Page 7 of Unapologetic Obsession
I glanced at the girl in my arms, drifting in and out of sleep. “She’s coming with us.”
“What?” he asked, unable to mask the shock. He examined her tattered clothes with doubt but wised up under my steely glance. “B-but we’re setting sail for international waters. The cruise ship officers will be required to see her passport.”
My eyes twitched. Passport? Of all things, bureaucracy had put a damper on my spontaneous plans. Unfortunately, Todd was right. The officers monitored everyone on international waters, and it wasn’t a five-thousand-passenger cruise ship where she could blend into the crowd. She’d be found out within our smaller group.
“Have the cruise ship officers meet me downstairs. Oh, and ask Amelie to open the medical suite.”
He remained uncertain but didn’t argue. “Very well, sir.”
I grunted, dismissing him.
I didn’t have proper documentation for Rose, but I also couldn’t risk the cruise ship officers informing the police about her. What was the going rate for smuggling humans? I hoped the officers quietly accepted the bribe instead of posing anethical dilemma. Ethical men bored me, and I wasn’t in the mood to be bored.
As Todd left to do my bidding, I studied Rose. The trivial act of resting her head on my shoulder made me feel downright savage. My cock strained against my slacks, consuming me with this need for her like a tidal wave, untamable and wild.
She was in no condition to endure what she woke in me. The odd thing was she hadn’t done anything to evoke this beastly response other than merely exist. The bone-chillingly exhilarating feeling was frenzied. Unstoppable. It told me I had made the right decision by taking her.
She belonged with me. Always.
Rose sighed against my neck. Before she could fall asleep, I maneuvered her in my arms and rose from the booth, mindful not to hit her head against anything. She stirred but didn’t try to move.
I made my way to the upper deck. None of the guests ventured this way. The only people passing by were the crew, who watched us curiously. Gossip among them spread like wildfire. The word had already reached them, and they likely thought I was crazy for taking her in. They could think whatever the fuck they wanted as long as they didn’t interfere or look her way. I tightened my arms around her as the urge to hide her from the world nearly suffocated me.
Amelie, the ship’s resident nurse, was already waiting for us in the medical suite. The spacious room was unlocked, moonlight flooding through the large windows.
The guests on this boat expected luxury even while sick. Everything in this room was handpicked with them in mind, with necessary medical equipment as the only clinical touch. Fresh flowers on the side tables counteracted the smell of disinfectant. There were no posters of human anatomy or diagrams of medical procedures. Instead, the walls weredecorated with paintings. A diffuser emanated lavender and salty ocean scents to remind visitors of Bali. The bed, in case someone had to be monitored overnight, resembled one at a luxury hotel with crisp white sheets, fluffy pillows, and a plush comforter.
Most medical equipment, such as stethoscopes and blood pressure cuffs, was stored in drawers. Supplies and drugs were locked up in cabinets and out of sight. Even the examination table was tucked into the wall like a Murphy bed. Everything about the room was inviting, down to the heated floors.
Rose roused once I stepped inside the suite. She blinked with heavy lids. If she had been outdoors all this time, it would have been too cold to sleep more than a couple of hours at a time. No wonder she was passing out. She was finally warm enough to rest.
“Where are we?” she asked, voice thick with sleep.
I didn’t answer or look at her. If I did, I wouldn’t want to leave her side. Fury festered inside me at her state and the fact that she had been living on the streets. It made me want to set everything on fire, but now wasn’t the time to indulge my anger. I had to meet the officers and ensure they wouldn’t do something stupid like call the authorities. Amelie was the only person reliable enough to tend to Rose while I tied up loose ends. But she wouldn’t play ball until I explained the stowaway in my arms.
“Who do we have here… Oh my god!” Amelie gasped upon seeing Rose’s face, which was scratched and bruised.
“Not a word in front of her,” I hissed. “We’ll discuss this outside.”
“Y-your face,” Amelie stuttered.
Rose stared at the nurse blankly.
“Get it together,” I snapped. “You’re scaring her.”
“But—”
I gave her such a venomous look that Amelie swallowed her next argument. “Outside,” I repeated.
Wordlessly, she exited to wait for me outside the room. Rose watched our exchange passively and only jolted when I set her on the bed.
“Who is she?” she whispered so only I would hear.
“Nurse for this boat.” I kneeled in front of her. “Amelie will run a few tests on you while I’m gone.”
She grabbed my shirt collar. “You’re leaving?” she asked, horrified.
Satisfaction warmed my blood at how tightly she gripped my collar. I expected her to gradually warm up to me instead of this immediate separation anxiety at the thought of my absence. It took everything in me not to smile.
