A Soul Redeemed

by Dakota Black

  Nash jerked off the mask. “What are you talking about?”

  “Roger Calloway was supposed to have left on the helicopter yesterday but wasn’t on the manifest. The pilot fucker refused to let him on.”

  “Why the fuck didn’t you come get me?”

  “And what could you have done? The orders come straight from the corporate office. Who gets to come and go has nothing to do with us.” Tank smiled. “Now, do you see?”

  “Where is Roger now?”

  “Last time I checked, he was in his cabin, where I told him to stay.”

  Why did the words sound so damn ominous? “If what you’re telling me is true—”

  Wham!

  The surge hit at the same time the pressure was kicked on just as Tank started to stand. Losing his balance, he slipped and dropped, managing to slap a single hand around the oily metal.

  Nash dropped to his feet, grabbing Tank by the wrist. “Hold on. I’ve got you.” Everything was slick from the oil, their hands and arms and every metal surface. His body was wrenched, twisted in a way he couldn’t use his other hand. “Grab my arm. Come on.”

  Tank dangled, kicking out to try and place his feet on anything. He grunted as he slapped his hand against Nash’s, trying his best to grab on. “Fuck!”

  “Come on. Grab my hand. You can do this.” Nash shifted and both men dropped down another foot. He continued to slide. Another hard wave and they’d both go down. “Grab. My. Hand.”

  Tank grunted as he threw his arm and was able to wrap just the tips of his fingers around the metal bracket closest to Nash. He stared into the man’s eyes and tipped his head back, roaring as he hoisted his body an inch at a time.

  Nash dug his fingers into Tank’s arm just as his body shifted again. Only this time, Tank was able to grab Nash’s arm and swing his leg. “Pull!”

  “Jesus Christ!” Bronco called from above. “Are you both okay?”

  Jerking backward, Nash groaned as he wrapped his arm around the pole. Both breathing hard, he shook his head before darting another look at the cresting ocean. “We’re fine.”

  Tank gave him an appreciative nod. “Let’s get out of here.”

  “Yeah.” He thought about what Tank had said and he was beginning to believe every word. Camden and Mitchell needed to be warned.

  Once they were back on deck, the group had reformed, now cheering for both of them.

  Nash breathed out and wiped grime from his face as he looked around at the crewmen. When everyone else had walked away, he waited. The question would be answered. He walked toward Tank, keeping his voice down. “If we have a man capable of murder, I want to know who you think it is.”

  He jerked off his filthy t shirt and scanned the perimeter. Leaning in, he raised a single eyebrow. “I don’t know who, but your little woman is getting too close to asking the right questions. You know what happens if she finds the answers.”

  When Tank walked away, he remained where he was. Over his dead body.

  Veronica spent the day finalizing what records she could and snooping through the files. She’d also asked some basic questions and been stonewalled. No one on the rig wanted to provide any information. However, given her level of access, she was able to get to various other records within the rig’s network. While she could understand little about oil jargon, she did manage to find what had to be a doctored financial file, the reports in direct contrast to everything she’d heard from Nash as well as other crewmen. Unfortunately, she hadn’t been able to do anything but scan the file. The actual file had been left open on another computer, preventing anyone else from changing, saving or deleting for that matter. She certainly knew her way around a set of financials to see that the balance sheet didn’t match the income/expense statement. This she would show Nash.

  Exhausted, she was in a mild state of shock given the abrupt change in his mood, unsure of how to approach the man, but she would. Questions remained and she couldn’t help but wonder about the missing years in his life. Perhaps they’d changed him in some way, preventing him from being able to connect, build a relationship of any kind. They’d gotten close. They had. Or at least she wanted to hang onto the concept.

  She walked down the hallway to her quarters. A long and very hot shower would soothe her aching body. Her mind? Well… Passing no one, she slipped the card into the lock and walked inside. A folded piece of paper was on the floor. She groaned and stared at it for a full minute. Yes, someone could have slipped the note under the door, but what if they’d been inside her cabin, had looked on her computer? She’d checked enough files on the one in her cabin that anyone clicking on the browser would know what she was searching for. She swallowed hard, realizing just how careless her actions had been.

  Very slowly she reached down, fearful of what she would find. When she opened and read the writing, she gasped.

  Ask why that boyfriend of yours was in prison.

  Written in bold lettering, this was meant as another warning. Nash? Prison? The missing three years? What in the hell was going on? Why was she being warned? Was Nash dangerous? The questions swam in her mind, pulling her into a scattered darkness. She’d been out of her mind to trust Nash so completely. Her behavior, her blatant desires she could never explain, even to herself. Balling up the note, she paced the floor. She was going to have to ask him. Wait. This might not be true. Prison? He was an angry man and obviously hiding details about his life. Rattled, she walked toward her already opened bottle of wine.

  Calm down. There must be an explanation. She poured a half glass then tipped the bottle. After taking several sips, she read the note again then sat down at her computer. She waited as the internet tried to connect, finally giving her a time out. By then, she’d consumed almost two-thirds of the glass. Someone on the rig knew about her relationship with Nash. They wanted her to question the man, to distrust him. Was he part of the game? She cleared her browser, wiping off her recent activity. She refused to tip anyone’s hand.

  No. The warning was because she’d gotten closer. No asshole would keep her from finding out information. She clicked on the file once again. While the internet had trouble connecting, she doubted it would have affected the network. Tapping her fingers, she gulped more wine as the file finally pulled up. She noticed once again that she wasn’t the only one looking at the report. This had to be a smoking gun. After her shower, she was going to find Nash, forcing him to take a look. Maybe she could help after all.

  She was so out of sorts that she dropped her clothes on the way to the bathroom. After turning on the water, she made faces at her reflection then shifted to the side. Nash had been right. She was wearing his marks, yellowish stripes. She touched one and exhaled. The spanking had been delicious. Yanking out the ponytail holder, she ran her fingers through her hair. She’d been able to sense Nash wasn’t going to explain. Why couldn’t he trust her the same way she was required to trust him? She laughed as she thought about the warning. The note was meant to put her on edge. She refused to fall into believing anything at this point. Pushing aside her concerns, she brushed her fingers across her mouth. He’d kissed her. The kiss had been real, passionate, an awakening for both of them. That couldn’t be a lie.

  As she waited for the water to heat up, her thoughts drifted to the spankings she’d received as a child. Her father had used the belt for almost every infraction, bending her and her sister over his lap no matter where they were. If they misbehaved at a shopping mall, he plopped down on an out of the way bench, pulling first one then the other over his knee. Even a birthday party with friends wasn’t out of the question. She’d learned to be very obedient at an early age. She’d been spanked up until the day she left for college. By then, she loathed the concept of her father’s control and had done everything to get away from what she considered his tyranny. Within months, she’d gone looking for a dominating man.

  Perhaps that’s why she’d hungered since then, finding Derek enticing. He’d followed her to the same school, showerin
g her with gifts before needling his way into her bed. The first spanking had been invigorating. The second, challenging and by the third, Derek demanded that he spank her every day. Just like Nash wants to do. She moaned at the thought.

  Nash, and his level of control, was different. This wasn’t about dominating her every movement, merely her hours spent with him alone. The concept was perfect, exactly what she’d craved her entire life. She stepped into the shower, yanking the curtain, and immediately easing her head under the water. Palming the plastic surface of the wall, she dropped her head and watched as the water cascaded into the drain.

  A perfect man fulfilling her every dark desire. Even Veronica had no idea how much she craved this kind of relationship. The truth? She’d been lying to herself, but Derek wasn’t the man. He’d only been a cheap thrill. My God. Was she actually thinking that Nash could be more? She knew what he’d said and suspected he wasn’t the kind of man who could handle a normal life together, whatever that meant.

  While the water continued to flow, she decided she’d go to his cabin again that night. He might send her away, but he could also see how much she wanted this... “Ugh.” The word was muffled in the dense space but a telling reminder that there were no correct words for what they were sharing together. They were two damaged souls looking for someone to play with.

  Veronica chuckled and closed her eyes as she leaned in until the water slid down her back to her bruised ass. Visions of being tied to his bed filtered into the back of her mind. What could be next? Would there be a next time? She hummed as she reached for the soap, determined to find a way to get through his armor.

  A cold burst of air washed over her as a set of hands grabbed and pushed her face first against the side of the shower, one hand sliding around to cover her mouth for a moment. A warm body was pressed against hers, a throbbing dick pushed up against her ass. She knew by the scent of the man, the way his hands gripped her body that her intruder was Nash. “How did you get in here?”

  “I’m the superintendent. I can get into any room,” he growled. “I can also find you anywhere at any time I need,” he whispered and licked the back of her ear. “You belong to me and I’m not letting you go that easily.” He kicked her legs out wide and pushed her arms up and over her head. “Don’t move until I tell you to.”

  She pressed her face against the cool surface and exhaled as he moved her hair to the side and licked down the back of her neck

  Nash dragged his finger down her spine then issued a series of hard smacks with his hand.

  Crack! Pop!

  Moaning, she rose onto her toes, reliving the pain from the night before.

  Smack! Crack!

  The water accentuated the smack of his hand, accelerating the anguish rushing into her body. She was tingling all over.

  Crack! Pop!

  “I thought you would need some additional discipline given your actions last night. Defiant. You continue to believe you’re the one in charge. You also have a mouth on you.” His words remained whispered and he slid his hand between her legs, pumping up and down the length of her pussy.

  The friction was incredible, leaving her heart racing. This was his way of apologizing. This was his way of laying claim. “Yes, sir.”

  “Next time, I’ll have to soap that mouth of yours.” Chuckling, he swung her around to face him and wrapped his hand around her hair, pulling back her head and exposing her neck. He narrowed his eyes before dropping his head, sucking on the skin around her pulse.

  Veronica’s legs trembled as he licked and took her flesh between his lips, sucking as he pinched her already hardened nipple. She opened her mouth, issuing a silent scream as her clit became sensitive.

  He lowered his head and sucked on her nipple, his tongue moving back and forth. Then he dropped to his knees, taking her thighs into his hands. He spread her even wider and blew across her cunt.

  Whimpering, she blinked several times as he licked around her clit, flicking his tongue. “Oh…” She tried her best to stay in position, but her hands kept dropping down, her legs bending at the knees, as he shoved his face into her pussy.

  He moved his head from side to side as he sucked and licked, taking her clit into his mouth. Using his thumbs, he pressed them just past her cunt lips, sliding in and out.

  Every cell in her body was tingling as he continued eating, his tongue driving deep into her core, working in an incredible orchestration with his fingers.

  He licked and bit down, refusing to let her go.

  She fell into a heightened state of nirvana and her body undulated as the climax rose from her toes. Soon, she wouldn’t be able to hold back. “I… Nash…”

  Picking up the pace, he moved his head from side to side, creating another round of friction. Now, he shoved two then three of his fingers deep inside her cunt, driving harder and faster as she writhed.

  “Oh God! I can’t hold… it!” She clenched her mouth shut as the orgasm rushed, creating goose bumps along every inch of naked skin. She slapped her hand on the shower as her legs shook uncontrollably.

  And still he held her, his tongue lapping up every drop of her cum.

  When she stopped shaking, she slumped down, her hands sliding down all the way. She blinked and laughed as her pussy continued to quiver.

  Nash rose to his feet and wrapped his hand around her throat, pulling her head toward him. He captured her mouth, crushing his lips over hers as his fingers dug in. Pushing his tongue past her lips, he wiggled his against hers.

  She pressed her hand against his chest and fell into the moment of true passion. This kiss was just another moment of his insatiable desire, a hunger unlike she’d ever known before. She found herself being turned again, forced to palm the area behind the showerhead. She was vaguely aware he’d pulled out her legs, arching her back.

  Smack! Pop!

  “Just a reminder that you obey everything I ask.”

  “Yes, sir.” She smiled as he swatted her again.

  Whap! Crack!

  “Mine. All mine,” he whispered.

  Even the way he held her against his shaking body was telling. The man was haunted, running from himself. She gripped his hands, longing for him to trust in her just as she’d allowed herself to do. “Who is the man inside?”

  “What?”

  She felt his body stiffen, pulling away. “Talk to me. What are you trying to hide so desperately?” His breath sounds were ragged.

  “I already told you. I’m not a good man.”

  Squirming, she turned to face him. “Don’t say that. We all have aspects about our pasts, our personality that we can’t change. What makes you so angry? Why don’t you think I can care about you?”

  His eyes flicked back and forth. “I’m sorry for last night, for what I said, but I can’t give you any more than I am. We have this, together. The rest is my cross to bear. Let it alone.” Jerking open the shower curtain, he stepped out, grabbing a towel.

  Refusing to let him go, she stood behind him, her hands on his shoulders. “I want to know all of you.”

  Nash looked up, gazing at their reflections. “That will never happen.”

  “I felt the man inside, last night and even just now. For just a few minutes, you let go.”

  A snarl curled on his upper lip. “You didn’t see anything and if you did, you’d run far away.” He left the room, leaving the door ajar.

  Veronica let out a long breath and gripped the edge of the sink. How in the hell was she going to get through to him? Then what if she did? Would she race away, fearful of the real man inside? The questions certainly weren’t going to be answered now, perhaps never. Maybe he was right. They’d just enjoy a respite together, a moment in time.

  When she’d finished, a towel wrapped around her still shaking body, she found him staring at her computer screen. “I found something that I wanted to show you. I think I know what’s going on.”

  He jerked his head up, the look on his face full of anger. “You’ve been askin
g questions. Haven’t you?”

  Shocked by the vehemence, she padded forward, a sudden chill rushing up from her legs. “That’s what I do. I’m a doctor.”

  “Exactly. You’re a damn doctor. You’re here to make people feel better.” He sputtered as he glared back at the screen. “You’re meddling.”

  “Meddling? Nash. We’ve talked about this. The clinic files were doctored. You have explosions occurring and you can’t figure out why.” She noticed the surprise on his face. “Yeah, I’ve heard things too.”

  “That’s my business.”

  “Fine. How about this? Sam is acting like I shouldn’t be looking at the paper files and I was warned again.”

  Nash threw his look in her direction. “Tank.”

  “Not this time. I don’t know who the crew member is. He disappeared before I could ask him any questions.” Veronica walked closer to the computer. She pointed to the screen. “Then, I found this file located on the computer in what I suspect is a file that only those intended to see it would know where to look. Do you understand what this means? Do you understand the discrepancy in the numbers?”

  Wham!

  She jumped when he slammed his hand down on the table. “You do understand.”

  He took long strides in her direction, grabbing her by the shoulders. “Yeah, I know exactly what it means. You have to back off. I don’t want anything to happen to you. Do you hear me?”

  “Wait a minute. What’s changed?” Even the look in his eyes was laced with terror.

  While he eased his grip, he continued to hold her as he hissed. “What might be going on is bigger than this damn rig. The importance enough to eradicate anyone snooping, finding information.”

  “Eradicate?”

  “Tank has reason to believe there is someone on board capable of committing murder.” He shot a look at the door.

  “I believe that. I think Roger Calloway was poisoned and I have no idea with what. Maybe some of the others. Reports showed they had signs of almost dementia like activities. I think it was going on for a while too.”

  Nash groaned. “To keep them quiet.”