Page 43 of Austen

Stein had glanced at Hawkeye.Once upon a time, the Hawk had had a crush on his sister, had asked her out.She’d shut him down.And maybe Stein would never have known about it, but he’d walked in on the tail end of the conversation a couple years ago while visiting her.He’d felt kind of bad for the Hawk, but it wasn’t personal.

She had her reasons.

He’d slid into the co-captain’s chair.“I guess.I just worry about her.Even more than about Boo.”

“Is it the twin connection?”

He’d taken a sip of water.“Maybe.”Even though they were fraternal, they seemed to think alike.React alike.In truth, that’s what scared him.“I can’t help but think Austen is walking right into trouble, refusing to see danger.”

Hawkeye had glanced at him.“Danger?You mean falling for some billionaire?Yeah, you should warn her off.”He’d grinned.

Stein hadn’t.

“Listen.Your sister literally swims with sharks.I think she’s got this.”

“Yeah, probably.”He’d taken another drink.The fist in his gut hadn’t loosened, however.Something had nudged at him, a slow burn in the back of his head.He just couldn’t?—

Wait.

He’d stood up, turned to stare out the back as if he could see the yacht, probably fifty miles away by now.“Phoenix.”

“What?”Hawkeye had said.

Aw.He’d drained the water, dropped the bottle into a recycling bucket near the helm.“We need to go back.”

Hawkeye had frowned.“Why?”

“Because”—and even to his own ears, his explanation had sounded crazy—“I think there’s an assassin on Declan’s yacht.”

Hawkeye had pulled his glasses down.“What?”He’d pushed them back up with his finger.“Did you see his security?That Swede looked like Thor’s younger brother.”

“Yeah, I did.But she’s...sneaky and...”He’d run a hand across his mouth.“I don’t know why she’s there, but she’s trouble.And if Phoenix is on the boat, then there is something going down.”

Hawkeye had slowed, the boat settling in the water.“Dude.Listen.I’m half a tank away from dry—I don’t have the fuel to turn around and make it back to harbor.We’ll land in Turks and Caicos and you can call the Coast Guard.”

“I gotta get back on that boat, Hawk.”

Hawkeye had scrubbed his hands down his face.Sighed.“I’m sorry, Stein.It’s a no go.I can’t turn into a bobber in the water.”

Stein had walked to the back of the boat.“I’ll take the tender.”He’d pointed to the twelve-foot dinghy that hung off the back.“You have extra gas?”

Hawkeye had put the boat into neutral.“Yeah.A couple cans.”

“Will it get me to the yacht?”

“Yes, but...Steinbeck, the sea is calm now.If a storm rolls in, you’re in trouble.”

He’d looked up at the cloudless sky.“I’ll chance it.”Then, “Do you have a lifeboat, if something happens?”

“Of course.”He’d pointed to a box attached to the end of the boat, then sighed.“Take the EPIRB.If you have trouble, at least it can send help.”

Which was how Steinbeck had ended up at the helm of the tender, cutting through the water, beads of spray landing on his skin as the sun dipped toward the horizon.

He’d also taken the binoculars and called up the GPS coordinates from the phone he’d given Austen.

She hadn’t called.Hadn’t pinged the emergency button.So maybe he was overreacting.No, most definitely he was overreacting.

But he very,veryclearly remembered now the server who’d appeared on the deck delivering orange juice and clearing the table.Short dark hair, wearing a white uniform, her eyes averted.

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