Page 29 of Why Cruise

“Date rape drugs. Omega trafficking. Murder.” I counted them off on three fingers. “Those are the only things the Knightbridges will not have locked down in a matter of months. You want to swim in that pool?”

“Well, if the money’s right…”

“You dumb fuck. Open that case.” I pointed to a shiny red thing on the top shelf.

Tommy’s whistle echoed off the metal walls as he popped the suitcase. Inside, neatly arranged packets of the club drug Disco,pill and powder. Vacuum sealed, labeled, ready for distribution. This wasn’t some trust fund kid’s personal stash.

“Maybe I’m wrong,” Tommy said, eyes wide. “This might actually cover your debt.”

I pulled out one of the smaller packets, checking the seal. Pure Disco, none of that watered-down club shit. This was the kind of thing that could keep an alpha going through three heats back to back.

“Tell you what,” I tucked the packet into my wallet next to my picks. “I’ll do fifty-fifty if you can move all this.”

“I still don’t get why you’re being so stubborn.” Tommy started shoving packets into his pockets. “Pack bonds aren’t that bad.”

“No offense.” I took a mental inventory of what I could see. I wasn’t about to break Rule One, but this was an untapped resource. “But I’d rather peel my skin off than share a pack bond with you.”

Tommy just shrugged. He wasn’t offended. Tommy never was. That was probably his only redeeming quality. Tommy knew he was a piece of shit and was content with it.

“Man, it’s not that bad. It’s not like we all live together. You probably wouldn’t even have to touch Gaston’s dick.”

“I’m not even going to dignify that with a response. Let’s go. And try not to look like you’re smuggling drugs in your cargo shorts.”

Tommy had at least enough common sense to check the hall before opening the door all the way and stepping out.

“Remember, move small amounts. Don’t get greedy.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Tommy practically vibrated with excitement. “Then the casino tonight?”

“Keep your voice down.” I made a show of wiping the handle down with eyeglass cleaner wipes. I wasn’t dumb enough to have actually touched anything. “And we need to be smart about it. Even on a cruise ship, casinos have security.”

“But everyone’s drunk and throwing money around, anyway.” Tommy practically skipped down the hall next to me. “Easy pickings.”

“The passengers might be stupid and drunk. But the staff isn’t. It’s still a casino, even if it’s on a boat.”

“So what, we run a crossroad?” Tommy grinned like he’d just learned a new word and couldn’t wait to use it. “I could ghost for you.”

“If you use any more gambling terms, I’ll throw you overboard myself.” I checked the hallway before stepping out. “Just… try to act normal. And for fuck’s sake, stop bouncing. You look like you’re about to rob the place.”

“But weareabout to rob the place.”

Justice

I refused to watch the omega walk away from me. I squeezed my eyes shut and downed my last sip of wine. Willing my fingers not to shake, I delicately placed it on the table with the remains of our dessert. Everything in me wanted to shatter it into a million pieces. Better the glass than my very being.

I looked down at my feet in the designer shoes. The bargaining phase had begun.Feet, if you dare make me follow those omegas, I’ll chuck you right over board.

I took the stairs up to the pool deck and wove through the tables and deck chairs. The wine was a pleasant buzz, but not enough to make me tipsy or dumb.

Movement caught my eye. Down the deck, a figure paced near the railing. Even in the dim lighting, I knew it was Ren. I’d be a lying asshole if I said I never thought about him. Every day, actually, for years and years. Once, in pathetic desperation, I had hired a PI to find him. The resulting dossier was two inches thick. I had fed it to the industrial shredder at the office without opening it.

He was arguing with someone, his gestures sharp and angry.None of my damn business. None.I turned my back on him, like he had on me all those years ago.

I took another flight of stairs up. Kinda damn proud my feet were obeying for the time being. I hadn’t been to this part of the ship yet. There was shuffleboard and mini golf. A ridiculous climbing wall loomed at the far end. Thirty feet max, with routes so obvious a child could read them. Nothing like the limestone faces in Kalymnos or the endless challenges of El Cap. Not that I had the time to properly tackle El Cap. A boy could dream.

The bright plastic holds caught what little light there was, cartoon color coding to help you pick your path to the top. The auto-belay systems hung limp, carefully stowed for the night. Amateur hour compared to real climbing. But then again, my first wall hadn’t been much different.

Ren had forced me to go that first time.

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