?Chapter 192:


    Catching Hailee’s uncertain nce, Elliana offered a reassuring smile and gestured to the couch across from her. “Hailee,e sit over here.”


    “Alright,” Hailee replied, making her way over.


    Among this intimidating circle of wealth and status, Elliana was the only familiar face, and sticking close gave Hailee a small sense offort. But the moment she eased into the seat opposite Elliana, she felt the tension. One nce at Cole, and it was obvious—he wasn’t thrilled. Embarrassment crept up her neck. It was clear she had interrupted something, and now she wished she’d picked a different spot.


    Elliana gave Cole a quick look, half-amused, half-annoyed. He was being ridiculous, like some over-possessive teenager, and she honestly didn’t know what to do with him. With a resigned sigh, she turned to Myles. “Could you get a room ready for my friend?”


    “Of course, Mrs. Evans,” Myles replied, offering a polite nod.


    Looking back at Hailee, Elliana softened her tone. “You look exhausted. Why don’t you lie down for a while?”


    Relief washed over Hailee’s face, and she nodded. “Thanks. That actually sounds perfect.”


    Without dy, Myles guided Hailee to a quiet room at the back of the cabin, where she could finally rest in peace.


    Once Hailee left the room, Manley loosened up, his attention swinging between Elliana and Merlin like a pendulum. Both of them intrigued him, but he wasn’t sure who would be more fun to poke at.


    Noting the way Cole was practically wrapped around Elliana like a vine, Manley figured it was smarter not to test those waters. That left Merlin—silent, stiff, and sitting like he’d been carved from ice, every muscle locked in ce and his eyes glued to the floor.


    Curiosity got the better of Manley. “Hey, Merlin. What happened to your wrist?” he asked.


    Without blinking, Merlin replied, “Got bitten.”


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    That answer stopped Manley cold. “Bitten? By what? Don’t tell me there was a dog onboard. Was there? No way, right?”


    As soon as the words left his mouth, Manley realized how stupid that sounded. Even if there had been a stray somehow, there was no universe in which it could’veid a tooth on Merlin. Merlin had once taken down a dozen armed men without breaking a sweat. A dog wouldn’t dare. Hell, a lion might think twice. He’d survived gunfire and hand-to-hand brawls, yet somehow, after fetching a gentle-looking woman, a mark was left on him? That didn’t add up—and that made it even more interesting.


    Manley leaned in, peering at the injury. The closer he looked, the more obvious it became—those weren’t animal marks. That was a human bite. And judging by the shape, it came from a woman.


    Manley pieced together the truth, so did everyone else in the room. Considering the only woman Merlin had been close to was Hailee, it wasn’t hard to connect the dots.


    Elliana’s eyes widened slightly, taken aback. Hailee? Really? She looked more like someone who’d cry over a stubbed toe—what the hell had made her bite?


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