"What did you expect me to do?" Lucian cast a dark, bloodshot glare at the ship's doctor and a visibly panicked Channing. "Announce to the whole deck that I'm in heat? There's no antidote, is there?"
The sharp retort left Yorick utterly speechless. Lucian pressed the advantage. "Someone pulled a stunt like this on your ship, and instead of handling it, you're hunting me down?"
"No, I'm looking for Loyce," Yorick stammered, trying to peer past him into the shadows. "Is she..."
"Was she drugged too?" Lucian interrupted coldly.
"No."
Yorick was just terrified that the aphrodisiac would turn Lucian into an animal and he'd make a move on Loyce, ruining Yorick's chances forever.
Lucian was burning up, but he wasn't stupid. He caught the implication instantly and let out a dark chuckle. "If she isn't drugged, she has two perfectly good legs to walk away with. Why the hell are you looking for her in my room?"
Yorick opened his mouth, then closed it again.
It made infuriatingly perfect sense. He had no counterargument.
Morris, who had been quiet the whole time, narrowed his eyes slightly. He caught a glimpse of a silhouette sitting behind the high back of the sofa. He hesitated, but ultimately decided to stay quiet.
His sister hadn't been drugged. She was an adult, which meant she knew exactly what she was doing. Dragging her out of there wouldn't do anyone any good, and he had no intention of upsetting her.
Since this was her choice, Morris decided to turn a blind eye.
Right on cue, a waiter came sprinting down the hall in a total panic. "Emergency! Something's happened in one of the other lounges!"
Assuming Loyce must be in the other room, Yorick didn't hesitate. He turned and bolted down the hall.
Lucian slammed the door shut.
Morris turned to Channing, his gaze piercing. "Why do you look so pale all of a sudden?"
Channing forced a weak smile. "I'm just feeling a little seasick."

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABEL
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: She Was the Treasure All Along