Chapter Twenty-Three
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Elder
ALL I WANTED to do was tell these bastards to get the fuck off my yacht.
But I wouldn’t because that would earn me a one-way ticket to jail.
I stood facing the man in charge—boss to boss—eyeing up his uniform, hating his arrogant airs, and scowling at the patches on his arms. Patches celebrating his rank as if I gave a flying fuck.
Jolfer stood on my right with fists clenched, and Selix stood on my left—his face mimicking my unreadable mask.
My night had turned from bad to worse, and now I waited to see what other new hell they’d bring.
Goddammit, couldn’t they have waved us on? Did they have to board after giving me a goddamn heart attack thinking it was the Chinmoku about to terrorize my entire crew?
Swallowing my temper, I growled. “Look, you know us. You don’t need—”
“Wait!” Something pink and fast and suicidal bowled through the bridge’s door and careened straight toward me.
“Oof.” I stumbled as Pim barrelled into my side, knocking me off balance.
She shied away with an apologetic look then pinned her gaze on the uniformed interlopers. “I don’t care who you are, but if you hurt anyone on this boat, I’ll ensure you all pay.”
What.
The.
Ever.
Loving.
Fuck?
Her pure, perfect voice ripped my balls off. Her strength and ferocity bulldozed through my knees and spine.
I couldn’t bloody move.
What the hell was she doing? What the hell was she thinking?
She could’ve gotten herself killed with a stunt like that. I was in charge of her protection, not the other way around.
Christ, this woman!
My heart froze even as it gushed with bone-deep affection for the calamity she almost caused. All because she would rather die to keep me alive than permit me to do the same.
I didn’t have the luxury of figuring out how twisted up that made me feel.
How awed I was. How annoyed I was. How amazed and pissed and happy and furious I was.
Lucky for us, tonight wasn’t what I thought it was. I’d locked everyone in the safe room for nothing. In fact, they’d all have to slink from hiding and meet these ship visitors. Questions would be asked and answers would be given just as ocean law commanded.
I blamed my overreaction on my paranoia, insomnia, and chaotic mess of a brain.
I’d studied the horizon with too much suspicion, seeing Chinmoku instead of other travellers and happy-go-lucky seafarers. I’d painted the maritime police as the bad guys.
Grabbing Pim’s upper arm, I jerked her to me. “Keep your mouth closed.”
Even though the safe room drill was a false alarm, I would’ve still hidden Pim because technically, she wasn’t cleared to be on the Phantom. No one would be murdered tonight but someone—mainly me—would be in for a world of interrogation and rule book berating.
As if I don’t have enough on my mind.
“A guest of yours, Mr. Prest?” The man in charge looked Pim up and down, his beady eyes not permitted on her. My fists curled as his look of suspicion slipped to appreciation. The pink nightgown didn’t exactly hide much of her slim, tempting figure, especially with the bright lights in the bridge highlighting her curves.
My hands curled, but I kept my face professional. “She’s not important.”
Pim sucked in a breath. I tightened my fingers around her arm.
I’d never said a more heinous thing. She was important. Far too fucking important. And that was why she’d utterly ruined me by disobeying a direct order and coming to fight my battles.
My heart literally shot itself at the thought of what would’ve happened had it been the Chinmoku and not the coastguard.
She needed disciplining. She needed to be taught the repercussions of not listening to me.
“Everyone, regardless of importance, must be logged and cleared for travel. You know that,” the M.O.—maritime officer—in command muttered. “Don’t tell me you need a refresher on sea etiquette, Mr. Prest?”
A growl percolated in my belly.
I prepared to lie, but if I bullshitted she was staff, they’d know instantly. I couldn’t fib thanks to the meticulous records and employee passports we had to lodge.
My teeth wanted to stay locked together, but I clipped, “She’s a guest.”
“Ah, so you just lied when you said there was no one new on board?”
I stuck my chin in the air, daring him to come closer to that line. The line where I’d snap and throw everyone off my boat—consequences be damned. “Momentary lapse of judgment.”
Pim glanced between me and the coastguard captain. Her beautiful face contorted with confusion, doing her best to catch up and understand.
It was a simple enough mistake. I thought we were under attack and called for a routine shutdown and call to arms. I hadn’t seen the coastguard logo, and Jolfer failed to tell me they’d radioed ahead for the request to board and perform a common inspection.
I’d been on edge ever since finding out someone else had accessed Pim’s file. No boat could sail close without me instantly going on the defence and believing it was fucking war.