by Lucy Smoke
"Tourist cities tend to have a higher rate of new faces; people coming in and out from all different places. Cruises stop in Charleston. A lot of people fly into Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head is well known for its golf courses, a lot of people travel there to play. Lots of new faces, lots of change. It's easier for them to slip in and out with those kinds of people and all of those places are on or close to the water. They can take a boat and head out without anyone getting suspicious," Knix continued.
"So, back to Charleston then," I said, turning my head to take in everyone present. "Where's Grayson?"
There was a brief moment of silence from all of them, including Texas. Then Marv finally answered. "He's outside, getting the car ready."
I frowned and pushed away from him. "Okay, I'm gonna go see if I can help, and then I'll head to the dorm to change. Pick me up when you're ready?"
Marv looked like he wanted to say something, but Bellamy stopped him by stepping up and cupping my shoulder. "Just remember to take your phone with you," Bellamy said.
I nodded and then surprisingly, he, too, leaned down and brushed his mouth across mine. As soon as his lips moved away, I jerked my gaze to the side, assessing the others’ reactions. Marv appeared resigned, and almost…okay with it. My eyes moved to Knix, who was practically unreadable, but he didn’t tense or do anything to show that he was uncomfortable. Texas simply smiled and scratched the back of his head, messing up his already somewhat messy hair. He looked like he just rolled out of bed and honestly, I could picture him and me—just like Marv and me—going right back to it.
At that thought, my face flushed and I turned away, heading for the door. Was this real life? I walked, feeling dreamy and a little fuzzy-headed, albeit exceedingly confused. My brows drew down over my eyes as I glanced behind me and stepped out the door. Most of the guys had all kissed me in front of each other and no one had broken out into fights. I mean, it wasn't like they really fought back when they revealed to me that they knew I had kissed them all. Knix was a little bit tenser than I had expected, but he hadn't said anything to ruin the moment. Perhaps he was just a little more reserved about PDA.
I stopped on the front porch as the front door closed behind me. I was really doing this. I was really in a relationship with more than one man. I wouldn't be able to just uncomplicate things.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Grayson called.
I looked up and gaped as he slung a giant bin into the back of the SUV Bellamy and Knix had driven up from Charleston. It wasn't the strength that made me gape. It was the fact that he was shirtless. All those muscles and dips and contours. My throat dried up and I had to mentally slap myself with the reminder of the importance of today. I slowly made my way down the front steps.
"I'm heading over to Chipley Hall to change before we head out," I said as I approached him.
The sky above was barely light and I realized, with a quick glance down the street, no one was out. The neighborhood—and essentially the campus across from it—was startlingly quiet. How early was it? I pulled my phone from my shorts’ pocket and checked the screen. It was only just after 7 am.
"You ready for this?" Grayson asked, watching me.
"I don't know," I admitted. "I am ready to get Erika back, though. I'm ready for this all to end." I paused. "What are you doing out here?"
"Packing up some of Texas' tech shit," he answered, reaching for a lid on the ground and lifting it to snap over the bin in the back of the SUV. I watched with interest at how quick and efficient he was. Grayson moved back once that was done and then just as quickly closed the back hatch.
He looked over at me for a moment before turning and placing his back against the SUV. "So..." he said, folding his arms over his chest—his eyes bounced from me to the ground and then finally lifted to fixate on a point over my shoulder. I wondered if he did it out of habit or maybe he was anxious. "I suppose you're the one I have to thank for that…” his lips twisted sardonically, “uncomfortable meeting last night." Grayson smirked at me.
I blushed. "I didn't know that was going to happen," I admitted.
"And my one on one with Marv?" His smirk grew.
"That...I may have been responsible for."
He snorted, shaking his head. "It's always a woman," he muttered to himself before rising up and straightening away from the SUV. "Hurry up and go get changed. We're leaving as soon as I get a shower and change also." He passed me, heading for the front door.
I turned and watched him walk away. "You're not going to say anything else?" I asked.
He paused, one foot on the first step, a hand on the railing, and looked back, a stillness in his features—almost an expectancy, a hope. "What else did you expect me to say, Babydoll?"
I shrugged. "I don't know, but something more than 'hurry up' wouldn't have been bad. Did you work things out? You and Marv?"
Grayson chuckled. "It'll always be a little more complicated than just being able to work things out with one conversation, Harlow," he said. "But you'll be glad to know that he no longer wants to see my head on a pike for touching you."
"Does he want to see your head on a pike for any other reason?" I asked, prompting a little more than a chuckle this time.
Grayson laughed, his free hand slapping his ribbed abdomen—all those football practices hadn't hurt him in the least and whatever he had been doing since we graduated certainly made me appreciate his body all the more. "We'll see," he called back. "We'll see."
Grayson left me with those words, walking into the house and closing the door. I turned towards the campus, hoping that Lizzie would stay asleep long enough for me to sneak in and out. We should never have let me take a dorm room, I decided. Because right now, I craved that girl's advice on the complicated mess my life was. Maybe some good news would help me erase my concerns and doubts now lingering like heavy clouds in my mind. And almost like a switch flipped in the back of my mind—like last night’s change—I was ready.
As I jogged across campus in my borrowed flip flops from one of the guys, yawning at the early morning sun, I hoped like hell that Erika was going to be where we were heading today. I didn’t know what I’d do if I had to leave her rescue up to another team. I trusted my guys implicitly and I knew that they would do whatever they could to help my friend and keep her from selling her soul to the devil.
Chapter 18
The wind whipped my hair away from my face as Bellamy steered the Bowrider out into deeper waters. Knix sat at the very back, dark eyes reflecting the torrents of the water below. I shivered. No matter how warm the sun was on my back, now that it had risen further into the sky, the air over the ocean was cool.
To my dismay—and pleasure—Grayson and Marv sat alongside each other. Though neither spoke or looked at the other, at least the air was less tense. Texas gripped a railing with one hand as he sat across from me and held a headset to his head with the other as the Bowrider picked up speed, skating across the surface of the water. The engine crackled and buzzed as the front helm slapped against the ocean’s surface again and again. I jerked in my seat, reaching for the railing and clutching on tightly. I squinted against the brightness of the blue skies.
"Yeah!" Texas called into his headset. "We're heading to our designated spot now!" He practically had to scream to be heard. "Will do! Alright, over and out!" When Bellamy slowed as we came upon some choppy waters, Texas ripped the headset from his ears and held it firmly in his hand. When the waters calmed we continued further into the depths of the ocean and picked up speed once again.
It had been a while since I had been on a boat—not since Sweratt Island—but being on this one honestly made me question every single boat lover's idea of paradise. I clutched the railing with one hand and the seat with my other. On multiple occasions I wondered if my nails were chipped and bleeding from being ripped away from the sides of the boat. Every time I felt my grip loosening, I’d re-grip the areas I was using to anchor and steady myself. Every time my hand slipped, as the boat jer
ked up and down in the water, I would scramble to readjust and hold on tighter.
"Doing okay, Harlow?!" Bellamy called from behind the wheel.
I grimaced as my legs slipped and I held on tighter to anything I could grab. Why did it feel like the faster we went, the less control I had? Every jerk, every bump, felt like I was being lifted by some unknown force. Only by sheer force of will and a whole lot of fear did I manage to keep my seat for the ride and not find myself flung from the boat.
"Just fucking fine!" I snapped.
"Hold up, slow down!" Knix called. The noise slowed until it died almost completely and the Bowrider sunk back into the surface of the water—like a normal sea vehicle was supposed to. I looked around, noticing a dark speck in the distance, still a ways away.
"Is that it?" I asked. My voice rose and carried above the water. Grayson leaned over, cupping my shoulder and pushed his hand down in a gesture that meant for me to lower my voice. I grimaced and flicked my gaze back to that speck. "Can they really hear us this far out?" I asked in a quieter tone.
"Unlikely," Texas replied, "but to be safe, we don't know what kind of tech they have on their ship and there's definitely some stuff out there that can hear a whale fart."
I blinked at him as Grayson's hand dropped off my shoulder. Laughter shook his entire body as he pulled away. Even Marv cracked a smile and Bellamy released a chuckle. I swung my gaze to Texas. "Really?" I deadpanned.
"What?" he shrugged. "It's true."
I shook my head again as Knix retrieved his binoculars and moved towards the front of the ship, holding them over his eyes. After several seconds, he nodded. "I think that's it."
"How can you tell?" I asked.
He looked down at me and held out the binoculars. "Would you like to take a look?" he asked.
"I wasn't questioning you," I said quickly as I reached for the binoculars. "I was just curious."
Knix smiled—albeit a bit tightly. "I didn't think you were," he assured me. "Go ahead, take a look."
I stood up, my legs wavering on the bobbing boat and put the binoculars to my eyes. I peered across the vast distance between us and the boat—or rather, spiffed up yacht—that proudly displayed The Hold in giant, cursive lettering across the side.
"It can't be a coincidence," I said, lowering the binoculars.
Knix nodded. "It isn’t."
The Bowrider bobbed in the water, the boat swaying from side to side as the guys jumped into action. Bellamy turned the wheel and pressed the gas just so that we edged closer to The Hold without seeming obvious. We were still so far from them, I wondered how anything we did at this point would be obvious. He wanted to keep the engine quiet as we slowly moved towards them.
I turned to hand Knix the binoculars again and stared, wide-eyed, as he reached back and jerked his shirt up over his head and dropped it on one of the seats. "What are you doing?" I hissed, shocked.
Knix flicked a glance back. "Suiting up."
"Wha—" Marv stood. As did Grayson and Bellamy.
Knix shook his head and pointed to Marv. "You stay here," he said. "Steer while Texas stays in contact."
When I thought Marv might argue, he surprised me by nodding and taking Bellamy's empty seat in front of the wheel. Grayson and Bellamy both pulled their shirts up over their heads in much the same manner. Bellamy swept his hair back into a ponytail and tightened it at the nape of his neck as Knix opened a compartment under one of the seats and began retrieving wetsuits. He handed one to me.
I bit my lip and turned around, facing away from them. At least, I knew why they had asked me to wear a swimsuit. I yanked my clothes off and stepped into the wetsuit. The fabric stuck to my skin. The black material stretched over my curves, outlining literally everything. Even the lines of my bikini top were visible, but there was no way I was jumping into the water without at least something there.
I turned back and released a rushed breath. Knowing what was under the guys' wetsuits, didn't make seeing the subtle outlines of their muscles and abs any less difficult.
"Alright, here's the plan," Knix said, halting my wandering mind. Sharp blue eyes the color of the shifting ocean met mine before they skated away. "We're gonna circle around to the back and climb aboard." Knix pointed to Bellamy. "I want teams. Bell you're with Harlow. Grayson with me."
With his hands on his hips, Knix then turned to Marv and Texas. "Tex. Keep Alex up to date. Call the others and let them know we found the ship. Marv, keep watch. Wait for the signal. We may need a hot exit."
Marv nodded, his steel eyes serious as he looked from Knix to me and back. "Do you want fire?" he asked.
Knix shook his head. "No, I'm hoping to get in and out quietly."
"And if you need it?"
Knix grimaced. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that, but if necessary, Bellamy and I will have what we need."
I frowned when Marv reached beneath another seat and then handed Knix and Bellamy waterproof backpacks. "Why don't Grayson or I get one?" I asked. "And what's the 'signal'?" I reached up and curled two fingers on each of my hands, air quoting the last word.
"You'll know when you see it," Marv answered with a small smile. "And you and Caruso haven't been trained yet on firearms, so Bellamy and Knix will handle that."
I watched as Knix and Bellamy each took a bag and strapped them on, buckling them across their wide chests. The small backpacks made their size appear that much bigger.
"Let's head out," Knix announced.
Grayson and I moved behind them. "Alright. Grayson and Bellamy in first," Knix directed. As soon as they were in, Knix had me sit on the edge and swing my legs over the side. He took my wrists and helped to lower me into the water where Bellamy was waiting.
"I got you, Sweetheart," Bellamy said, his hands sliding against my hips beneath the surface of the water.
"I'm fine," I said.
Knix got in last and despite his agility, his size still caused ripples of waves to circle outward even making the Bowrider rock back and forth. I turned my head and squinted at The Hold in the distance. I hoped like hell there were no sharks in these waters.
Water splashed against my face and I slicked my wet hair back, pushing my legs to kick harder. Though my arms felt like strained noodles, I kept my face above water and tried to keep pace with the others. Even so, I was still lagging behind. Bellamy ducked back in the line we had carved out as our path—with Knix taking the lead—so that he could remain by me. He continued to look back at me, but I didn't say a word. Knix hadn't left me back on the Bowrider for a reason. Erika was my friend and I was meant to be here, chasing after her. That's what best friends did.
"Are you doing okay?" Bellamy asked.
Too out of breath, I nodded sharply and nearly cried in relief when I realized we were nearly upon The Hold. As a group, we circled around to the back. I froze when I heard the telltale sound of male conversation drifting out over the water. They'd see us! I tapped Bellamy on the arm and flicked my gaze up when he looked back. He paused, treading water and then it came again.
"What do you think the bitch is gonna do?" one guy asked, sounding raspy and bored.
"What the fuck do you think she's gonna do?" the second snapped with a peculiar accent that rounded his vowels, lengthening them. "She's gonna do what they all do—choose to sign and fucking live."
"You don't think the boss would actually want us to kill her, do ya?"
My heart pounded as Bellamy caught Knix's attention and then we swam, as quietly as possible, closer to the hull of the ship, inching along the side of it away from the large front end. I dipped my mouth into the water when I realized how loud I was panting. Now was not the time to get tired.
Knix reached the back lip first, climbing aboard and then reached down to help me up too, as Grayson and Bellamy swung their legs over and scrambled to stand. My chest rose and fell with effort. Silently, Knix met each of our eyes and then pointed to Bellamy and me. With two fingers, he directed us to a door that led inside
the main portion of the yacht. Then, with those same fingers, he directed Grayson to follow him.
Bellamy and I started off. I rushed forward and grabbed the handle before Bellamy could say anything and flung it open. I had expected the steps leading down, but not the man—gaping in shock—staring up at me, his hand still outstretched as if he meant to push the door open before I had gotten there. Without thinking, I jumped.
There was a grunt as I landed on the man's chest, pushing him down the remaining few steps. Air rushed past my ears, lifting the wet strands of my dark hair and making them slap my cheeks. His back hit just before his head cracked against the wooden flooring at the bottom of the stairs. When he didn't respond by throwing me off and calling for security, I turned back and peeked up where Bellamy stood on the top step, blinking in surprise. In the next instant, he was down the stairs and at my side. He pulled me off the strange man, felt for a pulse on his neck and then sighed in relief.
With an amused, albeit relieved, smirk, Bellamy reached up and ruffled my hair. "Maybe think before you react next time, Sweetheart."
"Well, what were we gonna do?" I asked. "Tell him we were lost?"
Ignoring my reasonable inquiry, Bellamy moved to lift the man's shoulders. "Get his legs," he said. "Let's find a place to hide him for the time being."
I moved to do as he asked, and we ended up stuffing him in what appeared to be a very small utility closet. There was no room to lay the man down. So, instead, we propped him up against the shelves and closed the door with the locking mechanism turned so that he wouldn't fall unless someone else came by and opened it. Leaving the man to a very nice nap, courtesy of my quick-witted skills—or panic mode as Bellamy said, chuckling under his breath—we headed further into the quiet interior of the yacht.
I listened intently, straining to hear anyone else coming as we moved down an aisle of doors. Bellamy opened each quietly, waited for any sort of noise, and then slipped inside while I waited for several seconds. But each time he returned shaking his head. We still hadn't found Erika.