by Selena Kitt
Cardinal resisted the urge to look up. She'd known Alexander was tough, so she wasn't surprised Whiplash had butted heads with him. "The woman might stop him." Cardinal avoided names and eye contact deliberately. "We seem to understand each other."
Whiplash shook her head. "She follows orders."
Cardinal bit her lip. "We showered together yesterday."
Whiplash tensed from head to toe with a look that conveyed paragraphs of skeptical alarm. Then in English, quietly, she said, "What?"
Sling pointed his cigarette at them over Alexander's shoulder and slurred his Italian. "What are they talking about?"
Natalie scowled at him. "They're bitching about the chicken, are you deaf?"
He threw his cigarette at her. "What'd you say to me?
"I said you're deaf and you're proving me right. What are you going to do about it?"
Sling stomped his foot but Alexander put a hand on his chest. "Save it. You two are like children."
Cardinal asked softly in Polish, "Has that been going on long?"
Whiplash stared hard at her. "Since this morning," she said flatly. Cardinal clearly wasn't going to get away with the fraternizing with the enemy bombshell. But Natalie had just covered for them, that meant something, right?
Cardinal felt her cheeks flush and the tangle of self-hate/denial in her chest crumbled under a flash bomb of hope. Could Natalie turn to their side? Would she fight? Cardinal desperately wanted to bring her home, take her away from this crazy life and show her what real living was about. She wanted to—
"Cards. Focus." Whiplash frowned.
Cardinal felt her stomach drop. She wanted to walk away from the boat with Natalie even if it meant she couldn't save Whiplash. The guilt rose up like bile in her throat and she couldn't swallow it down again. She was going to be sick.
Natalie grabbed her shoulder. Cardinal steadied under her hand and stood, half green with horror that she could consider betraying her partner so completely. Natalie led them downstairs and Cardinal was forced to look away from Whip or fall on her face.
Cardinal's mind raced through a thousand new scenarios between the stairs and the berth. None of them got both Whiplash and Natalie out alive. She just didn't know how. She didn't know what to do to convince Natalie to let her go. She didn't know how to get to Whiplash. Didn't know, didn't know, didn't—
"Wait." Cardinal stopped just inside the berth.
Natalie's hand on her shoulder tightened, but her voice was small. "Don't start being difficult now, please."
"No, just–" She turned to face Natalie who's normally bright eyes were clouded. Distrust, wariness, conflict. "My breast pocket, there's a card. Pull it out."
Natalie did. It was a bit creased from the trip but still legible. "Aries?"
"His name is Cleo—"
"I can't keep this."
Cardinal grit her teeth. "Listen. He's our contact. He knows we're missing because we haven't checked in for days—"
"Well, someone will know you're alive soon enough. Alexander's going to try and ransom you as soon as we make it to the island."
Cardinal dismissed it and stepped closer, her eyes tight on Natalie's. "Wildflower, you're not listening." She bent her head, brushing their noses together. It was Natalie who pressed their lips into contact. Natalie who slid her hand up the back of Cardinal's neck and slid her tongue across the gap. Cardinal pressed against her and moaned. She nudged Natalie back against one wall and devoured her.
A thump at the stairs startled them both and Natalie shoved her into the berth, crowding in right behind. She closed the door and pushed Cardinal against it. Cardinal's hands twisted against the wood but she kissed Natalie when she dove in and moaned at the press of their bodies.
Natalie yanked herself back, out of reach of lips and tongues. But it was only to throw her shirt overhead. Cardinal bent to her breast, mouthing around the weight of one curve and licking the nipple. She took it into her mouth, sucking wide and soft as Natalie raked her fingers in Cardinal's hair. She whimpered and Cardinal switched to her other breast.
"I… I—," Natalie's voice shook. Cardinal let her nipple slide out and mouthed her way up Natalie's neck instead. Natalie whispered, "I want… something."
"Anything, baby." Cardinal pushed her face into Natalie's neck and squeezed her eyes shut. "Anything you want."
"I don't know."
Cardinal slid around to kiss her again. "That's ok. Tell me if something feels good and I'll keep doing that, ok?"
Natalie swallowed, her eyes wide, and nodded in jerks. Cardinal kissed her again, gently, just a touch, and worked her way back down. She kissed across Natalie's collarbone on her way back to each breast. She lingered there, laving and sucking until Natalie shook and had to lean against the bed. Only then did Cardinal slip further downward, pressing open-mouthed kisses to her chest, her stomach, the side of her hip. Cardinal let her warm breath slide under the waistband of Natalie's jeans, teasing the skin at the edge.
Natalie fingered the edge of her jeans hesitantly. She touched the button and retreated. Touched it again. Unzipped. She pushed them down in a rush, like she might change her mind, and Cardinal lingered around her hip for several breaths. She wasn't about to do anything Natalie only thought she needed to do.
Then Natalie's fingers touched Cardinal's shoulder and guided her toward the center. Cardinal shifted to her knees and mouthed Natalie's mound. She blew warm air down her thighs. Cardinal stretched her tongue out—
"Wait." Natalie's voice was tight. Cardinal froze. "I can't…"
Cardinal immediately sat back on her heels, putting some distance between them. She never wanted to push Natalie so far that she felt unsafe. And when Natalie slid away with jerking steps, Cardinal looked down to mask her disappointment. But then there were hands on her hands, and Natalie clipped the zip-tie.
Cardinal touched her wrists in front of her and looked up. Natalie stood against the bed again and bit her lip. "I couldn't… like that. It's too much like—" She pressed her lips together and took a deep breath.
Too much like Alexander. Too much like being forced to go down on her rapist. Cardinal wanted to tear the man's throat out and let him bleed, but she buried the idea for now. She stood and cradled Natalie's face, kissing her softly. She wanted nothing more than to erase the damage that man had left on Natalie's heart.
Natalie kissed like she would drown without Cardinal's lips. With her hands finally free, Cardinal grasped Natalie's breasts and ran the thumbs over her nipples. She teased the woman with lips and tongue and suction until the mood of their interruption was wiped away. And when Natalie had to bite back her gasps, Cardinal slid down her body, parted her folds with her thumbs, and plunged her tongue deep inside.
The angle was wrong until Natalie lifted one leg to expose herself. Cardinal circled her tongue around Natalie's hooded clit and lapped in shallow strokes. She sealed her lips on Natalie's folds and thrust her tongue. She created a suction and Natalie moaned above her. Cardinal stroked Natalie's clit with one thumb, circled around and around until the bud engorged and slid out of its hood. She slid her lips up and closed them around Natalie's clitoris instead. The woman's thighs shook. Cardinal slid two fingers deep inside and lapped at her clit. Natalie's hips jerked up.
Cardinal thrust with her fingers and Natalie reached down to grab a fist full of Cardinal's hair. Her moans had faded into hitching gasps. Cardinal sucked on her clit. She dragged her free hand up Natalie's body and grasped at her breast. She rolled her thumb over the nipple.
Natalie rocked and Cardinal rolled with the motion. Natalie's fist tightened in Cardinal's hair and her hips shuddered. "Oh, god," she said. "Oh, my god." The climax rocked Natalie's thighs. Cardinal softened her mouth and slid her fingers free. She lapped gently at Natalie's folds until her breathing stretched out. Natalie's leg dropped back to the floor.
A few subtle drawer checks and Cardinal found a hand towel. She stood, smiling. Cardinal ran her fingers up and down Natalie's belly until
she was ready to sit up on her own. They kissed softly, more breath and sharing closeness than anything else.
And Natalie whispered, "I don't care if Pisces comes. I won't let you go anywhere."
Stunned, Cardinal took a half step back. Had she misjudged everything that had happened in the past two days? "Why?"
"This has been the best week of my life—"
"Are you nuts?" Cardinal hissed.
"I don't think you understand." Natalie crowded forward and shoved Cardinal against the berth door. "For the first time I can remember, I've slept through the entire night without that ... man coming in here and doing whatever he wants. For the first time ever, someone has touched me and it hasn't hurt." Natalie grabbed Cardinal's shoulders, her amber eyes fierce. "I'm not ever letting you go."
Cardinal wanted to grab her. Shake her. Didn't she see? "Wildflower. Baby. I want you to come with us."
Natalie's brow furrowed so hard she nearly crossed her eyes. "Go ... with you? What do you mean?"
"Leave Alexander. Leave this boat! Come with Whip and me. Mostly me." Just me; Whip knew how to rescue herself.
"Leave?" Natalie asked as if it had never occurred to her before. "Where would we go?"
"Anywhere you want. French Polynesia. Australia. Brazil. Name it." It was the wrong thing to say. She was always saying the wrong things. Cardinal saw the fear spring into Natalie's eyes. She leaned forward, reached out. What could make this right?
Natalie backed into the door and shook her head. She fumbled at the handle and desperately fell through it.
"Wait!" Cardinal tried to follow but Natalie swung the door shut in her face and locked it. "Natalie!" No answer. Cardinal let her head fall to the wood. "Dammit."
Chapter 14
Natalie didn't come to get her for lunch, but she did slide a zip-tie under the door for her, like Cardinal would tie herself up conveniently. Cardinal sat on the floor, her back against the plank of the bed, legs bent and feet resting against the door. She'd totally screwed up. Somehow Natalie couldn't see what was beyond the small boat. It was her life—her entire identity. Small wonder she ran at the first sign of change. Cardinal picked up the zip-tie and fiddled with it.
Tomorrow was it; they would dock—have a location so Whiplash and she could establish some kind of foothold in the situation. Alexander would fight them. His lackey would, too. Natalie ... Cardinal didn't know anymore.
Whiplash wouldn't take any prisoners—not now that their lives were on the line. But Cardinal? She wasn't sure she could shoot Natalie if it came down to it. She was afraid she couldn't. She cared too much. Got in her own damn way and screwed everyone in the process.
The lock clicked open. Cardinal thrust her hands behind her and fiddled with wrapping the zip tie. If she cooperated, would Natalie think better of her?
Alexander stood at the door with Natalie's pistol. "Dinner time."
Cardinal's heart dropped. Where was Natalie? Why the change? What had she told him? She tightened the zip-tie around her wrists only enough to keep it from flopping around.
He gestured with the pistol and led her to the toilet like Natalie had on that first day, with a hand on her shoulder and the gun in her back. He didn't untie her hands.
When he reached for her pants Cardinal stepped back, wary.
Alexander smiled at her. "Do you want to piss in your pants?"
Cardinal tightened her lips. He wasn't even trying not to be a creep. He reached for her and clinically undid the button. He yanked pants and underwear down to her knees. She sat on the toilet and stared him down the entire time. "Are you going to wipe me up, too?" She challenged.
"Of course. We must stay hygienic." He folded the sheets of paper one-handed. Cardinal was dismayed to find he could still hold the gun on her.
She stood, stance wide enough to give her a good angle to his crotch if he gave her a good reason and probably wouldn't shoot her. He stepped too close, smelling like sweat and sea salt. He wiped her slowly, pushing his fingers into the folds between her legs. Cardinal stared at him, not flinching from the fire in his brown eyes. She gave no quarter.
He didn't smile and in return, she didn't try to bite his nose off his face, but it was a close thing.
Alexander pulled her pants back up and did the button. He marched her to the table. Chicken and vegetables. He left her hands cuffed.
Natalie did not come down the stairs and take over her feeding. Alexander sat on the opposite side of the suddenly too-small table, gun in hand, and speared a piece of chicken. He held it up. Cardinal twisted her expression under control. He was trying to establish dominance. He was in charge and no one else. Cardinal didn't care as long as he didn't shoot her if she cooperated. She could play submissive for one meal.
Cardinal leaned forward to accept the chicken. Chewed it thoughtfully. Swallowed.
Alexander said, "Now thank me for it."
Cardinal smiled, all teeth. It wasn't friendly. "Thank you, sir. May I have another?"
He offered another piece of chicken.
Chapter 15
When Alexander locked the berth door behind her, Cardinal curled into a tight ball on the bed and shook. Anger, fear, horror, relief. He hadn't gotten to her. Hadn't broken her down. She was stronger. She wanted to knife him in the eye.
Picturing the violence got her through the shakes. She eventually calmed down but there was no chance she was falling asleep. She slid to the floor and propped her back on the bed, feet to the door. For a while, it was easy sitting there staring at nothing, but with time she felt herself drift to nowhere in particular. She managed a floating meditation-like state for several hours.
Right up until Natalie ran into the berth and slammed the door behind her.
Cardinal jerked painfully to full alert. Where was her gun? Why were her hands tied? Natalie!
Natalie leaned against the door, her face streaked with tears, but she wasn't sobbing. Her eyes were wide. Alarmed, surprised. A black welt was rising on one cheek. She breathed hard, obviously fighting to bring herself under control, down from the adrenaline spike. There was no sound on the other side of the door.
Cardinal scrambled up to her feet, cursing the zip-tie. She was tired of being restrained, tired of being a hostage, just tired. She braced one shoulder on the door and leaned close to Natalie, the best she could do without being able to hug her. She kissed her forehead. "Tell me what happened."
"I ..." She panted, looked wildly around and focused on Cardinal. "I told him no."
Cardinal didn't follow but it was clearly a revelation for Natalie. Told him no to what? "Alexander?"
She nodded, still wide eyed. Her breath was short but her eyes gleamed almost yellow. "Whiplash has been taunting him all day. He snapped. Tried to hit her. I got in the way." She put her hand to her cheek, remembering the impact. "Ow."
It was going to look even worse in another hour.
"He started yelling at me. Called me names. He ordered me to undress. Said I was forcing him to teach me a lesson in front of everyone. Whiplash started cursing at him I think. Russian, maybe?" Natalie took a deep breath and smiled suddenly. "I told him no. I told him I knew what two people together could feel like and… and that he wasn't any good at it." She laughed and covered her mouth at the sound, surprising herself. "He tells me all the time that women beg for him on the mainland, he's famous for making girls into women."
Cardinal scowled. "Oh, I'll just bet." That man was a piece of slime and she couldn't wait to throw him overboard.
Natalie didn't seem to notice. "I ran away. I ran down here. He didn't follow me?" She noticed all of a sudden that no voices were yelling on the other side of the door. No pounding of fists.
Cardinal's heart dropped to her gut. Whiplash. "Untie me," Cardinal snapped.
Natalie wasn't paying attention. She cracked the berth door and peered out. There was a distant thump followed by Alexander's voice, cursing.
"Natalie. Now!"
She jumped away from the door
and fumbled at Cardinal's hands.
"Where's my gun?"
"I—um … steering column on deck." Natalie managed to unclip the zip-ties.
Cardinal whipped around. She kissed Natalie, hard and brief. She ran down the length of the boat. Stairs. Sunlight. Whiplash's muffled grunt. Alexander straddled her knees, his pants around his thighs. Sling tried to hold Whip by the shoulders but he was only one-handed.
Alexander's arm flew up. He hissed. "You bit me? She bit me! Hold her down. I'll show yo—"
Cardinal's fist met Alexander's face with every ounce of self-hate and furious anger she could drag up. It lifted from her chest as though rising from the depths of the ocean. Alexander flew sideways and stumbled to his knees.