Simon was in his office, ready to end the phone call, when he heard a series of urgent knocks. "Come in," he whispered, barely taking his eyes off the cluttered desk in front of him.
"We've got a problem."
Simon sighed and glanced at the man, immediately recognizing him as Randy Perez, the head of security. He leaned back in his chair, giving Randy his full attention. "What did you mess up this time?"
Randy Perez swallowed, gripping the walkie-talkie tightly in his large hand. "I just received a message from the captain."
"And?" Simon was already getting annoyed by Randy's slow way of speaking. But he held back his frustration and waited. Losing his temper wouldn't help him in any way. The situation had already escalated enough for the night, and the last thing he wanted was to draw more attention to his plans.
Randy nervously moistened his lips. "The captain just received a message about a local police team heading our way. They received a missing person report and want to dock at the nearest port. They're requesting our cooperation to search the cruise ship."
Simon didn't need a second thought to figure out who was behind the report. He had already been informed by Viper about those three troublesome individuals who dared to interfere with his relationship with Carmen.
Idiotic fools!
Knowing that Ronin Logan had the audacity to still play a part in Carmen's life infuriated him even more. Wasn't he done with her by now? Didn't he have his chance and blow it? Why was he causing so much trouble now? Couldn't he just leave her alone?
He hated that even after divorcing that beautiful woman, Ronin continued to interfere in her life. And what infuriated him more was that Carmen allowed it. Why would she do that? Wasn't it hypocritical on her part? She rejected him over a single lie—one lie—and yet she granted the man who had completely turned her life upside down with a mock wedding the right to be her savior?
It did not, and that made him even angrier.
He shook his head, trying to contain the frustration bubbling beneath his composed facade. Once he had Carmen safely within the walls of his fortress, the first thing he needed to make her understand was that he was all she had and all she needed. There was no room for any other man or confidant in her life, not even Molly. He wanted to be everything to her. Everything and more.
There was a brief moment of silence before Simon spoke up. "Inform the captain to comply with the necessary procedures. If the local authorities want to inspect our cruise ship, we're prepared to cooperate. How much time do we have until their arrival?"
"A couple of hours."
Simon let out a thoughtful sound. "Get in touch with Stephanie and tell her to clean up the mess and make sure anyone who might spill the beans stays quiet. I don't care how much it costs, just prevent them from saying anything stupid. Also, arrange for the chopper. Carmen and I will leave as soon as we can. When the cops show up, tell them my fiancée fell sick, and I had to bring her home."
"Understood!" Randy dashed out of the room within a minute, already barking orders on the device in his hand.
Simon signed the final document on his desk and neatly stacked the papers together. He placed them into a sleek leather folder and then tucked it into the top drawer beneath his desk. With all the important tasks taken care of, it was time to ensure Carmen's comfort. Hopefully, she had learned her lesson and wouldn't complicate things for herself.
* * *
Carmen tested the sturdiness of the small wooden fragment she had managed to find amidst the wreckage of the broken chair. It wasn't as sharp or slim as a knife, so it wouldn't cause severe harm, but she hoped it would be enough to give her a head start if things took a dangerous turn.
Right now, all she wished for was the courage to go through with it.
Her father used to say that Carmen couldn't hurt a fly, which, on normal days, provided her comfort. However, in this situation, it implied weakness and an inability to defend herself. But she was certain he would think differently if he saw her now. Carmen was contemplating doing something she had never imagined—harming someone to protect herself. She was considering making someone bleed in order to ensure her own safety.
Oh, how the tables had turned!
Carmen wasn't exactly thrilled about her plans, but she couldn't deny that being aggressive and resorting to violence was necessary in the current circumstances. After all, those individuals were armed with guns, for crying out loud. They posed a far greater threat than a mere stab to the shoulder or thigh.
Her breath caught in her throat as she heard footsteps echoing outside the heavy metal door. She swiftly concealed the wooden weapon in the pocket of her skirt. She had already discarded the cruise t-shirt, the one Ronin and Jasper had asked her to wear to throw off their pursuers, even if only temporarily.
Now, with the pocket easily accessible, she hoped she wouldn't be caught with the weapon. Getting caught with it would undoubtedly worsen her situation, if not make it more perilous.
To avoid arousing suspicion, Carmen grabbed a random wooden stick, possibly an armrest from the broken chair, and held it defensively towards the door. As the door swung open, the same man with a toothpick in his mouth appeared.
For the first time, Carmen had a clear view of him from the front, and she couldn't deny the air of danger emanating from his dark eyes.
He was tall and slim, yet his muscles were evident as the sleeves of his black leather jacket stretched around his biceps and chest. His fingers were adorned with a mix of golden and silver rings, and there was a nasty cut running from the left side of his jaw down to his neck.
It wasn't something hard to miss, but she figured at the time he dragged her into this hell, she had more pressing matters to focus upon than his dangerous, rugged looks.
The man's piercing gaze landed on Carmen, his eyes briefly narrowing as he took in her defensive stance. His lips curled into a smirk, revealing a hint of amusement. It was as if he found her feeble attempt at self-defense amusing.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" He taunted, his voice carrying a rough edge. "Trying to play tough, aren't we?"
Carmen's grip on the makeshift weapon tightened, her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn't afford to show any signs of weakness, even if her insides trembled with fear. She met his gaze with steely determination, refusing to let her fear swallow her.
"You won't get away with this," she declared, shaking her head and swallowing hard. "I'm not alone, you know? There are people who care about me. They'll stop at nothing to find me."
In that moment, Carmen wasn't entirely certain how much of that statement held true. She knew that Ronin, Molly, and Jasper had been locked up just like she had been by Simon a few hours ago. There was no way to know if they had managed to find help and free themselves. Since they were the only ones aware of her situation, it was impossible to determine if any help was on its way.
Nevertheless, Carmen had to maintain a positive mindset and do whatever she could to buy herself as much time as possible.
The man chuckled, the sound reverberating throughout the room. "Feisty, I like that," he remarked, taking a step closer. "But trust me, sugar, you're way out of your league here. No one's looking for you. I made sure of that."
His grin made her stomach churn, a wave of nausea washing over her.
Carmen's heart sank at the man's words. The weight of his claim bore down on her, threatening to shatter her hope. She couldn't let herself believe that no one was coming for her, that she was truly alone in this nightmare.
"You're lying," she retorted, her voice trembling but determined. "They'll find a way. They always do."
The man's grin widened, revealing a sinister glint in his eyes. He took another step closer, invading her personal space. The smell of his cologne mixed with the faint scent of tobacco filled the air, making her queasy.
"Oh, sugar, you have no idea," he sneered, his voice oozing with malicious delight. "You're underestimating the extreme measures I've taken to ensure your little support system remains clueless. Your so-called 'heroes' won't be swooping in to save you."
With a swift motion, he seized her arm, twisting it behind her back. "Now, do yourself a favor and drop that pathetic little thing." He gestured disdainfully towards the wooden shaft, his voice a low growl in her ear.
Carmen gasped, pain shooting up her shoulder. "Okay. Okay." She spat out, grimacing, dropping the shaft with a loud clank. She squirmed, desperately trying to wriggle free from his grip.
Surprisingly, he didn't put up a fight and released her, as if he couldn't be bothered. Carmen rubbed her arm, shooting him a crude glare filled with defiance and anger.
The man paid no mind to her hostility, casually shifting his toothpick from one corner of his mouth to the other.
"Come on, the boss is waiting," he said dismissively, already walking towards the door with a lazy stride. "The man is impatient when it comes to his woman."
Reluctantly, Carmen followed, her mind racing with thoughts of escape and a desperate hope that somehow, against all odds, she would find a way to outsmart her captors and find her way back to Ronin, Molly, and Jasper.
They were the only ones she could trust now, the only ones who mattered.
A/N: Carmen's troubles don't seem to be ending soon haha What do you think about the plot/book so far? I would love to know what you think.
Also, thank you again for picking my book, you have no idea how much it means. I always have a huge smile on my face whenever someone adds the book to their reading lists :)
Last, but not least, give me a follow on wattpad to stay in the loop with the latest announcements I have regarding the book. I'll be starting to stay more active on my wall from now on :)
Have a good day!!!