“You know lyingis a sin in both our religions, Mahmoud,” I joked.
“So is drinkingalcohol, but I figure our sins cancel each other out while we’re both onboard.”
We toasted toour health, to our families, to our faiths, and eventually to everything insidethe wheelhouse. Once loosened up, I brought up the real reason for my visit.
“Hey, Mahmoud,how many crew guys you got on this tub these days?”
“Four, includingme. My cousin Nezar is my first mate, then there’s our engineer and the cook.Everyone does their part and whatever else the captain asks.”
“Well, I sure appreciatethem sleeping under the stars tonight while my guys get settled in.”
“No worries, myfriend.”
“Sounds like yougot some solid men onboard these days, yeah?”
“Solid as therock up my mother-in-law’s ass.”
“Good, becauseI’m gonna need them to help me lighten my load.”
“By how many?”
I held up threefingers.
“Trouble in yourranks?”
“Not my guys.Just some contractors I hired out of Atlanta.” I sighed. “Their point man isstarting to go alpha-male on me, and I don’t see relations improving overtime.”
“Mercs?”
“Real pros, sotell your guys to be careful.”
I’d broughtMiller and Mundy to watch my back, of course, Cavanaugh was here to be thesacrificial lamb, and since I didn’t want to directly involve any of my Hand ofthe Cross staff, I hired Kirkland and his team for the wet work. But at thispoint, since the mission was a bust, they were more of a liability than anasset. Plus, I wasn’t about to have my authority challenged, or to be shakendown by some meathead with an eighth-grade education.
“My crew areloyal, but I’m not really sure if they can manage guys like that.”
“Look, Mahmoud.”I crossed my arms and stared out the window of the ship. “One, if not all ofthese guys, could be traitors. Alpha dick even used the term mutiny earlier, soI really don’t think these are the kind of guys either of us want on board yourship. I figure, after a few days at sea, the captain comes by the bunkhousewith a couple of bottles of rum for some thirsty men. Later that night, aftereveryone is passed out, your crew cuts their throats and dumps the bodiesoverboard.”
He glanced at meand shook his head. “I don’t know, Gavin.”
“Did I mentionthat you and your crew would be splitting the money I was going to pay thecontractors?” I asked.
Of course, hedidn’t know how much that would be, or that it would be a mere pittancecompared to what was originally agreed upon.
Mahmoud smiled.“You know what I always say, no charter is too big, or too small. How about wemake this one a bit smaller?”
I grinned.“There’s my man.”
I poured usanother drink and we chatted until I could barely keep my eyes open, thenheaded to the bunk I’d been assigned, comfortable in the knowledge I’d bewaking to three less problems in my difficult week.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Lennox
IAWOKE THE next morning feeling like I’d slept for a year. In fact, Icouldn’t remember a time in my life when I’d slept so soundly or dreamt sovividly. I probably would have stayed in bed all day long if my peace hadn’tbeen interrupted by a dull thwacking sound coming from outside the cabin.
I sat up,grabbed my glasses from the nightstand, and peered through the curtains to seePhineas splitting firewood with an axe wearing only his kilt. The air in mylungs escaped all at once, causing the window to fog up.
Despite myextremely sheltered upbringing and chaste life, I’d never been impervious toimpure thoughts. I knew when I was physically attracted to a man, even if I’dnever say so out loud, and often found myself fantasizing about them when I wasalone at night. However, what I saw through that cottage window made me thinkof carnal pleasures I didn’t even know existed. And not only did I havethoughts, but also feelings.
