If you peered out of the rusty porthole in Jack's quarter's you could see it was pitch black. Night had rolled in, flattening the day and with it came a flow of neat whiskey from Jack's decanter and the room was filled with smoke from the cigarettes their lungs had suffered from.

Lily's smile was intoxicating to Jack who stared at with desire as she sat in his lap, sipping on the whiskey that warmed her as it travelled down into her empty stomach. They were laughing now at something Jack had said, his charm recovered their previous heated exchanged. Her longing to be with him this way was fulfilled, she was strangely happy, her mood had changed.

The way he stared into her eyes made her dizzy, his smell of smoke, salt and expensive cologne made her wild. Everything about him had her under his spell and they both knew it. His hand was rested on her soft thigh and her scent was undeniable.

He reached over to his packet of dwindling cigarettes and placed one in his mouth and lit it with a lighter resting next to the pack. She watched him take a drag and before he could exhale, his hand grabbed the back of her head and brought her lips to his. And as he opened his mouth, so did she and he exhaled into her awaiting mouth, inhaling the smoke. She smiled at him, her eyes glassy as she leant her head back and exhaled the smoke into the air above.

"I've always wanted to do that" Lily giggled, taking another sip of her whiskey and snuggling into his shoulder. His smirked as he felt no need to reply. As she finished off her glass, Jack got up to pour her another and she lay across his sedan armchair. Lily leant her head back to watch him pour them another glass each and she smiled to herself as she saw the cigarette hanging from his lips, the smoke dwindling into the air from his puffs.

Defiantly, she stood, lifted up the pillow of the chair and brought out the album. As she sat and opened it once more, there was a clatter of glass against wood. Lily looked up at Jack who stood at her, staring at her in question. She reached out an open hand and her grin looked accepting, almost down beaten.

"It doesn't worry me. Get over here Jack and we'll look at this together." Lily was almost pleading in her drunken state. He knew she shouldn't have any more to drink but he has poured her another anyway.

His shock at her acceptance of his violation into her private life dissolved and he picked up the drinks and set them down at the table near Lily. She slid over slightly and patted the empty space next to her, the album hanging one of her hands.

He sat and inhaled the cigarette as she rested against his side, staring at the first photo of her she had seen earlier. Her beauty, wild eyes and naivety hadn't changed since the photo and he sensed that she was aware of it too.

Together, they flicked through photos of her as if it was daily routine. She found new photos of her that intrigued her and fascinated her. One photo was of her asleep in a bathtub at a house party, another was one of her sun tanning in her back garden. When she peered close, she saw her face twisted in a frown and she remembered that moment in time when she heard her brother's friends call out corny chat up lines from his window.

As she turned a page, she came to a set of four small photos which made her throat dry instantly. It was her in her room, in black seductive underwear, studying her image in her floor length mirror. Each photo was taken from outside her open, curtain less window, from different angles.

Jack soaked in her expression and he noted how fragile she really was. She was so young, so easy to manipulate and he felt...pity. He stubbed out his cigarette, took the album from her hands unchallenged and shut it, throwing it to the floor.

Her hands were still in the same position as before and her facial expression had remained unchanged. His hands reached out to touch her cheeks and he kissed her forehead and pulled her against his chest. Jack felt responsible for her, for her feelings and ignoring the protest inside of him, he got up. Lily looked up at him with bambi eyes, worried he'd leave her but he smiled at her because...'everything was fine'.

With confidence, he kissed her softly and told her to shut her eyes and she smiled sadly but played along with him. As her lids blocked her vision, he hurried over to her present and as he stood in front of her once more, he kissed her lips again, the taste of whiskey lingering.

"Here" Jack whispered, his face full of emotion as he handed her the long white box decorated with silver ribbon. Her eyes were dilated, her breath caught in her throat as she saw he had given her a gift.

She slowly unwound the ribbon, blocking out thoughts of anticipation. But as she lifted the lid, as she saw nothing but empty space and a smaller velvet box, her mouth opened wide in shock.

Lily picked up the velvet box and opened it quickly, the large box falling as the feelings of excitement washed over her. And as she saw the sparkling diamond, the biggest she had ever seen, the most impressionable, the most beautiful and breathtaking stone set in gold she felt herself melt. Jack, her captor had given her the large ring that must have cost an absolute fortune. He had splashed out on her at least twenty five times over.

Then the questions that had been ready to pounce came alive and flooded her senses.

Why? How much? Where from? How long had he planned this? What does this mean? Is this a...proposal?

She was lost for words, unable to speak. It was too much, this was all too much. Jack broke the ice, his voice ripping into the silence that threatened to swallow Lily whole.

"It's yours Lily."

She blinked rapidly, trying to process her pressing thoughts but Jack knew every inch of her and so he dropped to his knees and plucked the ring from it case delicately. He took her left ring finger and slipped it on. Lily stared at it, her mind overwhelmed, her heart pumping ridiculously in her chest.

"I...I" The weight of it engulfed her and it seemed as though it was made for her, as if this sparkling diamond had control over her mind, her heart.

"It's just a token of my...I don't know." Jack shrugged and smiled at her once more. Lily couldn't bring herself to give him in a million kisses. In fact she was finding it hard to breath and even harder to think.

"Wh-what does this...mean?" Lily asked him or rather herself as her eyes were still fixed on the heavy ring. With those burning words, Jack stood.

"It means that I don't hate you."

His response made her chuckle and in turn, he did too. Finally, she lifted her head up to meet his eyes and she jumped up and flung her arms around his neck. His surprise had convinced her Jack had changed. His previous treatment of her had faded into the past; his hard words, rough handling and all his wrongs he had committed were now rights.

A tiny part of her acknowledged that this was crazy, she had turned crazy from these infectious feelings she had attained but nothing could stop her from kissing his neck, pulling at his shirt. She wanted him badly; she wanted his hands on her, travelling over her body.

But before she could drop on her knees and tug at his trousers, Jack stopped her with a single look. He simply gave her a sweet smile that was full of words he didn't need to say. Lily understood.

She was wasted but aware he was unwilling to have her now. Not now, not yet.

So instead, she leaned in close and gave him a soft kiss.

"Thank you Jack, it's beautiful."

His hands slipped from her waist as he went over to a cupboard and pulled out an old record player. Lily watched him as he plucked a record that looked modern. He placed it inside the old record player and got it started up with a flick of the hand. The slow song that filled Lily's ears would now never leave her memory.

You said I was the most exotic flower

Holding me tight in our final hour

I don't know how you convince them and get them, boy

I don't know what you do, but you're unbelievable
I don't know how you get over, get over
Someone as dangerous, tainted as long as you

Jack held out a hand, Lily took it and together, with their bodies pressed up against each other's and a longing look on their faces, they swayed to the beat of the music. They were both intoxicated, madly affected by their own actions. And they had no one to blame, no one to think about or anyone to judge.

#########################

Maureen was sitting on the living room sofa, staring at the bright glare of the TV. However, she wasn't focused on the news. She was focused on her plan.

She knew she needed backup, one more person to venture with her on this mission to save Lily but she had no friends. And so she turned to her first born child who entered into the room, a Chinese take away carton in hand. He slumped down next to her and tucked in with a fork, his eyes focused on the large breasted female news reporter.

"Sean." Maureen turned to her son, her eyes firm but her face expressionless.

He swallowed his mouthful of food and looked at her, surprised she had spoken. His mother had been quiet for the past few days, dedicated to house work and not even speaking about Lily.

"I want you to hire small boat for me. I want it in a week's time. No later."

Sean stared her and nodded slowly, knowing what was being asked of him.

"And another thing Sean, I want you to come with me to get Lily back. It will be an overnight job and we need your father's collection of guns in the attic. I know you can use them. We're going to sail out and get her back. It's going to be dangerous and I might get hurt but we've got to do this Sean...we've got too...but your father can't know."

And Maureen leant back against the sofa, hands running over her. The stress and worry she hadn't let show the couple of past days unfolding in front of Sean. In response to her words, he set down his Chinese and held her against his chest.

"Mum, we're going to get Lily back we will and it'll be okay, everything will be okay."

"Will you do it Sean?" Maureen mumbled, her eyes tired, her vision blurred.

"I will."

And those two words gave her all the comfort and hope she needed to wait for one more week.

###########################

Lily awoke in her bed and the memories of last night came back to her in flashes each time she blinked. She held up her hand and studied the breath taking ring that weighed down her dainty finger. The morning rays hit the large diamond and it sparkled beautifully, twinkling and glittering at her.

She smiled and let herself fall back down onto the soft silk sheets of her bed, stretching out her limbs and grinning at the ceiling. She knew Jack would come find her soon and so she hopped out of bed at the thought of him and ran a hot bath. As waited for the bath to fill, she lit herself a cigarette and felt her mind become over run with images of Jack. She pictured his cheekbones, his enigmatic eyes and that daring, dashing smile that could melt her within seconds.

Slipping Jack's ring off her finger, she set it down on the desk and stubbed out the cigarette.

Lily stripped off and settled herself down into the steaming water and turned off the tap, she left the bathroom door open. For a while, she lay in the soothing water, washing herself and filling the water with bubbles. And as she relaxed and breathed deep, she heard her bedroom door creak.

Her eyes were now wide open and her head turned to see Jack standing in the bathroom door way, smiling at her sweetly. She smiled at him and the instant need for his lips against hers rushed into her system.

As a signal for him to come to her, she reached out to him, the water level decrease as her chest was exposed to the air. Slowly, he moved towards her and crouching low, their intense eyes met and he gave her a soft kiss.

He stared at her, studied her eyes, her lips and her elegant shoulders that sloped. He stood and retrieved a clean towel. As he turned, she stood in the bath and he watched. His eyes dark as he appreciated her flowing curves and the way the water droplets ran down her collar bones and off her perked nipples.

Jack walked over to her and covered her petite frame with the towel, kissing her once more.

"I'll see in you in 10, I'm off to make breakfast" And with that, he left, his sauntering figure leaving her vision as he turned the corner and walked out of her room.

Lily smiled to herself and got out of the bath, draining the water and getting ready. She choose a white baby doll dress and after she rushed through sprays of perfume and dabs of makeup, she sat on her bed waiting attentively for him to call on her. In the meanwhile, she studied his gift of a ring once more, her heart yearning for him.