The movement of the boat was even worse down here, the waves slamming me side to side against the narrow corridor. I pressed down on the door handle, stepping into the darkness, shining my torch around quickly so I could assess the state of the place.
I was right. We were taking on water, and if the couple of inches that splashed under my feet as I entered were anything to go by, we were in trouble.
I pinched my nose, muttering a prayer under my breath. I’d never been religious, but now seemed as good a time as any; however, as if the universe was laughing at my hope, a wave slammed into the boat, sending me staggering back and slamming into the metal wall, cracking my head on something behind me.
A whimper echoed out into the room, and I paused because I didn’t think I’d made that sound.
There it was again. Soft, filled with fear, muffled.
“Hello?” I called, shining my torch into the space. “I’ve got a gun,” I lied, making the muffle turn into more of a sob.
The boat rocked again, and I had to physically brace myself against the wall to keep myself upright.
“Hello?” I called again, starting in the nearest corner of the space and working my way around methodically.
And then, as I got to the furthest away space, something moved.
I stepped forward cautiously, nerves bubbling in my stomach, expecting someone to come out fighting… another masked man with a gun, but I was met with something very different indeed.
“Finn?” I screamed when I saw him, relief and fear hitting me simultaneously. “Jesus, Finn?”
I ran, bending down and shining the torch on him, the sounds of his whimpering only moments ago, the only proof I had that he was actually here and alive.
Lying on his side, his head twisted awkwardly up to the ceiling, he was gagged and his wrists and ankles bound and then tied together, so his body formed a weird circle. He looked in agony, and I realised his head was twisting because of the rising waterline.
“Shit, I’m here, little one. I’m right here.” I wasn’t sure he heard me, his eyes screwed shut, tears leaking from them.
I tugged at the wet rope, untying the knots with my shaking hands. As I did, his arms and legs moved slowly, but the more he unfurled, the more the tears fell, and I wondered if he was injured. My need to protect him and get him to safety roared to life inside me; nothing more important than getting him to Trav so we could take care of him together.
Not waiting another second, I removed his gag and scooped him up into my arms. I pressed his face to my chest, widening my stance to brace against the assault of the waves as I navigated my way back to the main deck, Finn falling apart as I held him together.
As I appeared in the doorway, Travis looked up, shining his torch in our direction. I lowered mine, so I didn’t blind him, shielding Finn’s eyes from the light.
“What the hell?” Travis gasped, but before any of us could say another word, the boat pitched so violently, we were all thrown backwards.
TRAVIS
Thunder cracked outside,lightning lit up the sky, the rain fell in biblical amounts, and the boat bounced around amongst it all. Each time a wave hit or we were thrown around violently, I expected this to be the end—we’d capsize or be broken into pieces and tossed into the water, but by some miracle, we hung on.
“Life jacket,” Jasper insisted.
“I can’t. My arm.” Finn was cradling his arm against his chest protectively.
I closed the distance between them, my fingers dusting along his jaw, as if I couldn’t bear to touch him properly in case he was a figment of my imagination, and he’d vanish like a puff of smoke.
Jasper set Finn down and turned him slowly, letting us see his obviously dislocated shoulder. My relief that he was alive was doused by the anger that someone had hurt him and lied about killing him.
“Let’s get the life jacket on you. I’ll be careful,” Jasper promised as he reached for one and eased it over his arm as Finn whimpered, biting his lip in obvious discomfort. “I’m so sorry they did this to you, little one.”
I saw red. “You told us you killed him. You let us think he was dead,” I screamed at the men who didn’t even look sorry. “You hurt him.” I looked back at Finn, who was pale, his eyes red from crying. “They hurt you.” My voice cracked. We’d persuaded him to come on the boat with us. This was our fault.
Like he could read my mind, Finn spoke. “Not your fault, my love.”
Emotion burned in my throat, my guilt eating me alive. Unable to stop myself, I stormed over to the men, raising my fist, ready to punch the smug fucker who reveled in telling us that Finn was ‘fish food’, but before I could smash him in the face, hands braced around me.
“This isn’t you, Trav. Breathe. I need you. We need you to find us a way out of here. Can you do that?” Jasper’s voice dampened my anger, and my fist uncoiled.
“If… no, when we get out here, you better hope the police arrest you because if I get my hands on you, I will kill you both.” I spat my angry words as Jasper pressed his hand into my lower back and led me back to Finn. I sat next to him on the floor, pulling him into my lap and breathing him in, relief that I got to hold him again hitting as hard as the waves struck the boat.