“That would have been nice to know,” Easton grunts.
“You stole the tender?” I say under my breath to Haley, and she smirks back at me. “You’re...” I pull her in for a quick hug. “Sorry, I smell like rotten fish.”
“I don’t care.” Our new friend, Rodel, pulls the feet of his deceased captain across the ship to the starboard rail. Dante grabs a leg and helps him roll the body overboard. Then Rodel opens the galley door, grabs a board like he didn’t just throw a body to the fish, and locks the door, trapping anyone below deck. He nonchalantly chats to Dante while he rounds the galley, takes another board inside the galley, and locks it from the other side while Dante follows along. I get the feeling he’s never done this before, but he’s definitely had it done to him. It’s the smirk of almost glee when he pushes the second board into position. The megayacht slows. “It’s going to be on our port in five minutes,” I say.
“Yeah, they wanted us alive. I think that’s the only thing going for us,” Calvin says.
“Unless they wanted to make sure they’re giving the reward money for the right people. Before they kill us,” Dante says, crossing his hands over his chest.
The eyes of our new friend go wide.
“Did he understand?” Zane asks.
For the first time since he let us out of the fish hold, Rodel looks nervous. “Rodel.” He points to himself, smiling at Haley.
“Oh, I’m Hal,” Haley says.
“Hi, Hal.” He smiles, and I now want to drop Rodel into the fish hold.
The closer the Lürssen gets, the more I can make out. It’s not traveling with its fenders flapping in the breeze. And it’s not one guy sitting on the aft deck smoking. There’s a half-dozen armed guards positioned all over the ship: the communications platform at the top, either side of the bridge, and the front bow.
“There will be more,” Dante says, seemingly reading my mind.
“It’s not a rescue.” Haley’s dropped her deep voice.
“You came in smart, Sassy, dressing like a teenager. Don’t worry, your voice will change soon enough. We’ll figure a way through this.” He puts his arm around her like we aren’t waiting for our doom to arrive. But fuck, maybe he’s got the right idea, touching her.
He drops his arm when the yacht pulls right up next to the fishing boat. Their bow’s a good ten feet higher. The crew of the yacht hook onto the fishing boat and toss a boarding ladder over. Guard after guard jumps down onto the deck next to us. They scatter around the ship, one of them staying with us.
He’s not pointing his gun at us, but he’s not out for a stroll either. “Weapons,” he says in an accent I can’t place. His furrowed brow stays focused on us.
Easton and Zane place their guns on the deck. Zane has placed Rodel’s a foot away from the stain the captain left. If the guard notices, he doesn’t react.
Another guard drops from the ladder and pats each of us down. He’s thorough but not invasive. He takes a radio from Easton.
When he’s finished, another beefy guard rounds the deck. “Clear.”
Five minutes later, which feels more like an hour, a tall, dark-haired man drops to the deck. He’s got that casual appearance that saysI’m wealthy, but I don’t care. Other than the Audemars Piguet watch on his wrist.
“Ah, good to see all of you.” His eyes scan the group. “Where are your hosts?” He looks briefly at Rodel before he dismisses him as not the captain.
His guard motions to the spot on the deck and the smear of blood that crosses to the other side.
“Well, I suppose you don’t survive on an island for nearly a year without having some resources. Easton Rockwell, Zane Morris, and Calvin Green. And then there’s Dante Jones. I havean associate who says you make the best hamburgers. He said that when I find you, I should be sure to tell him.” The billionaire cocks his head like he’s considering whether he should do it or not.
Dante glares back at him.
“And Samuel Miller? Interesting... You weren’t known to be on raft number two. Yet here you are.” He raises his eyebrows at me. If he doesn’t know about the Rock Candy, I’m not going to be the one to tell him. “Then you must b-––”
“Hal,” Rodel says, and points to himself. “Rodel.”
“Hal?” The man laughs and ignoring Rodel he turns to Haley. “As in Haley Brewster.” He takes the skull cap off her head. Zane slips his hand onto Calvin’s forearm. But it’s Dante who takes a step forward.
“Take your hands off of him,” Dante says.
“Oh, I see,” the ass says. “Have you been playing Balthazar for a whole year with these men? Or just for today?”
Her blue eyes are steel as she looks up at him.
