Page 28 of The King Contract
Callum squints. “What?”
“Maelstrom,” he repeats, nodding at Millie. “Goes better with her name.”
The three of us exchange glances before Mack fishes out his phone and dictates from the screen. “A powerful whirlpool in the sea or a river. Or a situation or state of confused movement or violent turmoil.” Mack looks back at Dan. “How the fuck do you know that word?”
I see the word flash in front of my eyes, and I grin at Dan. “It’s the name of a surfing book.”
Dan nods. “And it’s the name of those insane whirlpools that sink ships.”
“Doesn’t sound like the nicest nickname,” Callum muses.
“I need to apologise,” I sigh, running a hand through my hair.
“How come you never call me a maelstrom?” Mack asks. “I can be confusing and violent. Goes with Mack.”
“But you’re not powerful,” Dan quips. “You’re weak and loud and predictable.” He glances at Mack with a blank expression and Mack’s mouth drops open. “I guess you leave enough damage with that blabbermouth of yours.”
“You’re a dick,” Mack spits.
“I’m right,” Dan says with a shrug.
My gaze travels back to Millie, wondering how the hell I convinced a maelstrom to sign a fake-dating contract.
I give Millie space for the next hour or so but always keep her in my line of sight. She does a good job of ignoring me, but there are several instances where I catch her searching the room and quickly looking away when she spots me.
When I notice her slip outside away from the guests, I follow her around a bend to the right, where a private alcove overlooks the waves. She leans against the railing, the wind lightly blowing on her face as she stares out at the horizon.
I slow my pace a few steps behind her. “There’s the little maelstrom.”
She peers over her shoulder, her eyebrow quirked. “Maelstrom?”
“Millie the Maelstrom,” I clarify. “What do you think?”
“You think I’m a maelstrom?”
I frown. “Does it not mean what I think it means?”
A soft laugh escapes her lips, easing the tension in my shoulders. “A maelstrom is usually referred to as a powerful whirlpool or a situation of chaos.”
I move closer, leaning against the fence next to her. “Yep, that’s what I thought.”
“I’m hardly chaotic, Noah,” she sighs, returning her gaze to the breathtaking view. “But I suppose my life has been lately.”
I survey her profile, the way she stares longingly out at the horizon. She looks so at peace; the term maelstrom feels ill-fitting.
“Can we start over?”
Millie tilts her head to look at me, uncertainty on her face.
I take that as my cue to proceed. “I’m sorry, for what I said to you on the beach that day. You caught me off guard with your comments and I lashed out at you. Plus, the guilt about the camera is eating me up.”
Millie’s face softens before she sighs. “God damn it. Now I have to apologise.”
I snicker. “No, you don’t.”
“I lashed out at you first,” she grumbles. “I’m sorry.”
“Iwasflirting with you to try to distract you,” I admit.
