Nothing I could say would ever make my family see the sacrifices I’d made for them, and the lack of appreciation they’d given me. If they could honestly sit there and be silent when Elizabeth screamed her hatred at me, then I didn’t need them.
Itwasfinally time.
I’d dreamed of this moment for so many years. When I got to a point where I could walk away from all their drama and controlling ways to start my own life, free of them. This was the final straw. I jerked my arm back from Harold, dug my heels down to pick up my pace, speeding past him. “I can see myself out, thank you.”
I didn’t need to formulate a plan because I’d been fantasizing about my getaway for years. I was truly leaving my family, and this entire country behind. I’d go by sea; on the yacht I bought last year with my own hard-earned money. Once I get out to sea, nobody would be able to reach me. I would finally be freed of my mooching parents and ungrateful sister.
I picked up my pace, steadying myself on the slippery marble and raced out the front door.
To the yacht, where my new life awaits!
two
Jasper
I was awakened by the sound of heavy military combat boots on the dock. It would only be a moment before the thugs would find me in my gondola. I’d been running for days, and even though I had found respite in a nap, they had caught up with me.
Again.
I shot to my feet as I was prepared, not scared—okay, maybe my heart felt as if it was going to beat right out of my chest, but anxiety is normal these days. I grabbed my tattered, leather satchel, where I stored all my earthly possessions, and tied it around my waist. Diving over the side, I made like a sea otter, swimming deep under water—all former signs of me dissipated.
It was just too easy.
You might be wondering why I was running from thugs. To best bring you up to speed, let’s say I had an unconventional job. You remember Robin Hood, right? A nobleman who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. Well, it was something like that. I stole from the rich and gave to the poorest of the poor—me.
Before you wag your finger at me, I’m going to set something straight. I was one of those orphan kids who nobody loved, and then aged out of the system three years ago. With only myself to rely on, I couldn’t afford fancy schooling, so I fixed up a busted gondola which had been discarded for trash. Now I spend my days carting around wealthy tourists. Those fancy Nancys don’t always tip, so I filled in the gaps, flexing the petty thievery skills I had picked up in my youth. A day-old bagel here, a bottle of water there. Most people gladly looked the other way, and it meant I wouldn’t starve to death. However, my story gets interesting after I picked the pocket of the wrong guy.
How was I to know he was a pirate? Or that he had a real treasure map stowed in his wallet. He did not have the proper peg leg, or hook hand to warn me. To me, he was another man lost in a sea of people. I got the find of a lifetime—an authentic treasure map— then made my escape.
Or so I thought.
Now his thugs were hot on my trail. Which is why I had a thoroughly thought out, and perfectly meticulously bulleted action plan—RUN!
Well, at the current moment, it was more of a swimming action, but it had the exact same thesis. I power stroked so hard ol’ Henry Ford would have been proud, until I couldn’t hold my breath for a microsecond longer. Gasping for air, I eased my head up, eyes peeled, and I found…nothing.
Sweet bliss.
I was on the south end of the docks where all the rich people berthed their huge boats. Perfect place for me to hide, because big boats cast big shadows. And, as any good thief would know, big boats also meant there’d likely be supplies I could use. Starting with a change of clothes. I slopped my feet up on the docks, and sloshed forward, feeling the squish of my clothes against my toned-body-builder physique—okay, maybe I had afew extra pounds, but they helped keep me warm on nights I had to sleep outside.
Casing the area with the stealth of a panther, I quickly realized the docks were quiet. Creepily, eerily, quiet, which wasn’t exactly good, because it meant I had to be quieter as I sloshed since there was no crowd for me to blend into. The docks may have been empty due to the forecasted storm. High winds rolled through the alleys in between the boats, creating their own little wind tunnels. My teeth chattered so strongly, I felt the reverberations in my toes, but I kept moving because I’d be found if I didn’t. My only goal now was to find the treasure before they found me. The unfortunate part was I needed to get to an island a short jaunt from here, and my gondola couldn’t handle these seas. My eyes roved over the moored boats.
My lips curled into a devilish grin as I narrowed in on the boat I would steal. You might think I loved this boat because it was the biggest, or the most expensive. Touché. I stayed away from the biggest boats. They tended to have the best alarm systems. The yacht I had my eye on was the runt of this litter. I also loved it because it was on the far end of the dock where the light barely reached. There were plenty of shadows for me to hide in, and a window near the wheelhouse door that would give me access. Rubbing my hands together, my adrenaline building, I was about to make my move when a rustle from behind alerted me.
Ah,shoot!
I wasn’t alone.
A woman was standing on the dock, crying.
Staying cool, I gave her my best Jack Sparrow gaze. Luckily for me, she looked away. I was safe—for now.
But not if she didn’t shut up! She was crying louder than a hungry newborn, and I didn’t need any noise rockets blastingout my whereabouts. “Psst.” I harshly blew in her direction. “Do you mind crying more quietly?”
Nothing but soap opera sobs.
“Hey, lady,” I screeched, while tossing a security check over my shoulder. “You have got to be quiet.”
She sniffed. “It’s a free dock, and I can cry if I want.” Her eyes narrowed after sizing me up and she continued to assert, “It’s really none of your business if I can’t stop crying. Besides I’m more mad crying than sad crying at his point. My whole family is ridiculous because they hate me for something I didn’t even do.”
