Page 49 of What Doesn't Kill Us

Theyallstareatme as if I’ve got multiple heads, but no one says anything. So, I try again, “Name your price. I’m good for it.”

“I’m afraid there is no price.” A new voice from the doorway draws my attention. “As much as I like money, my reputation is priceless.”

The new person is standing in the shadows, and I squint my still-light-sensitive eyes as I stare in that direction. I recognize that voice. “Jayme Devereaux, is that you?”

He steps through the doorway, a grim smile on his face as he turns to me and replies, “In the flesh. I can’t say I’m overjoyed to see your stupid face under these circumstances.”

I laugh. “Honestly, seeing your stupid face doesn’t bring me any joy, either. Especially knowing I can’t buy you off, even given our colorful history.”

He shrugs, inclining his head at me in acknowledgment of these facts. “Last I checked, we were even-stevens, so it’s not like I owe you anything. I certainly don’t owe you my reputation.”

He walks further into the room, waving his hand above his head and pulling on a short cord that illuminates the room with a click. Agatha’s agitated voice from the corner draws all their attention. “Motherfucker. There was a light in here the whole time.”

“Nearly impossible to find, even if we had tried harder,” I reply. We had checked every inch of the walls to see if there was a switch, and we waved our hands around to see if maybe there was some type of string hanging, but it was obviously too short to find.

Jayme stares at Agatha with interest. She glares at him and spits out, “What are you looking at?”

Amusement flares in his eyes, and he gives her a winning smile. “I would think that’d be obvious.”

She curls her lip at him. “Don’t get any ideas unless you wanna lose those eyes.”

He throws his head back and laughs, and she bristles even more. After a few moments, he sobers and says, “Finally, a woman after my heart. I have to say I’m kind of disappointed that I’m required to offload you at the end of the journey.”

Agatha continues to glare at him, her arms crossing over her chest. “I guess we’ll see about that, won’t we?”

The other guys in the room are watching their exchange with interest. Then the bearded one says, “These two don’t seem so bad. Why do we have to deliver them if they’re more valuable to us having them in hand?”

The dark-haired one answers, “If you get a reputation as someone who doesn’t deliver as promised, you won’t get any more contracts. So, no more money.”

I walk over to Jayme, extending my hand, which he accepts easily. I look him in the eye and smile, and when he returns my smile, I give him a pat on the back and a bro hug. I pull back and say, “Circumstances notwithstanding, it’s good to see you.”

I don’t question Jayme’s need to protect his reputation. He likely has more money than god now, but I know he continuously funnels his cash back into good causes, so I don’t begrudge him his full payment for delivering me wherever the fuck he’s supposed to bring me. “At least we’ll get to catch up before you meet your end. Come along. I’m sure you two would like a shower and some fresh clothes. Unless you’d like to eat first?”

Agatha and I both respond. “Shower first.”

He leads us out of the room into a hallway, where we take a left. A few doors down, he stops, opening a door on our left, showing a small single-bed cabin with a narrow ensuite. He motions for Agatha to enter, and she gives him a suspicious look, which he returns almost playfully. “You have nothing to fear on my ship. You’re welcome to jump overboard, but just know that we’re thousands of miles from anything in either direction. It would be a very slim chance that you would make it. Assuming you didn’t get picked up by pirates. Most of them are not as hospitable as I am.”

She makes a face. “There’s no chance of me jumping overboard. Literally zero chance.”

“I’m glad to hear it. You can lock the door while you get changed. There are clothes in the wardrobe, likely too big, but they’re clean. Take your time. We’ll come back for you when it’s time to eat, but there are snacks and drinks on the sidebar.”

Her eyes light up at the mention of snacks and drinks. She walks into the room and closes the door behind her without so much as a backward glance. I don’t hear that she locked it, and I can’t say I’m surprised because god save anyone stupid enough to try anything with her.

We continue down the narrow hallway, taking a right toward a dead-end. Jayme opens the door at the end of the hallway, motioning for me to enter before him, then he follows me inside. He closes the door, flipping the lock as I turn back to him and say, “I don’t get any privacy?”

He gives me a bland look. “And chance you silently killing my entire crew and taking my ship?”

I laugh at the idea. I’m sure I wouldn’t have any problem killing almost everyone stealthily or not; however, he would give me a run for my money for sure. And then there’s the fact I don’t have the first clue how to drive a ship. I can barely manage a canoe. “There’s one thing you should know about me, Jayme. I don’t do boats. Just like there’s zero chance Agatha will jump into the ocean, there’s also zero chance I will steal your ship.”

He squints at me thoughtfully, tilting his head as he replies, “Oh, yeah. You’re the one who could never maneuver Tony’s pontoon boat with any type of accuracy. I forgot about that.”

“Does that mean I’m gonna get some privacy, then?”

He shakes his head. “Not a fucking chance.”

I shrug, accustomed to having no privacy for the last few months. I strip down, leaving my dirty clothes on the floor as I walk into the bathroom. I don’t bother warming up the water. I step into the shower and turn on the taps, groaning as cold water hits me and then slowly warms.

Jayme’s voice from right outside the shower interrupts my leisurely wash-up. “So, are you gonna tell me what the fuck’s going on or what?”

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