By Sea

by Carly Fall

  Rayna rolled her eyes as her sister arranged her mouth in a pouty, yet sultry grin, and the woman snapped the picture with her phone. It would be a great shot with the boats in the far background.

  “What are you doing here?” the woman asked, continuing their conversation in Spanish.

  The man driving the golf cart pushed between them. “We need to go, Ms. Garcia.”

  “Just another minute,” Margarita said, stepping around him.

  “No. Now,” he ordered, grabbing her arm.

  Margarita shot him a nasty look, but then smiled at the woman. “I do need to go, love, but thank you so much for coming to speak with me!”

  “I love you, Margarita!” the woman called as the driver ushered Margarita into the back seat of the golf cart.

  Rayna slid in beside her.

  “I can’t believe I was recognized in the Virgin Islands!” Margarita proclaimed. “I’m telling you, Rayna, soon I will be a worldwide sensation!”

  The idea of being recognized wherever she went did not appeal to Rayna in the slightest bit. She preferred her anonymity, and couldn’t imagine living her life in the spotlight her sister craved so desperately.

  “I would have liked to go shopping, Ray-Ray. I don’t know why I can’t. Papa sent you here to protect me. I could shop and you could do what Papa wants you to do.”

  Rayna’s last nerve was about to come unraveled. Her day had started out at 5 a.m. when she met Margarita at the Richmond International Airport. From there, they had boarded a private jet to Charlotte, North Carolina. They immediately were transported to another plane to take them to St. Thomas. Exhaustion had set in, and she’d had just about enough of Margarita. Rayna tuned her out as she prattled on about how unfair it was that she wasn’t allowed to visit the exquisite shops lined up at the entrance to the marina.

  The golf cart bounced along the dock planks as Rayna looked at the boats. Some were monstrous yachts; others were smaller day vessels. Their white hulls gleamed in the sun as the squawk of the sea birds floating above met her ears. A cool, light breeze wafted from the water and she smiled as it caressed her skin. She always forgot how much she truly loved the ocean.

  “You seem so uptight today, Rayna,” Margarita said.

  “No, I’m fine.”

  “No, your not. That’s the first time I’ve seen you smile all day long, and I see you rolling your eyes at me. I’m sorry you don’t think I’m wonderful, but there are millions of people in this world who do.”

  “I never said that, or gave you any indication I don’t think you’re wonderful, Margarita,” Rayna said with a sigh. The cart came to a stop, and Rayna stepped out, reaching for her bag.

  In Spanish, Margarita said, “I think your problem is you just need to get laid, little sister.”

  That was it—her nerve unraveled. “Shut up, Margarita!” she yelled turning toward her sister. The fact of the matter was she probably did need some sex, but Margarita didn’t need to be broadcasting that to everyone on the dock.

  Ignoring her, Margarita slipped her sunglasses down her nose and said in her native tongue, “And there are two very fine men who I’m sure would be happy to oblige.”

  Rayna spun around, praying the two men didn’t speak Spanish. Her breath caught as she immediately recognized one of the men.

  “Holy shit,” she whispered.

  “My thoughts exactly,” Brody grumbled.

  Chapter 19

  Rayna stared at Brody, almost unable to comprehend what she was seeing and momentarily forgetting she was angry at Margarita. Yes, it was the same tall, dark, extremely rude and ruggedly good-looking man she had seen three months ago. What was he doing greeting her as she boarded the yacht with her damn sister?

  Confusion tore through her as she tried to put the pieces together. Brody stood before her dressed in a white shirt, the emblem indicating he was Captain of the yacht.

  It didn’t make any sense. Her father had assured her the company he hired for protection was private, not a government agency. As far as she knew, Brody belonged to the government.

  Margarita announced that the cruise wouldn’t be too bad with two good-looking guys on it, and she swept over to Brody and extended her hand. “I’m Margarita Garcia,” she purred.

  “It’s nice to meet you Margarita,” he said, giving her a small smile. “My name is Brody. I’m the Captain of the yacht, and this is my right-hand man, Jason.”

  “Hello, Jason,” she said, her gaze raking over him, “You’re absolutely darling. Please, grab my bags and help me get settled.”

  Jason’s cheeks flamed, and Margarita laughed as he walked over to the golf cart, picked up two Louis Vuitton suitcases and followed her into the yacht, leaving Rayna and Brody alone.

  “What are you doing here?” he hissed. “Did they send you?”

  Rayna shook her head and dropped her red duffel bag at her feet. “That’s my sister,” Rayna whispered, pointing at the doorway where Margarita had disappeared. “What are you doing here?”

  “Bullshit,” he said, ignoring her question. “There’s no way you being here is a coincidence like that.”

  Rayna crossed her arms over her chest. “Then call it divine intervention, Brody. I’m not here in an official government capacity. I’m here because my sister’s life is in danger.”

  “You’re lying, and you aren’t getting on my fucking boat,” he growled.

  “And I see your disposition hasn’t improved one iota since our last meeting.”

  Brody looked as though he was going to say something, but Margarita’s shrill voice interrupted him.

  “Rayna!” Margarita called, “Come see this lovely boat!”

  “I am getting on your fucking boat, Brody. Our father has paid handsomely for your services, and I expect you to do exactly what you were hired to do: protect my sister.”

  Brody’s nostrils flared, and his lip twitched. “I’ll need to call my boss before we set sail and tell him exactly who his client is.”

  “You do that,” Rayna said, bending down to pick up her bag, but Brody beat her to it. She caught the scent of a light aftershave mixed with ocean and just a tinge of sweat and inhaled deeply.

  “I’ll get your bag, but we aren’t done talking about this,” Brody grumbled. “Once you two get settled in and I talk to my boss, I’m going to want more information out of you.”

  Rayna followed him. “I’ve told you everything there is to know. What are you going to do? Take me downstairs, tie me up and interrogate me?”

  He threw her a nasty look over his shoulder. “Don’t tempt, me, Ms. CIA. Don’t tempt me.”

  Chapter 20

  As Brody carried in the red duffel bag, he realized Rayna’s presence had him very rattled and very angry. As the boat rocked from the waves, he took a few deep breaths. Walking down the stairs to the lower staterooms, he tried to focus and figure things out, and the rock of the boat subsided.

  If Rayna was here truly for her sister, it was definitely an amazing coincidence. The trouble with that line of thinking was that Brody didn’t believe in coincidence. He relied on hard facts.

  Fact one: Rayna was a CIA agent who had been tasked just over three months ago to check up on him, and now he heard her footsteps behind him on the stairs.

  Fact two: From the first time he laid eyes on her, he’d been attracted to her. He longed to run his fingers through her messy hair and to feel that long, thin body against his. She looked hot as hell in her green sundress that sat at mid-thigh with a very low neckline.

  He reminded himself he knew very little about her. He didn’t know if she was married or had a boyfriend at home. She was still hot as hell, and if weren’t for her being a CIA agent, he’d try to bed her in an instant as long as there wasn’t a husband at home, of course.

  He glanced down at her hand. No ring.

  Fact three: Trying to bed her would be a very, very bad idea.

  “Here’s your room,” he said, his voice sounding lethal even to his
own ears.

  “Thanks,” she muttered, their arms brushing up against each other as she moved past him into the room sending a wave of energy throughout his body.

  She looked around briefly at the queen-sized bed covered in a brown and white comforter, the shiny wooden built-in dresser on the opposite wall and the expensive art hanging on the walls.

  “This is nice,” she said crossing her arms over her chest and gazing at him.

  “Glad you like it. I need you upstairs for a safety meeting before we set sail. First, I need to make that phone call,” he said, trying not to glimpse at the hint of cleavage as he turned to head up to the Main Salon.

  “Wait a minute,” Rayna said, walking over to him. “I have a few questions myself, Brody.”

  “Like what?”

  “I want to know about this yacht. It doesn’t look like a place where someone would go for protection. What about the windows? The boat itself? The crew? Can they be trusted?”

  He gazed down at her, just a foot of space between their bodies. He found it interesting that she wasn’t asking questions about his escape from his previous life, but about how exactly the boat was going to protect her sister. Her grey gaze bore into him, questioning, yet expecting answers.

  He debated whether to tell her anything. What if it was some ploy for her to get the specs on the boat so that the government could swoop in and nail him? It seemed far-fetched. If the government truly wanted him, they would have come in full steam at the dock.

  “And what do you want with the information?” he asked, just testing the waters.

  She stared at him a beat, and then sighed. “Brody, this isn’t about you. This is about my sister who has received death threats. I could care less about your life, the accident that gave you whatever supernatural power you think you have, or the government. Right now, this is all about my sister. She’s in trouble and I’m here to help her.”

  Brody smiled, feeling confident in his initial assessment. Ms. super-hot CIA wasn’t here for him, but he still wanted to talk to Joe.

  “The crew is trained in martial arts and weaponry, and most have some sort of military training,” he murmured. “As for the specs on the boat, that’s none of your goddamn business. Your sister’s safe here.”

  Rayna licked her lips and nodded her head. “Are you going to be this rude the whole time I’m here?” she asked.

  He sighed. It would be a long trip if he didn’t cut her some slack. “You showing up here is a pretty big coincidence,” he said.

  “It is, and that’s all it is, Brody. I’m not here in any official capacity. So it would be great if we could play nice while I’m on the ship.”

  And what about after the trip? Would she go running back to the CIA with his whereabouts?

  “We’ll see,” Brody said, stepping out of the doorway. “We need to get under way after I make my phone call, so please, come upstairs for the safety meeting.”

  Rayna brushed by him again, and Brody followed her up the stairs, trying to ignore the sway of her slender hips and the muscles rippling through her long legs.

  Chapter 21

  Awed by her surroundings, Rayna had never been in such luxury. Everything on the one hundred and fifteen foot boat screamed money and pretentiousness; however, it was also comfortable and soothing. She imagined if she weren’t here to babysit Margarita, she would enjoy the trip very much.

  She sat on the soft, white leather couch, smiling at the two women from the crew.

  “Hi,” she said to both.

  “Hello!” the older one chirped. “My name’s Katie, and this lovely, young lady is Heidi.”

  “Hi, Heidi,” Rayna said.

  “Hello,” Heidi retorted without a smile. It seemed she had the same disposition as Brody, and Rayna hoped she could appreciate this trip despite the two rude crewmembers.

  Brody bounded down the stairs from the upper level as she heard her sister talking with someone at the front of the ship.

  “Rayna!” Margarita called. “Come look at this gorgeous room!”

  Rayna moved to stand, but Brody put his hand on her shoulder, keeping her exactly where she was. “No, stay here. I’ll go get her. We need to get underway, and then you two can tour the boat.”

  Rayna nodded as he headed toward Margarita’s voice, her shoulder still warm from his light touch.

  A moment later Margarita swooped into the room followed by Brody and the other male crewmember.

  “Please, sit down, Ms. Garcia,” Brody said.

  Margarita sat on the far end of the same couch as Rayna. “Please, call me Margarita,” she purred, her gaze raking over Brody.

  Brody gave her a small smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Okay, Margarita. As you already know, my name is Brody. I’m the captain of this vessel. This is Jason,” he said, gesturing to the other man, “and these two lovely ladies are Heidi and Katie. Danny, our chef, is in the kitchen preparing a late lunch. We’re all here to make sure your stay with us is comfortable and safe.”

  “Excellent!” Margarita nodded, standing and looking at Heidi and Katie. “Would one of you be a doll and unpack my bags leaving out the red bikini? Perhaps the other could whip up a Rum Punch or Cosmo for me? It’s been a long day and I’d like to sun myself and relax.”

  “Sit down,” Brody said, his voice hard, but a smile on his face.

  “Excuse me?” Margarita asked.

  “I said, sit down. I’m not done talking yet.”

  Margarita pursed her lips and crossed her arms over her ample chest. While Rayna was sinewy muscle, Margarita’s hourglass figure was luscious curves, reminding Rayna of the Kardashian women. “Let me make something clear here,” Margarita murmured, “I am the client, you are the crew. You just said the crew’s job was to make sure that I’m comfortable, and right now I’m not. I’m tired from my trip, and I would like a cocktail and to spend some time sunning myself.”

  Brody’s nostrils flared, and Rayna bit her lip to hide her smile. A contest of wills was taking place, and she wondered who would win. If she were a betting girl, she’d place her money on Margarita. Brody stepped up to her sister, completely invading her space. Margarita took a small step back, her knees flush with the couch. She had nowhere else to go.

  “You’re right,” Brody growled, still smiling, “I did say that. But I also said we’re responsible for your safety. I need to go over the safety rules, so sit down.”

  “Are you trying to bully me?” Margarita screeched.

  “No,” Brody said, his tone glacially calm, “I’m trying to do my job. Now, sit.”

  He leaned forward just a bit, forcing Margarita to be seated.

  Rayna glanced over at her sister and could practically see the anger radiating off her.

  “Do you know who I am?” Margarita hissed, staring up at Brody.

  Brody smiled. “Of course I do. You’re Margarita Garcia, the person whose life is in danger. You’re the woman I’ve been assigned to keep alive.”

  “That’s right, I’m the client!” Margarita shouted.

  “And I’m captain of this goddamn boat!” Brody yelled. “I’m in charge here, so you are going to listen to me!”

  Rayna had heard enough, and was glad she wasn’t a gambler as Brody had clearly won the battle. In Spanish she said, “Margarita, please just shut the hell up so we can get out of here. You’ll get your drink and your sun soon enough. Just take five minutes and listen to him.”

  “I don’t like people telling me what to do,” Margarita huffed in Spanish, her piercing gaze never leaving Brody.

  “I know, but he’s trying to keep you alive, so just listen, okay?”

  Margarita nodded, sat back on the couch, and crossed her arms over her chest. She reminded Rayna of a pouting child.

  “Now then, here are the rules,” Brody continued. “Most of it is self-explanatory. First, stay out of the engine room. You don’t seem like you’d be very interested in that anyway, right Margarita?”

  She sniffed,
and Rayna suppressed a smile. Margarita in the engine room was like a dead fly floating in wine: you didn’t want it there. Thankfully, Margarita had no interest in engines, noise or grease.

  “Second, you’re welcome in the Bridge, but please don’t go in there unattended. We will also have a curfew for the boat. After dark, it’s imperative we are all inside.”

  Rayna studied Brody as he talked about what to do if the ship were to go down. Good Lord, the guy was attractive. He pushed his black shaggy hair off his forehead, his dark eyes gleaming against his tanned skin. Once again, she noted he didn’t look like a solider, let alone a soldier who was the target of some government experiment.

  She wondered what the outcome of the explosion had been. Why did the government want to keep him on such a tight leash? What had they done or altered within him that was so secret, so hush-hush that required him to be monitored on a monthly basis? And, how had he escaped it?

  “If you see me running through the boat with a lifejacket, it’s a good indication you should do the same,” he grinned, and Rayna chuckled.

  “Upstairs are the Sky Lounge and the Bridge. The floor above that is the hot tub and some large cushions where you can lay in the sun.”

  He glanced at Rayna and Margarita as if he expected them to say something, but both remained quiet. “We have security cameras throughout the boat, except in the bedrooms, which are monitored at all times.”

  Rayna nodded, liking the fact that someone would be keeping an eye on Margarita when she couldn’t, or when she needed a little time to herself.

  “We also require you to turn in all devices that allow you to access the Internet,” Brody said. “We don’t want your whereabouts known to anyone.”

  Margarita shook her head. “No. My fans will miss my posts on Facebook and my pictures on—“

  “The last thing we want is you interacting with anyone on social media,” Brody said.

  “But—”

  “No. So please hand over your devices to Katie.”