Wordless

by Alyne Roberts

  My words are weightless without a voice. In my mind they are as invisible as I am. So instead of collecting words, I collect seashells from the beach. I pick up the broken ones that were once beautiful and carry them back to my room. Like me, these shells are missing something. I’m missing my voice and my family. I can’t run. My last name has no weight here. I have no identity. No purpose.

  I spend most of my time outside on the beach. I was never allowed outside very much back home. If this is the only freedom I have, I plan to use it wisely.

  The sun beats down on my face and the sand sticks to my skin. On this small and secluded island in the Bahamas, I feel freer than I ever did back home. The salt water heals my wounds and the crashing of the waves chase away the nightmares.

  Thalassophile: (n.) A person who loves the sea, oceans.

  It’s now been five days since Pierce left me here alone. In that time I’ve fully explored the mansion. I know of every closet and window. Like back home, I am unseen and unheard. I watch and listen, learning about my new home. The staff quarters provide the most gossip and knowledge.

  I learn that Roy and Eli are secretly sleeping together. They don’t even like each other, and Roy has a wife back in the States. Julie works here as some type of punishment or payment for her brother’s mistakes. Everyone equally adores and fears Pierce.

  What I do know is that the Gallos are very much like the Blackards. We rule with power and money. We have our own kings. Pierce and I come from very different kingdoms but they both are built on lies, cheating, and death.

  They are air and water, east and west. Fire and ice.

  The sun is just starting to set when I hear the plane. I jump from the bed and look out the balcony. To the left I can see the beach and front drive of the house. I watch as a plane descends from the clouds.

  I rush to the closet and throw on one of the few dresses Julie brought up for me when I arrived. It’s a little too tight, but she said it was all they could find on short notice. I don’t complain. Not that I could if I wanted to. I still can’t speak. I try as often as I can, but nothing passes through my lips but a painful rasp.

  I hear the sounds of footsteps from downstairs and debate going downstairs or waiting for someone to get me. I don’t have to wait long because soon, my door is flung open. Hans takes up most of the doorway, his face hard and impassive.

  “Come with me,” he says. I don’t like the serious tone he has, but I follow anyway.

  Downstairs, there’s a flurry of activity. Everyone in the house is gathering in the living room. Pierce stands near the French doors the lead to the beach. His hands are in his front pockets as he watches everyone gather. Hans pushes me to sit on the couch near the end, closest to Pierce.

  He’s angry. I can feel it like hot waves rolling off him. His dark eyes are on me, and I try to pull my skirt down as I lower to the couch. Tension fills the air as Eli and Roy also sit. Three other guards are sitting with Julie. The room is silent as we watch Pierce.

  “Someone in this house betrayed me,” his deep voice booms.

  Everyone shifts uncomfortably while Pierce starts to pace.

  “Imagine my surprise when I land and arrive to be greeted by a surprise guest. An unwanted guest that isn’t very pleased to see me.”

  It’s then I notice a new cut on his bottom lip and the redness of his knuckles.

  “Then I find that one of our freighters was stopped by Border Patrol. Only four containers were searched. The only four that were carrying special orders.”

  I look around the room. Everyone’s eyes are wide. Eli is wringing her hands together. Just like me, she knows that something is very wrong. I don’t need to know what a special order is. I’ve overheard my dad and Cyrus talk about them enough to know you don’t want anyone interfering with your deliveries.

  “So who the fuck talked?”

  “Maybe it was the girl,” one of the guards offers. I stiffen.

  “You think it was the mute girl?” Pierce seethes. “No.”

  “Why not?” he argues. “You can’t possibly really believe that she can’t talk.”

  Pierce clenches his jaw and glares at the man. I wait, holding my breath. My muscles twitch with the instinct to run.

  “Even if she could speak, I told her I was going to the main island. I walked into my Miami penthouse and was met with a gun to the face,” he roars.

  I slowly inhale, some of the tension leaking from me. Whether or not I did anything wrong, I know I can’t defend myself. I have no voice to plead or explain.

  “Those container numbers were written on a napkin that I left on my desk. In my locked office,” Pierce says. His voice is low and calm.

  I instantly remember the day I was exploring a couple days ago. I saw the blond guard leaving his office. It was only the day after Pierce and Hans flew out. On the other side of the U-shaped couch, the guard stares ahead.

  “The only people that have access to this office are in this room,” Hans adds.

  I look up at Pierce and am surprised to find him watching me. Does he suspect me? He knows I don’t have the code, and I thought he was on the main island.

  His eyes are probing and I feel them burning through me. I glance over to the guard and back to Pierce. His eyes narrow on me. I look again, leaving my eyes on the man a little longer. When I glance back at Pierce, a slow grin spreads on his face.

  “You may all leave…” everyone stands “…except Seamus.”

  The blond guard freezes in his retreat, surprise written all over his face. Pierce says something in Hans’s ear as everyone flees. I stand slowly in attempt to keep the skirt over my legs. I make it just a few steps before Hans takes hold of my arm.

  “He wants to see you in his office when he’s done,” he whispers in my ear.

  Hans guides me down the hall and up to the second floor. My heart pounds in my ears. I have no idea what I’ve just done. I saw Seamus leave his office, but did that really mean he was the one to betray Pierce?

  Either way, it’s too late now. Hans enters a code on the keypad to the office, using his body to shield it from me. The door opens and I pause before stepping inside. Men only went into Dad’s office if they were talking business or in trouble. I have no business with Pierce.

  “Go on.”

  I step inside and take a seat in front of the desk. His office has a view of the beach behind the house, so I watch the waves wash over the white sand while I wait.

  When I hear the click of the door unlocking, my body goes tense. I listen to Pierce’s footsteps as they approach. Soon he is standing between me and the desk. I slowly look up at him.

  “You’re looking better,” he says.

  I shrug because I’m not really sure. I have been too scared to look in the mirror. Pierce puts a finger under my chin, tilting and turning my head to get a better look. His black eyes run over my face and body.

  “Do you have anything else to wear?” he asks, his voice low and tense.

  I glance down before shaking my head. I was supplied with a robe and three dresses that are all about this size. I arrived with nothing and don’t plan on complaining about what I’m given.

  “We brought you more clothes,” he tells me as he drops his hand and steps away.

  Pierce walks behind his desk and picks up the napkin with a set of numbers on it.

  “How did you know?”

  I point to my eyes and to the door, hoping he can understand me. I want to explain, but I’m limited to gestures to communicate. My hand is still too sore to write neatly yet. Maybe instead of studying what a normal teenager experiences in high school, I should have studied sign language. Something actually useful.

  “You saw him leaving my office?”

  I nod. I hear Hans leave the office behind me. I don’t dare pull my gaze from Pierce. His face is calm, almost pleased.

  “Did he see you?”

  I shake my head. I cover my eyes, peeking at him from between my fingers.

&nbs
p; I hid. No one sees me.

  Pierce studies me a while longer before I see the tension release from his shoulders.

  “Thank you, Shiloh. I need to trust those closest to me. Seamus can’t be trusted. Can you?”

  I nod quickly. Then I motion a zipper over lips. I can’t tell his secrets even if I wanted to.

  “I think you have proven that.”

  I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. He watches me for a moment before dropping his gaze.

  “I have some business to take care of,” he says. “I will see you in the morning.”

  Nodding, I stand at his dismissal. I don’t need to ask what will happen to Seamus. I don’t need to ask anything at all because I already know.

  chapter nine

  pierce

  I’VE BEEN HOME two days when I get the call from the boss. I’m surprised it took him this long to come down. After my attack in Vegas and then in Miami, he has been on high alert.

  I watch as Shiloh walks the shore, picking up shells every few steps. Her hair blows around her face as the wind picks up. The sound of a plane cuts through the humid air. My head flies up, and I shield the sun from eyes with my hand as I search the sky.

  I feel Shiloh by my side, looking at me for answers.

  “Come with me,” I say in her ear.

  She looks up at me with confusion.

  “My boss. My father. Play along and follow my lead,” I tell her as the plane skids to a stop on the runway.

  Once we reach the foyer, she fusses with her hair and wipes away invisible sand from her dress.

  “You look fine,” I tell her just moments before the front door swings open. Hans trails behind my dad and cousin, carrying a suitcase.

  “Pierce,” my father says when he sees us.

  “Dad. Nice of you to pop in.”

  “Don’t lie. You don’t like surprise visits,” he says, a smirk playing on his lips as he notices Shiloh standing beside me. “Who is this lovely lady?”

  “This is Shiloh,” I say as he reaches for her hand to shake. “This is my father, Vincent Gallo and my cousin Luca.”

  “I see why you haven’t left the island,” Luca jokes, taking her hand and placing his lips to her knuckles. His eyes briefly move over the faint bruising.

  “Nice to meet you, Shiloh,” my father says.

  She nods politely and silence stretches between us.

  “Shiloh can’t speak,” I finally offer. “She is mute.”

  “Mute? So does she know sign language?” Luca asks.

  “Does that really matter if we don’t know how to interpret it?” my father says.

  “Good point.”

  I put a hand on her lower back and pull her closer to my body. I can feel the tension rolling off her as they look at her with suspicion. I stretch my fingers to her hip. Without saying, she knows how important the boss is.

  “How do you guys talk then?” Luca says, clearly curious and distrusting.

  “I understand her just fine. So what brings you here?” I ask, hoping to pull the attention away from her. “Unannounced?”

  “We are at war. Things need to be discussed.”

  My father still stares at Shiloh. I feel the faint shiver move through her body. When she looks up at me, I nod toward the ocean, giving her permission to leave. With a polite smile, she escapes.

  “Where did you find her?” my dad asks as soon as she’s out of sight.

  I direct us to the living room where we can sit and talk.

  “Las Vegas.”

  “Is she whore?” Luca asks.

  “No. I found her beaten and left for dead.”

  “And you saved her? You can’t take in strays, Pierce, when we made enemies with the very people that run that city.” My father’s voice rings with authority and power. “What if she is connected to the Blackards in some way?”

  “Oh, I am sure she is,” I say. “She won’t tell me where she came from, but I know she came from one of the families in the business. She is too smart, too observant, too strong.”

  “Then why keep her?”

  I ask myself that same question every hour.

  “She wants to stay. She ran from them and obviously paid the price for it. They took her voice.”

  “You should take her back to desert and leave her. The Blackards and their partners are responsible for our ships continuing to be searched and seized. The Europeans are growing nervous and are hesitant to partner with us.”

  “I won’t take her back,” I say. My voice is hard with finality. “She could be useful to me.”

  “How so? As a pet? I know she’s beautiful but is she worth what they will do if they come for her?”

  My father and I stare at each other in a battle of wills. Since I turned twenty 20 and became more involved in the family business, he has given me respect. He tries to let me make my own decisions and make my own calls, but I see how badly he wants to overrule me here.

  “I will use her to trade if need be,” I hiss through a clenched jaw. “She is mine now.”

  A possessiveness grows inside me that I hadn’t noticed before. I know I can ask and they will take her back to States with them and drop her off where she came from, but I can’t bring myself to entertain that idea. The same instinct that had me carrying her to our plane has me holding on.

  “Don’t play games with them. They had you shot and attacked you in your own home. They have your girl,” Luca adds.

  My body tenses.

  “Did you find her?” I ask.

  “No. Vegas is the worst place to search for a stripper. Especially with no name.”

  “I made that girl a promise,” I say. “They have something to do with her disappearing. I intend to return the favor.”

  I hear a thump and grunting behind me, and we all turn to the direction of the kitchen. One of my guards comes dragging Shiloh into the room by her arm.

  “Look who I found eavesdropping,” he says as Shiloh struggles from his hold.

  Before I can contemplate what she heard and how she will use it, Shiloh stands straight and thrusts her elbow back into his stomach. My guard doubles over, and she takes the opportunity to knee him in the chest then shoves him to the ground. He releases her arm, and I notice the red mark from his grip.

  Shiloh runs as he rolls on the ground in agony. I hear Luca chuckle behind me.

  “She’s tiny but tough. I like her,” he says.

  And quick. Precise. This wasn’t the first time she needed to defend herself. I don’t chase after her when she bolts up the stairs. I don’t even help my man up off the floor. I turn to look at the man that raised me. The only person I respect and trust the most in the world.

  “Keep her. Maybe she can be of use,” he says with a hidden smile. “Now, what to do about Europe.”

  For generations, we’ve built an empire and owned all illegal trafficking by water. The Blackards owned the air, trading with their aircraft. Now we are both competing for the same territory in Europe now. With the attack on me in Vegas and Miami, we are at war.

  We spend the next few hours moving around merchandise and boats. We scramble our men and call in some favors. Another raid and law enforcement won’t think it’s a coincidence. We can only bribe so many people.

  After I see my boss and cousin off the island, I head upstairs to find Shiloh.

  chapter ten

  shiloh

  TOY. PET. SECRET. Trade.

  I was beaten, poisoned, and stolen. All in the hopes of becoming more than nothing. Something.

  Someone.

  In the bedroom that is not really mine anger boils inside me. I would scream if it could be heard. What good is a scream if it can’t bounce off the walls? What release does it offer when the pent up energy cannot leave my body?

  I was foolish to think I could find what I needed here. Pierce and his family are just like mine. He will use me however he can to gain power.

  As invisible as I am, I hear things no one thinks I do.
I know that both our fathers are fighting for the same thing.

  All my life I resented the fact I was locked away and kept behind high walls. I wanted freedom and a chance to be someone other than the boss’s daughter. I only managed to find myself in the exact situation my father was trying to protect me from.

  Paradox: (n.) a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.

  I want to laugh at the irony. A laugh brings no happiness when it cannot be heard.

  Pierce is looking for the dancer I left him with. How funny is it that I handed him to her on a platter? He will seek her out and keep his promises to another woman. I will be the currency used to secure her freedom.

  Digging around in the nightstand, I search for the pad of paper and pen left for me. I hold the pen in shaking hands, the ink ready to tell the truth.

  I saved you.

  I stare at the words a moment before crumbling the paper. Those three words are proof of my betrayal to my family. When my father finds me, or I am turned over, he will know the truth. If I can convince him somehow to forgive me for running away, I won’t be able to walk away from the three words I put on this paper.

  I pace the borrowed room, stepping out to the balcony in attempt to soothe the anger I feel growing inside. Instead, I grow more bitter. I shred the page, letting the pieces float away in the breeze. The ocean will swallow my secret and keep it forever.

  Amethysts said I would need to persuade Pierce to protect me if I wanted to survive. I now see how impossible that will be. To him I am a pawn in a war against my family. When he learns I’m not only connected, but the treasured daughter, I will become priceless.

  It wouldn’t matter that I saved him that night. His loyalty is to the Gallos, no matter what.

  I whirl around, my whole body shaking with anger and defeat. I want to yell, scream, and cry. The silence becomes too much. I pull at the curtains until I hear the snap of the rods holding them up. I yank the blankets off the bed and toss them to the floor. Doors slam and I pound on anything I can. The need to make noise is so intense I wish I had a bomb.