The Traitor ✓ (Book Six)

Chapter Forty Three

  "So what's your master plan to get us on that damn boat?" I ask.

  Maria stands at the opposite side of her bedroom, packing what she can into a single bag. Even now, sweaty from running around all day- she is beautiful.

  I do not deserve someone like her.

  "Just let me do the talking." She says. "He used to drive my dad's cheap yacht."

  "He had a.... Cheap yacht?" I raise an eyebrow.

  "Oh, it was only half a million. The one he usually uses is.... Insane."

  I could imagine that.

  I've never seen any of his other properties- or the main office building for Hernandez Co. If I stick around I'll probably get to..... but that's if Maria decides she wants to tolerate me. She's normally humble but... growing up the way she did she still has her moments.

  She zips her bag up. I check my phone- the ship leaves from a nearby port in an hour. We need to get there soon to get through the security crew. There is bullion of dollars worth of products and building material on board.

  "Ready?" I ask. She just nods.

  So we start descending the stairs- and she nearly jumps out of her skin when we smack into her father at the bottom.

  "Where ya going?" He asks.

  I jerk my head towards her. "You didn't tell him?"

  Oh boy. This should be fun.

  "Uh... somewhere we shouldn't."

  "And where is that?" He asks.

  "Oh.... Somewhere that doesn't concern you. Love ya dad." She hugs and then pushes past him. He raised an eyebrow at me but I just purse my lips together.

  When I was fourteen years old- I asked my parents if I could go to a house party, and like any decent parent they said no. I stomped off, angry-  and wouldn't speak to them that entire day until a thought crossed my mind and I decided I would go anyways.

  So that night, while they were asleep- I tiptoed down the stairs and out the door. I just hoped and prayed to a god I don't believe in that they wouldn't wake up before I got home.

  I was at that party maybe two hours before I was blackout drunk, high on too many drugs to name( I know, not my smartest moment). So in my drunken state I went to lay down at this strangers house- on what looked like a grandmas bed.

  I woke up with no clothes on.

  I'll never know what happened that night.  All I know is the next time I woke up, I was in my bed.

  Somebody could have killed me and I'd be laughing like a maniac the entire time. God, if Maria dies just because of this trip-

  "Well- keep her alive." Victor pats me on the shoulder. I nod, following Maria into the living room and out the front door.

  My motorcycle lays by their front gate, where it's been the past few days- only leaving once.

I'm getting too comfortable here. Bad things usually happen when I do that.

But against my own instincts, I pull the bike up and start it. Maria's in the back, arms wrapped around my waist. Ive seen the port a few times, so I don't need directions.

After a few minutes of driving, we arrive in the more populated part- the capital.

And then, it's just a few more before we reach the port. Today it's understandably busy- there has to be hundreds of people running around, making last minute adjustments, getting things in order. everybody recognizes her too, as the daughter of someone who could have them fired with a phone call.

She swings her legs over the side and hops off. Am employee side eyes her- then another, and a few more. They're terrified of her.

  I hold back a laugh.

  "Where is the captain?" She asks a bystander.

  "He's uh... uhm... I don't know, ma'm." The guy stutters.

  "In the kitchen!" Another shouts.

  Their version of a kitchen is a few portable burners and oatmeal packets on a pop up table a hundred yards away. And he's there, scarfing down three.

  We begin to walk in his direction. When we're less than twenty feet away and Maria's boot crunches a fallen leaf, he looks up.

  A hint of recognition flashes through his eyes.

  "Maria- oh my god it's been forever. How are you doing?"

  "I'm alive I guess." She shrugs. "Anyways, my father asked me to come here and inspect working and living conditions to.... Make sure they're up to standard."

  "Of course-" The captain scrambles to get up. "I'll show you to the sleeping quarters."

So for the next half hour, Maria performs some bullshit inspection, pretending to take in every detail. The quarters for more important employees are the nicest. The captain makes it a point to show us his, which he shares with three others and is tiny( but still much larger than the others). At the end, once Maria's 'satisfied' with the conditions, the head captain himself shows us where we'll be sleeping- in the second highest tier employee quarters since it's the only one available.

"We should be leaving in about half an hour." He informs us. "And we'll be in Nova Scotia by 9 am, but if you need anything don't hesitate to ask the staff. The on board 'kitchen' is in the main room below the deck if you're hungry."

Right before Maria packed, we ordered enough food to last a family of three a week..... and ate it all.

We should be good for a while.

I set my bag down on the single chair. Maria's lands on top of mine with a loud plunk.

The bed is barely big enough for one person.... but that'll be okay knowing us.

"Ya know- the walls are pretty thin." She says, reading my thoughts.

I smirk, pulling her closer- and she doesn't protest.

"I guess we'll just have to be quiet then."