I press my hands to my face, peeking through my fingers.
“Ten!”
Dimitri lets go and stands, throwing his arms into the air and bellowing loudly.
Holy shit.
He’s a machine.
My mouth is hanging open and I’m still staring through my fingers when his eyes turn to me.
And he smiles.
Shit.
I shake my head, sure I didn’t just see what I did. Dimitri smiled at me. He doesn’t smile. He’s darkness. He’s Mr. Black. He doesn’t smile. Which tells me only one thing—fighting is his escape. It gives him a sense of freedom, a sense of control. It likely takes away his pain for a second, and when you’re in that kind of pain, you do whatever you can to make it go away.
“Time to go,” the guard behind me grunts, shoving me through the crowd.
I lose my footing twice, falling into sweaty, dirty men. It takes us a solid twenty minutes to get to the back room. When we do, Dimitri is already there, pressing a wet cloth against his split and extremely bloody lip. His jaw is bruising. He looks like he’s high on life, though. He’s bouncing still, from side to side. His eyes are bright and his chest is rising and falling heavily.
“Get your info, boss?” the guard asks.
“Got it, Luke.”
Luke, that’s what the darker-skinned guard’s name is.
“When do we go out?”
“Tomorrow morning. Get the ship ready.”
My heart hammers and I turn to Dimitri. “What?” I gasp.
He smirks at me. “It’s time we taunt your pirate just a little.”
My jaw tightens. “You won’t find him.”
“I’ve got leverage,” he grins, removing the cloth that’s now covered in red. “Of course I’ll find him.”
“He doesn’t deserve this,” I snap, sitting on an old, metal bench running along the wall.
Dimitri drops the cloth and comes walking over until he stops in front of me, then he kneels until we’re eye to eye. I lose my breath.
“Did I deserve to have my mother taken from me? Did I deserve to be beaten and left alone with nothing?”
I open my mouth, but he cuts me off.
“He was all I had. I believed in that fucker and he left me alone. He just ran away and left me without one person to depend on. He deserves every motherfuckin’ thing he gets.”
My jaw flexes and I bite the insides of my cheeks to stop myself from saying something I shouldn’t.
He narrows his eyes and his fists clench. “Your silence tells me you know I’m right.”
“You’re not right,” I spit, crossing my arms. “Do you think you’re the only person in the world who has been let down by someone? Shit, Dimitri, you’re not. Pull your head out of your ass and change your life, instead of chasing a sick dream of revenge that will only get you killed.”
I shove hard in his chest, sending him stumbling backwards. He lands with a thump on his ass. I get to my feet and shoot him a glare before turning to Luke. “I’m sure we can wait in the car.”
He looks at Dimitri, who nods briskly. He’s angry, I can tell by the way his jaw is flexing and his chest is rising and falling heavily with every breath he takes.
Luke takes my arm before he has a chance to say anything, and leads me out.
This argument will never have a winner.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Dimitri
I clench and unclench my fists. The urge to drive them into the lockers beside me is so huge I have to breathe myself through it.
That girl is driving me crazy.
She thinks she’s got an answer for everything. Shit, she probably grew up with a silver spoon hanging out of those pretty fucking lips. She wouldn’t understand what it’s like to have your innocence stripped from you.
She has no right to judge me.
Or defend that piece of shit.
Jess
I stand in the cool breeze, shifting from one foot to the other as I wait for Luke to open the SUV so we can get in. He’s staring at our surroundings, as if checking to make sure no one is watching. Then, right in front of my eyes, he lets me go and walks around to unlock the front door.
He. Just. Let. Me. Go.
It takes my mind a split second to figure out what I need to do. He’s going to come back around in less than a minute. This might be my only chance to run. It’s not logical, running into a street and letting myself be seen, but it’s better than heeding to what Dimitri wants. I spin on my heel and I run.
Fast.
I hear Luke yell, but I put my head down and I charge toward the road. I don’t stop when I reach it; I leap out and cross it, causing cars to skid and screech to stops. Drivers hurl abuse at me, some of them yelling out asking me if I need help. I figure that must be because Luke is chasing me. Most people wouldn’t just throw themselves into the middle of a busy street.
I hear Luke bark out a curse, but I don’t dare stop and see how close he is. Running quickly warms my cold body, and I pick up speed. I thank God in this moment that I’ve lived on a pirate ship for years and because of that and the limited amount of choices, I’ve lived a healthy lifestyle. I’m fit. I run down a footpath heading to a beach. A beach is good because they’re almost always dark and I can hide easily. I can feel my heart pounding so hard it’s making me feel a little ill inside.
I’m frightened.
If I don’t pull this off and Dimitri gets me, I’ll pay for it.
I’m just about to cross another road to the easiest beach entrance when Dimitri appears in front of me, quick as lightning. I don’t even know where he came from, or how he got to me so quickly. I yelp and skid to the left, hurling myself over a railing that apparently stops people from falling down the long hill to the beach. I tumble over it, and I hit the ground hard. But I’ve landed with too much force.
So I roll.
I can feel twigs and sticks scratching into my skin as I tumble down the extremely steep hill. By the time I hit the sand below, my mouth is bleeding and my head is aching. I flip myself over and get to my knees, shoving myself forward and crawling until I’m farther out. My wrists ache, and I worry I’ve hurt one of them. I push to my feet, only to be slammed back down again by a hard, sweaty, half-naked body.
I land back in the sand with a thump, and a loud “Oomph” leaves my throat. Dimitri rolls me, flipping me effortlessly onto my back. His big body covers mine, and even though I can’t see him, I know his face is close. I can feel hot puffs of breath tickling my cheeks. I don’t enjoy that for long, though. I bring my knee up, and I hit him right in the groin.
He roars and tumbles off me. I don’t wait. I lunge forward and scurry as far away from him as I can get. Despite his no doubt aching balls, he is back on top of me in a matter of seconds, shoving my face down into the sand. I choke and splutter as clumps of it manage to find their way into my mouth. God, sand is awful when it’s all up in your mouth space.
“Get off me,” I scream, then choke. “You son of a bitch.”
He grumbles and keeps his hands and body pressed into mine. “That was a stupid thing to do.”
“On whose behalf?” I bellow. “Mine or your idiotic guards?”
His body stiffens. I spit profusely on the sand—trying to rid sand, go figure.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t take a chance to run if I got it?” I manage.
“Get up.”
“I can’t, you’re on top of me,” I point out, sarcastically.
He’s off me in a second, but his hand clasps firmly around my wrist. He hauls me up and wraps an arm around my waist, pinning me to his side. Then he shoves us toward the stairs. Those would have been nicer to come down on. I struggle and squirm as we walk, and the moment we get back into the streetlights, I start to scream.
“Help, he’s kidnapping me! Help!”
He spins me around quickly with a feral growl, and shoves my head into his bare chest. My mouth crashes against his skin. I can taste his sweat a
nd up this close, his smell is intoxicating. I take the opportunity to let him know what I think of him. I bite him, and I make it a good one. He grunts and jerks my head back by gripping a thick lock of hair. He glares down at me.
“Do that again,” he warns, “and I’ll return the favor.”
He shoves me into the SUV that I only just realized is parked right near us. He doesn’t let me go as he slides me into the back seat, jumping in behind me. I glance at Luke who is in the front seat, staring out of the window, his jaw tight.
“Good job, Luke,” I say. “I bet Dimitri is so happy he’s got you watching his back.”
“Shut up,” Dimitri barks.
Luke glares at me, but quickly starts the SUV and pulls out. I try to pull myself from Dimitri’s grip, but he refuses to let me go. Instead, he reaches over and lifts me with little exertion, pulling me onto his lap. His arm goes around my waist, pinning me there. The other arm goes across my shoulders to stop me being able to struggle. My cheek is pressed to his chest, not my mouth. Smart man.
“Let me go,” I mutter, trying to squirm. But Christ, he’s strong.
“My guard might have had a careless moment,” he murmurs. “I will not.”
“I’m not going to jump from a moving vehicle!” I cry through gritted teeth.
It’s not a bad idea actually.
He doesn’t answer, he just leans back in the seat. If I didn’t know better, I’d say that this is a position lovers would sit in after making love. I jerk my body a few more times in a futile attempt at getting out of the wall of muscle surrounding me, but there’s no point. He’s too strong, too determined, and I’m too exhausted.
I slump, feeling my body go limp. I take a small moment to breathe him in. A man such as Dimitri, no matter how evil, is hard not to admire. He’s pure beauty. His sculpted body, his defined face, that thick, luscious hair. It’s like he was molded to be put on display, so the entire female race could just admire him. Maybe even get a completely implausible idea of what the male race should look like.
No one is ever that perfect.
Except maybe Hendrix; he’s about that perfect. It’s probably why Dimitri hates him.
I feel my eyelids going droopy, but I don’t want to succumb to my exhaustion. If I do, then I’m basically lying here letting Dimitri hold me while I sleep. That’s not my idea of strength. I try to take deep breaths to keep my body full of oxygen, but this doesn’t wake it up. I squirm again, at which Dimitri tightens his hold. Dammit. I raise my head, and look up at him. He glances down at me, his blue eyes really, really making my heart do strange things. They are such a light blue, just like the sky.
“Your mouth is bleeding,” he says simply. Matter-of-factly.
“So is yours. I guess we’ve both had a good night.”
His mouth tics, and for a second, I’m shocked. Was Dimitri about to smile? His face quickly turns back to stone, and he turns his head away, staring out the window. I lower my face again, and I can feel his heart beating against my cheek. I tilt my head, so my ear is pressed right over it. Boom, boom, boom.
I close my eyes, unable to fight it any longer. I feel my body relaxing, and before I can protest any further about my location, I’m asleep.
In his arms.
This is not going well.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Jess
He lets me sleep until the next afternoon, and I’m completely grateful for that. Well, I am until I wake and the moment I’m fed—just some fruit and yogurt—he’s got me up and is ordering me to get dressed. We’re going back on the ship.
My heart sinks.
Going back on the ship, for some reason, has me feeling slightly depressed. I don’t want to go on the ship, I don’t want to go on the water. I want to stay on land and I want to stay here for a good long time. I truly don’t understand why I feel like this. Perhaps it’s because I’ve been a prisoner for so long. Not in the literal sense, but in the sense that I’ve never had the chance to be free and just . . . live. Logic, however¸ tells me that at least being on the ship, Hendrix has a better chance of finding me.
And for that reason, I don’t argue.
In fact, I don’t say anything as we move about, eating and dressing. Dimitri is barking orders at Luke and the other guard, and they’re obediently doing as he asks. He must pay them a lot of money. By the time the sun is setting on the second day, we’re in the SUV heading back to the wharf. As we draw closer, I become noticeably agitated. I don’t want to go back on that ship.
“Quit squirming,” Dimitri says.
He’s sitting beside me, holding my one cuffed hand so I can’t jump out. I don’t look at him, I just stare out the window. He wouldn’t understand. He hasn’t been desperately living on a ship for two years, doing everything he can to hide from a life that’s less than desirable.
“I thought you liked ships?”
Asshole.
I don’t answer him again.
When we arrive, and I see his ship, I gasp. Holy shit. I didn’t realize how huge it was. It’s a gorgeous ship—large and a dark pine in color. There are rows and rows of windows in the hull, leading up to a glorious deck, with big white flags and some seriously talented craftsmanship. He must have paid a lot of money to get something the size of this. He tugs me out of the car and I see another four cars come to a stop. And slowly, they all pile out. There’s a good range of men and women. I’m grateful for the women. Well, that is if they’re coming on the ship.
God, I hope they are.
I stare as they begin pulling loads and loads of crates and boxes out of the trailers attached to the vehicles. I gape as I get a glimpse of weapons. Those aren’t just any old weapons, they’re serious destruction tools. My heart begins to pound for Hendrix and Indi. What if Dimitri carries this plan out? What if he actually kills Hendrix?
I feel sick.
I’ve never stopped and thought that he might be smart enough and resourceful enough to take Hendrix down. In his world, Hendrix is the best. He’s deadly, he’s determined, and he’s powerful. In Dimitri’s world, he’s the best. If those worlds collide, who will come out on top? What would happen to Indi if something happened to Hendrix?
I tremble as Dimitri pulls me toward the massive ship. I try to focus on it, or anything for that matter. I don’t want to think about the position I’m left in. I can’t. Because if I think about it, I know I’ll be left with only one awful choice. And the sad thing is, for me, it is an awful choice because I don’t feel like he deserves it. But if it comes down to it, then I’ll do what I have to do.
I’ll kill Dimitri myself.
“Dimi,” a blond girl smiles, sauntering over to us the moment we get on deck.
I stare at her and I’m envious. She’s got this amazing body, like a model. Big breasts, tiny waist, and a perfectly tiny, but curved ass. Her hair is long, thick, and tack straight and her eyes are a deep, devastating brown. And, if that’s not enough, she’s wearing a shirt that is shoving her breasts out of the top, and a skirt that’s so tight and short, I’m a hundred-percent sure she’s not wearing panties.
I suddenly feel very average. I mean, when is a red-headed girl ever pretty compared to a busty blonde? I lift my hand and stroke my fingers over my ratty red hair. It hasn’t been brushed for two days, and I’m feeling it. I pout. There’s absolutely nothing to me. No boobs, no ass. Granted, I’m not fat, but I’m so ridiculously tiny it’s unfair. My eyes are too big, too green, and my skin is too pale.
“Livvie,” Dimitri says, letting his eyes slowly travel over her body.
I turn my face away, and instead focus on the very blue water.
“Who’s she?” Livvie asks.
“She’s my business, not yours.”
Livvie eyes me as though I’m no more than a pathetic little girl who doesn’t deserve to be attached to the arm of what is clearly her man.
“Didn’t anyone tell you staring is rude?” I say, giving her a glare.
She straightens a
nd flicks her blond hair over her shoulder. “There’s really nothing interesting to stare at, if you ask me.”
“I didn’t ask you.”
“Enough,” Dimitri says, his voice stern.
Livvie turns her eyes back to him and, I shit you not, bats her lashes in his direction. “How long until you’re rid of her?”
“I won’t be rid of her; she’s staying with me so I can watch her.”
Say what? I spin as far as my cuffs will allow and glare up at him. He stares down at me, and with the sun in his face the way it is now, his eyes look even more . . . translucent. He squints and lifts a hand over his eyes, shielding them, before saying, “Don’t bother arguing, you already know it won’t get you far.”
I feel my jaw tighten, but I don’t argue.
“So when can I see you?” Malibu Barbie asks, in a whiny voice.
“Tonight. I’ll put Bobby on guard and we can finish what we started last week.”
God, gross.
Malibu smiles at him, and actually slides her tongue out and presses the tip of her finger against it.
“Really?” I snort.
She shoots me a glare, and sashays over, taking Dimitri’s face and kissing him so deeply I look away with a flush. Holy shit. The way his jaw moves when he kisses . . . unforgettable. Malibu tears her mouth away and gives me a smug grin before turning and sauntering off.
“Well, that was an experience. Next time maybe let me go before you shove your tongue down Malibu’s throat.”
Dimitri is just tugging me toward the main room, when he stops and turns. He gives me a skeptical look. “Malibu?”
“You know? Malibu Barbie?”
There goes that lip twitch again.
“Well, Barbie or not, she fulfills her purpose here.”
“I just bet she does. She’s probably very used to being filled.”
Dimitri makes a choking kind of sound, but because we’re walking, and his back is to me, I can’t see if he’s smiling or if he’s grunting with annoyance.
He leads me down the first set of stairs, and I am vaguely aware of the layout. I don’t remember a great deal, but it’s familiar enough. He swings the door to what I guess to be his room open, and takes me inside. Wow. It’s far bigger than Hendrix’s room, like, twice the size. But then, his ship is twice the size. There’s a massive king-sized bed in the middle, and every piece of furniture is expensive. Most of it is wooden.