by Milly Taiden
Hannes waited with his men at the galley table for Maricio and the guests. This would be the first woman to join them in some time. Hopefully he needn’t remind his men no farting, belching, or cursing at the table.
Hearing noise behind him, he turned and watched Maricio and Ivan walk in. The boy sported faded camo pants, five sizes too big, and a worn sage T-shirt probably older than he was. Where was the girl? He glared at the boy.
Ivan spurted out, “She said she was coming. I swear.”
He repositioned in his chair. If she thought she could pull a no-show against his order…he glanced at his watch. 1800. Being late was unacceptable. Every second counted in a mission; being one minute late could be the difference between life and death.
Remaining outwardly calm, he propped his elbows on the table. Ivan and Maricio took the last two seats along the table’s sides, leaving the chair at the foot, directly opposite him, available.
Time crawled while everyone sat in silence. Patience. The longer he thought about her, the more fury built. He looked at his watch. 1806. He delivered a solid pound onto the table with his fist. Glasses and silverware jumped, making a clatter when landing.
“I’m going to kill her.” He rocketed from his chair, almost knocking it over. Turning toward the exit, his eye caught a white flash. He snapped around, but the hallway outside the door remained silent. Even though his intuition remained quiet, he reached behind his back and under his jacket.
A second later, Leah’s head popped into view from the side of the doorframe. “Thank god! I wasn’t sure how to get here.” A smile lifted her face. She tugged on her dress and sauntered into the room.
His heart skipped a beat. Who was this luscious woman? Her deep dress neckline teased with each heavy breath. The flush on her face brought a sparkle to her eyes and warm red to her lips.
Reminding himself to breathe, he let his arm fall to his side. Simultaneously, all at the table turned to see what quelled their commander’s rampage.
She looked each man in the eye. Be nice. “Good morning, afternoon or evening, gentlemen. Whatever time it is for you.” Several strands of hair lay wispy against her face. She tucked them behind her ear. Her every move sent tingles down his chest, gathering below his belt.
With her chin up and a cocked brow, she spoke directly to him. “Sorry, I’m fashionably late.” Her gritty voice gently throbbed in his head.
He watched her as she passed. The dress hugged her curves and flowed with the sway of her hips. How he desired to see what the thin white material covered. Another thrill ran through him. He cleared his throat and turned to the table. This seraph cleaned up well. Everyone’s eyes followed her. Maybe cleaned up too well.
Passing Otso on her way to the other end of the table, Leah couldn’t interpret the look in his eyes. It wasn’t anger, so she pushed it out of her mind. She sat and placed the white linen napkin across her lap and glanced up. Otso’s expressionless face stared at her from the far end of the table.
A flash of disappointment coursed through her. She’d hoped he liked how she looked, but he gave no indication he cared one way or another. She tilted her chin down, looked up at him, and shined the most innocent smile she could. He grimaced and looked at his plate.
If she were anywhere else, she’d be laughing so hard, she’d be crying. He wasn’t in control of her, and it irritated the hell out of him.
Leah picked out the onions in the meat sauce and ate quietly with everyone else. Discreetly, she eyed each man at the table. These were “his men.” The four at his end of the table resembled Paul Bunyan with big muscles and stout chests. The three Spanish men sitting closer to her looked like somebody she’d see on the sidewalk in California. For bounty hunters, they blended well. Where was Diego? Not that she cared…
If she and Ivan were going to get out of this alive, she’d have to pretend friendship with these men, play politely. Be non-threatening. Maybe even come on to Otso. She pinched her thigh. What a stupid, childish idea. But that’s not what her body said.
Her body wanted her to come on to him. It was actually trying to encourage the crazy thoughts running rampant in her brain about him, her, a bed, and lots of moaning and groaning. Damn. She needed to think of something else.
Maybe now was the perfect time to show the play-nice Leah. She looked up with a plastered smile. “So, is every dinner this exciting?”
A couple of the men straightened and looked at each other, but no one spoke. Otso looked up from his food. “Actually, no.” His friendliness eased the tension. Axel continued eating. Ivan glanced directly across the table at Maricio lifting his glass of water.
Otso continued. “When it gets too boring, my lieutenant shoots someone in the head.” His end of the table erupted into howling laughter.
Maricio jerked forward, spewing his mouthful of water across the table. Seeing the oncoming shower, Ivan shoved his chair back and the hind legs caught on the floor, dumping him over backward. All of the men exploded into another bout of laughter. Even Otso succumbed to the humorous antics.
Leah’s fake smile wavered. Was he joking? The bald monster caught her eye and winked.
Hitching up his pants, Ivan righted his chair. He reseated himself and the laughter slowly ended.
Otila still chuckled. “Well, I must say this dinner is different than usual.”
Everyone returned to eating while Ivan sopped up the water on his plate with his napkin. Once again, the only sound in the room came from metal forks clicking on ceramic plates. Not long after, Otso set his fork on his empty plate and left the room.
Leah sat befuddled. No mention of going back to the store room, nothing about not roaming the ship. Why didn’t Otso restrict her movements? Perhaps he didn’t care what she did, because his decision about what to do with her and Ivan was made. Was she enjoying her last meal?
FOURTEEN
Leah swore Ivan had to be the slowest eater on the planet. He cut each piece of meat, knife in his right hand, and methodically took bites of the other items on the plate so the meal ended with one bite of each item left. All finished at the same time. Apparently, his mom had done a good job teaching him manners.
As soon as the last bite of mashed potatoes entered his mouth, she grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the mess hall. She had a plan to save them. Sort of. It started with the captain.
Halfway up the stairwell to the bridge, Leah slowed.
“Where are we going?” Ivan stopped behind her.
“Shh. We don’t want to draw attention to ourselves.” She glimpsed down the stairwell.
He whispered, “Why not?”
Leah climbed until the steps turned into a blue carpet wrapping around a corner and out of sight. Leah glanced back several times, but never saw anyone tailing them.
She followed the path around the corner to five-foot-tall windows displaying a thin, charcoal horizon where the sky touched its reflection. “Wow.”
Ivan pushed in behind her. “Why are you stopping? What do you see?”
The bridge wasn’t a room as much as an extra-wide stretched hallway. A long white countertop under the five-foot-high windows reached the full width of the deckhouse. Spread out along the counter, gauges, read-outs, radars, lights and switches flashed, beeped, and rolled.
Leah stepped closer to the windows. All the stacked containers and small bow area at the front of the ship came into view. When she leaned over the counter and looked down, she saw the deck where lounge chairs, cabana, and closed umbrellas lay unused. The ship really could be used for a cruise. She liked the idea of having fifteen fellow passengers instead of three thousand. Not that she’d ever been on a cruise.
Only a few crewmembers worked the console. The rest were probably eating. Behind her, Ivan rolled open a pocket door.
“What’s in here?” Ivan walked into the dimly lit room. Leah recognized the chart room right away.
“Ivan, don’t touch anything. I’m sure we’re not supposed to be here.”
The boy huffed. “You said that for the table. Not the computer.”
Her hand wiped down her face. She was glad she didn’t have children. They would all be dead by his age. “Get out here.” She stepped back and closed the door after Ivan stepped into the aisle. “Stay right beside me.” On the counter closer to the crew, lay official looking papers. Maybe she could find the ship’s name or arrival time. She casually strolled closer.
One of the men glanced at her. “El capitán no está aquí. Vuelve más tarde.”
She smiled and nodded toward the guy, no clue what he said—something about the captain. Leah scooted forward a couple of steps, in view of a clipboard. From a side door, one of Otso’s men stepped onto the main floor. Leah snapped out her arm and pushed Ivan behind her. Someone was watching.
Otso’s man spoke to the crew and they all laughed. Probably a lewd joke aimed at her. He came toward her with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. Leah swallowed hard. This wasn’t a good idea. Leah whispered over her shoulder. “Ivan, let’s go.”
Suddenly the man stopped. Leah took the opportunity to move. She stepped back, spun around, and smacked her nose into the commander’s hard chest. A startled gasp escaped her. She bounced backward. He grabbed her arm above the elbow and pulled her to him. Breath caught in her throat from his electric touch. Her pulse raced.
His breath was rapid and shallow, continuously pressing his chest against hers. Heat from his body penetrated her thin dress. Her hand rested over his fast beating heart, able to slide up around his neck, or push away. Which did she want?
She looked up at him. This was the first time she had seen him close-up, in full light. His emerald eyes mesmerized her. Never had she seen such a deep, strong color. Lines across his forehead etched into the skin. Over his left eye, a long narrow scar ran vertically along his forehead. Probably from some asinine bar fight.
His weathered face told the lifestyle he lived. He was by no means pampered with exotic oils or lotions like the perfect men in her books. No. Otso was real. And now she found him even sexier than before, dammit. She’d never understand her hormones.
His drawn eyebrows released. Red flooded into his lips from a pressed, pale line. His embrace tingled her entire body, creating a need that demanded more. She wanted to touch his hot skin, to brush her lips along his scruffy jaw line, and feel the pressure of his body against hers.
In his eyes, she read the same hunger, the same need. The hand holding her arm slid behind her back, nudging her closer. He leaned forward, bringing his blushed face close. Leah shut her eyes, anticipating the rush when his lips covered hers. His breath on her neck weakened her knees.
“Do I have to keep you locked up to make sure you behave?”
What? He wasn’t going to-- Her cheeks flushed, burning hot. Desire fused into embarrassed anger. She jerked from his grasp.
Otso pushed her toward the entrance to the floor. He spoke from the side of his mouth. “If you make one sound, I will toss the boy overboard.”
She drew in a gasp. The bastard was going to use Ivan against her to get what he wanted. Standing against the cabinet, Ivan followed when they passed.
In front of the chart room, Leah jerked from his grasp. “How dare you threat—”
“I don’t ever want you up here again. Now, leave.” His jaw clenched and warm rose flushed his forehead. He was cute when mad. Ivan started to scamper around her, but Leah grabbed his arm and pulled him back.
She returned Otso’s leer. “Please.”
He drew his brows down, deepening the vertical lines between his eyes.
Leah put her hand on her hip. “Please. It’s a polite word commonly used so the requestor doesn’t sound like an ass.”
The boy’s mouth gaped. Otso and Leah scowled--eyes locked--neither giving in. The maritime clock mounted on the wall ticked louder and louder.
Otso slapped his hand over his eyes and slowly slid it down his face. He crossed his arms and leaned against the cabinet. He smirked. The smirk turned into a chuckle, the chuckle into a boisterous laugh.
Apprehension raced through Leah’s mind. This wasn’t the reaction she expected. She pushed Ivan forward. “Go!”
* * *
On the bridge, Hannes snickered from his exchange with an infuriating woman. Not only was she pretty, but she played him like a piano, knowing exactly which key to strike for the greatest effect.
But he realized her ploy: she was simply defying his authority to wear him down mentally. She knew he needed to be in control of everything around him. Control he almost lost minutes ago. Her body pressed against his chest, feeling her racing heart, the scent of a woman too intriguing to ignore. His body ached for the tender caress of her soft hands. When she looked up at him, her eyes…
The bear wanted her back by their side. He pushed the images from his mind. Only physical cravings, nothing more. Easily sated. They meant nothing. As long as he kept his beast and heart off limits, he’d survive. He was the bear king—bears had no mercy.
He looked out over the calming waters. Movement on the deck below attracted his attention. Leaning closer to the window, he watched the woman and boy walk onto the sunlit deck. The kid paced. Looked upset. Being around that woman, Hannes understood why.
She strolled to a lounge chair and reclined. The sun wrapped her. She tilted up her head, exposing the sinuous curve of her neck, the deep plunge in the dress. Her arms stretched over her head, sliding up the cotton hem to mid-thigh. An occasional breeze ruffled her hair.
His focus narrowed on the alluring siren. He envisioned himself straddling her hot body, gliding his hands over her luscious thighs, slowly sliding the dress up her silky body, divulging her--
“Quite a beautiful view, verdad?”
Hannes flinched at the gregarious captain’s voice. He turned to the captain. “Yes, beautiful day.” He needed to get away from her. Below, the woman rose from the chair and stood next to the boy, both staring into the distance. Hannes backed from the counter and glanced out the side window, the same direction as the two on deck. “Captain.” Hannes’ word rang with urgency.
The rotund man looked out the glass. “Dios mío.” His face paled.
FIFTEEN
After opening the door to the main deck, Leah drew in a breath of salty air and strolled across the warm wood. The cotton shift fluttered around her knees. She tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear.
Ivan stared at her. “What just happened?”
“He was pushy and rude. If I have to play nice, so can he.” She wasn’t going to mention Hannes’ ploy to use the boy against her.
Ivan freaked. “What?! Are you crazy?” He paced with shoestrings trailing behind. “I don’t know about you, but I’d like to continue breathing. That means keeping him happy!”
She side-stepped the round metal table with a closed umbrella and slid onto one of the lounge chairs. Leaning back, she tipped her chin up to appreciate the sun’s warmth and stretched her arms over her head. “Tie your shoes in double knots, now.”
“Geez.” He knelt and twice wrapped the bows. When finished, long loops drooped to the ground. “Hey, what’s that?”
She twisted around to follow Ivan’s sight line, staring out over the water. “What’s what?”
“That. Out there?”
Leah pushed from the lounger and stopped, rooted to the wood. This was the first time she had been on the top deck during the day. At night, only black existed beyond rail. Her pulse tripled, breaths became shallow and fast. Water.
She was supposed to die by drowning—according to her nightmares. The image felt more like a movie than a nocturnal fantasy. And she’d dreamed the same scene enough times to believe it.
She is underwater, standing on a riverbed. B
ehind her, a car sinks into the frame, front end bumping onto the ground, followed by the rear. Her dead eyes stare directly into the camera. Her hair hovers around her face, as if in outer space. Air bubbles seep from the corner of her mouth, a tiny train of dots defying gravity. What happens after the caboose floats out?
“Leah,” Ivan’s voice pulled her from the depths. He leaned against the railing. “It’s two little boats.” The brisk breeze cooled their backs from the intense sun while they stared at the horizon.
“Motorboats? In the middle of the Atlantic Ocean? That’s not possible.”
“Maybe they’re stranded on an island or got lost in a storm and have been floating for weeks. Maybe they had to take a string and put a pin on the end to catch fish and save rain water 'cause they can’t drink the sea water. Oh, I bet if they’ve been out long enough, they had to resort to eating--”
“Ivan, enough.” How could someone have such an imagination? “You watch too many movies.”
He raised his arms over his head. “Hey! Hey, over there!”
“Ivan, they can’t begin to hear you. Besides, they’re headed straight at us--fast.” Was this a rescue? She heard a faint pop.
“What was that?” Ivan bent over the solid railing. Leah sprang toward the boy, ready to grab him if he started to fall over.
Crewmembers along the aft yelled and ran down the aisle, shoving through doors. Another pop and a ting echoed off the steel, closer this time. The boats charged with no sign of slowing. Behind her more men shouted and scrambled toward the deck house.
A squalling alarm cut through the gentle breeze.
She grabbed Ivan’s waistband and pushed him to the deck floor. “Ivan, the boats are shooting at us!”
SIXTEEN
For late October, the weather sparkled: soft cool breeze, warm sun, soothing sounds of water as it lapped against the ship, and gunfire.
Leah and Ivan crouched behind the solid metal railing surrounding most of the ship. She could hardly breathe. “There’s a guy standing on the front of the speed boat with a gun! Get the commander, then go to your cabin and lock the door.” She pushed on his back. “Keep your head down!”