I halted, surprised. “Really?”

Fletcher pursed his lips. “I suppose you could say he softens around you.”

“There seems to be so much sadness in him.”

“The glimpses I get of his emotional state are very fleeting,” began Fletcher, his voice serious, “but I can tell you that there’s a lot of guilt there. Guilt, grief, and a need to atone.”

Naturally my curiosity spiralled. “This guilt isn’t something to do with me, though, right?”

“No, it’s a deep-seated guilt. It’s been festering within him for a long time. But it’s all background noise for him when you’re there; his surface emotions are different then. Around you, he always feels fascinated. Inflamed. Desperate to own. I have to say, he’s not going to be an easy person to be with.”

“Why do you say that?” Not that I disagreed.

“That possessiveness he feels – it’s dark, Ava,” he cautioned. “Not destructive or something that would hurt you. But it’s a ‘he’ll-do-absolutely-anything-even-kill-to-keep-you’ possessiveness. It’s not something that will fade. There’s this…need inside him to be sure nothing bad happens to you, that you’re safe and happy. Any person who dares to harm you by word or deed is at serious risk of being annihilated.”

I blew out a breath. “I don’t get it. Don’t get why he’d care so much. I mean, he hasn’t known me long.”

“That’s not why you’re confused that he cares, I can sense it.” Fletcher shook his head. “I have no idea who has made you feel that you’re not good enough – although I’m guessing the seed of that idea was planted in your childhood, and idiots have only made it worse. But that’s just dumb. You have no need to feel so insecure or to doubt your own appeal.”

I shrugged, mumbling, “I’m annoying.”

He slipped an arm around my shoulders. “Not one person on this island has had a bad word to say about you. Yes, it can be tiring to be around people who are constantly wired. But you’re just too adorable to be annoying.”

I snorted at that, which earned me a slap on the shoulder. “Ow.”

“A very special thing about you, Ava, is that you accept people as they are – you don’t judge, you don’t expect things from others, and your friendship doesn’t come with conditions. That’s rare. There are so many judgmental sods in this world. But you always look for some grain of good within the bad. I have to warn you, it’s doubtful that you’ll find any good in Gina.”

I swallowed hard. “The idea of her living here, of seeing her everyday…”

“It hurts you to be around her, knowing her history with Salem,” Fletcher guessed. “That’s understandable.”

“What’s her game? What am I dealing with?”

“Being around people like her makes me feel ill.” He shuddered. “She’s a bloody vortex of need. There’s a hole inside her that will never be filled; that stops her from being satisfied. So much vanity, greed, arrogance, and selfishness. She doesn’t have any feelings for Salem – I doubt she cares for anyone but herself. She sees him as a possession.”

That made me bristle. “Yeah? Well she can fuck off.”

“She doesn’t seem to feel threatened by you,” he informed me with amusement. “She was enraged at the beach party, but there was no unease. I’m guessing she feels very confident that she has some claim to Salem.”

“I think one of the reasons she doesn’t feel threatened is that her gift gives her some control over men. She releases sexual pheromones.”

Fletcher’s face fell. “The sex call? Oh bugger. She’s going to try to seduce him with it.”

“Salem says he can resist it; that it’s possible his body will respond whether he likes it or not, but that it’s a simple case of mind over matter.” I snorted. “There’s nothing simple about the sex call. If she can get him under her thrall, she can make him vulnerable to suggestions – we both know what she’ll suggest he do.” Hop straight into her bed.

“And he’d hate himself for it later.” Fletcher was silent for a moment. “But maybe it could be a case of mind over matter. I mean, he felt absolutely no yearning for her at the party. And he was truly livid when he saw her there, infuriated that she’d upset you. Maybe those negative emotions will be enough to help him fight the sex call. And don’t forget that Salem’s very strong-minded. If anyone can stand firm against her gift, it’s him.”

“Yeah, but she’ll be aware of that. Which means she’ll wait before she strikes, wait for the right moment – one in which he’ll be vulnerable on some level. If it works, he’ll be pretty much under her total control. Just the idea of that makes me sick.”

“Same here.” He sighed, rubbing my arm comfortingly. “We’ll just have to put our complete faith in Salem. “Look on the bright side –”

“There’s a bright side to the fact that my boyfriend could be seduced into cheating on me against his will?”

“If it does work, Sam will end her. The bitch will be gone, and you’ll never have to deal with her again.”

“Sam wouldn’t kill her.” My smile was feral. “You can’t kill someone who’s already dead.” If Gina succeeded in seducing Salem, the bitch was mine.

Laughing, Fletcher pinched my cheek gently. “I often forget that behind this innocent exterior lies a bloodthirsty banshee. The contrast is fascinating.”

“Well thanks. Now let’s move on from this rather depressing subject and I’ll go try on all this stuff.”

“We haven’t been to the lingerie department yet.”

“Lingerie? Sam was right – you know no boundaries. I love it.”

(Salem)

For the second time over the past few evenings, I was summoned to Sam and Jared’s office. This time, only the pair was inside.

“I take it this is about Will.”

Sam nodded. “I had Ryder scan his mind.”

“I’m surprised Will agreed to that.” He’d always been very secretive and cautious.

“He wasn’t happy about it, but he couldn’t say no, since he needed to prove that what he knew was worth anything.”