Enslaved by the Ocean
Page 55

He has a shirt over my head and panties on, and I’m still dazed. Shots begin to ring out, and voices begin screaming and yelling down the hall. Sleep leaves quickly then, and panic takes its place. Hendrix races us to the door and flings it open, gun drawn. Drake is just passing us as we step out. “Rogue pirates, Cap. Ten of them, loads of weapons.”
“Indi, go to Jess, do as I asked.”
“But…”
“Don’t argue with me,” he hisses. “Just do as you’re told.”
I nod, swallowing, and rush down the hall to Jess’s room. I bang on the door and she opens it quickly, pulling me in. Her face is panicked, and I realize Senny is in here, too. She locks the door, and lifts the gun off the table beside her. Seeing the look on her face has my heart seizing and my chest constricting.
“I don’t know what’s happening,” I whisper.
“It’s pirates, you idiot,” Senny snaps.
“Shut the fuck up, Sienna,” Jess barks.
We both stare at her, wide-eyed. I’ve never heard Jess speak like that, but she’s obviously scared, and this is her way of dealing with it. Her eyes don’t move from the door, and I find myself shifting over to her, terrified. What if something happens to the guys? What if Hendrix dies? What if they blow up the ship? The thoughts don’t do much for my calm, and I end up pushing myself into a state of pure panic.
“It’s okay, Indi,” Jess says, though she doesn’t move from her position at the door.
“I’m frightened.”
“I know. It’ll be over soon.”
I hear the sounds of yelling and gunshots, and even a few screams. I press my hands to my ears and begin to sing loudly. I can’t listen—I can’t hear it. Jess begins to tap her foot, her face is full of panic and her hands are shaking. Another massive explosion goes off and rocks the ship, causing me to stumble onto the floor along with Senny. Was that our ship that got hit? It settles back into normal floating, and I wait for the smell of a fire, or the gush of water, but it never comes.
The fighting quietens down, and when we can no longer hear it Senny gets to her feet and walks out.
“Sienna!” Jess cries.
“I’m not sitting in here, it’s finished.”
“Sienna,” I yell. “He said stay in here.”
Senny spins just outside of the door and glares at me. “You know nothing, so shut the fuck up, I don’t even…”
A shot rings out, making a loud crack in the silence, and suddenly Senny stops talking. Her mouth opens and her eyes widen, and then slowly she begins to fall to the floor. Jess screams and the gun topples from her hands. Blood pools around Senny’s back as soon as she hits the floor, and her eyes are open, fixed at the roof. I know she’s dead. I hear the sound of footsteps. Someone is below deck. I dive toward the gun, clutching it in my hands and then rush over and press my hand over Jess’s mouth. The footsteps near and I raise the gun, hands trembling, and wait. I see Senny’s body move, and I realize someone has kicked her. Probably checking if she’s still alive.
I want to vomit.
I’m so terrified, nothing in my life has ever frightened me so much. I’m stiff, unable to move, or breathe, or focus. My eyes are on the door, and my hands are firmly clasped around the gun. I see a body first, and I know right away it’s not one of Hendrix’s men. I don’t even think, I just pull the trigger. The man lands with a thump on the ground, rolling and roaring in pain as he grips his stomach.
“Run, Jess!”
Jess scurries past him and drops to her knees by Senny’s side.
“Senny? Wake up.”
“She’s gone,” I cry. “Go get help.”
With a hiccup, Jess gets to her feet and runs out. The pirate on the ground groans and rolls, getting to his hands and knees. Blood drips from his belly as he begins stalking toward me. I know I should be pulling that trigger right now, but my hands are shaking, and I can’t seem to make myself do it. I’m frozen with fear, and only when he lifts his hand to reach for his pants do I know that it’s him or me.
I begin to pull the trigger when another gunshot rings out, and suddenly the pirate slumps to the ground. My knees buckle and I fall in a heap, shaking so violently my teeth chatter together. I hear voices, and somewhere in my fear I find myself screaming Hendrix’s name. Is he alive? Is he dead? Oh God, what if he’s dead? I couldn’t live if he died. I don’t want to.
“Shhh, Indi, I’m here.”
Oh thank God.
I feel his hard arms go around me, and lift me from my spot on the floor. I hear orders being thrown around, and the sound of Jess crying as he carries me past. He places me on his bed in his room, and then moments later Jess is placed beside me. I reach out for her, and she clutches me desperately.
“They’re in shock, just let them be for a minute, Cap,” I hear Drake say.
“Feel so fuckin’ helpless.”
“They got a scare, they saw their friend die, just let them process that.”
Hendrix reaches down and strokes his fingers across my forehead.
“Go and get me Jess’s sedatives.”
The words are a foggy blur.
Nothing is making a great deal of sense in my head.
I hear shuffling a moment later, and then I feel a sting in my arm.
“Sorry baby.” It’s the last thing I hear before I go blank.
The last thing I feel is Jess’s hand, trembling in mine.