Warriors of Poseidon 05 - Atlantis Redeemed

his story. She could find a way to work with him. She had to—for Susannah. The rest of it, including the odd compulsion she had to go to him, touch him, and forgive him, could be ignored.
    She could almost hear Rick’s voice in her head, repeating over and over again: The story is everything.
    She finally took her hand off the door handle and stepped away from the door, ignoring her suddenly wobbly knees. “Maybe I could sit down now,” she said, her voice only a little shaky.
    She pulled the second of the pair of hotel chairs toward her, still needing distance from him, regardless of whether he was telling the truth or not. He was sorry, yes, but he hadn’t said anything about whether or not he’d be able to control whatever had pushed him to attack her in the first place.
    As she sank into the chair, her cell phone rang. She glanced at her backpack but then ignored it.
    Probably Rick. No matter who was calling, it couldn’t be as important as this. She fixed a measuring stare on Brennan. “I think that’s enough lying. Please tell me the rest of your story.
    But first I need to ask you one thing, and this time, please tell me the absolute truth.”
    “Anything,” he said, but caution or something else narrowed his green eyes.
    “Whatever happened earlier? Can you promise me that it won’t happen again? Can you promise me you won’t hurt me in any way?” She bit her lip, knowing that everything rested on his answer.
    “I pledge this to you, Tiernan Butler. No matter the intensity of the curse as it tries to destroy me, I will do everything within my power to protect you, even should it mean giving my life in order to keep you from harm,” he said, each word clear and distinct, spoken with the weight of a solemn vow in that deep, sensual voice of his.
    She was shaken by both the words and the utter honesty in which they were offered. He leaned Atlantis Redeemed – Warriors of Poseidon 05
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    forward, searching her face as if he were willing her to believe him. He needn’t have worried.
    She believed him completely, but of course he couldn’t know why. Nobody knew why.
    She had no choice but to believe him. She was a walking lie detector.
    Brennan had no hope that she would forgive him, or even stay long enough to hear the rest of his tale. How could she possibly trust him now? After what he’d done to her? He waited, holding on to the flimsy chair as if it could anchor him. Stop him from rushing to her to plead forgiveness. She had no idea that his sanity hung, precariously balanced, on the edge of her decision.
    “Go ahead, then,” she said, making a circular motion with her hand. “Tell me about this curse.”
    The blood rushed from his head in a great wave until he felt light-headed with it. She believed him. She would let him explain. That was enough. It had to be enough. The rest was up to him.
    “You were at the ‘innocent maid’ part of the story, if I recall.” The hint of a smile twitched at the edges of her lips, and he stared at her mouth, fascinated, focused on how much he would surrender to see her smile, until she cleared her throat. “Brennan?”
    “I have never told the story in its entirety to anyone,” he said abruptly. “You will be the first, which is only fitting, since you are involved in the curse’s fulfillment.”
    When it was obvious she was going to speak, he shook his head, forestalling the questions that she must have. “It’s better if I get this out all at once. Then you can decide if you can bear to have me in your presence.”
    She frowned but subsided and leaned back in the chair.
    “I know you learned a little about us when you were in Atlantis so briefly before. As Prince Conlan and the Lord Vengeance probably told you, we are the Warriors of Poseidon. We all swear fealty to the sea god himself in a ceremony that originated more than eleven thousand years ago. As Poseidon’s chosen elite, we are held to the highest standards of duty, honor, and conduct. However, I failed in all three of these,” he said, barely able to speak the words. He jumped up to pace around the room, veering away from her when she flinched a little at his approach.
    “I was a drunken ruffian. I spent much of my free time, and even time that I should have been training, drinking wine in Rome, carousing with women, and, to put it bluntly, behaving like an ass.”
    Images from those days flashed in his mind, as vivid as if they had occurred only weeks