Page 104 of Ship Outta Luck

“June. Move. Fast,” I grunt. Finally, she complies, swimming easily to the back of theBetty. I get there first, wrenching the fins off and hauling ass up the ladder before lifting June easily next to me.

“What’s going on?” She looks so worried, her lips pursed, furrows marring her features, that I can’t resist. I want to wipe it off her face. I lean in, pressing a quick kiss to her mouth.

“Don’t you two make a sweet couple.” Pierce emerges from our cuddy cabin.

He’s been on theBetty.

The hair on the back of my neck stands up.

Where is Charlie?

June laughs, a nervous, forced sound, and my knuckles crack.Relax.

“Well, what did you find down there, Dr. Legarde?”

“The wreck.” Her throat bobs as she swallows, smiling in spite of her nerves. “It’s in good shape. Good enough to excavate. With a proper team, that is.”

Pierce’s posture is loose, his stance easy, weight distributed between both legs. His arms tense at his sides.

“And what about you, Dean? What did you find down there?” His smile is betrayed by the simmering viciousness in his eyes. He steps closer, and my hand moves to the knife sheathed on thedive belt. June must notice too, because her body tenses next to me.

How the fuck does he know?

There’s only one answer to that question, and it isn’t one I like. Even if I suspected.

“Fish,” I tell him blandly.

Pierce laughs, low and dangerous. A muscle twitches in my jaw. Quickly, I unsnap the tanks from my back, not caring that they might topple overboard. Fuck it. They’re the least of my worries. If we get out of this mess, I’ll buy June new ones. Hell, I’ll buy her an entire dive shop’s worth.

Standing, I try to put myself between Pierce and June. The moment goes long, and Pierce telegraphs the punch before he swings.

Amateur.

“What the fuck, man?” I growl, playing dumb.

Stupid is just about the only play I have. The goddamned weight belt hamstringing me is going to be an issue, though.

“I know you found the drugs.”

Behind me, June gasps, and my heart splinters.

“We found the wreck,” I counter.

“What is he talking about, Dean?” June’s voice is higher than usual, tight and nervous.

“What am I talking about, Dean?” Pierce echoes, a smug grin on his face.

I growl, leveraging a punch of my own at Pierce’s torso, which he dodges easily. My hand flits to the knife at my waist, but some kind of sick honor keeps me from pulling it. All I have is suspicion.

Pierce read my file. Knew what he was getting into with my past.

I would be the perfect fall guy. With the shitty end to my military career, my desperation to make my new contractingfirm work, the way I lost bid after bid—I was ripe for a setup. Again.

Pierce steps left, trying to circle me, trying to force me away from June.

“What is going on? Where is Charlie?” June stands, her tanks on the platform behind her.

“Charlie is currently unavailable.” A muffled shout punctuates his words, and I glance at the half-open cuddy cabin door.

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