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Dead man walking was all I could think of as I shuffled over the worn and weathered wooden boards to the only boat floating along the edge. The Mighty Empress was a zodiac boat. Like a giant raft. My legs nearly gave way. Passing out in front of everyone was indeed a better option than stepping into that death trap, and I was moments away from having my world go blank.
Before it could happen though, I shook my head and backed up. “I can’t, Landon. I can’t.”
He quickly stepped closer and reached out to grab my arm before I collapsed. “Are you okay?”
“Nope. I can’t ride in that.” Shudders rolled over me and the air cooled to a winter’s crisp.
“Good, because we’re not riding in that.”
I sighed, but my head swirled.
“We’re going in that.” He pointed to one of several jet boats parked at the far end of the dock. “You’re going to get the personal tour.”
“I still don’t think I can.”
“I can see how you’re scared, but it’s more than that. Are you… terrified?” The word hung in the air.
I snorted, very unladylike. “Deathly, like my heart will stop beating at any moment.”
“It’ll just be you and me. I go ahead of the group and search for the pods, radioing back to Ales, so he can drive the boat over. Trust me, my boat is a smoother ride. A way smoother ride.” He wore such sincerity it was hard to say no.
Palms sweaty, I shook my head. A sudden rush of adrenaline threatened to drop me to the ground. Flight or flight my ass. “I can’t. I’m sorry.”
His smile turned upside down. “That’s okay. I get it.” He dug into the pocket of his shorts and pulled out some cash, handing me a five. “For the cookie.”
“Keep it. Honestly.” My voice cracked.
I couldn’t say I hadn’t tried. I had the lifejacket on, but it wasn’t meant to be. Couldn’t force myself to get closer to the boat. Weakness and a moment of dizziness swam over me, and I reached out to steady myself with his arm.
Indecision flipped across his face. “Are you? Can you? Fuck it. I’ll walk you up to the marina as you’re paling by the minute, and I don’t want to be rude, but I need to get going.”
My main reason for being here suddenly flashed through my mind. Cedar, well, Frank, our father. He needed a kidney to save his life. I couldn’t supply my last one, and my brothers weren’t a match. Cedar was our best chance and our last hope.
Hands balled into fists, I stomped and inhaled, swearing I was going to give Everest a piece of my mind when I chatted with him next. “Your boat? It’s safe? God’s honest truth?”
Landon nodded but hadn’t let released me from his hold. “Absolutely.”
“And my life jacket will keep me floating if I tumbled overboard?”
“You won’t go overboard, but in the event that should happen, yes, you’ll be safe.”
Closing my eyes, I rubbed the bridge of my nose and inhaled a strange scent wafting through the ocean air. Somehow, it settled the rumbles in my tummy. With a giant sigh, I breathed out. “Let’s do this. Let’s go.”
“You don’t have to.”
“Yeah, I do.” For all the reasons Landon didn’t need to understand. “Which is yours, again?”
Chapter Four
Jet boats do not come equipped with seatbelts as I soon discovered. They don’t even have handles to squeeze like your life depended on it. Instead, you bounce in your seat, praying the next time the boat rams into a wave that it doesn’t send you flying out into the cold ocean water. Nothing I’d read had prepared me for the ride of death. My inner thighs and calves were screaming as I wrapped my legs around the base of the seat and squeezed for dear life, while my fingernails dug into the underside of the vinyl seat.
“I think I see them.” Landon’s voice yelled over the salty air filled with the loud rumble of a jet.
The boat came to a halt, rocking me back into my seat, and the air quieted as he killed the engine.
“Over there. Three o’clock.” From a cubby, he pulled out a pair of binoculars and scanned the horizon. “There’s Duke. Do you want to see?”
Only from the safety of my seat.
