by A. J. Downey
Marlin put an arm around me and I leaned into his hard body gratefully, drawing strength. He looked down at me but I couldn’t see beyond his sunglasses what he may be thinking, I think it was the same for him because he asked, “What’s wrong, Baby Girl?”
“Thinking about Hope.”
“Don’t you worry about that; Cutter’s with her, and the rest of the boys, too. Hope is going to be fine. Don’t forget, she whooped my ass once.”
I blinked and drew back looking at him, “When?” I demanded. Marlin laughed and Bobby pulled the garage door down.
“I’ll tell you later,” he put his lips near my ear and whispered, “He’d never let me live it down.”
I laughed, I had to, I knew how my sister could be, but taking on Marlin? Or any one of the other Kraken? Why would she do that? Why would she be so… I could feel my face fall into lines of sudden understanding.
“Yep. Had to do with you,” he said with a smiling nod.
“Oh, this I have to hear.”
“Later, I promise.”
“What’s the matter, afraid whatever it is I’d hold it against you?” Bobby asked, cluing in to the conversation.
“Yes.”
Bobby shrugged unapologetically and gave a nod, “Meh, you’re right, I probably would.”
I laughed again, “You two are insufferable aren’t you?”
“Pretty much,” they both said in unison.
I let out with a loud peal of laughter and Marlin hugged me into his side. I liked how both of them smiled at the sound and I liked that I could make it again. I wasn’t all better, not by a long shot, but I felt good yesterday, and I felt good today, the medicine was working and I almost felt bad for the people around me that I’d resisted taking it for so long. It took the edge off and let me feel almost normal again and I cherished that, even as it scared the hell out of me. That voice of self-doubt whispering out of the dark, what if you need it? What if you crave it so bad you can’t give it up?
Except it wasn’t like that with the pills, I didn’t feel this driving need to take more. I didn’t wish with every waking moment for the little tablets to hit my palm. I didn’t think about them at all, really, at least not until my insecurities whispered out of the back of my mind and tried to take hold… except every time they started in, there he was with that smile that set my heart a flutter and I forgot everything else except the man at my side, holding my hand or holding me tight. I forgot everything except how he made me feel like I was, indeed, worth the world to him. I still marveled at it every time.
We walked to Marlin’s boat, my body vibrating with excitement and joy. I really had missed the water and the sound made me excited. I wanted to spend all day on it. If the opportunity arose, I wanted to swim in it and walk along it, this big, vast ocean that made me and all my problems seem so very small and insignificant by comparison.
I felt safe, warm and protected when Bobby flanked my other side and walked with his arm around my shoulders, even as Marlin’s rode along my waist. The riding gear was hot, and I was looking forward to ditching it in favor of something lighter.
Johnny was already on Marlin’s boat when we arrived, and he didn’t look happy. Marlin jumped up and helped me up after him, Bobby followed me and I felt like I was a celebrity or something, realizing belatedly that their movements were exceedingly protective and sent the message to anyone watching that it would be a very bad idea to try anything.
I felt a lightness in my chest, as if a weight I hadn’t even known I carried had been lifted. The shadows were lifting off my heart a little bit at a time, and it felt good. Still, there were a lot of shadows and a few good days were nice but I was well aware I was still severely limited and had a very long way to go towards healing.
“’Sup, Man?” Marlin asked his brother, but Johnny’s gaze was fixed on me.
“She isn’t going to go all freaking out in front of the clients again, is she?” he asked by way of greeting, and it felt like clouds scudded over my good mood, the smiles and joy of just a moment before dampening under a sense of guilt; the shadows returning.
“Nah, Man, and fuck you for saying it like that,” Bobby said and shook his head.
Marlin just smiled, but it was tight with anger, “Not sure what crawled up your ass and died, Little Brother, but after the clients are gone, I’m whooping your fuckin’ ass again.”
Johnny looked a little less certain and I sighed inwardly, “Look, I’m sorry about how I was before… that morning, but I’m trying really hard not to be that way. I’m working on it, okay? I promise to try not to freak out.” I fixed him with my gaze and tried to look as sincere as I felt. Bobby put his arm around my shoulders and I jumped slightly from the unexpected contact, it didn’t deter him at all though, he smiled down to me and gave me a reassuring squeeze.
“Don’t pay that douchepickle any mind, Sweet Thing, go get out of all that hot leather and get yourself settled.”
I looked to Marlin, “Go on, Baby Girl, I moved all your stuff from the house into my quarters. It’s part of what took me so long. Just search through until you find everything, by the time you’re back up here, we’ll be underway.”
“Okay, just try not to hurt each other on my account, please?”
Marlin stepped over and leaned down, kissing my forehead, “I’ll be down in a minute to change. I won’t punch him until we’re done with this trip.”
I scoffed, “Insufferable,” I lamented and Marlin winked at me. They let me go, and I went below deck to the stately bedroom. It felt like an age, rather than a week since I’d woken up back here after being drugged on the beach.
I went through all the myriad cupboards and storage, some of them being drawers under the raised platform the bed rested on. I found my white, two piece swim suit and settled on it, looking through the drawers until I came up with a long, light aqua, skirt wrap cover up and a thin, white cardigan that wasn’t sweater material, but rather a thin, cool, stretchy cotton or polyester type blend that felt soft against my skin.
A light rapping at my back made me turn around before I started to take anything off; I startled and turned to find Marlin in the doorway.
“Just me, figured I should let you know I was here. Didn’t want to sneak up on you.”
I smiled, he was always so thoughtful, “Thank you, you take such good care of me.”
“Do I?” he asked and I nodded, smiling. The affirmation made his chest swell in a deep breath, obvious pride in himself shone out of his true blue eyes and I loved him even more for it. It’d been scary, admitting my feelings out loud, but he hadn’t pushed or made a big deal about it, which put my heart and nerves at ease.
“Everything okay?” I asked softly, and he smiled even more.
“Johnny has a problem, but it’s not with you, Baby.”
“Oh, anything I can do to help?”
“Naw, only person that can help Johnny is Johnny. I’m sorry he came off like that, Bobby’s setting him straight.” He laughed at my expression. “Just talk, I’ll readjust his attitude later if it calls for it.”
“I hope it doesn’t come to that.”
“Me either.”
We were quiet for a bit, as the moment built between us. He leaned down and kissed me softly and my eyes drifted shut, sinking into the sensation of his arms around me, of his mouth on mine.
Marlin kissed along my jaw and put his lips near my ear, saying so softly in that sexy, low voice he got when he let his desire take over, “Can’t wait to make love to you in our bed.”
“Our bed?” I asked softly, breath tremulous.
“What’s mine is yours, Baby Girl. You live here too now.”
I closed my eyes, and held myself to him tightly. His words didn’t frighten me, like I expected them to. They didn’t fill me with doubt, or with dread. Instead, they filled me with hope that I indeed had a future with this man, and it was one of the most solid, and real, positive things I’d felt since I’d been rescued. So honest, and so
real, it very nearly brought a tear to my eye.
“You okay?” he asked softly.
“Are you with me?” I asked.
“Always.”
“Then yes.”
Chapter 39
Marlin
I changed along with Faith, forgoing boots, denim, and leather for a work tee, a pair of faded, in some places torn, but seriously fuckin’ comfortable cargo shorts and flip flops. I shrugged my feet into the pair of brown leather thongs I wore around the boat, and with one last lingering appreciative look, left Faith to finish getting into her sexy as hell outfit. Of course, when it went onto the woman you loved, she could wear a fuckin’ garbage sack and still be sexy.
I went back up on deck where Bobby was giving my little brother a flat, unfriendly look and I arched a brow. Fuck if Johnny wasn’t having a shit time with Lynn again, but that didn’t warrant him taking it out on Faith and I wasn’t about to fuckin’ stand for it either. He had the whole trip to fuckin’ apologize to my girl, or I was going to readjust his attitude problem the hard way.
Bobby gave me a chin lift and I rolled my eyes and shot a prayer skyward that I would have the patience to make it through the fuckin’ day with my brother. It looked like he was going to be a full on ass bag, which made me wonder what his bitch wife had pulled now, because let’s face it; Lynn was an ever loving fucking cunt. There wasn’t any which way around that fact.
“Ahoy, there!” someone called from the dockside and I exchanged another look with Bobby who smirked. I turned and greeted the clients with a professional smile.
“Welcome aboard! I’m Jimmy, but folks call me Marlin and this is my boat, the Scarlett Ann.” I held out a hand and helped the older guy up over the side and onto the deck, Bobby got up and did the same for the lady after him and the next dude after that. I got the last woman, and we had a damn near overfull boat. It would be okay if I could get Faith to entertain the ladies on the foredeck. I exchanged a look with Bobby and he nodded, picking up what I was putting down. He’d stay near Faith and help out with keeping my girl and the two women entertained.
“This here is my brother Johnny, and I take it you two gentlemen are here to fish.”
“That’s right!” One of them said, “I’m Dave and this here is my brother, John.”
“Nice to meet you Dave, John.” I shook their hands in turn.
“This is my wife, Janice,” John said, and I shook a woman’s hand with short, auburn dyed hair. An expensive dye job for sure, but the fine lines around her eyes gave it away as being one. She smiled broadly and I liked her instantly.
“And this is my wife, Arlene,” Dave introduced.
“Well, Janice, Arlene, either of you two interested in putting a line in the water?” Johnny asked from over my shoulder.
“Oh, no, not us!” Janice laughed.
I couldn’t resist and I was sure I was going to pay for it somehow, but I gestured over to Bobby, “Well, my cabana boy, Bobby here, would love to take care of you ladies. He’ll take you up to the foredeck and the loungers up there to catch some sun with my girl Faith, won’t you Bobby?”
Bobby grinned at me in that way that told me ‘you are so going to get it you fucker,’ but he held out his arms to the two women and said, “Absolutely, follow me.”
He went off with the two ladies, just as Faith made her appearance. She drifted up to me and I leaned down. She kissed me gently on the cheek and with a warm smile, drifted off after Bobby. Both Dave and John looked after her with admiring expressions and I suppressed the urge to say something. She was on board with me, she was safe with my best friend, and the two men weren’t going to do anything more than look with their wives on board. I needed to let it go, so I did.
What I didn’t let go was Johnny’s scowl at me when I turned around. I scowled right back and the first chance I got, hauled his ass below deck.
“Just what in the absolute fuck is your problem today? What the fuck did Lynn do now?”
Johnny looked visibly upset, not angry, but upset, which was unlike my brother. I crossed my arms and waited for him to spill it.
“Traded in her car and traded up, man… I can’t afford keeping up with her. Our fuckin’ kids are going without while she’s riding around in a new fuckin’ BMW. I left her ass. I’ve been stayin’ here on the boat while you been gone, but Jimmy, she’s holding our fuckin’ kids over my head. I don’t know what to do.”
I put a hand on my brother’s shoulder, “We’ll figure it out, Man. We always do, but I can’t have you takin’ your shit out on Faith. She didn’t do nothin’, she isn’t Lynn, she ain’t asked for nothin’ I’ve given her. She doesn’t ask for anything, come to think of it. She’s got enough to deal with without you bein’ a full fuckin’ ass hamster to her.”
“I’ll fuckin’ apologize.”
“Yeah, you will. As for Lynn, I’ll be here more, we’ll do more gigs, but not to pay for her shit. We’ll find you a divorce lawyer and a fuckin’ kick ass family lawyer.”
“Mama’s gonna have a fuckin’ fit.”
“Good, you can draw fire; Faith is scared to death to meet our parents.” I gave him a pointed look and he grimaced.
“She’s a pretty girl,” he supplied.
“Yeah, she’s worried about divulging her latest line of work, despite the fact I keep telling her that sexual slavery ain’t exactly a job description.”
Johnny looked even more crestfallen, “Shit, I didn’t think about that.”
“No, you didn’t, and you keep thinking about her like she’s a whore, I’m going to kick your fuckin’ ass so hard your own kids won’t recognize you. You get me?”
Johnny looked at me for a long minute, “You really love this chick, don’t you?” he asked.
“Never felt the way I do about her with anyone else.”
He nodded, “Lynn’s being served the papers today. Can we get the fuck out of here before she gets them and makes a scene?”
“Damn, you really did it, Bro?”
“Yeah.”
“Who’d you get to serve ‘em?”
He looked embarrassed, “I couldn’t serve ‘em, and you couldn’t either being family. I had to get a third party unrelated to either myself, Lynn or the kids. I called up Cutter and asked for help.”
“The Captain?” I asked startled.
“Yeah, he said I’d owe a favor to the club, but he’s got one of the guys that stayed behind doin’ it.”
“Looks like I owe the Captain a favor or two myself then.”
Johnny looked spooked, “What do you think he’ll have me do?”
“Never mind that now, it ain’t nothing you gotta worry about. Cutter knows you’re family and that you’ve got kids. Shit you’ve hung out with us long enough.” I lowered my voice, “Whatever he asks might not be this side of legal, but he’ll keep you well clear of it. He’s got a soft spot for kids and taking you out of the equation would leave yours without a functioning parent.”
Johnny teared up at that and nodded. My brother, though he could be a fuckin’ idiot, and sometimes lost his brain to mouth filter… at his heart, he was a good man. He lived for his fuckin’ kids and would do anything for them. I was struck, suddenly, by a crazy idea.
“Faith might be willin’ to watch ‘em while we work.”
“I don’t know about that,” Johnny started in dubiously.
“Listen, she would have Hope around to help her out for the most part, as soon as Hope gets –” I stopped myself before I said ‘outta jail’ and went with “back into town.”
“Whatever Man, I can’t think about this right now, and we can’t keep these guys waiting.”
“No, you’re right, let’s cast off and do some fishin’.”
We did just that, Bobby poking his head into the wheelhouse long enough to tell me, “Guess what, fucker? Your ‘cabana boy’ is raiding your wine selection for these old broads. They’re nice, and your fuckery earned them the VIP experience.”
I laughed, �
�Go right ahead. How’s Faith doing?”
“Other than the fact that we heard your entire fuckin’ convo with Johnny, and she looks like she’s completely moon struck in love and misty eyed over you? Meh, she’s alright. She’s navigating a minefield of questions outta Arlene and Janice though, so I ought to get back down to her.”
I grimaced, hard, and got us out to sea. As soon as I could viably have Johnny take the wheel, I had him do it. I went down to the foredeck after handing out a couple of cold beers to Dave and John and found Faith softly and politely answering questions to both Arlene and Janice who wore empathetic and horrified expressions. Faith caught sight of me and I mouthed, ‘I’m so sorry’ at her. She smiled, the most beautiful and forgiving smile, in my direction and mouthed back ‘it’s okay; I love you.’
I wasn’t sure I could fall any more deeply in love with Faith Dobbins, but I did, right then and there.
Chapter 40
Faith
I didn’t mean to make either Janice or Arlene cry, but I suppose it was hard not to when it came to a story like mine, even as unbelievable as it might be. They made such sad and empathetic noises that I very nearly teared up a time or two, but I would not give in to self-pity; not on such a beautiful day.
It helped when Bobby showed up with a bottle of chilled white wine in a bucket. He set down a glass of ice water with a wedge of orange rather than lemon and I smiled at him. He poured two generous glasses out of the bottle for the women, and took himself into the wind and spray at the front of the boat. He was still within earshot, but respectfully pretended not to be.
The day went quickly; it was nice to move from the heavier topic of my captivity to the stories of children and new grandchildren that Janice and Arlene had to share. The women were in their sixties, they and their husbands newly retired, having turned their husband’s family business over to their sons and daughters. Arlene and Janice had both worked alongside their husbands at the stonecutting business. Arlene handling the company finances while Janice handled customer relations and the sales floor.