A/N: One more chapter left in this story. Thank you guys for all the wonderful reviews.

Zapata was pacing again when Cade awoke, and he cracked one eye open reluctantly to look at her. "You're going to wear out the carpet if you keep that up."

She put her hands on her hips as she glared at him. "How can you just sleep the day away when we're prisoners?" she demanded.

Cade shrugged philosophically. "It's not like we're locked up in a hole somewhere being starved and beaten for information. We're in a cushy stateroom with a nice bed and plenty of food. I've been in worse spots."

"Oh, yeah?" Zapata asked curiously as she dropped onto the bed beside him. "Where?"

Nowhere he cared to remember. "Here and there," Cade said, and then, sensing she needed a distraction, he elaborated, "I was an Army Ranger for a few years. Now I do freelance work. Bounty hunting, bodyguarding, stuff like that."

"Ah," Zapata said. "That explains the bad boy vibe you give off."

Cade nodded. "You're not the first to be attracted by that, honey." Though she was the first he was disappointed hadn't seen past it. There was something about Tasha Zapata that peaked his interest in a way no other woman ever had. He was getting too old for the endless round of short-term flings and one-night stands that had been the norm for him for a decade; in fact, until he'd fallen into bed with Tasha, it had been months since he'd slept with anyone, and he'd only done so with her because he thought they might have a shot at something more. Something real.

He should have known it was too good to be true.

"But it doesn't explain why Rich locked me in here with you," Zapata continued. "Surely he knows you're not . . . interested in his matchmaking efforts."

Cade raised himself up on one elbow. "Is it really so difficult to believe I might be interested in settling down with the right woman?" Her face gave him his answer. "Wow. Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"It's not that you're not a great guy," Zapata hastened to reassure him. "I just can't picture you with the whole white picket fence and 2.5 kids."

"Oh, god, me either," Cade agreed. "But just because I'm not cut out for the domestic life doesn't mean I wouldn't like to find one woman to share my life with. I confided that to Rich a while back, which is why he must have hatched this cockamamie plan. But don't worry, sweetheart. We'll be back in port in a couple of days, and then you'll never have to see me again."

Zapata stiffened as she realized that for the very first time, that was the last thing she wanted. She'd made a point to hold her men at arm's length every since one of her first boyfriends had mistakenly assumed that she would want to give up her plans to see the world to mother his children, but what Cade was proposing sounded incredibly appealing. "What if I want to see you again?"

Cade hesitated as he studied her. "I'm not looking for a short-term fling here, Tasha. If you're not interested in a real relationship between us, don't waste my time."

"I am," she said quietly. "I'm willing to give it a try, I mean. But this will be new territory for me. Just . . . don't expect too much at first."

Cade held out a hand. "The only thing I want right now is for you to relax and come lie down next to me." She did so hesitantly, and he pulled her into his arms. "This is new territory for me as well, Tasha. I won't be perfect at it, and I'm certainly not expecting you to be. But I have faith we can figure it out if we just talk to each other when something's bothering one of us."

"That sounds reasonable," Zapata agreed. She rested her head on his chest, delighted to find that it fit there perfectly. "Care to help me plot revenge against Rich and Jane?"

"Nope," Cade said. "The way I see it, they did us a favor. Besides . . ." He tilted her head up and leaned in until their lips were nearly touching. "I can think of a better way to work out your frustrations."

His mouth covered hers, and Zapata was forced to concede that he was right.

xxx

"Mind if I join you?" Jane asked as she paused beside Markos's table.

"That depends," Markos said as he made a point of exaggeratedly looking around. "Will your boyfriend tear me limb from limb if you do?"

Jane chuckled. "No worries. He knows I was planning on having lunch with you. We don't keep secrets from one another now that we're a couple."

Markos smiled. "I'm glad things worked out for the two of you. When Rich first approached me about coming along on this voyage to make Captain Weller jealous, I wasn't too sure about his plan, but . . ."

"It worked out for the best," Jane agreed. "And I'm very thankful you came. That we got to meet again. Even if I don't remember our first encounter."

"Yeah, Rich mentioned that you still hadn't regained many of your memories when he told me he'd confided in you about our past. Though that's probably for the best." Markos sobered as he studied her closely. "I can't tell you how many times I've thought about you over the years. I was thrilled when Rich finally managed to track you down, but I hated to hear where you'd wound up. And I am so, so sorry about your brother."

"Thanks." Jane's smile turned sad. The worst of her grief at losing Roman had faded, but there would always be a hole in her life where he should be. And she would forever regret not regaining more memories of the two of them, even if those memories were less than pleasant. "So . . . Tell me about yourself. Where did you end up after the orphanage?"

"I was one of a group of kids that got taken to the US," he told her. "Probably one of the luckiest ones, actually. I bounced around foster care for a while, but one of the soldiers who rescued us applied to be my foster parent, and he and his wife wound up adopting me. They had three kids of their own, so it took me a while to feel at home, but eventually I adjusted. My dad's influence actually inspired me to go into the military. That's where I met Cade, actually."

"So how did the two of you end up working for Rich Dotcom, of all people?" Jane asked. She flushed as she realized how that sounded. "I'm sorry, that was rude of me."

"No, it's a fair question," Markos countered. "Rich can . . . take some getting used to. I'll grant you that he can be overzealous at times, and his methods aren't always . . . strictly legal, but everything he does, he does because he cares about people. And working for him has given me the opportunity to help others who are being abused like we were." Sometimes those people were adults, but it was the children he found it most rewarding to assist.

"I'd like to do that," Jane commented. "In a strictly legal way, I mean."

"Maybe you could start a self-defense school," Markos suggested. "With your skills, you'd be a natural at it. You could give free lessons to kids who are being bullied, battered women, people who really need your help but can't afford to pay."

Jane was silent for a long moment as the suggestion sank in. "I like that idea." And best of all, Kurt was skilled in self-defense training as well, so he could be her partner in the school. Just as they wanted. "I'll definitely have to talk it over with Kurt."

"Talk what over with Kurt?" Sarah asked as she approached, and their heads swiveled toward her. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. I saw you sitting here, Jane, and I couldn't wait to show you what Reade just gave me."

She held out her arm, and Jane gasped at the sight of the diamond and gold bracelet on her wrist. "Wow. Reade is really stepping up his game." He'd been wooing Sarah with everything from flowers and candy to candlelight dinners cooked by Oliver since she agreed to give their relationship another try.

"Here." Markos got to his feet and gallantly held out his chair for Sarah. "Have a seat. I'll leave you two ladies to chat. Jane, it was nice talking to you, and I hope we get a chance to do it again before the cruise is over."

"I'd like that," Jane agreed. She grinned at Sarah as he walked away. "So . . . when are you going to put Reade out of his misery?"

"I already did," Sarah told her. "I know he's genuinely sorry, and I think he's groveled enough. Besides . . . it wouldn't have been right to take this if I wasn't serious about him." She smiled faintly. "Though that means Mr. Dotcom will be looking for another doctor for the Orion. Reade went right in search of him to hand in his notice."

Jane chuckled. "He may be looking for a new captain and cruise director as well." She filled Sarah in on her conversation with Markos. "I'm not sure what Kurt will think about the idea, but—"

"He'll love it," Sarah hastened to assure her. "He—I assume he told you about Taylor?" At Jane's nod, she continued. "It's always haunted him that he couldn't protect her, even though he was only a child himself. Trust me, teaching others to defend themselves will be right up his alley. I don't suppose you'd consider moving to Washington to do it?" she asked hopefully.

"I'll talk to Kurt about it," Jane promised. New York had been her home base for a very long time, but she supposed one city was as good as another. She would miss Zapata and Patterson and Ana, but she would love to be able to get to know Sarah better. To be closer to her soon-to-be new sister.

"Good," Sarah said, reaching a hand across the table to squeeze Jane's hand. "Because I want to be nearby to watch my nieces and nephews grow up." She was going to spoil them rotten. "Now correct me if I'm wrong, but I think we have a few more details to discuss . . ."