Page 30 of Flame's Fight

“On it.” Byte calls out. “I have payments made to a pier off I-94. That may be where he’s taking her.”

“The rest of us ride. Follow Brooke’s phone. If you get an exact location on the boat, let us know. If you get a name on the boat, get it out.” Dante orders.

“He has a photo of the boat in his office.” Gina says.

“On it.” Reaper calls out, dashing toward the stairs.

I feel worthless, but I know my brothers have all the angles covered.

A few minutes later, I hear Reaper giving the name of the boat. Younger Lust. What a stupid name for a boat.

“I need to get out of here.” I tell Gina and Reaper. We need to find Younger and destroy him and his stupid boat.

“Axel is waiting outside.” Reaper tells me.

“Let’s go.” I say as I wheel toward the elevator.

“You should probably change into your clothes first.” Gina reminds me.

I glance down at my hospital gown and swear.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: BROOKE

I wake with a splitting headache and my mouth feels like I’ve been sucking on cotton balls. But it’s the rolling motion that has me vomiting on the floor. Once my stomach is empty, I’m in worse shape. My head is pounding, my breath is atrocious, and I realize I’m a prisoner on a boat.

I avoid the vomit as I take in my environment. I can see water outside the round porthole, but I can also see land. If I can get onto the deck, maybe I can jump overboard and swim to freedom? The only problem is that I don’t know what I’m up against on the other side of the door. Is it Deion and his men? I doubt I can avoid an entire gang. I wish my gang was here.

Patting my pockets, I find my phone and give a thank you to whoever is looking out for me. Tears prickle my eyes when I hear his voice.

“Brooke? Is that you, baby?” Flame asks. I can only manage a sob before I take a deep breath.

“I’m on a boat. I think we’re heading out to sea. But I can still see land. I’m going to jump off, but I don’t know what I’m up against.”

“It’s that asshole Younger.” Flame says.

I breathe in relief. “That means I just need to avoid him.”

“We’re tracking your phone.” Flame says. “We’re working to find you and rescue you.”

“Should I stay on the boat?” I ask, although I dread the idea.

“How close are you to land? Do you think you can swim that far?” Flame asks instead of answering.

I move to the window and calculate the distance. If I was at 100%, it wouldn’t be an issue, but I can still feel the effects of the chloroform. “Not sure.” I admit. “I’m still woozy from the chloroform, but I think the water might wipe away the last remnants. Regardless, I have to try. If he gets me out into open water…” I trail off as I consider the nightmare that awaits me. “I’m going to jump and swim like my life depends upon it. Not losing you again, I just got you back.” I tell him.

“You better make it.” He says, and I can hear the love and fear in his voice. “Wait, a minute.” I hear mumbling but can’t make out the words, but he’s soon back with an explanation. “Dante’s mother is on her boat and heading toward you. She’s close enough that they can pick you up if you get into the water. It might be your best shot at rescue.”

“Ok, then. I’m on my way. Wish me luck.” I say. “I love you, Aaron.”

“I love you, too, baby. Be safe. Stay strong.” Flame says as I end the call.

Trying the door, I find it locked. Fuck! But the door isn’t thick. It’s more like a pocket door. I push on it and can feel a slight shift. But it isn’t enough to get my fingers into the space so I can pry it open. I glance around the room, looking for something thin enough to slide into the space to give me leverage. It’s when I back away from the door and glance up I see something that gives me hope. I reach up above the door and pull down a key.

Shoving the key into the lock, I twist and the door opens. I want to do a little dance, but I don’t have time. Sliding the door open, I glance into the short hallway. There is a small galley across from me. Carefully opening drawers and cabinets until I find what I’m looking for, a chef’s knife. Clutching the knife, I move to the bottom of the stairs leading upwards. I know Tony is likely steering the boat, but I don’t know how close I am to his position. If he’s right above me, he could drop on me before I reach the edge.

Staying close to the wall, I slide up the stairs until I can get a better view. I can still see land, which fills me with hope. I shift so I can see behind me, and that’s when I spot Tony. He’s only about ten feet away, which doesn’t give me much of an advantage. However, his back is to me. I know little about boats, but I know they have engines. Which means I need to get far enough away from the boat or risk injury. Even though I want to slide down the side as quietly as possible. But the thought of getting caught in the blades sends a shiver down my spine. No, the best thing to do is dive away from the boat and put some distance between me and it. The engine pushes water out behind the boat, making it less likely to pull me in, so that’s my target.

Taking a deep breath, I run and dive overboard. I hear Tony shouting behind me. His voice disappears as I dive under the water, dropping the knife. When I break back to the surface, I swim hard for the shore. I can feel him behind me, but I don’t stop to look. Needing to put distance between us, I swim hard. But I’m not stupid, I know I can’t out swim the speed of his boat. Risking a glance behind me, I see him steering the boat toward me. Taking a deep breath, I duck under the water. He knows I’m trying to reach land, so I need to stay out of sight. When I feel the panic rise, I push it away and think of Flame. I have to survive. I have to get back to him.

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