Page 51 of Morally Gray Daddies

He shook his head. “Stay warm. There’s a chill in the air, and the last thing we need is any one of you getting sick.” He went back to cooking, squatting near the open flame.

It wasn’t long until we all had full bellies, were warm around the fire, and were almost forgetting we’d been hijacked a few short hours ago. Each of us was able to take care of our needs freely, clean up a bit, and I was even able to brush my hair and compose my appearance. I almost felt good again. Everyone’s spirits seemed lighter as casual talk happened around the fire. The men asked us questions and the women’s openness in answering surprised me. I, however, didn’t engage more than I had to, and Erik was very much the same. He simply stared into the fire, evidently lost in thought.

“My brothers and I have decided,” Pasco began, “that Dabney will be Shay’s, Maya will be Erik’s, and Rue will go to me.”

Erik looked up from the flames, directly into my eyes.

“And go where?” Rue asked. “Do you all live together?”

Erik broke his stare and looked at Rue. “No. We don’t live together, nor will you ever see each other again.”

The statement and how harsh Erik sounded while saying it confused me. Weren’t they brothers? Why wouldn’t we ever see each other again?

“What my brother is trying to say,” Pasco said, shooting Erik a dirty look, “is that we all live in different parts of the U.S. We’ll be parting ways tomorrow and going different directions to handle our own business. This was our last job together for a while.”

“It’s our last job, period,” Erik added.

Both women looked at me as if they were waiting for me to speak. Were they waiting for me to fight for them? Or were they simply waiting for me to give some sort of approval or permission? It appeared as if both didn’t really mind the news.

“And if we say no?” I challenged.

Pasco looked at his brothers and then chuckled in the most maniacal way one could. “Did it seem as if I were asking? Oh, you ladies need some major training if you had any hope in being a sex slave. Apparently, they didn’t break you all yet before your arrival.”

I glanced at Erik, who was staring intently at me from over the fire. The flames licking the air only darkened his expression. Rue and Dabney both instinctively pulled away from me as if preparing for the storm that they didn’t want to get caught in.

“Exactly,” I said, looking directly into Pasco’s eyes. “We are not broken, and you didn’t ask us. Maybe we aren’t interested.”

“And maybe we should have left your asses out there,” Pasco said, standing up as it was clear his anger was building. “Or maybe you all actually wanted to be sold off to Poseidon. You have no idea what those fuckers would have done to you once you arrived in Seattle.”

Erik rose as well, but didn’t move toward his brother. “Pasco’s right. We decided this is what will happen, and the conversation is over,” he said, staring at me as if in warning.

I glared in Erik’s direction, feeling as if he were somehow betraying me by backing Pasco. “This decision,” I looked at Dabney and Rue and then back up at Erik, “isn’t just for you and your brothers to make. We aren’t so-called sex slaves yet, and you aren’t our owners. We’re still human beings.”

“You gave up that freedom the minute you decided to board that boat,” Pasco boomed. “I’ve had enough of your mouth!” He stormed over in my direction with fury in his eyes.

Acting on instinct, I reached for the knife in my boot, which was still concealed under the blanket. When he aggressively pulled me to standing, I swiped the knife at Pasco with the intent to stab him in the heart. Moving much quicker than me, he grabbed my wrist, stopping me in my attack.

I had failed.

And by the look on Pasco’s face… I was going to die.

“What the hell?” he shouted, backhanding me across the face. I stumbled back and fell to the ground. The dead man’s hat Erik had placed on my head for warmth flew off, almost landing in the flames.

Wiping the blood from my split lip, I looked up just as Erik was taking hold of Pasco and throwing him back.

“Don’t touch her!” Erik roared. “Don’t you dare!”

“The bitch tried to kill me!” Pasco screamed, fury turning his face red. “Where in the hell did she get that knife?” He looked at me and tried to attack again, but Erik held him back. “I’m going to break her fucking neck.”

“I’ve got this under control,” Erik growled. “She’s mine now—we decided. So she is my responsibility. Not yours.”

“Says who? You didn’t even want her at first. You thought we should let them go,” Pasco said.

“Says me,” Erik answered between clenched teeth with eyes cast in a thick shadow. “I’ve decided right now that she’s mine.” He leaned forward and stared directly into Pasco’s eyes. “Don’t test me on this, big brother.”

Pasco studied his brother for several moments before declaring, “Fine. She is your problem. But tame that bitch, or I will.”

Chapter Three

---