The Treasure Hunters

by Beth D. Carter

  Sin stood at the rear of the ship, his eye glued to a telescope as he studied the dark, rolling waters around them.

  “What are you always looking for?” she asked.

  “A ghost.”

  “What type of ghost?”

  He didn’t answer, and for a moment, she thought he wouldn’t say a word. Then he ran a hand through his hair.

  “The past has a way of catching up. No matter how far you run, it’s a shadow that’s always attached.”

  “That sounds like a guilty conscience talking.”

  “No, far from it. I have no problem sleeping at night. But that doesn’t mean a nightmare isn’t following.”

  Ruby looked out at sea, trying to catch a glimpse of the nightmare chasing Sin, but only the rolling horizon stretched out in infinity.

  “Ruby,” Sin said and she turned back toward him. He reached up and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear before gently tracing a finger down her cheek. “How did you pick my boat?”

  “Perhaps divine intervention?”

  He smiled. “Perhaps.”

  His head dipped lower, his eyes focused on her lips, and she knew he was going to kiss her. Out here, amid the great vastness of the ocean, his mouth possessed hers and she instantly forgot about everything. His arms curled around her, holding her against his strong body, pressing every glorious inch of himself against her.

  She gasped when she felt his hardness nestled against her belly.

  His kiss deepened immediately, his tongue sweeping into her mouth to lay claim. There wasn’t any hesitation, no coy reserve left at all. He wanted her and she wanted him so she opened for him, her tongue meeting and dancing with his. He withdrew and plunged, nibbled and devoured, until she was breathless.

  A raindrop splattered on her face, rousing her from her kissing stupor. Sin broke the kiss to look upward. The sky was dark, the sea was choppy, and Ruby became all too aware of how the boat suddenly bucked beneath their feet.

  “Why don’t you get below, Ruby? This is going to be fierce.” The heavens suddenly burst open and rain pelted them. “Go, now. I don’t want to worry about you.”

  She hesitated for a moment. She didn’t want to worry about him either. Their gazes clashed, locked, and he bent his head to capture her mouth with his once more. The kiss was electric, shooting through her body with a current that zapped all her good sense. Her arms crept around his neck as he pulled her body firmly into his, and that was when she felt how big he was all over. He was hard and he pushed his hips into hers and knowing his cock was hard for her did odd things to her equilibrium.

  Or was that the ship?

  The deck beneath their feet shifted and Sin broke the kiss with a curse as he flung out an arm to steady them. Ruby was suddenly scared because it had only been a few minutes since the rain started. The waves shouldn’t be tossing them around like this so soon.

  “The strait is pulling us in. Ruby, get below!”

  “Put on your life jacket!” she yelled. Suddenly, the sky lit with a crack of lightning.

  “Go!” he ordered and pushed her toward the stairs. “Check on Eden and Merridie!”

  She did so, only because he was right. She had to check in on them because they wouldn’t know what was going on. She saw Asia’s hulking frame by the wheel, and Sin making his way toward him. By the time she stood in the galley, she was soaked. The ship rocked again, causing Eden to roll off the bench.

  “Ouch!” she cried as she pushed to her feet.

  Merridie came barging out of the back. “What the hell is going on?”

  “A storm,” Ruby answered, already moving the bench Eden had just been on. She tossed off the cushions. She lifted the wooden top and pulled out three life jackets. “Put these on!”

  She tossed one to each girl before hurriedly slipping hers over her head and tying it tightly. Then she made to go back up on deck.

  Merridie grabbed her arm. “Where are you going?”

  “I need to help Sin.”

  “Stay here.”

  “I’ll be right back.”

  The wind almost blew her away but she found purchase and looked around, seeing if there was anything she could do. Sin and Asia were doing all they could to keep the ship steady in the rapid wind and torrential rain. She saw a sail flapping and hurried to tie it off. When she looked over at Sin it was to see a wave crash over the side of the ship, bathing him and knocking him off his feet. He regained his hold on the wheel.

  “We’re too close to the rocks!” Asia cried.

  They both cut the wheel but the ship spun under the force of the next wave. Ruby, who hadn’t been holding on, pitched forward. She was knocked into the side and the next instant fell overboard. She tried to scream, but the ocean cut her off abruptly as water flooded in her mouth. Frantically, she kicked upward and thanked god she’d put on her life jacket, because it helped buoy her upwards. She broke the surface and heard Sin crying out her name above the thunderous roar of the storm.

  “Ruby! Ruby!”

  She began swimming toward the sound but she wasn’t even sure if that was effective against the raging waves.

  “Grab the rope!”

  But then she heard something else, something terrifying.

  “The Paradise is going down!” Asia yelled at Sin. “She’s buckled out the bottom.”

  Ruby knew what that meant. Her belly had been torn open.

  Eden! Merridie!

  “Come on, grab a girl!”

  Ruby tried to see what was going on but could barely make out what was happening around her, let alone what was going on the ship. Then she saw Eden and Merridie standing at the side.

  “Where’s Ruby?” Eden screamed out.

  Ruby wanted to call out she was there, right there, but she’d swallowed some seawater and her throat burned.

  “She already went over.”

  “We have to find her,” Merridie sobbed.

  “Ruby will know to swim toward shore. Come on, hold onto me!”

  Of course she needed to swim toward shore. All she could do now was pray that Sin and Asia took care of her friends. She didn’t know what she’d do if she lost them. Concentrating on not drowning, she forced her aching muscles to swim, push past the dying ship and head toward the shore. She was close and several times she saw looming boulders popping through the waves. More than likely, it was one of those that had crippled the Paradise.

  Finally, after what felt like a million years, her foot touched bottom and she forced herself to stagger up the beach. She was panting, and her lungs hurt. A stitch gnawed at her side and she vomited up whatever salt water she had swallowed.

  For long minutes she just lay there, letting the rain beat down upon her as her body rejoiced that it didn’t have to work so hard anymore. She turned her head and saw four other shapes against the sand and pushed wearily to her feet. The first two were Eden and Merridie, who were breathing. Then she saw Asia and Sin moving, looking at her, and she slumped down in relief.

  Chapter Seven

  The ferocity of the storm eased up with the appearance of the sun. Ruby sat upon the sand, her arms curved around her drawn-up knees. Her clothes were stiff and scratchy, but at least she was alive. At least they were all alive.

  She stared at the heartbreaking silhouette of Sin Dardon. Not too far in front of him, in the shallow breakers of the sand and ocean, the Paradise lay on her side, a huge gash along her keel. Sin stood in ankle-deep water, hands on his hips, staring at the remains of his boat. Her watery grave might be depthless but it was still a grave, nonetheless. Ruby rose, dusted the seat of her pants, and walked out to him, touching his shoulder lightly in comfort.

  “The Paradise was all I had left,” he said, voice monotone.

  “You’ll be able to buy a new boat soon.”

  Sin shook his head and spun around, angry. “This isn’t about money anymore. Are you too blind to see that? Tell me one reason why I should leave this beach to help a spoiled rich girl, who can’t ge
t through a day without dreaming of materialistic things!”

  Ruby was shocked by his verbal attack. That hadn’t been what she meant at all, and damn if she was going to let him get away with talking to her like that.

  “This isn’t about acquiring materialistic things!” she shouted back.

  Sin gave her a disbelieving huff and turned to walk away.

  Ruby rushed after him. “It’s the simple desire everyone has in life.”

  He paused at that and turned to face her, hazel eyes blazing green fire. “You just want more than most.”

  “You don’t know anything! Comfort, yes. What we had, maybe. But that is what everyone dreams of, Captain Dardon.” She waved her hand out to his sinking boat. “Including you. Don’t judge us by what we want or who we are without judging yourself.”

  She spun and marched away. If anyone were leaving first, it would be Ruby. Damn him. She wiped angrily at the tears on her cheeks. She’d been so foolish to fantasize about him because clearly, he wasn’t worth her time or her tears.

  She stayed away from the group until Asia got a fire going. Ruby knew they were going to have to plan, figure things out, and they would have to do it as a group, but it hurt to look at Sin. She thought he had felt a connection between them as well, but clearly she’d been wrong.

  Well, it wasn’t the first time. She’d also thought her father’s company had been safe. She thought her father had trusted her enough to run the company. When would she stop being surprised when the rug was pulled from under her feet?

  “So, what was that about?” Merridie asked sometime later, after a lunch consisting of fish that Asia had caught and bananas that Eden had managed to gather, although Ruby didn’t want to think how Eden had gotten them.

  Against her better judgment, as if her eyes had a will all their own, she sought out Sin, who sat on a big jagged rock and stared at his boat. The Paradise was almost gone, slowly being dragged with the outgoing tide. She wanted to pull her gaze away but found it extremely hard not to stare at him.

  “Did you get the map?” she asked instead.

  “Yes. When Asia went fishing he was able to get into the cabin and find it. Had that boat been any deeper we’d be going by my memory, which wouldn’t be good. By the way, you’re drooling.”

  Surprised, Ruby reached up and wiped at the corners of her mouth. “Not funny,” she said, glaring at her friend.

  “I thought it was.”

  “Yeah, well, he obviously has issues.”

  “Ruby, don’t you recognize us in him? We lost everything months ago, and have acclimated as well as we could, but he––he just lost his everything. Was I any different when I lost Robert and my fortune? Wasn’t I going to keep all that money strapped to my leg because I was selfish and a bitch?”

  “You’re not a bitch,” Ruby mumbled.

  “Yes, Ruby, I am.” Merridie waved to Sin. “And he’s hurting.”

  Ruby watched Merridie walk away. Out of the three of them, she acted the fiercest, but Ruby knew how fragile she really was. When she glanced back at Sin, she saw that he now stared at her, and a thrill shot through her. Merridie was right. She rose and headed over to his rock. He watched her the whole time, and only when she was closer did she realize his eyes were bright with unshed tears. Her heart broke for him all over again, so she climbed up on his rock to be with him.

  “I’m sorry,” he said as he pulled her into his arms.

  “Shh. I’m sorry too.”

  They simply sat there, holding onto each other, as they watched his boat finally sink under the water.

  ****

  The fire blazed, providing warmth and a chance to recuperate after a turbulent day. Asia and Sin volunteered to keep watch through the night, but Ruby was anything but tired. They had all decided to go after the treasure. If they didn’t, then the Paradise had been lost for no reason.

  Her bladder ached and she knew she was going to have to make a trip away from the fire, although her body was already missing the heat. It wasn’t really cold on the island, but the cool breeze felt uncomfortable without blankets. And since all the blankets were now underwater, the fire was the next best thing. But her bladder was screaming at her that it needed to be emptied, and Ruby was afraid if she didn’t answer the call she’d pee herself.

  Pushing to her feet, she hurried into the grove of trees that separated the beach from the jungle and found a nice spot to squat. Yuck. Peeing in the wilderness wasn’t that sanitary, but at least her bladder thanked her. She pulled up her pants and began to make her way back to the fire when a hand curled around her arm. She gave a yelp, but Sin’s hand slapped over her mouth and it took a moment for her brain to register his features.

  When her body relaxed, he removed his hand.

  “Sorry,” he said, although he didn’t sound sorry.

  “It’s okay,” she told him. “Although, for future reference girls don’t like to be captured in dark spooky places.”

  “Is the jungle dark and spooky?”

  “Extremely. I don’t know if you noticed, but I’m pretty much a city girl. A jungle is a new experience for me.”

  “Happy to provide you with a vacation of a lifetime.”

  He tried to make his words light, but the undertone was too solemn. She picked up his hand and linked their fingers. “Why did you follow me, Sin?”

  “I was worried about you coming into this dark, spooky jungle by yourself.”

  “I saw Asia on guard duty. Couldn’t sleep?”

  He shook his head, his ebony locks gleaming in the moonlight. “Every time I close my eyes I see my boat on her side. Damn it.”

  “Come on,” she said, standing and tugging on his hand. He stood and she walked away from the tree line, away from the bodies around the fire pit, to a grove of rocks that jutted against a stone wall. The area provided a respite from the cool wind.

  Ruby sat down and patted the area next to her. He raised an eyebrow, but did as she bade, lying back in the sand. They stared up into the moonlight.

  “I used to think the world was very small,” she said. “The days went by in a blur but I never had a sense of time. Maybe that’s why my father didn’t leave me his company. I do a lot of self-doubting, especially when it comes to Eden and Merridie, but right now, this very moment? I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else but with you.”

  Sin slid his arm around her shoulders and rolled her until her head rested on his chest. Ruby felt his breath against her shoulder, felt Sin’s salt-encrusted clothing rub against her cheek. Her heart pounded fiercely in her chest. All her senses came awake and honed in on his breathing. In, out, in. Excitement gripped her and her world narrowed down to this moment, and how alive he made her feel.

  They seemed to hold each other forever. Sin nuzzled into the top of her hair and she wished she had proper soap and shampoo, something to make her skin soft and leave her smelling delicious. His finger traced up her arm, to her chin, so he could tip her head up. Their gazes met, held. Nothing else existed.

  "Thank you, Ruby, for understanding.”

  They seemed to stay transfixed, staring into each other’s eyes. Then as if by mutual consent, their heads moved toward each other. Not a deep passionate kiss, but not a friendly peck either. Their lips met and parted just slightly. His tongue slipped into her mouth, dancing with hers. Sin slowly took over, using his body to push her onto her back. They sank into the deep sand, locked in the embrace, his body covering hers completely. Her fingers slipped into his hair to grip him tightly and hold him in place. She didn’t want him to leave her.

  "Ohhh, Ruby,” Sin moaned as the kiss ended. They lay together looking into each other’s eyes. She saw the same mixed confusion she was experiencing. Ruby let her hand trace across his shoulders, feeling their muscular shape under the stiff shirt.

  “This is crazy.”

  "I know," Sin said, kissing her cheek and letting his lips trail across her face.

  One of his hands brushed along the swell of he
r breast and a tingle went through Ruby. Her nipples hardened, scraping along the lace of her camisole, and she couldn’t stop the arch of her body as bolts of electricity shot through her. Her head spun and a strange warm feeling passed through her body, causing an ache between her thighs.

  “I want you,” she whispered.

  “I want you too,” he whispered back. He emphasized the words by pressing his hips forward. His hard cock nestled against where she needed him most. “But I don’t want to take you like this. Don’t get me wrong, Ruby. I want nothing more than to peel our clothes off and to sink into your wet heat. But I like my sex hard, hot and often. I’m a little out of it right now, so I’m afraid I’d hurt you.”

  “But I ache.”

  “Are you a virgin, Ruby?”

  She didn’t want to answer. Her gaze slid away.

  “Look at me,” he commanded and she obeyed. It was slightly hard to make out his full expression because he was still on top of her and the moon shone down on him, bathing his face in shadows. “Are you a virgin?”

  “Yes,” she admitted. Heat filled her cheeks and she tried pushing him off, but he wouldn’t budge.

  “There’s no shame in that.”

  “I’m not ashamed of that.”

  “Then what’s the matter?”

  She sighed. “I’m embarrassed, because…my pussy is wet and I feel empty.”

  “Jesus, where’d a good girl like you learn that word?”

  “I grew up around the docks. Sailors talk.”

  He chuckled. “You’re amazing. And when we do have sex, Ruby, we’ll be a little less sandy. Okay?”

  “Okay.”

  It warmed her that he was positive they were going to be together. He settled against her and pulled her snugly into his side. She slid one leg over his, and lulled by his warmth and the sound of the waves breaking on shore, she fell asleep.

  Chapter Eight

  The next day they got an early start, heading into the jungle, using the map to try and triangulate the best path to go, although Ruby wasn’t sure how effective that was. Everywhere she looked there was nothing but heavy green foliage: In front of her, behind her, to the side. Sin had a machete that Asia had managed to get off the boat, and he led the group, hacking their way deeper and deeper inland.