Kidnapped By The Pirates | Jake FF

♯ 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞 ೀ

𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐇𝐄𝐄'𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐕

I froze, lifting the bottle of wine and holding it firmly in my hands so I wouldn't drop it. I refused to let it show, but Jayden's yelling had definitely startled me. I was used to people throwing fits—I'd worked on luxury ships long enough to have seen just about every type of behaviour from insufferable rich people—but red-faced yelling was not part of the rotation.

Most of all, I didn't appreciate Jayden calling my entire crew imbeciles. To come for me was one thing, but I wouldn't allow derision about role as the stewardess knowing I would take the fall if anything went wrong.

But despite that, someone actually telling me that something was going wrong was sending me into a bit of tailspin. I'd never liked Jayden to begin with and had never found a way to be able to take him down a few notches when he was upset.

Besides, as the help—which Jayden had always made it clear we were—I wasn't allowed to speak on my own behalf unless prompted. Jayden's questions had all been for Jake. Everyone, both at the table and around the room, turned to him to see what he would say.

Jake cleared his throat. "Jayden, Sunhee is perfectly competent. But she would have had to have been a clairvoyant to see it coming that the romantic dinner for two I had requested for myself and Hyesu and would become a dinner for six. I also should add that you changed the time we were planning to eat. You sprung this on us and on the crew, so you don't get to be a total bollocks about it. In fact, you should be grateful the crew has anything to offer you at all."

I nearly let out a sigh of gratitude. My entire body relaxed. Even if Jayden was going to be an asshole, the person who'd given me the title in the first place had my back. That was the most I could ask for.

I looked over at Jake, and when we locked eyes, he winked at me. I felt myself blushing but quickly shook it off. There was no time for that.

I turned to Jayden, feeling a little sturdier now. "Chef Daesung is working hard on a meal that is worthy of the company, sir." I said. Or at least, he'd better be. But if there was one thing I knew about Daesung, it was that even if he complained the entire time, he always knew how to make it work. "And I believe the starter will be coming out any moment."

Jayden didn't seem at all appeased by my words even though that was as much as I could offer him at the moment.

"Well, off you go, then," Jayden said gruffly. "And don't bloody come back without it!" He practically shooed me out of the dinning room, and I hurried down to the gallery to see what was taking so long.

I went downstairs, my demeanour changing from polite customer service to boss lady in charge. I always felt better when it was just me and the crew. I could actually be a real person around the, unlike when I was dealing with any patrons on a ship.

As I rounded toward the kitchen, I heard Chef Daesung and Maddie arguing.

"What the hell is going on down here?" I asked.

"We can't serve Clams Casino to Jayden. He hates clams—he's said this repeatedly. He thinks they're a poor man's oyster," Maddie said.

Daesung was clearly at the end of his rope. "Christ, Maddie, do you see any oysters around here?" he asked. "Do not come to me with this shit when serving something is better than serving nothing at all."

"I'm telling you; we can't give him this," Maddie said.

"Basta! Take up the clams!" Daesung said, brushing her off. "Jake picked this menu; I'm just executing it. Bring it up with him if there's a problem at the table."