The Tide Watches — Episode 10

Squawk! He's baiting! He's baiting! This is bait! Squawk! She fell for it! Serena the Bold fell for it! I couldn't make it out.

What are they saying? Baiting what? Fishing. They said they want to go fishing. Fishing? Birds want to go fishing? After dinner, Elias walked straight into the bathroom.

Right then, Ryan sent me a voice message. His voice all choked up. Serena, I'm drunk. Come pick me up, please. I glanced at the time. 11.30 at night. I sneered and replied, Sure, Ryan. I'll come get you. Just make sure you wait for me. Don't move.

Wait for me, okay? Wait for me. The second I sent it, I powered my phone off without hesitation and tossed it side. Idiot. Wait forever. For all I care. I pulled my thoughts back and suddenly felt a chill my spine. I hunched my shoulders and looked back. Ilias stood there dripping, staring at me without

moving. Something dark glinted in his eyes. I smiled at him. El. His face went cold. He me, retreated into the bathroom, and slammed the door. It startled me. Then it clicked. He must have overheard that voice message and gotten the wrong idea. I got up quickly, ready to go knock on the door. The second I reached it, the bathroom door swung open. Elias. The words

died in my throat. He'd changed out of the shirt and shorts. Now he was bare from the waist up, a single towel around his hips, hair dripping, droplets rolling down his hard chest, sliding along the cut lines of muscle and vanishing into the towel. I stared. I swallowed without meaning