The Devil's CrownPart Two - Monica James Page 0,85
that’s how far the closest port is.
Alek huffs in annoyance, which means he knows I’m right.
“I have a plan,” he reveals, surprising me because I didn’t realize there was a plan B. “I need to get onto their yacht and find out our coordinates. If we’re traveling back toward Russia, we need to change course. Three days until the nearest port seems like a long time, but I don’t know how far the storm pushed us out.
“Relying on these people, these strangers for three days is too long.”
Nodding firmly, I agree with Alek’s plan B. Something about Maria rubbed me the wrong way, and it has nothing to do with her eye fucking him. Well, not entirely.
“Can I at least get you some more aspirin?”
Alek finally breaks eye contact with the yacht as he looks at me. I can see his confusion as to why I’m playing nice. I want to tell him why, but decide we need to focus on one drama at a time.
“Thank you. And some scotch.”
“Oh, what was that?” I cup my ear with a smirk. “A nice big glass of water?”
With his head injury, mixed with painkillers, there is no way I’m giving him any more alcohol.
He grins, almost sending me to my ass, reminding me how handsome he is when he smiles.
I quickly take the stairs, heart in my throat because I’ve missed that playfulness. Since this entire shitshow started, I haven’t laughed, and I’ve forgotten how good it feels. Maybe it doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom.
Maybe there is hope for me yet.
Grabbing some aspirin and a bottle of water, I venture back upstairs. A yawn tackles me from out of nowhere. I mute it behind the back of my hand, but Alek heard it.
“Get some sleep.”
“No,” I argue, handing him the aspirin and water. “I’m fine.”
I ignore the fact that I now sound like Alek.
Alek pops the lid on the aspirin bottle and throws back god knows how many before downing them with a large swallow of water.
“There’s no point in both of us being tired,” he reasons, and he’s right.
Sooner or later, he’s going to be dead on his feet, which means he might make decisions he wouldn’t normally make. Fatigue does that. I need to be on my A game for both of us.
He senses my defeat.
“I’ll wake you if I need you. I promise.”
Another unexpected yawn escapes me, indicating the prospect of sleep is too good to pass up. “Okay. But only for a minute.”
A cushioned lounge sits to Alek’s left, which is where I curl up and welcome sleep. Alek knows better than to argue by insisting I go to bed. When apart, bad things happen, and now, with the unknown once again facing us, we can’t take any risks.
My eyes are heavy, but I open them nonetheless, certain I’ve been asleep for only a few minutes. But when the bright sunlight blinds me, I realize it’s been much longer than that.
It takes my eyes a moment to adjust to the daylight, but when they do, I suddenly wish I was blind.
Lounging feet away is a bronzed goddess, wearing skimpy bikini bottoms, and that’s it. She doesn’t seem at all concerned that her boobs are sunny side up, bouncing to whatever song sounds through her earbuds.
Rising to a sitting position, I brush my matted hair off my face and look at Alek. Thankfully, he is lost in another world, paying no attention to the naked Maria feet away.
“Hey,” I hoarsely say, stretching.
My voice snaps Alek from whatever thoughts are plaguing him. He turns to face me, smiling. “Good morning. How did you sleep?”
“Better than you,” I quip, which has him grinning.
With Maria in earshot, I mouth, “Location?”
He discreetly shakes his head. Maria has no problem disclosing what cup size she is, but she’s tightlipped about revealing where we are.
“I’ll make us some coffee.”
“No need,” interrupts Maria, removing her earbuds. “I already made us some when you were sleeping.”
I don’t remember asking her if she wanted coffee because when I said us, I meant Alek and I. But it seems she beat me to the punch.
Why is she even here? But the better question is, where is the rest of her bikini?
“Olek, are you hungry?” I purposely direct my question toward Alek because I would rather starve to death than eat with little miss perky boobs.
When he pulls his lips into a thin line, indicating Maria’s coffee came with breakfast, I roll my eyes and stand. “I’m