Enslaved By The Ocean (14 page)

I head below deck, and think for a moment about going to warn Eric about the storm but decide against it. It’s not that I don’t care about him. It’s just that, right now, I’m confused, and even a little hurt, and it’s easier if I just leave it. He needs space, and the truth is I’m afraid of what this is going to do to our friendship. He’s angry with me, and I’m signing my life over to save his. The sad thing is, even if I was mad at him, and hated him, I could never let his life be taken because of me.
 

I run into Jess just outside Hendrix’s room, and she gives me a warm smile. She looks so calm; doesn’t she know about the storm? I must look worse than I realize, because she narrows her eyes and places the sheets she’s carrying on the ground before walking over and gripping my shoulders. “Are you okay?”
 

I shake my head weakly. “I…”
 

My voice cracks, and I realize how much I’ve been holding in. Damn Jess for getting it out of me. It’s those big green eyes and the gentle features on her face. She’s just that kind of person; she makes you want to curl up and cry, just so she’ll hug you. She’s kind of addictive. I let my body relax into hers just a little, and she rubs my shoulders gently, giving me a comforting feeling.
 

“What’s happening? Come on, come into my room and talk to me, I have a few minutes.”
 

I nod, and she leads me down the hall to her room. When we get in, I peer around. She has a small room like most of the guys, but hers is cleaner, and cozier. There’s a small bed, not quite a single size, in the corner and an old, wooden desk by the small rounded window. I walk over to the bed, and sit down. She has a faded pink comforter covering it, and I have the sudden urge to wrap myself in it.
 

“Is it Hendrix?” she asks, sitting down beside me.
 

“Last night…I got drunk and…God…”
 

“What happened?” she asks, turning toward me and crossing her legs on the bed. I do the same until we’re facing each other.
 

“Well, I took your advice and decided to join in and get to know the crew. I got a little drunk and Hendrix took me back to his room. We didn’t sleep together, but…”
 

“But,” she urges, her big green eyes wide.
 

“We…fooled around.”
 

“Fooled around how?”
 

My cheeks grow rosy, and I stare down at my hands. “I…oh God, I can’t say it.”
 

“It’s nothing I haven’t heard or experienced on this ship, Indi.”
 

“It was all hands…”
 

Her eyes widen. “You got him off…with your hands?”
 

“Kind of. And grinding. It was an extremely erotic moment, and then afterwards he turned and stormed out.”
 

“You’re his captive,” she says gently. “He’s freaking out. Don’t give up, the fact he let you get close to him…”
 

“It’s not like it’s hard,” I interrupt.
 

Jess shakes her head. “It is hard, Indi. The only reason he fucks Senny is because he needs something out here. There’s no connection, and he sure as hell doesn’t care about her. She’s easy, it’s as simple as it gets.”
 

“Do you suppose he thinks I’m easy, too?”
 

She shakes her head. “No, he looks at you differently.”
 

“How so?”
 

She shrugs, tucking a long, thick lock of hair behind her ear. “He just does. He watches you, and his eyes seem to glaze over. He’s interested, there’s a spark for him. Don’t give up.”
 

I cling to her words, because they give me a small moment of hope.
 

“I saw him earlier, he refused to talk about it. There’s a storm coming, so I think his mind is elsewhere.”
 

“Oh, I hope so.”
 

I scrunch my brow in confusion. “You hope so?”
 

“If there’s a storm, we get to dock on some pretty islands. We get a few days of swimming and peace before we have to get back on this ship. I crave those days.”
 

“It does sound kind of nice, but I’m scared…”
 

She reaches across and takes my hand. “Don’t be, Hendrix always gets us out before it starts.”
 

“He said the island is a fair way away.”
 

She smiles. “It’s okay, I promise.”
 

I hear the howling of the wind outside, and I detach my fingers from Jess’s and wrap my arms around myself. I hope she’s right; I’m not a huge fan of thunder. It’s kind of like my weakness.
 

“I should get back to work. Go through my drawers and find yourself a jacket so that you don’t get cold. The wind will be freezing.”
 

“Thanks, Jess.”
 

She smiles. “Anytime, I’m always here.”
 

When she’s gone, I walk over to the window and watch the clouds rolling in.
 

I hope she’s right about this storm.
 

And Hendrix.
 

The wind howls, and the ship rocks from side to side. I wrap my arms around myself, and my heart thumps wildly. I’m frightened. For the past two hours I’ve watched the storm near closer, I’ve watched the waves rise and crash against the side of the ship. I’ve watched the lightning hitting the water and making a sound so loud my ears are
throbbing in pain. Eric is above deck now, and we’re all in the dining room, waiting for the ship to come close enough to the island.
 

Jess is huddled up beside me, her hand firmly in mine. Eric has his arms around me, and he’s holding me tightly, so tightly I can hardly breathe. I’m not sure if that’s because it’s been over a week since we’ve touched, or if it’s because he’s scared. The other pirates even seem to have a level of concern on their faces. Some of them are pacing, some drinking, some chatting frantically amongst themselves. We’re all waiting on Hendrix, who has been in the navigation office now for twenty minutes with Drake, trying to get us closer.
 

“Do you think he’s okay?” I whisper to Jess.
 

“He’s okay, he doesn’t come in usually, not until he’s got an answer, at least.”
 

“I hope something hasn’t happ…”
 

I’m cut off because GG yells out, “Here he is!”
 

We turn, and see Hendrix come through the dining room door. He’s soaked and he’s shivering, likely from a mix of adrenalin and cold. He walks over to us all, and he quickly scans the room. His eyes fall on mine, and our gazes lock, before he lifts his head and announces our plans. “We’re close enough to get off, but it won’t be easy. Buddy up; we’re going off the left side. Take something each, a blanket, a bag, a tent, I don’t care, just take something. The ship is close enough for us to anchor, but we’re going to have to wade through some water. We have ten, maybe fifteen minutes before the storm hits the island, if we’re lucky. I’ve managed to get south of it, for the moment. GG, you’re taking the prisoner.”
 

I feel Eric stiffen beside me. “I’ll take Indi, she knows me.”
 

Hendrix spins to him, and the look on his face is that of pure rage. “You’re not in any position to argue with me, boy. The girl comes with me.”
 

The girl.
 

The girl.
 

That burns. Why does it burn?
 

“I’ll go with someone else, I’m not doing anything with you,” I say, my voice wavering.
 

Hendrix storms over, leaning down and meeting my gaze. “We’ve danced this dance before,
inocencia
,” he murmurs. “It’s time for some new moves. We don’t have time for this
. Yo
u’re coming with me because you’re safest with me. Your little hero over there will drown you in a split second.”
 

He lifts his head, leaving me struggling for calm. “Move!”
 

The pirates scatter. Drake takes Jess, GG takes Eric, and they all buddy off and rush out. Hendrix takes my arm, and he pulls me out of the dining room. We power down the halls, him dragging me and me concentrating on making my legs move in time. He stops by his room, grips a rolled up sleeping bag from under the bed, and throws it over his shoulder. Lightening crackles in the background, and I begin to tremble.
 

“I’m afraid,” I cry suddenly, before I can stop it.
 

Hendrix stops, and turns. Surprising me, he reaches down and grips my face. “You’re just fine with me, okay? Just do as I ask. You’ll be okay.”
 

I nod, chewing on my bottom lip like a maniac. He turns and pulls me up on deck. As soon as we step out, the rain crashes down over us and soaks us to our cores. I am shivering in seconds, and dodging people as Hendrix drags me toward the exit. I can hear tree branches snapping as the wind whips through, and I know we’re right on the island. Hendrix pulls out a flashlight, and flicks it on. It’s obviously waterproof because it doesn’t flicker off.
 

He leads us over to the side of the ship, and I can’t see anything. All I can do is listen. I hear waves crashing against the side of the ship, and it’s rocking angrily. Pirates are climbing down the ladder and wading through the water, and I’m almost sure I catch a glimpse of Eric. Hendrix wraps an arm around me, and before I know what’s happening, he pulls us over the side of the ship. I try as best I can to keep up with him and follow his instructions, but it’s near on impossible.
 

The wind is too strong.
 

The waves are too deadly.
 

We hit the water with a crash, and somehow Hendrix manages to keep his arm around me. I cling to him now. I no longer care about acting strong. I wrap my arms and legs around him. The water is beyond freezing, to a point that it burns my skin, like someone is sticking me with tiny little pins. The salt burns my eyes as the waves crash over our heads. We surface, and I’m coughing so violently I’m fairly sure I’m about to lose a lung.
 

“Good girl,” he yells over the wind. “Hold onto me.”
 

I do.
 

I hold on as tightly as I can. He wades through the water, pulling against the waves. All I can think about is the fact that, any second, lightning could hit the water and kill us all. It’s like I’m counting down the minutes, my chest seizing with fear, only I don’t know if and when it’s going to happen. My tears mix with the salt, and my lungs burn from the amount of water I’ve inhaled. I’m so cold I’m shaking, and the wind is so loud I can hardly hear anything over it.
 

“Nearly there, good girl,” Hendrix says into my ear, in a soothing tone.
 

He’s soothing me.
 

Oh, God. He’s soothing me.
 

When I feel the sand beneath us, I drop my feet only to put my foot down on something sharp. I cry out, lifting it back up. A burning pain shoots up my leg, and my foot begins to throb.
 

“Shit, did you cut yourself?”
 

“Yes,” I cry.
 

“Just keep your legs around me, don’t put them down Indigo.”
 

I lift my legs back up around his waist, and he continues fighting the wind and the rain until we’re finally on the sand. He doesn’t stop. He runs up toward the trees, the flashlight in one hand, the other hand hooked around me. I don’t know why he still has the sleeping bag over his shoulder; it’s no doubt soaked. He weaves through the trees, and I hear the sound of voices ahead.
 

“We have a cover, boss, a cave,” someone calls.
 

“Thank fuck,” he yells. “Is everyone here
? S
hout out your names.”
 

One by one, they all call their names. When I hear Eric’s, my entire body goes weak. I can hear the crunching of boots, and I can see a faint light ahead. Every now and then I catch a glimpse of a face when Hendrix flashes his light. There’s still a few running towards the cave.
 

“I need a shirt, something to tie her foot. She cut it,” Hendrix orders.
 

“Here.”
 

A moment later, a shirt is thrust toward us from the darkness. Hendrix catches it, and then shines the flashlight toward the dull light coming from the distance. He runs toward it just as the first crack of lightning hits the tree behind us. I scream, and he moves quicker, until he basically slides us into the small cave. As soon as the rain stops pounding against my skin, the shivering becomes violent. Hendrix lowers us down against the wall of the cave until we’re both on the ground. I can hear the rustling and frantic chatting around us, but I can’t focus on it, I’m shaking so hard.
 

“You’re fuckin’ freezing,” Hendrix murmurs, shifting me until I’m tucked into his side.
 

“We’ve got blankets, Cap.”
 

“I got one,” he says.
 

“It’s s…s…soaked,” I rasp.
 

“Waterproof cover,” he says, placing the flashlight down, dropping the sleeping bag off his shoulder and then reaching for the shirt.
 

I hear a tearing sound, and then he shines the torch on my foot. I see blood as soon as it flashes across my skin, and I turn my eyes away quickly.
 

“Deep gash,” he says, turning my foot from side to side.
 

I don’t say anything; I just sit, shivering, as he ties the torn strand of shirt around my foot. When he’s done, he shines the torch around the crew. “Everyone got something warm?”
 

They all mutter a “yeah.”
 

“Get some sleep; this will be a long one.”