Page 109 of Ruthless, But for Her

After a while, their heavy breathing eventually slowed. Ashton pulled away, bringing her into his arms. His chest. Cradling her against him.

“I'd not thought to use the word,” she admitted. “Especially in that way.”

In response, he brushed her hair to the side and kissed her neck.

“I'm coming with you,” she said, adjusting herself into him even further.

“I know.”

“And not because of de Grey. I wish to be wherever you find yourself—Mere's End. At sea. I care not, as long as we are together.”

“You wish to join the Black Sails, do you?”

Cassia turned, reluctantly, away from him, onto her back, so that Ashton could see her face and understand her sincerity.

“I do. I've spent my whole life sitting with my books—which I love dearly—sheltered... Yet I've never felt more alive than when I’m with you. The Daisy, the Wild Boar... I care not where we go. But I do not wish to be shut away, protected from life.”

She thought he would laugh at her, but Ashton seemed to take her words in earnest.

After some time, he leaned over, kissed her on the forehead and sighed.

“You will need training.”

Her jaw dropped. “You would do it? Take me with you?”

“Not,” he cut in. “Into battle. You will stay with Leif, on The Einar, when we port. Especially at the Reach. I have much to tell you.”

He would actually do it!

She turned back, suddenly weary from the day's events. Closing her eyes, she murmured, “I've much to tell you, too.”

“Wake up, my love.”

Was there any better way to be woken?

Instead of alone, in her bed, dreading what the day would bring, she opened her eyes to...him.

Ashton was fully dressed. How had she not heard him get up?

“My love,” she murmured. “Will you wake me so each morning?”

“If you wish it,” he said. “To reach Mere's End by nightfall, we must be⁠—”

“On our way,” she finished, knowing what he would say already.

Like the day before, they rode hard. Though it had stopped raining, the ground was still muddy for much of the way, and the river took the hem of Cassia's riding gown into its cold depths once again.

They arrived at the Daisy after nightfall cold, wet, muddy and...alive.

There was no sign of de Grey. And for that, they'd both been thankful.

Everything seemed to happen at once as they pushed through the red door.

Margot came running toward them. Sorren appeared from out of nowhere and yelled for Ryker. Odile came into the corridor from the hall, looking startled from whatever she'd been doing before the commotion began.

“I thought for certain you were dead.”

Margot wrapped her arms around Ashton as if she meant each word. It was the first time Cassia truly saw her as a mother to Ashton.