Page 40 of Austen

Sergei stepped up behind him and fired.

Elise’s knees buckled, and Declan wanted to retch.

Then Sergei turned.“Who’s next?”

Declan held up his hands.“I swear I’m telling you the truth.I don’t know who you’re talking about—but I can find her—I just need to make a call?—”

Sergei strode toward him, handgun up.Set it against Declan’s forehead.

And Declan heard his gunnery sergeant yelling in his brain.“First to fight!Engage and persist.”

A.k.a., grab the gun.

He needed both hands free, really, but if he did go for the gun, then what?Elise would get shot, maybe one of his crew?

Austen.

The thought clenched his gut, tightened his chest.He kept his voice low.“Listen.I want to do what you ask.No one, especially me, wants anyone to die.”

Don’t think about Tyrone.

“So help me help you.Let me use the radio in the pilothouse.I’ll contact my man in charge, and he’ll get that location.”

Sergei considered him for a long moment.

“C’mon, dude.Just...let me make a call.I will find out where she is.”

Sergei glanced at Igor, who walked over to Elise and Hunter.

“Not on your life, man,” Hunter said, not moving from his position in front of his wife.Igor hit him, but Hunter barely flinched, breathing hard, blood running from his mouth.

“Stop!”Declan shouted.Then he leveled a look at Sergei.“You hurt anyone else and you getnothingfrom me.”

Sergei’s eyes tightened around the edges.

Declan swept any hint of bluff out of his gaze.Yes, he’d give them the password to his vault, empty his bank account to keep them from hurting Elise or his crew or, most importantly, Austen.

No one moved, the sun hot on the deck as the boat rocked ever so slightly.

Then Sergei stepped back and barked at Igor, Boris, and the other comrades, Thugs One and Two.“Get them downstairs into the salon and lock it down.”He looked at Declan.“You.To the bridge.”

Declan glanced at Austen, who met his gaze, tight-lipped, her green eyes still fierce.“I’ll be okay.Just...do what they say.”

Boris grabbed her arm, but she yanked it out of his grip.“I can walk.”

Declan braced himself.But Boris didn’t react, just let her follow Elise and Hunter and his crew down the stairs.Thugs One and Two followed, Igor leading the way.

And then it was just Declan and Sergei.

“Let’s go,” Sergei said and gestured toward the pilothouse.

Captain Teresa had left the boat at idle, the motors still running.A large sofa stretched across the back, for those times when he joined Teresa in the bridge, watching her work.

Two captain’s chairs sat before the expansive console with the navigation screens and security camera that overlooked the foredeck and the stern.It also held the communications center and the steering helm.Now Declan walked over to the Sailor SSB radio and keyed open the mic.

Zeus would wonder why he was calling on the satellite phone instead of his cell, so that might help.Not that he had a small army to repel the pirates, but he did have resources.

Mostly, he just needed to get everyone off the boat—alive.

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