Enslaved By The Ocean (25 page)

“Sienna,” I yell. “He said stay in here.”
 

Senny spins just outside of the door and glares at me. “You know nothing, so shut the fuck up, I don’t even…”
 

A shot rings out, making a loud crack in the silence, and suddenly Senny stops talking. Her mouth opens and her eyes widen, and then slowly she begins to fall to the floor. Jess screams and the gun topples from her hands. Blood pools around Senny’s back as soon as she hits the floor, and her eyes are open, fixed at the roof. I know she’s dead. I hear the sound of footsteps. Someone is below deck. I dive toward the gun, clutching it in my hands and then rush over and press my hand over Jess’s mouth. The footsteps near and I raise the gun, hands trembling, and wait. I see Senny’s body move, and I realize someone has kicked her. Probably checking if she’s still alive.
 

I want to vomit.
 

I’m so terrified, nothing in my life has ever frightened me so much. I’m stiff, unable to move, or breathe, or focus. My eyes are on the door, and my hands are firmly clasped around the gun. I see a body first, and I know right away it’s not one of Hendrix’s men. I don’t even think, I just pull the trigger. The man lands with a thump on the ground, rolling and roaring in pain as he grips his stomach.
 

“Run, Jess!”
 

Jess scurries past him and drops to her knees by Senny’s side.
 

“Senny? Wake up.”
 

“She’s gone,” I cry. “Go get help.”
 

With a hiccup, Jess gets to her feet and runs out. The pirate on the ground groans and rolls, getting to his hands and knees. Blood drips from his belly as he begins stalking toward me. I know I should be pulling that trigger right now, but my hands are shaking, and I can’t seem to make myself do it. I’m frozen with fear, and only when he lifts his hand to reach for his pants do I know that it’s him or me.
 

I begin to pull the trigger when another gunshot rings out, and suddenly the pirate slumps to the ground. My knees buckle and I fall in a heap, shaking so violently my teeth chatter together. I hear voices, and somewhere in my fear I find myself screaming Hendrix’s name. Is he alive? Is he dead? Oh God, what if he’s dead? I couldn’t live if he died. I don’t want to.
 

“Shhh, Indi, I’m here.”
 

Oh thank God.
 

I feel his hard arms go around me, and lift me from my spot on the floor. I hear orders being thrown around, and the sound of Jess crying as he carries me past. He places me on his bed in his room, and then moments later Jess is placed beside me. I reach out for her, and she clutches me desperately.
 

“They’re in shock, just let them be for a minute, Cap,” I hear Drake say.
 

“Feel so fuckin’ helpless.”
 

“They got a scare, they saw their friend die, just let them process that.”
 

Hendrix reaches down and strokes his fingers across my forehead.
 

“Go and get me Jess’s sedatives.”
 

The words are a foggy blur.
 

Nothing is making a great deal of sense in my head.
 

I hear shuffling a moment later, and then I feel a sting in my arm.
 

“Sorry baby.” It’s the last thing I hear before I go blank.
 

The last thing I feel is Jess’s hand, trembling in mine.
 

“May the ocean take her soul and keep her safe for eternity,” Drake says.
 

We watch with blank expressions as they slide Senny’s body over the edge of the ship and into the water. Jess is still beside me, her breathing heavy and deep. I know that her and Senny weren’t close, but I think for a long time they were all each other had on this ship. I reach out and take her hand, and she squeezes it tight while we all lower our heads for a minute, giving Senny the respect she needs right now.
 

I am trying to ignore the scrubbing sounds behind me, and the smell of bleach that burns my nose as a few of the younger pirates scrub the blood off the deck. I am trying not to focus on it, trying not to think about the reality of the situation that is surrounding me. It’s not the fantasy world that people assume it is; it’s real, and it’s scary. There are things that happen out here that most people wouldn’t experience in their lives, and yet these men live it on a daily basis.
 

This is their world, and now…now it’s mine.
 

I’m not sure if this frightens me, or gives me a chance to really discover who I am with a man I adore. He’s not what I would have picked for myself but he has changed everything I ever believed I needed. This world is scary, but more than that, it’s real. These men believe in everything they are, and they work hard for the things they want. They’re criminals, without a doubt, but the passion they hold for each other beats that in some of the families I’ve seen.
 

“You okay?”
 

Hendrix comes up behind me, and wraps his arms around my waist.
 

“Yeah, I’m okay.”
 

“It’s hard I know, but I promise you I’ll fight every day of my life to make sure nothing happens to you,
inocencia
,” he whispers into my ear.
 

“I know you will.”
 

“Come on, let’s get inside, there’s some raining coming in.”
 

“Do they…” I point to the guys scrubbing the floors. “…need help?”
 

“No, they’ve got it.”
 

I nod as he turns to Jess. He narrows his eyes and watches as she stares beyond the side of the ship, sobbing, her tiny frame shaking. Letting me go, he walks over and wraps his arms around her, pulling her into him. In that moment I love him that much more. I feel my eyes burn as I watch Jess crumble into him.
 

“It’s going to be okay, Jess, you’ve got us. We’re always going to protect you.”
 

My heart aches for her, it aches so bad. Hendrix lets her go and nods to Drake, who walks over, wrapping an arm around her. I watch him lead her away, and I realize these guys are so much more than pirates. They’re brothers. They’re family. They believe in each other. Pride swells in my chest as I walk over, tucking myself into Hendrix.
 

“Let’s go below deck. I need you…”
 

He wraps his fingers around my arms and leans down, sliding his lips across mine.
 

“You’ve got me, always.”
 

That sounds just fine to me.
 

Fire in the hole!
 

**
 

“Oh, fuck, harder baby,” Hendrix rasps, tangling his hands into my hair.
 

I slide my mouth up and down his cock, licking, teasing, tormenting him until he’s panting and begging me for more. I like hearing him beg. It makes my pussy clench with need. I wrap my hand around the base of his cock and begin gently squeezing. He hisses and jerks his hips, thrusting his cock up into my mouth further until it’s hitting the back of my throat. His feral hiss fills the room, and I find my hand sliding down to cup his balls. My mind goes back to moments when I heard stories about men enjoying having their ass played with. Would a man like Hendrix like something like that?
 

I test the waters by sliding my finger lower. He tenses for a minute, and his breathing becomes ragged. I run my finger up and down, while sucking, and using my other hand to stroke his cock. I feel him swelling, getting harder and harder in my mouth, and I know he’s close. I slip my finger down, gently sliding it in. He growls loudly, and grips my hair. “Fuck, Indi, what are you…”
 

I press into the hard little lump my finger grazes and he’s cut off mid-sentence. His words turn into growls and his cock explodes, spurting hard into my mouth. His growling is primal and damned sexy. His hips jerk, and his fingers tighten in my hair as he continues to come, spurting into my throat. My entire body tingles with want as he slowly comes down from his release. He slumps back into the sofa and I gently remove my finger and mouth before sliding up his body and pressing little kisses to his abdomen.
 

“What the hell was that?” he rasps.
 

“Just a little trick. Did it work?”
 

“Are you kidding baby? Of course it worked.”
 

I giggle, and slide my tongue out and over the hard muscle on his belly.
 

“Quit doin’ that sweetheart, or I’ll have to fuck you.”
 

“You can’t,” I murmur.
 

“Why not?”
 

“It’s shark week.”
 

“What?” he says, confused.
 

I roll my eyes. “It means that if you drop me in the ocean right now, you’re going to find the sharks having a feast because Aunt Flo is in town.”
 

“Who the fuck is Aunt Flo?”
 

“My period!” I say, exasperated.
 

He is quiet for a moment, and then he bursts out laughing, his entire body shaking.
 

“I’ve heard a lot of things in my time, but fuck, that was gold.”
 

I smile against his belly and look up at him. “You know me, queen of the one-liners.”
 

“Cap?”
 

Someone bangs on the door, and with an angry sigh, Hendrix jerks up his jeans and gently lifts me off him before standing. “What?”
 

“There’s a ship in the distance.”
 

My skin instantly prickles.
 

“You identified it?” he says, pulling on a shirt and lifting his gun.
 

“No.”
 

“On my way.”
 

He turns to me. “Stay here.”
 

“But…”
 

He gives me a stern look. “Indi, stay here.”
 

He leans down and kisses my head quickly before turning and rushing out. I stand for a moment, completely terrified that a repeat will happen again. It’s been five days since that attack; surely we can’t have another one…
 

I rub my arms with my hands and turn, walking towards the bathroom. I clean up, brush my teeth, and throw my hair up before making my way back to the sofa and just sitting, waiting, feeling like I’m about to throw up all over the floor.
 

It feels like I wait for hours, until finally I hear yelling. I get to my feet, feeling my heart pound. The yelling increases, and I recognize a few words. It sounds threatening. Unable to stop myself, I slowly walk out of the room. I should be with Jess. She will need me. She’ll be terrified.
 

I step out into the hall when I hear the words more clearly. “Fuck you, Chopper. I have nothing for you.”
 

Chopper?
 

Daddy?
 

My legs buckle, and I grip the wall to stop myself falling. He’s here? He’s here, oh God. I take a step toward the stairs that lead up onto the deck. Can I do this? Can I see him again after all these years? It’s been so long.
 

For so many years I dreamed about him, wanting him home. Can I face him now? Knowing he’s likely a monster? I am doubting everything, and yet I’m still walking toward the stairs, like my body is refusing to accept those doubts.
 

The steps creak as I walk up them, and the yelling becomes more obscene and loud. When the sun shines into my eyes, I lift my hand, blocking it out. I peer over at the other ship lined up against Hendrix’s. It’s bigger, but older. There are more pirates, easily, and they look far scarier. There’s a man in a dark, wide-brimmed hat, pointing a gun at Hendrix and snarling curses at him. He cocks his gun as I take a step, and I feel panic swell in my chest. Is he going to kill him?
 

“Stop!” I cry.
 

The man lifts his eyes to me, and barks, “Who are you?”
 

My knees wobble, and I press a hand to my heart. It’s him. I know that voice; I could never miss it. I open my mouth and croak out, “Daddy?”
 

He shakes his head, confused. “I’m sorry, you are?”
 

He doesn’t recognize me. I walk closer, falling into his view more clearly. I know the moment he recognizes me, because the gun in his hand just slips and crashes onto the floor. I realize now the sun was shielding my face. He seems to sway on his feet, and his hand reaches up, gripping his hat off his head and ripping it off.
 

“Indigo?” he rasps.
 

Tears leak from the corner of my eyes, and step by wobbly step, I make my way closer. I see the years have been rather good to him, though his face holds a fair few scars. He’s got thick blond hair that is down around his shoulders, and eyes that are sky blue. He’s tall and broad, like he always was, only now he doesn’t look fatherly—instead he looks like a pirate. Dark jeans, heavy boots, black shirt, and a gun belt slung around his waist.
 

“Daddy, is it really…?”
 

I am about to step forward when I see a woman in the far corner of the ship, her eyes wide and frightened, her hands trembling. She looks terrified. It hits me like a brick then. My father buys women, and likely sells them. I make a strangled sound, and I watch as he turns his eyes to the girl. By the time he turns them back to me, I’m backing down the stairs.
 

“Indi!” he yells, reaching out his hand.
 

“You’re…you left me and became a monster!” I cry. “You make women into sex slaves. You thought I was one…you were going to buy me…oh…God…”
 

“My daughter,” he bellows, spinning to Hendrix and raising his gun. “You sick fuck.”