Chapter 12

TWELVE

Laura

T he boat moved steadily as the day turned from bright to an orange blaze, eventually dipping into darkness.

Boredom ate at me in the silence of the bedroom. Phoenix hadn't come to see me other than to hand me another god-awful shake. The highly sweetened creamy liquid tasted awful. He didn't seem to be forthcoming with any actual food, however, so I drank it through gritted teeth.

Moonlight reflected across the waves, like great glittering, never-ending scales on some behemoth of a beast. Where were we going? The boat seemed to move with purpose, heading in one direction.

With a sigh, I opted to go out and ask him. It had to be better than sitting there and wondering.

Opening the bedroom door, a hauntingly beautiful series of notes wrapped their way around me. Muffled at first, they became clearer with each step I took toward the deck. Creeping along the wall of the wheelhouse, I headed toward the sweet, yet morose music as if pulled toward it by some sort of magic.

Phoenix stood near the bow of the boat, a violin resting just below his chin, his fingers artfully pulling a melody from its fraught strings. His hands moved swiftly, caressing the bow across the bridge and making the old violin sing as prettily as any sea siren. I stilled, watching him.

Two large metal bins burned between us, throwing a bright orange glow over his muscled forearms which danced under the ministrations of his playing. Tendons stood out amongst the veined muscles on one arm, while the other was webbed with the same scarring which marked his face and neck. His eyes were closed, the warm light dancing across his features, lost utterly in the rapturous music.

It was a beautiful sight. I wanted to revel in it almost as much as I wanted to tear it apart. He was supposed to be a monster.

Even the devil loves music.

A sad smile twitched at my lip. My mother had often said it, trying to tell me that giving into temptations would lead to trouble. But being the good girl had landed me here. Stuck on a boat with a man who I'd agreed to let use me for whatever he wanted, miles from home and completely alone.

I'd played her game. Agreed to marry for the family cause. What did it get me? A hole in the chest and a swim with fucking sharks.

I was done playing by anyone else's rules.

Getting Phoenix to believe I was the submissive, weak woman was my goal. Then I'd kill him. Drive a knife through his neck until he choked on his own blood .

My breath caught when I caught his gaze locked onto me, his eyebrows dipping as though he could read my thoughts.

He tipped his head toward a low bench beside one of the fiery bins, and I reluctantly made my way to it.

Firelight warmed my face, his fingers not letting up on the violin, pulling ever sweeter notes from her while I focused on the dark horizon far in the distance. I closed my eyes and let the music wash over me, letting myself pretend I was at one of Mother's parties, surrounded by people who knew me.

The bobbing of the boat along with the music lulled me into a place of peace, and I let my muscles relax. Exhaustion tingled through my body. Between the healing bullet wound in my chest and my dip in the sea, I was desperately tired.

A hand caressed through my hair, and I moaned softly before jolting away from the touch.

I hadn't even noticed the music ending.

Phoenix sat next to me, the violin resting on the bench.

Be meek . I told myself. Trick him.

My breath hitched. He ran his scarred fingers along my collar bone, stopping at my pulse point and closing his eyes. Fear made my heart beat faster, and his fingers pressed more firmly into the hollow of my neck. Tracing his other hand against my thigh he spelled out a word.

SCARED?

I nodded, keeping my focus on his dark eyes, the fire's reflection dancing in them.

Was he going to fuck me?

To my dismay the bile the thought brought was swiftly followed by a pulsating between my thighs. It had been a long time since I'd let myself fall into bed with someone. I'd been waiting for Massimo. Our love story was going to be one for the ages. I'd been so sure of it.

Phoenix's thumb tilted my jaw up, and had it not been for the mask covering his mouth, I'd have thought he was going to kiss me. It would be one thing to endure his dick, but the softness would be too much to bear.

‘Make it quick,' I begged, my words coming out strangled.

His fingers moved against my leg once more, this time on my inner thigh.

NEVER

‘Please, just get it over with or let me go.' I should have stayed in the bedroom.

His throat moved as he swallowed, the phoenix emblazoned mask just millimetres from my lips. The fingers on my throat wrapped around my neck, tightening. The gasp it drew from me, made him give a deep, low groan.

GOING TO MAKE YOU BEG FOR IT

Each swipe of his finger made me hate him more.

I pushed him hard, and he relaxed back against the boat's railing as I stood, my cheeks blazing.

‘I will never beg.' I spat the words at him, my promise to be meek fleeing. ‘Stop toying with me. It's worse than just fucking me.'

My head spun as I backed away from him, half expecting him to chase after me. Phoenix looked completely unbothered by my reaction, sitting there as if nothing had happened.

Moving as quickly as my feet would carry me, I fled back to the cabin, shutting myself in the bedroom and pushing a chair up under the door handle. Throwing myself onto the bed, I screamed into the covers, letting all the anger and frustration pour out of me. Tears wet the pillow, and I didn't stop until my voice grew hoarse and my body grew limp.

At last, sleep took me.

L ight streamed in through the windows when I awoke. Peeling my hair from my face, I groaned.

God, how long had I slept?

Rubbing at my face, I pulled myself upright, seeing the chair still wedged beneath the door and feeling a sense of satisfaction. At least I could sleep soundly knowing I could shut him out.

In the washroom, I relieved myself, hunting through the cabinet for mouthwash. My mouth tasted like I'd licked the deck clean before heading to bed.

Standing in front of the small mirror, I pulled my hoodie up, looking at the angry red scar on my chest. It was beginning to knit together, the scabs starting to fall away. Even if I made it off the boat and away from Phoenix, I'd always carry the marks of that night with me.

I'd just had to make sure the scars I left behind were much worse than the ones I carried.

Flopping back down on the bed, I looked out of the window, my heart all but stopping at the sight of a tiny harbour.

Crushing myself to the window, I saw people. Fishermen !

I banged on the window, but they were too far away to hear me.

With adrenaline pumping through my veins, I pulled the chair out from under the door handle, ready to run to the deck and throw myself overboard.

The handle wouldn't push down.

No.

Fuck, no!

Using all my strength, I rattled and hauled at the handle, desperation bubbling up inside of me and coming out in a whimper.

The door wouldn't budge.

My fists ached as I crashed them against the circular windows, my throat aching as I shouted at the far off people outside.

‘Help me! Someone please help me!'

None of the fishermen so much as glanced my way.

‘He's taken me. Please?!'

I picked up the chair and thrust the leg into the window, trying with every ounce of determination I could fathom to smash it. My arms ached as a jarring sensation rattled through them with each strike. The glass was too thick.

Grabbing one of the markers in the desk, I wrote on the window pane, making sure the words were back to front.

HELP ME!

An old man walked into view, along the harbour side, with his Jack Russell trailing alongside him. I banged hard on the glass. His head turned, trying to find the source of the noise.

‘I'm in here! Help me!' I cried, the sides of my fists aching as I thumped as hard as I could.

Yes! It was working. He turned his head toward the boat, his eyes scanning for the thumping sound.

See me, I begged the universe, jerking my arms back and forth, trying to make as big movements as possible to attract his attention.

He'd have a phone. He'd be able to call the police. They'd come for me.

The boat shuddered, sending me toppling onto the bed. Engines kicked in, and we moved away from the harbourside.

‘No,' I screamed, pulling myself back up to the window. ‘Let me go you piece of shit!'

I crashed the chair into the low ceiling, rage coursing through me as the old man shook his head and continued on his walk, none the wiser that he could have saved me.

The port grew smaller and smaller in the window until it was nothing but a dashed hope in the distance.

Curling myself up into a ball in the corner of the bed, I pressed my head into my knees.

Next time, I'll be ready.