Enslaved by the Ocean
Page 2

“I can’t do that here,” I snap. “You know I can’t. I have no choice but to start again somewhere he can’t find me. He will find me if I stay, and he will make my life hell.”
“He’s got a restraining order against him, he won’t come near you.”
I growl. See what I mean? Black and white. “Do you truly think that will stop him? Honestly, Eric, you think the law will stop someone like him seeking revenge, but it won’t. It didn’t stop him beating me within an inch of my life, and it won’t stop him doing it again.”
“Running isn’t going to solve this.”
“No, maybe it won’t, but it sure as hell is going to help. Are you with me, or are you not? I can do this alone, Eric, but you know I don’t want to do that.”
His eyes soften. Have you ever had the best friend that loves you? I have, my entire life. Eric will bend to me, no matter what I say. Most women would use that to their advantage. I don’t. He’s my friend, I adore him, but he’s never going to be any more. I would never use him because of how he feels. In fact, it kind of frustrates me. He constantly sees me through rose-colored glasses, instead of seeing me, and my life, for what it really is. He’s put me on a pedestal, and damned if I can get down.
“I’m with you forever, you know that Indi.”
I nod, unable to be angry with him. I step forward, reaching out and gripping his shoulders. To most women, Eric is a very attractive man. Perfectly parted blond hair, brushed and slicked down. Eyes as blue as the sky. A long, lean body. Impeccably dressed. To them he’s a dream, to me…he’s too perfect. Call me adventurous, but I like them rugged.  Eric lifts his arms, wrapping his fingers around my elbows and smiling down at me.
“Can we just go, enjoy this trip, and then you can drop me off to start my life, and return to yours?”
“You know I’ll miss you.” He frowns.
“And I’ll miss you, but we’ll visit.”
“It’s not the same. We’ve been friends for so long.”
“We’ll be fine. Now come on, we’re going to be late if we don’t hurry.”
I could have flown to London, the new place I plan on living in, but what fun would that have been? Instead, I decided to hire a small yacht that goes directly across from the United States to the United Kingdom. I want the chance to unwind, relax, take a break, and then get off the yacht, ready to recreate my life. Eric decided to come for the ride with me, needing to sort some business in London. He’s a massive business owner, and has clients all over the world. It was a great excuse for him to make some home visits.
We arrive at the small yacht on the wharf, and I smile. I haven’t been on any type of boat for such a long time. There’s a man waiting, a man I paid good money for, and he smiles when he notices us. As we get closer I see he’s an older gentleman, with greying hair and dark brown eyes. His skin is well worn from the sun, but he looks friendly. When we stop in front of him, he stretches his hand out. I take it. “Hello, and welcome to my yacht, The Dreamer. Thanks for considering me for your adventure. I’m John. If you’ll step on board, I will show you around.”
“Thanks, John.” I smile. “I’m Indigo, and this is my best friend, Eric.”
Eric reaches out and shakes John’s hand. “Nice to meet you, John.”
John nods and we head over to the yacht. I’m quite surprised. I got a small yacht, yet it’s actually quite massive on board. I’m fascinated to know what a large one looks like.
This yacht is long, sleek, white and extremely well looked after. We step onboard, and I peer around. The deck is rather large, and fitted out with sun lounges and a set of tables and chairs that are bolted to the deck. John walks us toward the cabin that goes below deck, and we follow him down when he opens the big, glass door.
It’s quite large inside. It has a basic living area, with a lounge and a small television. There is a little kitchen and a basic bathroom and toilet. At the end there are two rooms: one for me, and one for Eric. John sleeps on deck in his little navigation office. Each room has a double bed, and both look very luxurious. John has it set up for comfort, and I feel myself relaxing for the first time in months.
“This is basically it,” John explains. “There is loads of food in the fridge and cupboards. There are fresh towels and linens in the basket in the left room. Feel free to laze about on deck. I will be in my navigation office most of the time, so just let me know if you need anything. Otherwise, the space is all yours.”
“Thank you, John.” I beam.
He tips his hat. “We’ll be taking off now, I ask that you stay below deck until we do.”
“We will, thank you.” Eric nods.
“Oh, one last thing. In case of emergency, there is a lifeboat on the side of the yacht. It’s easy to get down, you just step in and pull the chain. The boat contains life jackets which you can slip on and pull the little red leaver to inflate.”
We both nod, and John smiles before disappearing up on deck. Eric turns to me, grinning and rubbing his hands together. “Where do we start?”
I smile, and turn, running off toward the biggest room. “I claim this!” I squeal.
“Oh!” Eric yells, chasing me. “No way!”
We both leap onto the large bed at the same time, laughing and rolling to our backs.
“You sure about this?” Eric suddenly says. “There’s no turning back now.”