it was after Crescent told him she would approach Sybil's ship to keep her from taken the Rampion and Thorne with it. It had been rushed, and only a quick peck on his lips.

This was so much more. It was a deep, romantic kiss that melted Thorne through his bones. Crescent wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him closer. His eyes shut, and he wanted to stay in this kiss forever.