Hi guys! Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews; I hadn't meant on updating so fast but reading your reviews kind of boosted my confidence on this story. I've been trying to work on how I could add 'you jump, I jump' in this story and I think I've got an idea but I don't know if it'll turn out well. So, I guess we'll see.. If you guys have anymore opinions or requests , please let me know and I'll try my best to write it in.

Thanks and enjoy reading; this chapter kinda sucks but I had to put in it. More Naley coming up though,

Nathan's POV

When I woke up, all I could think of for the next few moments was of the blinding pain in my head. I lifted arm gingerly to rub it and gradually the pain lessened but didn't subside. I blinked and the bleary light in front of my eyes disappeared and I could see again. I shut my eyes tight and then opened them again, trying to make sense of my surroundings.

"Sir, he's awake" I heard someone mutter behind me. I groaned in pain when the pain in my head came back. I could hear footsteps approaching me but they sounded like they were coming from miles away; all I could really hear was the constant pounding in my mind. I clutched the sides of the wooden seat I was sitting on, trying to endure the pain. Through bleary eyes, I saw someone sit down in front of me.

"Mr. Scott?" a very deep voice asked me.

I ignored the voice at first; to me it was just another sound in my head. I clutched my head in my hands and tried to forget about the pain. "Who are you?" I asked, panting slightly from the exertion but my tone steely.

"That question is neither here nor there and it is irrelevant to our business here. But you can refer to me as Mr. Smith".

My head slowly raised on its own to face him; every time I raised it, it snapped back down. Finally I managed to face him; at least I think I was looking at him. My eyes were barely open again and I could only see a blear outline of him. I opened my mouth to speak but there was a discomfort inside it. I spat out a broken tooth and a bit of blood before I spoke. "What do you want with me?"

"I have a proposition for you" Mr. 'Smith' continued.

"No".

He laughed harshly. My eyes finally cleared up and I saw him for the first time. He was a huge man, which was what I first noticed. He was more buff than tall with muscular arms that seemed more like tree trunks than human limbs. His face seemed out of proportioned; everything about it was big with the exception of his eyes. He had a broad nose, thick lips and small beady bright blue eyes. Despite the fact that he had excess hair on his arms and legs, he was almost bald on his head. He wore an expensive suit and gold rings gleamed on his thick fingers.

He stood up and paced in front of me. He stood a little way from me and nodded his head at someone behind me. I heard footsteps behind me and I turned around to see what was going on. Before I could see who it was coming over to me, I felt someone hold my arms tight and someone's fist connected with my face. It wasn't a very hard punch, I've had worse but still I spat out more blood. I tried to struggle out but two guys were holding me down.

"Nobody says no to me, Mr. Scott" Mr. Smith said as he sat down again in front of me. "This proposition I'm about to offer you is not based on mutual agreement" he nodded to the men to release me. "It's based on what really matters to you".

I didn't say anything. I was trying to think of a right moment to punch him before his men could hold me down again. I hated not having the upper hand and I wanted to destroy that face for telling me what to do. I balled my hands into fists and was about to strike when he spoke up again.

"How well do you know a Haley James?" he asked calmly.

Confused, I relaxed my fists subconsciously. Then as I processed his words, wave upon wave of anger filled me. My head burned and my vision was blocked with hot white red pinpoints of rage. "If you dare touch her" I started before he interrupted me.

"That's your decision Mr. Scott" he said. "And therein lies my proposition". He paused for a moment before continuing "Miss Haley James is in possession of something I need. A necklace actually"

The first thing that passed through my mind was the word Miss. She wasn't married? Despite my situation, unexpected joy spread through me; she wasn't married! A grin was forming on my face but then it disappeared when the second thing hit me. A necklace… Where do I remember a nec…Haley's necklace! The one she wanted me to get for her…

"That necklace is very valuable and very expensive. It can be traced all the way to the 18th century Tudor Times. Its whereabouts disappeared about twenty years ago. From what I've heard of late, her fiancée Lucas Roe gave it to her. How he obtained it, I do not care nor intend to find out" Mr. Smith said. "I've been looking for that one necklace for the better part of my life. Very simply, I want it. The first attempt to steal that necklace obviously failed or you wouldn't be here".

First attempt? Then it dawned on me. "You sent those men to kill her" I said slowly. I heard a snicker behind me and one of the men that had earlier held me down came to view. He was the first man I had taken down that night. "You tried to kill her!" I shouted as I stood up. Rage boiled in my veins as I tried to make my way to Mr. Smith; I needed to break that calm face for what he tried to do to her. He tried to hurt her! I didn't even make two feet; his henchmen grabbed me and pushed me on the stool.

"Anger won't get you anywhere, Mr. Scott" Mr. Smith said. He watched as the men struggled to hold me down and he waited until I had calmed down. "Now, I would rather kill her; it makes it easier but the last thing I need is a dead body on this ship. It ruins reputations and I don't want people looking into it. It might lead back to me" he took out a cigar from his suit pocket and motioned for one of his men to bring a light. He lit the cigar and puffed smoke on my face. "That's where I need your help; I want you to get that necklace for me".

"No". Another punch, this time in my gut. It knocked the breath off me and I sat there gasping for air. I tried to breathe in normally and when I finally did so, I managed to say again "No".

Mr. Smith waved his hand to stop the men from punching me again. He looked at me with a glint in his eyes that confused me. He didn't look angry yet there was an odd look in his face "You think the worst I can do to you is hurt you?" he laughed tactlessly. "I'm going that necklace one way or another. If you don't get it for me, then I'll get someone else to. And they might not care if your girl lives or dies".

"Are you threatening me?" I asked in a low voice.

"Yes".

"And if I don't do it, you'll hurt her" I said.

"Yes".

I didn't even have to think; I had to do it. I couldn't let someone get hurt because of me. "How?" I asked.

"I don't care. Get close to her, use her, drug her if you have to" he said carelessly. "There's a fiancée in the background so you might want to go about it slowly; he is a very powerful man and I do not intend him on finding out. Killing him would be the last straw but if I have to; I will".

"How long do I have?"

He paused as he thought about it. "Until the ships docks in America".

"Why do you want this necklace so badly?" I asked, curiously.

"You don't need to know" he said, dropping the ashes of his cigar on the floor. He took one last puff before throwing that too on the ground.

At that moment, there was a knock on the door. The man standing guard next to it opened it and a man in a wheelchair came in. He wheeled his way to Mr. Smith and handed him a letter. As he was about to leave, he stopped in front of me, his scared face smiling at me. I didn't recognize him at first but then I remembered.

"You're alive" I muttered surprised. The last time I had seen him, he had a knife sticking out of his chest. He smiled at me, his front two teeth missing. He lifted his shirt to reveal a bandage that looked like it had been soaked in blood.

"Not dead yet" he cackled. "Not dead".

"That'll be all" Mr. Smith said firmly.

As soon as the door shut behind, I wiped the blood that had dribbled down my chin and asked harshly "why me? why'd you come to me?'

"Because you came to us first" Mr. Smith said simply. He paused before continuing "you wanted this". He walked to the one window in the room and stood, staring out.

What the heck does that mean? I wanted to know more but the way he said it sounded so final. I stood up, trembling a little on my feet. When I steadied myself, I looked him in the eye and said "will that be all?" but even as I said it, I made my way to the door. The men let me go but they stood around, ready to grab me again.

"If you tell anyone, we'll know" he said. "And we'll get to her before you"

I would have killed him there and then if I thought that it would stop Haley from getting hurt. But using clear logic for once, I decided to give him what he wanted. It had a higher chance of saving her. I put my hand on the doorknob and turned it, swinging the door open. I was just about to walk through when his voice rang out again

"Oh and one more thing, Mr. Scott" Mr. Smith said as he stood at the window, his back to me. "If you do this job well… I'll give you your share of the deal".

I turned around and stared at him, wondering what he meant. He looked up from the window and said like a man who had the upper hand "I'll tell you who your father is"

And with that final word, they slammed the door on my face.

I'm so sorry this chapter sucks but promise you, Naley will be coming.