“You’re still set on the plan, right?” he whispered to her, though his eyes were focused on the guys.
“I guess,” she answered, and his head snapped in her direction.
He wrinkled his brow, clearly wanting to rehash things like they’d done last night, but what did he expect her to say? It was a terrible idea.
She hated this plan. Sure, if everything went right, then she’d happily eat her words at the end of the day. But right now? Leaving him alone with these criminals didn’t sit right with her. What if they were pissed that he’d helped her to escape? Or that he’d lied to them? What if they hurt him as a punishment? She wasn’t going to sit there and pretend she was happy about this.
“Don’t worry,” she said before he could start lecturing her but not without rolling her eyes, “I know what I’m supposed to do.”
His shoulders relaxed.
“All right, time to get out,” Maurice said, and they turned their attention to him.
They climbed out and stood beside Louis as Maurice finished securing the boat. Dani looked at Theo and he tipped his head back and tossed a glance at the ferry terminal, signaling that it was time.
She nodded, then announced, “I need to use the bathroom.”
Maurice glared at her. “Is this another one of your tricks?” he asked.
“Oh, I’m sorry, don’t you ever have to take a shit? Or are you backed up all the time? Oh my God, is that why you’re always so grumpy?” Dani said, placing her hand over her mouth in feigned shock. “Because you’re in a constant state of constipation?”
Maurice glowered at her. “You think that’s cute?” he asked.
“No, I think it’s inhumane that you are depriving me of a basic human necessity,” Dani said, folding her arms over her chest. “Come on. It’s been over an hour since we left the island. Did you not see how much of that orange juice I had at breakfast?”
Itwasa remarkable amount.
Maurice stared at her for a solid beat then said, “Fine, but you stay here,” directing himself at Theo. Dani breathed a sigh of relief, until Maurice then turned to Louis and said, “And you go with her.”
Shit.Theo flashed a glance at Dani. So much for that trust. They started to walk toward the ferry terminal, and she was eyeing all the doors and exits when Theo took her hand and pulled her back into a hug.
“Be careful,” he whispered, his lips brushing against her ear.
This was it.
What might be her final goodbye to Theo forever.
She wanted to take back all the bickering and the fighting from the prior evening. Tell Theo she didn’t want to leave him. Evenifhe only thought of her like a sister. Except…he didn’t want her to stay. He didn’t need her.
No one did.
But it didn’t stop the warm fuzzies from dancing across her skin. Or stop her from burying her face in his chest and squeezing her arms tightly around his waist, never wanting to let go. He returned the squeeze, and she allowed herself to be enveloped by him.
Funny how letting go felt more like holding on.
“It’s a trip to the bathroom, you’re not sailing out to sea for battle,” Maurice said.
“Hurry up!” Louis followed.
Theo’s grip loosened and he stepped back, but not before saying one last thing.
“Remember why you’re Juicy.” It wasn’t a question. It was a statement.
As if she could ever forget how she earned the nickname that she’d loved-hated after all these years.
Dani looked back over at the terminal, searching for windows. There. It wouldn’t be easy, but as she’d learned the day she became Juicy, she could squeeze her way out of almost anything.
With a subtle nod and an ache in her heart that this quite possibly might be the last time she ever saw Theo again, she headed toward the ferry terminal with Louis. The building was bustling with tourists and locals waiting for the next boat. It would take only one little scream to end this nightmare they were in. But then Dani thought about Theo, still at the boat with Maurice. She couldn’t risk it.
