Bermuda Nights - The Boxed Set

by Sikes, Ophelia

  There was a movement behind me, Evan stepped in, and the next thing I knew I was swooped up in his arms. He stepped into the shower carrying me, and sheer bliss pummeled me with every stream. He rotated so the water massaged into my skull, washing my hair down into a long banner, waves of warmth echoing throughout my entire body.

  “Ohhhh,” I groaned. “That … that is just right.”

  He leaned me against the side of the tub, his face drawing close to mine. “God, Amanda, when I saw you go over the edge, when I saw you fall …” His gaze delved into mine, deep, lost, and the entire world fell away. There was just him and me.

  I drew my hand into his hair, submerged within his gaze. “I love you, Evan. You came for me. With all the craziness, in the depths of everything, I knew you would make it right.”

  His gaze held mine. “I will always be there for you. No matter what.”

  I drew his head down to mine, our lips met, and if there was a separation between his skin and mine, it melted away. There was only him and me, together, the water pounding down on us, the sensation of the kiss swirling us into one soul-soaked being. We were a luminous body of light, a floating sea-creature in the depths of the ocean, one far apart from all known worlds.

  His mouth left my lips, and I gasped at the absence, then moaned as his tongue traced rivulets down my neck, swirling in that soft hollow at my throat. He sent fiery waves down, down, cascading like lava as his lips neared my nipple.

  My body ached for him, cried out for him, lost in the inky depths, craving what I knew only he could bring.

  The slightest touch, a longer stroke, and then his mouth finally drew in my nipple in a long, throbbing draw. I groaned in abandon, arching in relief and desire, cradled in his strong arms.

  The ivory curtains sheltered our private world, our underwater Eden, while his wet mouth echoed the caressing water streaming down my entire body. Then his mouth moved to my other nipple, and I was caught in the ache of loss from one and the burst of pleasure from the other.

  He drew his face up for a moment, gazing at me. “You are a mermaid,” he murmured hoarsely. “A selkie, and you have enraptured me, body and soul.”

  Before I could answer, his lips returned to the center of my stomach, kissing, lower, and I twisted in his arms, arching to bring him closer to that glorious spot in my core. But he resisted, slowing, tracing the path with his tongue through the wetness which steamed all around us.

  I could barely think, so intense were the waves of longing which coursed through me. All I knew is I wanted him … I wanted him …

  His tongue slid between my folds, and I leaned back my head, opening myself fully to him. His arms were sturdy beneath my back and legs, holding me up with steady support.

  I was his, body and soul. I let myself go.

  His tongue danced … caressed … built up speed. The water played its rhythm on the tips of my breasts, sending them into higher levels of soaring pleasure. My breath came in gasps, and the world was soaked, was steamed, was Evan … Evan … Evan …

  His arms drew me in, his tongue pressed down, he gave a low groan, and the world fell away. It was as if I were standing on the peak of a mountain and suddenly the Earth plummeted away from me, leaving me suspended, floating, surrounded by stars and glistening motes of stardust. Nothing else mattered. Just us. Only us two, together, in this vastness of life.

  The motes drifted, coalesced, and cooled. At last I curled in against Evan, cradled within his arms.

  I floated within the most profound peace I had ever known in my life.

  Chapter 5

  The idea had sounded easy enough when we discussed it on the boat ride over, but now that we were actually here, at the side of the ship, cruising along in pitch darkness, a tremor of nervousness skated through me. True, we were barely doing two knots as the cruise ship leisurely, languidly, took in the final few miles before it reached the harbor in Boston. But it was dark, with a heavy fog picking up. The wake of the cruise ship made our own smaller vessel’s ride choppy. And the rope ladder dangling from the open hatch seemed quite flimsy.

  Evan held me by the arm. “You can stay here on the boat. We’ll figure something out. I’ll talk to Kayla, and –”

  “No,” I stated firmly. “Heck, I was just able to handle a fall from the thirteenth deck. This is only deck three here. I’d barely make a splash, even if I do miss a rung.”

  “I’ll be right behind you,” he vowed. He held my shoes looped on one hand. “You’ll need these, after all.”

  I grinned.

  He waved to our boat captain, and our ship eased closer. We watched as the ladder waved up and down, drifted forward and back. The timing … the timing …

  Brandon’s voice was clear and firm. “Now!”

  I leapt with both hands out – reached - and wrapped them easily through the ladder, solidly embraced around it like a baby spider monkey clinging to her mom. A wide smile split my face. Heck, it was much easier than I’d thought it would be. The rungs were ridged for a solid grip, and I settled into a solid grasp of the hanging structure with a minimum of fuss.

  Evan’s voice called from behind me. “Ready?”

  I nodded, yelling back over my shoulder. “Go for it!”

  A pause, and then a shimmering thud as Evan landed below me. In a heartbeat he had climbed up behind me, shielding me with his body. His voice came steady in my ear. “I’ve got you. Let’s take it one rung at a time.”

  We worked our way up the ladder, the spray of salt in our eyes, moving in tandem like a focused, diligent octopus. Then there were the sturdy arms of crew members pulling us in through the open hatch.

  One of them, a lean, muscular, café-au-lait man whose nametag read Haziq from Malaysia - Security, was grinning. “Selamat datang, my friends. Welcome. In my ten years on this ship, I’ve never seen anything like it. I hope whatever you’re up to is worth it.”

  Evan’s voice was hard. “With all we’ve risked ...” He cut himself off, turned, and waved a hand to Brandon. In a moment the smaller ship wheeled and vanished off into the fog.

  Evan turned back to Haziq, his gaze sharp with focus. “Where is Jeff?”

  Haziq checked his computer. “Still in his room. He went there about ten minutes after your … adventure … and the door hasn’t opened since.”

  I knew the situation was serious, but the corner of my mouth quirked up. “He’s probably drinking everything in his mini-bar. He’ll be in for quite a shock when we appear.”

  Evan nodded. “All right, Haziq, you’re with me. Jeff might not want to come quietly, but one way or the other we need to get him into the brig with a minimum of fuss.”

  Haziq rubbed his hands together in anticipation. “I’m at your service. Shipboard troublemakers are mostly melancholic drunks. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to mix it up in a proper brawl.”

  Evan turned to me. “Please stay back when we take care of Jeff. While we’re on this ship, I want you near me so I can protect you. That being said, I don’t want Jeff to ever get his hands on you again.”

  I nodded. “Understood and agreed.”

  The three of us set off, climbing two sets of stairs and moving down a quiet hallway. Undoubtedly the vast majority of the passengers were soundly asleep, preparing for an early departure in the final port of Boston. The halls were already lined with suitcases and bags.

  We reached the room and Haziq held his master key card at the ready. His brown eyes sparkled with glee. “Are we ready to rumble?”

  Evan flexed his fingers, then nodded. “Go ahead.”

  Haziq swiped the card, and Evan pushed the door open.

  Jeff was sitting on the side of his bed, his head hanging down in his hands. Around his feet were a scattering of mini liquor bottles in various shapes and sizes – Absolut, Crown Royal, Beefeater, and a number of others. His gaze was heavy as it rose, and it took him several moments to draw us into focus. When he finally did, his face blanched, and his mouth hung open.
He looked between Evan and me as if we were the ghosts of Christmas Past.

  It took him several tries to get the words out of his mouth. “But … but … I saw you two go over the rail!”

  I was tempted to raise my arms hauntingly over my head, to threaten him with all manner of destruction if he did not repent. My mouth opened …

  With effort I held my tongue. Evan would have enough on his hands as it was.

  Evan stepped forward. “Luckily for you, your ex-girlfriend is one of the toughest women I have ever met.” His gaze narrowed. “You and I are going for a little walk.”

  Jeff went from pale to absolutely colorless. “I’m not going anywhere with you! Get away from me!” He stumbled to his feet. “Stay back!”

  Evan looked at him in disgust. “You’re not even worth –”

  Jeff swung with a wild roundhouse. Evan easily slipped it, dodging back, then drove in hard with a right which was launched from the hip.

  Haziq’s smile nearly reached his ears. He dove into the room, and the door swung shut behind him.

  I fell back against the opposite wall of the hallway, staring at the closed door, my heart hammering against my ribs. It sounded like a washing machine was set to Mangle and Churn, with bassy thumps and strangled growls shaking out of the cabin in regular cadence. I wrapped my arms around my chest, then winced at the deep gong of something solid impacting metal.

  I nervously glanced left and right, but there was not a hint of response from either neighbor. Perhaps the neighbors’ wild farewell partying all day had left them to sleep like the dead. Or perhaps they assumed the sounds were a honeymooning couple’s final, frantic attempt to make the most of their remaining hours at sea and simply pulled pillows over their heads.

  The washing machine slowed, coughed, and then with one last rolling rattle, it fell silent.

  I stared at the door with growing trepidation. What if it was Jeff who somehow, against all odds, stepped through that opening? I threw back my shoulders. Well, if it was, I would do whatever it took to stop him.

  The handle turned, and the door creaked open …

  Evan poked a head out, his hair looking as if it’d gone through a wind turbine, his shirt ripped open two buttons. He glanced down the hall. “All quiet out here?”

  I sighed in relief, then nodded. “You two OK?”

  His mouth quirked up. “Nothing that won’t heal,” he assured me. “Hold the door.”

  I stepped forward to prop it open, looking inside. An F5 tornado had touched down and made itself at home. The bed was up on its side, the TV’s face was shattered, and the gentle landscape of a tropical island was now a jigsaw puzzle. Haziq limped slightly as he slid his arm beneath one of Jeff’s armpits, but his face was beaming. He turned to Evan over Jeff’s unconscious body. “Wow, you are incredible. Ever fight MMA?”

  Evan chuckled as he took Jeff’s other arm. “That’s my brother, Aedan. Me, I’ve just been in my fair share of Boston bars after hours.”

  Haziq’s eyes went wide. “Your brother is Aedan, the one who just fought in Vegas? He’s my hero!”

  Evan smiled. “With all the help you’ve been, I’m sure I can arrange a meet.”

  If Haziq had been beaming before, now he was visibly shining with joy.

  Evan gave a heft, and they stood, draping Jeff between them as if he were a drunken friend. They carefully stepped over the debris field and exited the remains of the cabin. I let the door fall shut and took up the rear. The hallways were deserted as we negotiated our way along the stretch and down the stairs. A few more turns, another door, and we had reached the brig.

  There was a satisfying sound to the click of the door as it sealed Jeff into the secured area. His body lay on the cot, facing the wall, and I wondered if there was an inch of his skin that would not rise with bruises by the time he awoke. The thought filled me with a warm sense of justice.

  Jeff would have plenty of time to ponder his mistakes in the coming months. I had no doubt Evan would make sure of that.

  Giving my ex one last look, I turned to Evan. “OK, that went reasonably well. Next, we need to talk to Kayla.”

  Evan’s brow creased. “Amanda, telling her anything about the operation is a huge risk.”

  I nodded. “We’ll only take that step if absolutely necessary. But you agree we have to somehow have her involved in this last meeting, right? Sven and his team need to feel safe enough to come on shore and discuss everything openly with us. We don’t want to scare them off with too many last minute changes.”

  He reluctantly nodded. “Yes, it would make everything much easier if Kayla was a willing participant, whether because she wants to be a part of the organization or because we had to tell her the truth.” He took my hand. “We wouldn’t prosecute her either way, of course. She’s not who we’re after.”

  “I know. We’ll just have to see what she says.” I squeezed his hand. “Ready to head up to my room?”

  He drew me close. “First, I want to tell you just how proud I am of you. Tonight – all of it – you are just amazing. We couldn’t have gotten as far as we have without you.”

  I gave him a tender kiss. “We make a great team.”

  His gaze heated, and it was with clear force of will that he took a step back. His voice was hoarse. “Once we get through this final meet, I’ll be sure to show you just how much I treasure you.”

  My voice dropped to a murmur. “You showed me that back in the shower,” I reminded him.

  His eyes glowed. “That was only the barest hint of what you are in for.”

  My body warmed with heat, and I closed my eyes, wrapping my resolve around me like a cloak.

  Twelve more hours.

  Chapter 6

  I knocked on the door to my room before slipping in my key card. I had no idea what Kayla knew, or suspected, about what had gone on during these past few hours. It was time to find out.

  I glanced at Evan. “Maybe you should wait out here for now.”

  He nodded in understanding. “Good luck.”

  I pushed the door open.

  Kayla was standing beside her bed, her half-packed suitcase laid out on top of it, and she breathed a sigh of relief as I stepped through. She ran forward, drawing me into a hug. “There you are! I’ve been worried sick! You know that our bags have to be out in the hallway by eleven, or we’re stuck lugging them off ourselves in the morning.” She glanced at the alarm clock on the counter. “You’ve got less than an hour left!”

  “We’ll be fine,” I assured her. “Sit for a minute. I need for us to talk.”

  She looked again at her luggage, worry creasing her brow, but she nodded, plunking down on the chair facing my bed. “So, where were you?” she pressed as I sat on the end of my bed. “I even called Sven to see if you were down there with them. He was incredibly rude and pretty much told me to screw off.”

  Her face creased into a deep frown. “I can’t believe I had fallen for him. He’s like Thor on the outside, but inside he’s selfish and uncaring. I could never work with him – never trust him.”

  She rolled her shoulders and gave me a wan smile. “At least I figured this out before we began all those business talks, right? I bet you’re relieved at not having to deal with Jeff any more.”

  I wove my fingers into each other. This was going to be a bit trickier than I’d thought. “Well, actually …”

  Her brows drew together. “Don’t tell me you’re becoming fond of this idea of Sven’s, to work with Jeff? That ex of yours has been nothing but trouble for you!”

  “Well, yes, that’s true,” I agreed. “That’s why Evan and I were going to bring in Evan’s brother, Brandon, to take Jeff’s place in this. It could be you, me, Evan, and Brandon handling everything.”

  Kayla’s eyes lit up for a moment, and she opened her mouth as if to say something. Then her shoulders slumped and she shook her head. “No. I suppose I agree Brandon would be better than having Jeff in the mix, but no. I’ve had it with Sven. I’ve
had enough of his lies and manipulations.”

  She ran a hand through her hair, then looked at me with determination. “Sweetie, I’m the one who sucked you into this in the first place. I got us all tangled up with Sven. And now I’m going to be the one who gets us out again.”

  She tapped her fingers on the table. “You want to go into business, you want to work with Evan and this brother of his, fine. I’ll get you some contacts when we’re safely back in Boston. People you can rely on.” Her gaze hardened. “But not Sven. The man is a snake. You need to stay as far away from him as possible.”