Page 18 of Wreck My Mind

“They launched already.” The captain reached up with a knife as he sawed at the last tether securing the raft to the yacht. “Now or never, Princess.”

I scrambled over the rail and leaped onto the slick rubber floor, slipping and grabbing for anything to hold onto as the bottom of the raft dropped out from under me. We hit the water hard.

The rough waves bashed us into the yacht a few times before spitting us out into open water. I hung onto whatever I could just to keep from getting pitched out. Weeks before, we’d hit rough seas around the Cape Horn. One of the crew members had taught me to focus on the horizon, so as not to get seasick. There was no horizon now, only darkness and the shadowed shape of the Esmeralda. Soon the storm bore down fully upon her, predator on prey.

The wounded yacht pitched and bucked like a wild zebra refusing to be taken to the ground. The harsh slap and crack of waves. The onslaught of rain. And lastly a wave larger than anything I’d ever seen, even in a movie, came up over her—a lioness pouncing and sinking its fangs into her withers, severing her spine. Down she went, buckling into the sea.

Then the wave came for us.

I studied her there on the ocean floor. The storm may have taken her to the ground, but she’d given one hell of a fight and kept all her secrets.

Now it was my turn.

I pressed the button to close the war room door, ensuring I had complete privacy. With a deep breath, I initiated a conference with Zaki.

Waiting for Zaki’s holographic to appear, I felt compelled to break down and cry. To scream. But I wouldn’t do it here. Not in the place where suffering much worse than I’d known had taken place.

Besides, antics like that would do nothing to change the past, and certainly not Zaki’s opinion of me.

I closed my eyes. I’m so sorry. I tried my best to make you proud. To protect you. Protect us.

When Omar Zaki appeared, I pulled it together and regarded him from a place of strength. He didn’t say anything as we stared at each other, nor did I expect him to.

“It’s time to initiate Ozma Protocol,” I said.

The silence was expected, but I rushed to fill it. “We’re going to want to bring Coop back in. He’s capable of a deep dive. He can handle the demolition. He needs money.” At this point I was more thinking aloud, justifying what exactly I was proposing. Needing. Miller and Vivi were right, there was just too much on my shoulders to carry alone. “I can’t do this without him.”

But can I trust him?

My fingers twitched and paused. If Zaki could convince him to take the job…and if Coop had turned, he’d have whatever leverage he’d need to finish us off. There was no way I could let him leave the island. I’d have to have him—

I swallowed.

Don’t even think it.

I shook off the grim thought. This was my Coop. My-sharky. How could I even suspect him of turning on me? Of wanting to hurt me?

Because he did leave you, I reminded myself. He did hurt you.

Recalling it tore through me all over again. But it wasn’t his fault my heart had been shattered, I was the bull in that china shop. And…rejecting me didn’t make him a traitor. But the only way I’d know for sure was to bring him to the island. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer and all.

Or maybe I just wanted Coop closer, no matter which he turned out to be.

I closed my eyes, gripping the armrests. “I need your help to convince him.”

“Can you trust him?” The question slipping from Zaki’s lips was the very one I’d been asking myself. But somehow it carried a bit more weight coming from him. My answer would also make me accountable.

Yes… No. Maybe… I offered up an option, more to convince my own heart and mind than Zaki’s. “If I can’t trust him, I’ll…”

I shakily drew in a deep breath. Was I really suggesting…? If his life threatened mine, I’d have no choice.

I clenched my fingers and listened as Zaki affirmed my offer.

“You will be the one to get rid of him.”

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