Dreamboat

by Judith Gould

“I’m ready,” she replied, “unless you want to stay for one more.”

  He shook his head and grinned. “I think we’ll have a better time elsewhere, don’t you agree?”

  “You’ll get no argument from me,” she replied.

  They got up and left the disco. “Do you mind if we step out on the deck?” Crissy asked. “I’d like to see the wild, raging sea. It’s like a scene out of Melville.”

  “I should say no,” Luca replied, “but for you, anything.”

  He pushed the nearest exit door open, and they stepped outside. The wind was powerful, and spray lashed the deck. They remained next to the bulkhead, Luca’s arm around her shoulder.

  Down the deck, she thought she saw movement. “What was that?” she asked Luca.

  Following her gaze, he shrugged. “I didn’t see anything,” he said.

  “I could have sworn I saw somebody between the lifeboats,” she said.

  “It could have been one of the crew,” he said. “They’re constantly checking to make sure everything’s secure in this kind of weather. Besides, you don’t have anything to fear, Crissy. I’m here with you.” He hugged her to him.

  She gazed out to sea, but in the next moment a huge wave crashed against the ship, sending a veritable wall of water up toward them. It came within mere feet of drenching them. “This is a little too wild,” she said with a laugh. “Spray’s one thing, but this is something else. Let’s go back inside.”

  “I think that’s a great idea,” Luca said, gazing at her mischievously. “We can get warm and cozy, and we don’t have to get wet.”

  Georgios Vilos was sitting alone in his Kifissia study, where he had been pondering his next move for hours. He thought that he had memorized every vein of gray in every piece of white marble that lined the walls and floors of the palatial room. He had to come up with a new plan fast. His creditors were preparing to descend on him like so many vultures, eager to pick at the flesh and bones of his empire. He was almost certain he knew what he had to do. It was very risky, but it would work.

  His cell phone rang, and its sound jerked him out of his reverie with a start. “Nea?” he said, flipping it open.

  “The package that you sent will not arrive as planned,” the voice said.

  “I know that,” Georgios Vilos said, heaving a sigh. “I’ve had a call about it. Unfortunately the package and its contents will never get there.”

  “So what do you suggest?” the voice asked. “There is no way I can recover the package now.”

  “I realize that,” Georgios Vilos said impatiently. “I have another plan, and it will do the trick just as well. It will require your help, of course.”

  “What do you have in mind?”

  “Listen carefully,” Georgios Vilos said, “because I don’t want to repeat myself.”

  After he finished detailing his new plan, the caller didn’t respond for a moment, then finally said, “It’s . . . doable.”

  “Yes,” Georgios Vilos said. “I want to make certain that my son is off the ship. He must disembark with you. When you have everything set up, then you will get Mark and take him with you, so that he won’t be aboard later.”

  “Sensible,” the voice replied. Then he added in a tone that sounded gleefully sarcastic to Georgios Vilos’s ears, “If you want to spare him.”

  Georgios Vilos swallowed, making a valiant effort not to yell at the animal on the other end of the line. What kind of man did he think he was? That he would kill his own son? He had sent him repeated messages to get off the ship, but to no avail. “That is a necessity,” he murmured. “An absolute necessity. And you’ll see to it that he is off the ship with you.”

  “And if he’s in lockup?”

  “It only takes one phone call from me to free him,” Georgios Vilos snapped. “You’ll not leave that ship without him.”

  “That’s easy in any case,” the voice said. “I know all the ship’s officers and security detail. I can get around them.”

  “Very good,” Vilos said.

  Very good for you, but a nuisance for me. I’m not going to fool around trying to free Mark Vilos. Something could go wrong, and I wouldn’t be able to get off the ship. The hell with Mark Vilos.

  Monika heard a strange sound in her suite and sat bolt upright in bed. The room was in darkness, but she didn’t reach over and switch on the light. She didn’t want to disturb Jenny, not unless she had to. She listened, straining to hear what it was that had awoken her. For a few moments, there was silence, except for the white noise of the air-conditioning, then she heard it again. Coming from the sitting room of her suite. Yes! she thought with alarm. There is definitely someone in the sitting room. Her jewelry was locked in the built-in safe in the closet, here in the bedroom, so she wasn’t concerned about that, but whoever it was might decide to come in after it.

  She eased out from under the bedcovers and slipped off the bed. Tiptoeing on bare feet to the door to the sitting room as quietly as possible, she stood there listening. There! There it was again. Rustling noises. Then the quiet but unmistakable cadence of grunts and groans. After another moment of listening at the door, she slid her hand toward the switch on the wall, the one that she knew would light every lamp and overhead spot, illuminating the entire room. In one swift movement, she pressed the large switch, and the sitting room came to life.

  Monika threw her hand to her mouth to stifle a shriek of disgusted surprise. She gasped instead, then drew herself up to her full height, her chin out, head thrown back imperiously. Her face gleamed in the light from the various moisturizing creams she slathered on before going to bed, and the finger she flung toward them was encased in the white cotton of the gloves she slipped on to cover the heavy application of cream to her hands at bedtime.

  “You schwein!” she said in a low-pitched rumble. “Schwein!”

  There was a whoop of release as a young man hammered himself into Jenny. On the floor in the center of the sitting room, Jenny was on all fours, completely naked, her hair tumbling down over her face, hiding it from Monika’s insults, and mounted atop her, doggy fashion, was a young man whom Monika recognized as one of the stewards, also naked. One of the Ukrainians, if she wasn’t mistaken. Short flaxen hair framed his sweaty, flushed face, and his thick lips were curled in a rictus of release. His ecstacy was such that his expression resembled nothing so much as agony. After a final thrust of his hips, he turned and looked at Monika, panting. His lips spread in a wide smile when he saw her.

  When Monika didn’t move but continued to stare in disbelief at the scene, the young man dismounted, stood up, spread his muscular thighs wide, and held his cock in a hand, waving it at Monika.

  “You?” he said in heavily accented English. “Want?” His grin exposed even white teeth.

  “Get out of here!” she said in a low, rumbling voice of authority. “Get out at once.”

  The young man smiled and shrugged, then gathered up his clothing from the couch. He dressed slowly, enjoying the sight of Monika watching him, but she soon shifted her gaze to Jenny, who had lifted herself up off the carpeting and now sat on the couch, making no effort to conceal her nakedness.

  “We didn’t mean to disturb you,” Jenny said to her in an unapologetic voice. She put her hand to her mouth, covering a yawn. “I guess we got a little carried away.”

  Monika’s eyes blazed with a fiery intensity, and her thin brows lifted skyward as she trained a glare of repulsion and anger at Jenny. Her fury was short-lived, however, as the young man finished dressing and went to the cabin door.

  “Have a nice day,” he called to them with the same thick accent. He waved and strutted out the door, letting it slam behind him.

  Jenny giggled and slapped the couch with a hand. “Is he a riot?”

  Monika sat down on a chair facing her. Truth be told, she found the young man’s shameless naïveté and the incident itself somewhat amusing, but she didn’t like surprises. “You gave me a quite a fright,” she said calmly.


  “I’m sorry, Monika,” Jenny said. “Really, I swear. I didn’t mean to wake you up.” She tossed her blond tresses out of her eyes, and licked her lips, then looked at Monika with Bambi eyes. “I-I was just so desperate,” she said in a little-girl voice. “You can imagine what it’s like with Ludwig.”

  “I’d rather not,” Monika responded succinctly.

  Jenny laughed. “No,” she said. “You don’t even want to think about it.” She retrieved a bathrobe, draped it about her naked body, and sat back down.

  Monika fell into a thoughtful silence, her gaze trained on Jenny, gloved fingers silently tapping the chair arms, her mental gears turning swiftly and efficiently as she considered how best to use this incident to her advantage.

  Jenny’s robe fell open, exposing her body. It was beautiful, if not entirely the work of nature, and she knew it.

  When Monika finally spoke, it was in an even, low voice. “You are a very reckless young woman.”

  “I suppose so,” Jenny replied in a bored tone.

  “And if you go through with this marriage to Ludwig,” Monika went on, “you are going to have to be very careful, especially regarding these sorts of indiscretions.”

  “I know,” Jenny said, “and I can be, believe it or not.”

  Monika nodded. “Oh, I have no doubts as to your abilities to deceive, Jenny. Your acting talents are exceptional, I think, but you must be very careful about who you take into your confidence.”

  Jenny looked at her with curiosity. Something in the tone of Monika’s voice alerted her to the importance of what was coming.

  “Tonight, for example, it makes no difference that I was a witness to your little romp with the help,” Monika said, “because we are the best of friends, aren’t we? And you can trust me not to tell Ludwig about this.”

  Jenny nodded, but she wasn’t feeling quite as confident as she had a few moments ago.

  “On the other hand,” Monika continued, “were I not your dear, trusted friend and mentor, or were something to come between us, Jenny, I could destroy your chances of marriage to Ludwig like that.” Her eyes brightened, and she made the motion of snapping her fingers together, but there was no sound because of the gloves.

  Jenny nodded again. “I know,” she said, “but I know you wouldn’t do that, Monika.”

  “We both know that Ludwig trusts me implicitly, as he would a sister. We have a history together, Ludwig and I. We are both from old European families, mine not as rich as his, but my accomplishments and fame have secured our mutual respect and devotion. So, believe me when I say that no matter what solace you might bring to him in his old age, if I should betray our trust—yours and mine, Jenny—Ludwig will see you chased out of Europe.” She sat back, her eyes glittering with intensity.

  “I understand perfectly,” Jenny responded, and she did, too. She realized that Monika was throwing down her gauntlet, and she’d better be on her guard.

  “I’m glad you do,” Monika said with a smile. “I think we will get along magnificently, you and I. You’re going to need a guiding hand—someone who knows the ins and outs—dealing with his estates, all the relatives, the many burdensome social occasions. They can be a bit daunting for one as young and inexperienced as yourself, and believe me, Jenny, they are very important to Ludwig.”

  “I know that,” Jenny replied. “He’s made it very clear that I’ll have a lot of duties.”

  Monika nodded. “And I’ll be there for you, helping you every step of the way. I wouldn’t want to interfere, of course, but I think you’ll discover that I make a great ally.” She paused for a moment, then added, “I can even be helpful when you feel the need to . . . express yourself in ways that Ludwig would not approve of. Tonight, for example.”

  “I understand, Monika,” she said, “and I appreciate it.”

  “Wunderbar,” Monika said. “In the meantime, our lips are sealed, and Ludwig will know nothing of little escapades like tonight.”

  No, Jenny thought. Not as long as I do whatever you want me to do. She had known that her campaign to win Ludwig Von Meckling was going to be challenging, but she’d had no idea that she was going to have to please not only him but this monster sitting across from her. She told herself that it was worth it, that his hundreds of millions were worth it, that she wouldn’t have to sacrifice her own, real desires for too long a time. In the meantime, she would have to make certain that Monika was always on her side.

  Georgios Vilos picked up his cell phone again and pressed in the number for Captain Papadapolis, who picked up almost immediately.

  “Demetrios,” Georgios Vilos said. “I need a favor from you right away.”

  “Of course, Mr. Vilos,” the captain replied. “What can I do for you?”

  “I want you to put Mark ashore in São Vicente.”

  “You what?” Captain Papadapolis exclaimed. “But—”

  “But nothing,” Georgios Vilos replied. “I’m ordering you to put him ashore the moment you dock in São Vicente, Captain.”

  “Mark has committed a crime, Mr. Vilos,” Captain Papadapolis replied. “A very serious crime.”

  Georgios Vilos restrained himself from shouting. “I don’t give a goddamn what he’s done, Captain Papadapolis,” he said between clenched teeth. “I order you to put him ashore in São Vicente. I will fire you otherwise and see to it that you never get another job in shipping anywhere in the world.”

  “There could be a lawsuit, Mr. Vilos,” the captain pointed out. “Against the shipping line, Mark, you, and myself personally. This could get very nasty.”

  “I’m aware of that,” Georgios Vilos said, “but I want my son out of lockup. Do you understand?”

  Captain Papadapolis’ mind raced. He was in a quandary: There was no justification for letting Mark Vilos go free, but he didn’t want to lose his job, either. He knew Vilos well enough to know that he was as good as his word. I’ll never be able to get another job in the shipping industry, he thought. Never.

  “Mr. Vilos,” he said, “what if I put Mark under house arrest? That way, he could return to his stateroom. He would be confined there with a security detail posted at the door 24/7.”

  “An excellent suggestion, Captain,” Georgios Vilos replied. And it would make getting Mark off the ship very easy, he thought.

  “I’ll go talk to him right away,” Captain Papadapolis said. “I think this would work out for all parties concerned.”

  “Yes,” Vilos agreed. “Very good, Captain. Get back to me later.”

  “I will, Mr. Vilos. Good-bye,” Captain Papadapolis said. He flipped his cell phone closed and sighed. He didn’t like this, but it was the only way he could see to save his job and do the right thing. As long as Mark Vilos was under house arrest, he told himself, the plan would work. He decided to go down to the brig and speak to him immediately.

  The guard opened the door to Mark’s cell, and the captain stepped inside. “I want to talk to you,” he said as the guard closed the door behind him.

  Mark was propped against a pillow and spread out lengthwise on the cell’s built-in metal bed. He stared up at the captain with a smug smile. “I guess I don’t have any choice but to listen, do I, Captain?”

  “I’ve spoken to your father,” the captain said.

  “And?”

  “We’ve decided that you can be put under house arrest, Mark. That way, you can return to your stateroom.” The captain cleared his throat. “I’ll have to put guards from Security at your door, of course,” he added.

  Mark sat straight up in bed, glaring at the captain. “I’ve been arrested, Captain Papadapolis,” he snarled. “You yourself had me put in the brig. So I’ll stay in jail, thank you.”

  Demetrios Papadapolis sighed. The smug son of a bitch, he thought. His sense of dignity has been wounded, so he’s going to be pigheaded about this. “I think this would be an excellent compromise, Mark,” he went on. “It would satisfy your father and wouldn’t upset Ms. Fitzgerald, since you’d be under g
uard. I think it’s a fair solution for everyone, myself included.”

  “I don’t give a damn about satisfying you, that slut, Crissy Fitzgerald, or my father,” Mark spat back. “You put me here, and I’m staying here. I refuse to leave. Now get out of my cell, Captain.”

  Captain Papadapolis realized that nothing he could do or say would change the arrogant, recalcitrant young man’s mind. “Have it your way,” he said at last.

  “I will.” Mark laid back against the pillow, his smug smile in place again.

  The captain tapped on the cell door, and the guard opened it immediately. “Think about what I’ve said, Mark.”

  “Get out.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  The ship approached São Vicente, in the Cape Verde Islands, about eight o’clock in the morning. The weather had cleared, and the skies were sunny. The sea was once again calm, without a whitecap in sight. Crissy had just finished breakfast and found a place at the railing to watch their arrival. The name for the islands, she thought, was a misnomer. There was hardly any green in sight. The island appeared to have been stripped of every tree, bush, and blade of grass that had ever been there. Other than a few weathered tankers and fishing boats, the docks were empty. It looked as if the Sea Nymph would be the only cruise ship in port. As they neared the dock, she rushed down to the debarkation deck, where she was supposed to meet Luca.

  He spied her first and led her to the exit, where they were hurried through before anyone else. On the dock, they watched as men in small fishing boats approached the aft deck of the ship, calling up to crew who were gathered there as if waiting for them.

  “What’s going on?” Crissy asked.

  “They’re selling fish,” Luca explained. “The kitchen staff will buy some to cook for the passengers in first-class cabins, and they’ll buy some for themselves and other crew, too.”

  As they walked along the pier toward the shore, young men hawked jewelry that they either carried or had spread out on blankets. They were primarily very simple necklaces and bracelets carved of wood, some with wooden beads, others on cords or leather thongs.