Chapter 35: Phuket
Minutes go by as she stares up at the wooden ceiling.
Charles' breathing is steady, and when she looks at his stomach a frown comes to her face. His stitches are gone. Max must have paid him a little visit while she was asleep.
It's such a profound relief, to see that nasty wound finally healed. She's still worried about the unseen damage made inside his body, of course, but this is a lot of progress.
He also has this small, round scar on his back, since the bullet went all the way through. Thinking about this, Eleanor shudders involuntarily.
She could have lost him all over again.
This is a thought that won't leave her alone. She constantly catches herself wondering what she would have done, had he died. And she has absolutely no idea how desperate she would have been without him, how deeply this loss would have hurt her.
Thank God, she didn't have to find out.
With a tight half smile, she presses a kiss to his forehead and then carefully crawls over his legs. Still completely naked, she walks over to one of the windows and stares at the ocean until her phone buzzes on the desk.
The minute she sees Madi's name on the caller ID, an unpleasant feeling settles in the pit of her stomach.
Frowning, she answers the call, already thinking something must have gone wrong at the tavern.
First, her sister asks about her, about Charles, and she narrows her eyes in suspicion. After saying they were both fine, she tells Madi to just get down to business already.
"Something happened to our father the other day."
Every time she hears this girl say "our father", her heart flutters. And she always does her best to ignore it.
"Is it something concerning his health? If so, let me know right now and I will turn this ship around so we can sail back home, Woodes be damned."
Remembering the time when she finally learned about his death, she grips the phone tighter without even realizing it.
This man is too important. Even more in this life, their bond is so much stronger and much more pure this time. Losing him would probably be almost as painful as losing the sleeping idiot she sees when she glances at the bunk.
"Dad's perfectly fine. It's something else."
Breathing out in relief, she walks to the desk, eyes glued to Charles.
"What happened, then?"
Madi hesitates on the other side of the line, and she clenches her jaw.
"He doesn't want you to know-"
"Then it's probably important. Tell me already."
She's been awake for less than ten minutes, and all her patience for the day has already vanished. This whole situation is making her even more stressed than usual.
"A certain someone showed up on the island. Asking about you."
Her eyes fall closed, her free hand balling up into a tight fist. The deadly anger present in her voice when she speaks is a surprise even to her.
"If that bastard laid a finger on Scott, it will be me searching the seven seas for him."
"He didn't touch dad. But he found the tavern, and he seemed hell bent on finding you, he asked for any clues on your whereabouts. Dad told him the same story Max came up with, just as you instructed. He wasn't too happy; the Eurydice stayed in that port near the tavern for three days, right on the spot the Ranger usually occupies. We're sure he found out more about your ship, so I wanted to warn you."
Letting out a heavy sigh, Eleanor rubs her forehead. Suddenly, she notices that a certain pair of deep, blue eyes are now open and watching her body language closely...
Scratch that, watching her body closely.
With an eye roll, she gets to her feet and grabs her bathrobe from the dresser nearby, effectively hiding her naked skin and ruining Charles' fun.
"Is he gone now?" She asks, glaring at her lover to let him know she's not in the mood for any games while making her way back to the captain's chair.
"He left the island last morning. And before you ask, yes, he still had Low with him."
"How exactly do you know that?"
In truth, Eleanor already knows the answer. But she needs to confirm her suspicions.
"Because the other night that psycho left the Eurydice and came to the tavern for a drink... Actually, dozens of drinks. Dad and I couldn't just send him away, of course, so we played the role of welcoming hosts. It was hard. He kept sneering at us all the time, and as the night progressed, as he got drunker and drunker, he started to suggest some stuff about the tavern's absent owner."
She has to scoff, already feeling her blood boil at the thought.
"He said a few words to some of your customers. About how you were once a tyrant who needed to be dealt with, but no one took him seriously. They all thought he was some crazy drunk. A few men laughed at him and he tried to start a fight. Utley kicked him out before he could, though."
She remembers receiving that report. Her new security man did tell her he had to kick someone out of the establishment three days ago. A man who seemed to have a fake eye. Of course it had to be that barbarian.
"And after that? Did he behave, or did he talk to more people in the city?"
It's irrational and she knows it, but old fears start to arise.
Madi is quick to remind her of what she already knows.
"This island isn't filled with pirates who would like to see your head on a spike anymore. You don't have to worry about an angry mob waiting for you at the harbor when you come back. To the people in the island today, you're nothing more than the bossy, cute owner of one of the most successful tourist attractions this place has ever known."
For some reason, the corners of her lips twitch up.
"Don't you ever call me cute again."
Charles' dry chuckle makes her glare daggers at him again, and while Madi laughs on the other side of the line, he winks at her.
His voice is husky from sleep when he raises his chin and the word "cute" leaves his lips.
She narrows her eyes at him.
"Call me if these two return to the island. I have a pirate to murder now, so I will talk to you later."
She hangs up before her sister has the chance to say anything else.
"If only you knew how stressed I am right now, you would think twice before messing with me."
His smirk only grows. She scoffs in annoyance, looking away from him and staring in the direction of the windows again.
"Back when I was trying to reconnect with my ex-husband, things were going way too fast to my liking. I was starting to open up, to accept his advances, and he automatically started to bring forth all his plans for our wedding. As if I had already said yes. But I was scared. I don't know if he didn't notice, if he didn't even care... Or both. But he seems to be stuck in the 18th century. His ideals, his way of thinking and acting... Nothing has changed. It's as if he's still living in the past. Just like my father."
"Why are you talking about him?"
She meets his eyes again. All hints of playfulness have vanished from his face and he's now sitting up on the bunk, leaning his back against one of the walls.
"The Eurydice made port."
She doesn't need to specify where.
"So he dares to step foot in our home again."
"He's back in the ocean by now. But he stayed for three days. He spoke to Scott. That man Utley had to kick out of the tavern the other night? It was Low."
He lowers his eyes to the sheets covering his lap. Eleanor gets to her feet, trying to act calm and collected, but he easily detects the nervous edge to her voice.
"I may have lived a lie. I may have spent all those nights in the arms of a stranger, a stranger whose soul was never truly exposed to me. I was never able to decode his thoughts, to realize what his true nature was... But our married life, brief as it was, did allow me to know him, just a little bit. And don't ask me how, but I simply know that Nassau was the last place he visited. And now, he has lost all hope of finding me in the Bahamas. He doesn't trust Max, or Scott. So he's finally going to do things his own way."
"You're worried he'll start searching the rest of the world." Her silence is the only confirmation he needs, and his eyes are locked with hers as she sits on the edge of the bunk. "That will probably take a while."
"When are you going to start taking things seriously?"
With a heavy sigh, Charles reaches to squeeze her covered thigh.
"When I see a solid threat."
"I kept trying to make you understand there was a solid threat since the day we confronted Teach, you ignored me and what happened? You almost died."
When he just keeps staring at her face with that bored look, she rolls her eyes, knowing that trying to argue with him would be just a waste of time.
For a while they just sit there, listening as the crew started to work up on deck. Not that there's much to be done. They have reached Phuket already, the men are probably waiting for permission to leave the ship and go explore.
Screw them.
"I admit that... Part of me was hoping he would eventually give up. That his resolve would falter. But it's only growing stronger." His hand starts to massage her inner thigh through the fabric of the robe softly, and she watches his fingers closely. "Children... He always wanted them, so bad. It was one of the reasons why I never told him about the pregnancy. I was still dealing with the knowledge, and I wasn't prepared to see his joy."
When Charles pulls her closer, she doesn't even try to put up a fight.
In seconds, she finds herself lying across his lap, his left arm supporting her neck as if she was a child. He locks his hands together, successfully securing her in place, and she grips the anchor pendant.
"When I learned about Aiden's birth... I was hoping that this child would be enough to keep him in LA. Maybe even go back to Sarah and forget about me. But of course, I was wrong." She raises her free hand to his face, running her fingers over his jawline. "Where do you think he is, right now?"
"He's searching the Atlantic ocean. We're far away."
Shaking her head, she lets her hand rest on his shoulder.
"Now he knows what our ship looks like. Her name. He will search every inch of every ocean. Ask questions in every single port. I know he will. When he gets obsessed with something... He never stops."
His sigh of annoyance makes her narrow her eyes in warning.
"Then it's a good thing we'll be safe in that secret paradise."
"For how long?"
"For as long as we have to."
Eleanor raises an eyebrow at the stupid answer, letting him know she's not satisfied in the slightest. His arms tighten around her, then he brings his thumb to her lower lip, caressing it lightly.
"I'm not worried about the governor, Honeypot. Not at all. Once I settle matters with my uncle, we sail back home."
"But what if he's in the Bahamas by then? Or somewhere on our route? What if he intercepts us?" He shrugs, and the look in his eyes is enough to let her know what's on his mind. "You're actually counting on that, aren't you?"
"I'll get you home, no matter what. Your family is there, the tavern is there. You had so little time to enjoy it. I know you miss your business. You're trying to take care of it from afar as much as you possibly can, but it's not the same, and we both know that."
She opens her mouth to protest, but he silences her with a deep, unhurried kiss.
"It's our home, Eleanor. Ours. Not his. We will go back, no matter what." That perfect voice sends shivers down her spine as he brushes her hair behind her ear. "And if that piece of crap decides to stand in our way, he will be taken care of."
Before she realizes it, he's kissing her again. And she knows him well enough.
The low growl that sounds at the back of his throat makes her pull away and give him a stern look.
"You do know everyone's waiting for us, so we can decide what to do next."
"Then they will just have to wait a little while longer."
The little while turns out to be three whole hours.
Just before nightfall, two lone figures talk by the cruise ship's rail, staring down at the water. They're both trying to postpone their farewell or ignore it altogether, hoping they can simply skip this part.
"Can you please keep tabs on Abigail, even after you two part ways?" Eleanor asks, hesitating before glancing at his face.
"She's too naive. I won't simply leave her alone in this crazy world. It's not what..." He trails off, letting out a heavy sigh before finishing the sentence. "What a certain person would have wanted me to do."
She's not sure whether he's talking about Thomas or Miranda. And she will probably never know.
She almost reaches out to touch his hand in a silent show of support, but then chooses to lightly bump her shoulder against his.
It's a far less compromising gesture.
"Also, if you could check up on the tavern, Scott, Madi and Agatha... See if they're really ok. After the news I've received this morning, I'm worried about them."
"Sure."
Flint glances at the sky, then at his watch. She knows it's time.
The look in his eyes makes her chest feel tighter.
"You take care of yourself, alright?"
When her father figure says those words, finally giving up, a choked sob tries to escape her throat. This makes her scowl, even though she managed to hold it back at the last second.
Still, she shouldn't be reacting like this.
Eleanor suddenly wants to ask him to stay.
He's been by her side since Charles was still in the coma, is it possible that she's grown just a little bit dependent?
On this man, this fatherly presence.
This is unacceptable.
But maybe she shouldn't be so hard on herself. She's been through some tough times, it's been eight months away from her birth father, and more than five away from Scott. It's the first time she goes such an extended period of time without him, ever since the day she cried and reached for him desperately in her father's office.
Almost 22 years ago.
So maybe it's only natural that she wants to cling to Flint in this moment.
Understandable. But still unacceptable.
That's why she fights against her tears and raises her chin.
"Send me news of Nassau as soon as you can, please. In case you find-"
Any other words she might have said die in her throat when he calmly raises his phone and takes a picture of her.
She's stunned into silence for a moment.
"What the hell?"
Flint shrugs, the ghost of a smile coming to his lips.
"Scott's request." Is his simple answer, and all she can do is roll her eyes as he ruffles her hair and walks away.
"We leave within the next hour, so if you have anything to say to Max, be quick."
Eleanor can't help but smile at his dismissive, cold voice.
Because she knows that deep down, he's hurting just as much as she is.
"Once the Walrus reaches the island, you will be staying there, right?"
Déjà vu washes over her as Eleanor asks the question, taking a look around the cabin.
It's pretty much identical to the one she shared with Charles during their journey back home, all those months ago.
She recalls that time tenderly.
Their roadtrip across the United States. It was everything she thought she'd never do. Sleeping in those awful, cheap motels. Enduring Anne and her endless, deadly glares. Days on the road.
It was completely different from the trips she was used to. But it wasn't nearly as bad as she was expecting.
Because she had him by her side, and they were finally free to start writing their own story.
And their time aboard this very same ship was far more enjoyable than that long, long roadtrip.
Coming back to the here and now, she finally looks away from the balcony, turning around and watching as her former lover walked out of the bathroom.
The other woman has a satisfied smile on her face, her fingers working on tying the white bathrobe. There's an elegant, dark red W broidered on the hem of it, and Eleanor smirks briefly when she remembers she stole the bathrobe from her and Charles' cabin before they left the Walrus.
But on her defense, it was too damn comfortable.
And when Flint came to the Ranger weeks later and saw her wearing the stolen garment, he just laughed and nodded in approval at his little thief, so it's alright.
"There's no place like home." Max's answer to her previous question makes her smile widen.
"Can you help Scott and Madi take care of the tavern, while I'm away?"
Those exotic eyes light up at the request, just as she expected.
"Are you sure? I just may take over your throne in your absence."
She fakes a stern look, but they both end up laughing.
And the tears she just barely managed to contain during her goodbye with Flint come back when Max pulls her into a hug.
This time they successfully break the dam.
"I won't judge you. It's okay. You've cried in front of me so many times in this life, before our memories came back."
"I was a different person back then."
"Nonsense. Tears are not toxic." Max shakes her head, stroking her hair. "You don't have to be afraid of letting them out."
She used to tell her that all the time, whenever Eleanor felt guilty for crying. Usually in the dead of night when she would wake up from that recurring nightmare, screaming, the sight of that hanging body still fresh in her mind as Max held her tight and whispered reassuring words into her ear.
She's so damn lucky this woman found her again.
So lucky to have her in this scary, new world.
So Eleanor allows herself to cry in this stolen moment. Fear about what's to come mixes with the anxiety, the uncertainty of the future making her squeeze her eyes shut.
Max keeps telling her that everything will be just fine, and that they will soon know peace again.
She actually tries to believe those words.
Things have been way too awkward and Abigail just wants to put an end to it.
Billy has been avoiding her since that morning when he caught her changing, and this is really starting to bother her.
Initially, she had been thankful for his distance.
It had felt like such an invasion, the moment he opened that door and saw her. She felt scared, vulnerable and uncomfortable.
At first.
Soon, that discomfort faded away, slowly being replaced by a strange rush, a latent curiosity that made her giddy and frustrated at the same time.
It was the first time such a thing happened to her. She was always the goody-two-shoes, the girl who never tried to sneak boys into her father's mansion. She could have done it, so many times. Easily. It's not as if Peter ever came to check up on her in the middle of the night. She could have been a rebel.
But she never was.
Ashley used to tease her endlessly about this, saying she acted like a proper young lady from the 18th century. But she never listened to her friend.
So what if she's still a virgin? She's only 16, and besides... All the boys she has kissed in the last two years, none of them ever made her want to try something new. None of them managed to make her feel curious for more.
Billy is not a boy.
The thought refuses to leave her alone, and it's absolutely infuriating.
But it's still the truth.
Her savior is a grown man, so very different from the gangly teenagers she's used to, he's just so imposing, tall.
Strong.
She's even more aware of that fact now.
Because last night, when she went to wish him a good sleep as usual, she committed the very same mistake he did.
And when she opened the door without knocking, when she saw him standing there, fresh out of the shower with nothing but a loose towel hanging around his hips, she'd been too stunned to react.
His muscles were still wet as he brushed his teeth, eyes glued to the TV, and when he saw her, his first reaction was to laugh.
Then he hurried back to his bathroom, and she just stood at the door, gaping at the empty room until he decided to come back, now fully dressed.
She still doesn't know if that made her disappointed or relieved.
"Well, I guess now we're even." He had said, reaching to scratch the back of his head, and it was so adorable.
She had to chuckle, both to mask how nervous she felt and to reassure him that everything was just fine between them.
And also because of how absurd this whole thing was, of course.
Still, the atmosphere between them is kinda awkward at the moment, and she just wants things to go back to normal.
She finds him playing outside with Davina, and the little girls squeals in joy upon seeing her.
"Abbie, we're dinosaurs! Do you want to be one too?" She runs to her, and the teen is just about to answer when Billy speaks up.
"Nice try, young lady." Walking towards them, he smiles when Abigail meets his eyes.
It makes a little weak on the knees, to be honest.
"She's a sneaky one, she knows it's time for her bath and we were about to head back inside."
Huffing adorably, Davina crosses her arms and glares at him. "I told you, dinosaurs don't need baths!"
It feels as if time has stopped for a moment as Billy's eyes linger on hers, and she bravely keeps his stare, fighting against the instinct to look away.
Then he breaks the spell, reaching for the little girl and throwing her over his shoulder effortlessly.
"Oh, but this one does."
Abigail can't help but chuckle as he heads back towards the château, a laughing Davina still thrown over his shoulder.
Turning around to face her, he smiles. "Are you joining us in front of the fireplace tonight? We'll be reading some horror stories."
All she manages is a nod of her head. His smile widens.
And when he resumes his walk back to the small castle, Davina's voice reaches her ears.
"Why were you looking at Abbie the same way Charlie looks at Eleanor?
"Davina!" He scolds her quietly, but Abigail hears it.
"What? It's true!" That sweet voice exclaims, just before they both disappear inside the château.
Standing there alone, she feels her cheeks blushing, but there's a smile on her lips. Her eyes glint with amusement.
How she loves this little girl.
Eleanor has recovered completely by the time she makes it back to the Ranger.
She took a walk on the beach to calm her emotions while watching the distancing cruise ship. She simply didn't want anyone near her at that moment, not even Charles.
But now night has fallen, the Walrus is out of sight, and she needs to face reality again.
At least it will be a good night.
Jack and her have plans to watch a few movies in the peaceful little living room located near the galley, the one that is often forgotten. And God only knows what Charles and Anne will be up to.
The corridors are dark and empty and she lets her fingers trail over the wooden walls as she makes her way to the captain's quarters, a warm half smile on her face.
It was supposed to be a simple, loving gesture towards the Ranger, but suddenly she remembers doing this to his ship, all those years ago. Her smile vanishes. Repressing a shudder, Eleanor opens that heavy door and immediately narrows her eyes at her lover.
He's putting his black leather jacket on, and she knows full well that nowadays, this usually means he's up to no good.
"Where do you think you're going?" Her tone is dry and she crosses her arms, making sure to block the door with her body.
"Out."
"With whose permission?"
He meets her eyes briefly, then walks behind the desk and opens one of the shelves. The blade of his favorite knife glints, catching in the moonlight before he hides it on the inside of his jacket.
"My own."
She knows that if she tries to argue, they will probably fight.
And he must be planning to go look for more crew members anyway, it's no big deal.
"Can I at least know where you off to?"
One of his eyebrows raise as he looks at her again. There's this youthful glint in his eyes, and she doesn't like it one bit.
"We're in Phuket. The nightlife is famous."
For a moment, she just stares at him.
"You have got to be fucking kidding me." Eleanor doesn't get to see his smirk as she walks closer to the bunk, shaking her head like a disapproving mother. "You were the one who kept saying we shouldn't waste any time, we're still relatively close to Somalia, you said we had to find that island as soon as possible! Now you're telling me that you will go out in search of nightclubs? What the hell is wrong with you?"
"I know what kind of information we're looking for. And I know where to find it." He explains calmly, unfazed by her outburst or the way she's glaring at him. "That island's obviously shady, I have no doubt there's something illegal going on in there. We need to ask the right people, or we won't find any clues about the place."
"What the hell was Mary thinking?" She suddenly asks, shaking her head and leaning on the edge of the desk. "She says we'll be safe from Teach, but what other threats are we going to find? If you're right, and we sail right into a criminal paradise, what will become of us?"
He chuckles briefly, then walks to stand right in front of her. "You're forgetting something, Honeypot."
She tilts her head to the side, trying to ignore the goosebumps that raise on the skin of her arms when he leans in, his lips just barely brushing hers.
Her arms remain crossed, and when he pulls away she realizes he had reached behind her back to grab his handgun from the desk.
"When it comes to surviving in a criminal paradise, you and I have a lifetime of experience."
That wicked, perfect half smirk he loves so much graces her lips, his words bringing a glint to her eyes.
All she's missing are the old clothes, in this moment it feels as if they've traveled back to the past.
"And besides... If we're lucky, If I find the right people, we won't need to worry about being intruders."
"You're taking Anne with you, right?"
"If I don't take her, she'll hunt me down and gut me alive."
After grabbing a book from the shelf, Eleanor heads over to sit on the bunk.
"Good. Don't get lost, no excessive smoking. But most of all, no fighting." She's sure he's rolling his eyes, even though she's not even looking at him. "And please, come find me as soon as you make it back to the ship. Jack and I will be in that small TV room just beside the galley. We're having a movie night."
It's her turn to roll her eyes when his amused chuckle fills her ears.
"Are you having cheese and wine too?"
"In fact, we are. It's not our fault if we have refined tastes, now, is it?" Repressing a smile, she turns one page of her book. "We're watching Titanic, by the way."
Eleanor can feel his eyes on her when she says that.
It's one of the funniest things in the world to her and Jack, how superstitious their two beasts can be when it comes to certain stuff. Charles and Anne feel extremely uncomfortable with having that particular DVD on board, although they would never admit it out loud.
"The ship sinks, he dies, she throws the diamond in the ocean. No matter how many times you two idiots watch it, it's not gonna change."
She has to chuckle. "That movie is a masterpiece, it never gets boring. But we don't expect you to understand, considering that sick, bloody bullshit you and Anne love to watch."
There's silence while he searches for his recently recovered cigarette pack and lighter, and then Eleanor senses his eyes on her again.
After a few seconds it gets annoying and she throws him a glare. "What?"
"Go get ready."
For a split second she's confused. Then she smirks sarcastically, shaking her head.
"Not a chance."
"Your dear friend is coming too. Right now, Anne is probably holding a knife near his throat while he gets ready."
"Why does it make a difference if we go or not? You and Anne can take care of this yourselves, I thought the two of you could never pass up the opportunity to get rid of us for one night!"
He shrugs, turning around and walking to the ladder.
"We're in Phuket." Is his simple answer before he disappears up the hatch.
It doesn't take too long for Eleanor to lose her scowl and go from bored to amazed.
She can't believe she was going to miss this. This place looks like another world at night, those bright neon lights everywhere making her gape in awe every now and again.
Not even the crowds make her smile disappear, and the group of four weave their way through the sea of people.
She's overwhelmed, all those foreign words, spoken in languages from all over the word almost making her dizzy.
It feels as if the night will last forever.
The four of them go from bar to bar, looking for any English-speaking locals they could find.
A few of them clearly have no clue about the Island, and others only avoid the subject.
Eventually, they end up in a shady nightclub very similar to the Demeter, and déjà vu washes over them.
"We're not giving up. But let's limit our search to this place until the end of the night. While we're at it, I think we deserve some fun." Charles had said soon after they arrived, and everyone agreed.
As the night progresses, they take turns searching for information and men who might be interested on leaving with them, but no one manages to find any solid clues. Each person they talk to says something different about the island and its location, and they're starting to lose hope already.
It's worse than they thought, and Charles decides to forget about the possibility of finding someone who could lead them there, so they wouldn't be seen as intruders.
It's been four hours since they arrived, and Eleanor knows they won't make any real progress tonight, considering how drunk they're all starting to get.
And that's why she realizes Jack and Charles' real intentions soon after they suddenly disappear, saying they were going to look for recruits elsewhere. And leaving her alone with Anne in the club.
Her eyes narrow and she grips her glass a little bit tighter.
These two are going to pay for this.
And the worst part is that she knows they should avoid splitting up, so she needs to find the redhead. Did she go to the bathroom? Maybe she got into a fight?
Things may still be a little awkward between them, but Anne is an important part of their little family.
Scoffing to herself, Eleanor starts to search around the nightclub.
She never thought that one day, she would see these three as family. Her new life is pretty crazy, she realizes that whenever she stops to think about the way things are nowadays.
All the changes they went through are crazy... But still entirely welcome.
And she has to admit she prefers this neutral relationship between her and Anne, instead of all the bad blood from just weeks ago.
It's like Anne stopped to think about her actions the day Charles got shot. What was probably meant to be a lesson for Teach ended up making all the difference to the little brute. She must have finally realized that all that hatred from the past wouldn't lead them anywhere.
At least someone learned that valuable lesson.
Just as she thinks about that, someone grabs her left wrist.
Expecting one of the guys or even Anne, she turns around to come face to face with tall, muscled Korean.
At least he looks like he's Korean.
"The fuck?" She spits the words out, managing to free her wrist from his grasp just as Charles had taught her at the mansion all those months ago. But then the idiot grabs both her forearms and corners her against the nearest wall.
The alcohol on his breath makes her want to vomit.
"Alone?" He asks with a heavy accent.
All she wants is to deliver a swift kick to his groin, but then she notices he has a friend with him, and there's no way she would be able to get the upper hand here.
"No-"
"Alone." It's not a question this time and she's outraged.
"I said no-"
"When women say 'no', is never a real 'no'-"
"Everything okay, babe?"
A raspy voice suddenly interrupts him, and she's shocked when Anne appears out of nowhere, snaking an arm around her waist... and pecking her lips when she turns her head to meet her eyes.
This makes the idiot let go of her arms, both him and his friend stepping away.
Confused, she glances down and realizes that Anne has her free hand on the dagger strapped to her waist beneath her jacket, and she's letting the weapon show.
"Better stay far away from my fiancée, unless you want a blade through your dick."
She speaks the threat in such a natural way, and the men immediately realize she's not joking.
As soon as the two bastards leave them alone, the redhead chuckles.
"Third time already. When you're gonna start paying me, cunt?"
Shaking her head, Eleanor finally finds her voice.
"Is that my pet name now or what?"
Anne's smirk falters and she regrets her words, but then the other woman chuckles again.
"Might be. Now stick to my side, we better keep the façade up until those two brainless assholes leave. They're still looking at you."
For the next hour, it feels as if she's traveled to an alternate universe.
They dance.
They dance, they drink together, they talk, they laugh.
And strangely, even after the two Koreans are gone, they don't leave each other's side.
As they're drinking yet another shot of vodka, a drunk man trips on his own feet just beside them, ending up on the floor, and their only reaction is to meet each other's eyes and laugh at the scene.
And then whatever spell they had been under is broken.
"Look who's finally back." Anne says, stopping with the friendly behavior. Following her eyes, Eleanor sees Charles and Jack leaning against a wall near the entrance of the place.
Anne doesn't say another word to her before walking away to join them. She says something in Charles' ear, and judging by the way his fist clench, it was probably about their Korean friend.
Just as Eleanor is making her way over to them, the redhead leaves with Jack.
"And then there were two." She says with a smirk, and Charles responds by pulling her to him.
"Wish I could have seen that one."
Frowning in confusion, she meets his eyes. "Seen what?"
"Anne told me. She had to kiss you to keep those idiots away."
Raising her eyebrows, she lets him pull her by the hand towards the bar, and they find two vacant stools just beside a middle-aged man in a worn leather jacket.
The place is almost empty by now.
"It wasn't even a real kiss, just a peck - why did she tell you anyway?"
"Respect." Is all he says, raising his finger to order two last drinks for them.
"Respect." She repeats, and he reaches to brush her hair behind her ear.
"I know it was completely meaningless, but she still wanted me to know about it. I just wish I could have seen that scene."
Eleanor rolls her eyes, and they drink in silence for a while.
"So, did you find anything?"
He lets out a heavy sigh, confirming her suspicions. "That damn Island seems to be surrounded by thick fog. People avoid talking about it at all costs."
"You knew this could happen."
"We won't stop. If we don't find any solid information by the end of the week, we leave to search for this place on our own."
"One more shot, please." The man sitting on the stool right next to Charles' speaks in a grave voice. His accent catches their attention and for some reason, the criminal looks over at him.
The minute that couple came over to sit at the bar too, he knew there was something special about them.
Then they started talking about the Island, and he had to fight hard against the strong urge to chuckle.
Of course they had no success in their search. They're not the first curious tourists who try to find the Island, and they won't be the last ones either.
But when the man speaks...
When the man says they will search on their own, his voice is so determined.
Suddenly, he suspects they're not just curious. There must be something else motivating them.
Something tells him they have the means to search for the Island, and that they're not ones to give up too easily.
Something tells him they're different.
That velvety voice echoes in his mind.
"We will have new visitors soon. Lead them here. It's your mission, Vasyl. The least you can do."
The least he can do?
Why?
"How will I know they're the right people?"
"Follow your instincts. The universe will let you know."
That woman is so damn smart, but the things she says sometimes...
It made no sense, and yet... When he ordered another drink, when he felt the man's eyes on him, when he looked at that strangely familiar face...
Those eyes.
A certain little girl comes to his mind, but he pushes the memory away.
The universe will let you know.
He's talking before he even realizes it.
"So you're looking for the island? It seems fate has decided to grace you tonight."
The long haired man narrows his eyes, and that pretty blonde focuses her attention on him too.
One glance at her face is enough to let him know that he shouldn't be fooled by her looks. This woman is probably just as strong as the Madame is.
The couple doesn't say a word, and he only looks away from the man's face when his drink arrives.
But he keeps talking.
"I happen to know how to get there."
"We can pay you for your help." The blonde says, and he meets her blue-green eyes briefly, scoffing at the offer.
"I don't need that, sweetheart. Trust me. I have my own reasons to help you, but this is a conversation we should be having... in private." He takes a look around, then his eyes settle on the couple again. "Believe me, these clubs have eyes and ears."
The long haired man meets his partner's eyes for a moment, and he's genuinely surprised to see how easily they communicate without words.
The bond between these two must be a strong one.
"Who are you?" The man suddenly asks him, and for some reason, he wants to smile at the hostility in his voice.
Straightening up, he downs the vodka shot in less than a second, then calmly sets the glass back on the counter.
"Just call me Vasyl."
Notes:
For some reason I'm not happy with this chapter, but oh well.
Someone wrote a review this week, saying they're scared that this story will be over when chapter 60 comes, like SAIL, so I wanted to say something: There is NO WAY this will be finished so soon lol.
I'm still burning with ideas, and I think this thing is going to get huge. I have at least four more arcs in mind, and I'm sure there will be more. There's the whole Island thing. There will be some stuff happening in London later on, involving Marion and Joseph Guthrie. I have plans for Richard. I have plans for all of the characters, basically. I have so many plot threads to develop. Relationships to develop. Somalia was just the first arc, and I had no idea it would last for more than 30 chapters.
So don't worry, I am nowhere near done with this story lol.
Guest: Well, as I said, no... This won't be over after chapter 60, rest assured ;)
Roza-Maria: Glad you like my choice for Utley :D She managed to escape the island for good after that flashback from last chapter, but let's just say she won't have such luck later on in her past life :/ And yep! He's her baby's father. I'll develop this part of the story along with the forgotten part of Jack and Anne's past. Aww you're welcome! I loved to write that scene with Max lol Guess I do have a good instinct! XD Yep I agree... As much as Eleanor might want to do it at first, I think her subconscious wouldn't let her, really. Because yes, it's something she needs very badly, even though she doesn't realize it. Our poor girl :(
Next chapter teaser:
He suddenly has her cornered against the desk, the intense look in his eyes sending shivers down her spine. Her hands grip the wood and he speaks with a dangerous edge to his voice.
"Slap me. Hit me in the chest, punch my jaw, just fight back."