Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

brIGGS

Present Day

Brine and Scarlet’s pup had come into the world with a loud howl. Briggs smiled as Nyx held out the wee little girl to their friend. Scarlet cried, fat tears dripping down her cheeks as she held her daughter for the first time. Brine wrapped himself around both, his large hand hovering over their daughter’s mop of dark blonde hair as if he were afraid to touch her.

“She’s beautiful,” Briggs murmured. “Congrats my friends.”

He envied the love between his two friends as they shared a loving glance and quick kiss before turning their attention back to their precious child. Briggs gaze sought Nyx who worked efficiently at the bottom of the bed, cleaning up the afterbirth and clearing out soiled bedsheets.

He wanted children with her.

A future full of love.

Only if she’d listen to him.

Briggs approached. “I can take those for you.”

She pushed the linens into his hands without so much as a glance at him. She’d been that way since she’d dismissed him the night before. Briggs left the bedroom and exited the home. He moved to the washing barrel around the rear of the house, tossed the sheets in, and dropped a soap bud in that began to bubble immediately, causing the water to turn pink.

The shuffle of tired footsteps met his ears, and he lifted his head, watching Nyx weave toward him, dirty towels in hand. Dark shadows marred the skin beneath her brows. It had been a long night and day of laboring. Briggs glanced at the horizon. The sun was setting behind the ocean. Poor Scarlet had labored for almost twenty-four hours.

Nyx dumped her towels into the barrel and reached for the washing churn. Briggs grabbed her hand, and she blinked at him slowly.

“Not a chance, Nyx. Go get some rest.”

“I don’t need you to take care of me,” she whispered without heat.

He nodded as he began to agitate the laundry. “You’re very capable, my love. But someone once told me that it was okay to have help. Now, go get some rest.”

“Too tired.” She plopped down onto the ground with a groan. “And no pet names.”

Briggs hummed but didn’t say anything. He wouldn’t agree to any such thing.

They sat in companionable silence for a long while before he felt Nyx lay her head against his leg. His heart picked up pace, but he didn’t say anything, just continued to wash the linens. Maybe this meant she was softening toward him. That she’d listen to him.

“A pretty view to do chores, no?” she commented.

“Brine is a lucky man.”

Nyx snorted. “If only it were the man’s lot in life to wash the laundry. Alas, it falls to women.”

“And yet I am the one agitating the sheets.” Briggs smiled as he heard her giggle. It soothed his soul. It had been way too long since he’d heard it.

She pointed toward the ships. “I’ll be leaving soon.”

Briggs flinched, halting his ministrations. “Oh?”

“Need to move on with my life. Chesh and Marche invited me to go with them. I’m going to enjoy the south for a while.”

He swallowed hard and focused on churning the towels slowly. Briggs thought he had more time to convince her to stay to give him a chance. To tell her what he’d been doing in her absence. But he couldn’t say anything now. It wouldn’t be right.

“You love new adventures.”

“I do.”

They fell into a comfortable silence as the sun sank, the dark sky nipping at the soft orange glow on the horizon. A light snore broke the quiet and Briggs let go of the churn. Nyx had fallen asleep, her cheek pressed against his leg, mouth slightly open.

As gently as he could, Briggs picked her up from the ground. Nyx grumbled but otherwise snuggled into his chest as he carried her back inside Brine and Scarlet’s home. He paused when he caught sight of Marche standing outside the door, messing with a small wooden puzzle. The hare pocketed the toy and cocked his head, watching them. He reached out a hand and opened the front door without a word.

“Thank you,” Briggs whispered.

Marche nodded. “You hold treasure. Don’t be careless.”

The men shared a knowing look before Briggs entered the home and strode into the spare room Nyx had been staying in. He gently closed the door with his foot and then moved to her bed. Part of him cried out as he laid her down on the mattress, hating to be parted from her. He removed her slippers and then pulled the quilt over Nyx’s shoulder. For a moment, he just stared at her sleeping form. He should leave. But he wouldn’t.

Instead, Briggs kicked off his boots, edged around the bed, and sat on the other side. Nerves tumbled around in his stomach.

You can do this. Don’t run away.

He pulled the small blue vial from his pocket, uncorked it, tossed it back, then laid down on the bed beside the only woman he’d ever loved. Nyx rolled toward him, naturally snuggling into his side, her head resting on his bicep. Briggs stared at the ceiling, tears dripping down his cheeks and closed his eyes.