“Everything is going according to plan. Now that we have the box on board, the success of the mission is almost one hundred percent assured.”
“I never heard about a bomb,” Maksym said, still smelling the coconut, her imagined moans so loud he thought perhaps Wolf could hear them too.
“Again, let me correct you. Everything is going according to plan. In the end, you will be rewarded your fair share. Don’t worry. Now let’s hang up and discuss this another time, shall we? Call me in twenty-four hours, exactly.”
Maksym recognized a cold shoulder when he ran into one. He was being played, and he didn’t like it one bit. It was about thirty hours until the big event.
He hung up the phone and found a doorway to walk through to the main quarters of the ship.
Mark heard the door slam and peered out the clear vinyl door opening to the lifeboat. He’d brought a sidearm and hidden it at the bottom of the life vest box. He was going to take a nap on the bedspread and pillows where she’d lain with him. Where her naked body had sent him to heaven. He’d been hoping that wrapping himself in her scent would calm him. Just his luck he was awakened by angry speech from the officer he didn’t trust, and, of all things, he was talking about a bomb on board the ship.
His interest became laser-focused right quick, while he tried to memorize everything the officer said to the person on the other end of the line. He wished he knew what that voice said, but from the sounds of it, Maksym wasn’t pleased.
He mulled over what he’d heard. There was a bomb on board. There was some kind of plan and other accomplices, since Maksym seemed to be upset he wasn’t the one in the know. So Maksym was a stupid soldier, an expendable soldier. Mark wondered if the man realized this. He got the idea that some blinding hatred of something, someone, was causing Maksym to stop being the hero he must have been at one time.
And that made him dangerous to both sides.
Mark wished that even though Maksym was the enemy in this rotten little game now threatening the lives of all the passengers—including the wives of his best buds, and Sophia—he wished that Maksym would grow eyes in the back of his head.
And be careful. One misstep would kill them all. Or trigger the loss of innocent lives. That just wasn’t going to happen on his watch. Not while he had all his faculties.
Cruisin’ for a Seal: Chapter Twenty-Three
Sophia was numb for the rest of the tour, unaware even of the gentle hum of the diesel bus as it rode the twists and turns of the two-lane highway down the volcano, around and through the demonstration farm and the vineyard. She watched people making commerce, going to work in offices and holding school children by the hand. Nothing interested or appealed to her. She didn’t pay attention to the bus guide, who spoke horrible Italian anyway. Several of her group members slipped closer to her and asked for translation. Half the world thought Greece and Italy were the same country, so naturally their Greek guide was someone’s idea of customer service.
Her sadness rode on her shoulders like a tattered shawl until four o’clock, when they headed back to the ship. Her duties were over once her group was delivered to the arms of the terminal’s little tourist shops. Hucksters were older women with no teeth and young teenage boys wanting to sell handmade bracelets and plastic trinkets that had been made in China.
She pushed by them all, saying a brief goodbye to her charges, some of whom dropped coin in her hand. The Greek guide saw it and looked disgusted. He hadn’t gotten any tips from the passengers. She reversed course and went back to the man, who was arguing with the bus driver, who was probably supposed to receive a share of the tips. She deposited every penny she’d been given into his palms.
“Have a nice day,” she said in English, hoping they didn’t understand.
The gangway was sparsely populated. At the top, she said hello to the handsome Indian security officer, Kumar.
“Miss Sophia, Miss Sophia. We were most distressed when we didn’t see you or Roberto for the dance instruction this afternoon.” He was a good catch, with his dark skin, beautiful white teeth, and striking build, with a height over six feet something. She and Kumar had consoled each other over cappuccinos during a few late nights on prior cruises. She actually was pretty fond of him. The guy was decent, with a heart as big as the ocean that had been trounced on pretty regularly.
Poor Kumar. Maybe this was to be her plight as well. One lonely cruise after another. Daring to find a brief love that was really just a sexual hookup. Confused. Making promises and then breaking them. Not sure what world she lived in. Missing something of her American side while not feeling as comfortable and carefree as her Italian side. Her mother’s family’s secure, exuberant way of life was usually something that brought strength. That, and the travel. She’d told herself constant travel didn’t remind her so often of the fact that she didn’t belong anywhere. At least it was better than staying in one place and knowing you didn’t belong there. That would drive her crazy.
And she was crazy. Crazy for the American SEAL. Crazy for everything he was that she was not. Crazy to believe in a hero. God, he’d laid his heart at her feet and she’d had the nerve to tell him she wasn’t sure. On which continent was she sure? On an island off the coast of Africa? Was she surer in Savona? In Sacramento, at the funeral of her dead father? With her mother in the little piazzas in Savona, where she pretended she was happy? Would she be happy in Brazil with a wealthy husband who insisted she stop traveling? No doubt he had plans to keep her pregnant and all to himself. Locked in a gilded cage with things most of the world’s women would want.
But that’s not me.
She’d rather be penniless with the American with the strong blue eyes that she saw ignite whenever she kissed him, as she played with him, and yes, as she enchanted him. It wasn’t fair, this effect she had on him. But she loved being his muse, his fantasy love. Surely that wasn’t a bad thing.
Or am I being selfish?
Kumar handed her the cotton satchel she’d brought with her as it came off the metal detector. He slung it over her shoulder and softly spoke to her so no one else could hear.
“You okay, Miss Sophia? I am worried for you.”
“Thanks, Kumar.” She glanced up at the grinning officer. He must have been a cute little schoolboy with doting aunties and elderly Indian family members, as he’d lost his mother when he was young. He obviously felt more comfortable in the company of women. “I’m just tired.”
“The cruise director is most distressed. Most distressed.” Kumar pushed his dark-rimmed glasses back onto his nose. Sophia knew he’d be even handsomer if he could get contacts. She decided to counsel him about that next time they were spilling out their painful heart stories.
The cruise director can go fuck himself.
“Roberto’s had a little altercation and will be detained. I’m not sure he’s coming back to the ship.” As she said this and watched Kumar’s surprised expression, she hoped it was true.
Then it dawned on her. If Roberto wasn’t on board, that left the time available for Mark. They wouldn’t have to slink around and be careful to avoid Roberto and his temper. She was grateful the evening demonstration would now be cancelled. Or was that wise?
“Kumar, do you dance?”
“Most definitely,” he said as he handed bags to two people behind Sophia. She stood to the side so she wouldn’t block the passengers streaming onboard.
“I mean Latin dancing.”
“I’m afraid I do ballroom, but no tango. I can do the cha-cha,” he said moving his hips and snapping his fingers. She could see a budding dancer in the man’s movements.
“Then meet me at the theater at six thirty, can you?”
“Most definitely, Miss Sophia. Are you asking me out on a dinner date, please?”
“No, Kumar, I want you to be my dance partner tonight for the show.”
“I speak no German, Miss Sophia. My Russian—”
“Not your language skills I’m looking for.” She le
aned into him and whispered, “It’s your body I want.”
She swore she could see a blush surge under his coffee skin. “Oh, my golly, Jesus. I cannot believe you are answering my prayers, Miss Sophia.”
“Not what you think, Kumar. I just want you to do your best as my dance partner, for one night.”
“I shall endeavor to be your partner every night.” The man was grinning from ear to ear, standing up straighter, his eyes were wider and he showed more big white teeth than a person had a right to.
“Bless you. See you at six thirty, then.”
“Most definitely. Most definitely. Your humble servant. I shall look forward to it…” she heard as she walked down the crew hallway, past the medical office, to her room.
She wondered where Mark had gone, if he was back on board or caught up with his group. Li was in the cabin, stretching out from an earlier rehearsal. Sophia knew nothing about the little Chinese contortionist, since language was somewhat of a barrier.
“Shower?” Sophia asked.
“Please,” Li said. “I use later.”
She washed her hair and indulged in a long, hot shower. When she emerged from the little cubicle, Li was gone. Sophia put on her old, favorite terry robe, the one her father had bought for her mother and was a hand-me-down, the go-to piece of clothing whenever she needed a good cry, and climbed the bunk. With lights off, she might be able to get an hour’s rest before the rehearsal and demonstration. Rest was what she needed now.
She drifted off to sleep hearing the water lap against the side of the ship. How the bright light sent crystal shards dancing around the walls of the little red lifeboat. She heard him speaking to her, whispering things in her ear. It was a pleasant dream. He was begging her to share his bed, and his life. She forced everything else out of her mind and just went with it.
When Li opened the door, Sophia was startled.
“Excuse me, Sophia, but I must get ready,” Li said as she turned on the light over the desk.
“What time is it?”
“Nearly six.”
“Oh. My. God. I have to be down at the theatre at six thirty.”
“You first, then,” Li said, pointing to the bathroom.
“I’m showered, just need a moment for the hair dryer and some makeup.”
“Certainly.”
Sophia emerged from the cabin ten minutes later and ran down the hallway to the zero deck elevators, punching six.
She rode with several of Mark’s buddies returning and their wives to five deck. Kyle cleared his throat. She avoided eye contact.
“Mark on board, do you know?”
“No. Haven’t seen him. He did not finish the tour with us.”
Kyle looked slightly alarmed. Several of the other members of their group exchanged glances. When the elevator unloaded them to Deck 5, Kyle stood in the doorway, holding the elevator.
“He all right, Sophia? What happened after we left?”
“They got into a fight. Nobody was hurt, but Roberto was arrested and taken by the police.” She looked down at her black dancing shoes with the one-inch heels. “We thought it best he should come back in the taxi.”
“I know he’s back. He texted me. But did he hurt Roberto in any way?”
“You don’t know Roberto. He’s been hurt so many times he now brings it on himself. Mark did come to my defense, and then we thought it would be best if I stayed to complete my job.”
Kyle was assessing her. She felt the stare into her soul, all the way down to her toes. He was an honest man. A true hero. Thinking about everyone else first. Maybe too caring. But she knew Mark would die for this man, and that gave her the courage to be honest with him.
“I was foolish, I’m afraid. I’m confused.” She couldn’t help but show him the tears she hadn’t shed during her nap. “I think he’s a little angry with me. He deserves better.”
Kyle motioned to a couple dressed in formal attire who waited by the elevator, indicating they needed to find another one.
“Mark is one of those guys with a sixth sense about character. From what I saw today, he’s pretty hung up on you, Sophia. He’s not often wrong.”
“I’m not sure I’m good for him.”
“Well if he is, you have a problem.” Kyle started to smile. “A problem most the female population of this ship and the entire world would love to have. But you gotta do what you gotta do.”
She found it in herself to smile back.
“I do have to go. Meeting someone for rehearsal at the theater. If you run into him, you can tell him I’ll be there, or at the dance instruction in the Kasbah bar from seven to eight for the dance lesson.”
Kyle nodded. “Know where he is, then? Any guesses?”
She wanted to tell him about the lifeboat, but thought better of it. “Maybe text him?”
Kyle stepped back and allowed the beeping, complaining elevator doors, to close as he waved goodbye with two fingers.
Sophia got to the theater five minutes early, but Kumar was already there. He had showered and had put on a pair of black slacks and a white satin shirt, buttoned a couple of buttons too low. He wore a gold chain with a medallion around his neck. She saw shades of Saturday Night Fever in his eyes.
Upon seeing them both, the engineer began playing some disco music, getting Sophia’s drift. She smiled up at the Ukrainian disc jockey in his sound booth.
“Very nice, Kumar. Not sure your costume will work for the waltz, but I’m sure our students will love it.”
“Do you love it, Miss Sophia?” he said eagerly.
“Yes.” She had to admit he made her smile, and the welcome distraction of dancing would take her mind off her troubles. “I like,” she said as she stood in front of him and extended her arms in dance position. “We start with some basics, and then we’ll have some fun.”
Kyle got a return text and met Mark at his room, as directed. Everyone else had gone to wash up for dinner. Armando and Gina were dressed for a private dinner and were going to take in a show beforehand. Fresh from what Kyle knew was an afternoon of lovemaking, the glow on Gina’s cheeks was unmistakable. He’d never seen two people so into each other before. But then, he hadn’t been the observer when he and Christy first got together, either.
He checked in with Coop, who had just emerged from his cabin.
“How’s Libby?”
“Pretty sick, man. I’m a little worried, to be honest.”
This wasn’t good news. “Maybe should take her to the medical office?”
“Fuck, no. Not letting anyone else touch her. If she can get through the next couple of weeks, I think she’ll be fine. Guess we underestimated the effects a bobbing ship would have on her stomach.”
“Roger that. Perhaps you should consider cutting early and flying home?”
“She doesn’t want to. She keeps thinking she’ll be okay.”
All their women were tough and extremely stubborn, Kyle reminded himself.
“Can she sleep?” Kyle asked.
“Barely. I’m going to go get more ginger ale and some dry toast.”
“When you get back, meet us in Mark’s room. Something’s happening you gotta know about.”
“What?” Cooper asked.
“Take care of Libby and meet me back in Mark’s, okay?”
“Sure thing.”
Coop nearly ran down the hallway toward the lobby elevators. Kyle knocked on Mark’s door and walked inside when it was opened.
“What’s this about a bomb?” Kyle demanded. Jones, Tyler and Fredo were already there waiting.
“Just what I overheard, man. This guy Maksym, the Ukrainian Moshe talked about? He was on a cell phone call with some dude, and he was asking him about a bomb like it was a surprise to him. Like there was some plan to take over the ship, but he hadn’t been aware there was a bomb involved.”
“Go on.”
“Well, that’s it. Just a two-minute conversation. Couldn’t hear the other side, but Maksym sounded pissed.”
“I say we do a high-level target interrogation,” Fredo said. “And we get Moshe involved right away.”
“I intend to call him. I guess I’d like to learn a little more about the plan until we get all Snatch and Grab on the guy. Any idea when?”
Mark shook his head.
“I don’t understand what their motivation is,” Kyle said to the floor. “This is a fuckin’ cruise ship, man. Mostly international passengers, not a lot of Americans. Not exactly a military target.”
“Sounds like this Maksym’s motivation is money. Like a hostage for ransom. That’s why the bomb has him spooked.”
“It’d spook me too. Any idea where it is?” Jones asked.
Again, Mark shook his head. “The Moroccans brought it on board today. I saw them do it, Kyle.”
“No shit. They brought it from shore?”
“Yup. Sucker was heavy, too. They came through the crew gangway. That cargo container was too big for the x-ray machine.”
“Moshe has to tell us who was on security at the gate. What time was that Mark?”
“About fourteen hundred hours.”
“Kyle, there’s something else, too. Maksym told the person on the phone the box was ticking. And it had snakes in it.”
“Snakes?” Fredo wrinkled his nose. “I hate snakes!”
“Me, too,” Jones said.
“You let me handle them snakes. They don’t scare me none,” Tyler said. “My uncle used to have them in his church in Louisiana growing up. You get ’em from behind and you be quick about it.”
“Good to know, Tyler, but right now I’m more concerned with a possible bomb,” said Kyle.
They heard Cooper knock and let him in. They decided to separate and collect information, as much as possible, on Maksym. Kyle and Cooper would start with Moshe. Fredo would go speak with the cabin boy about Mark’s sighting of Maksym with the woman down the hall. Jones and Mark were going to find Teseo and ask him about Maksym. Tyler said he’d go look for Armando.
Heroes in Uniform: Soldiers, SEALs, Spies, Rangers and Cops: Sexy Hot Contemporary Alpha Heroes From NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Authors Page 76
