“Or what? You’ll hobble me?”
“Son.”
“Cut me off at the knees? Too late. Been there, done that.”
“That’s not funny,” he whispered.
“How is that not funny? You’re threatening the trust I received when Mom died.” I blinked a few times to clear my vision. “And evenyoucan’t do that. I checked with the lawyers.”
“The lawyers who almost gave everything to that bitch you married?”
“Too far, Father, too far.”
Father paused for so long that I thought he hung up on me. I was relieved until I checked the screen, which still showed us connected. I heard him sigh heavily. “Son, I’m looking out for you. I can’t stand to see you go through something like that again. I want to keep you safe.”
I blew out a breath. “Father. I am safe. And… I’m enjoying the job. This is a quirky place. It suits me.”
“Oh, balls. You met a woman.”
My face flushed with embarrassment, and my cock hardened at the memory of Kendra bent at a 90-degree angle and ready for me. I cleared my throat. “No. There’s no woman.”
“Son,” Father’s voice turned to gravel. “When will you learn women only want two things from men? And you’re bound to be a disappointment on both counts.”
“Damn. Stab me in the ear next time. It’ll be less painful,” I spat out. “Thanks for the call, Father, but I have a nine o’clock appointment.Nota pleasure talking to you. Have a day.”
I jabbed the end call button on the phone and nearly sent it flying into the hallway, but I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and counted to ten, then twenty, then a hundred. As my heart rate calmed, I once again thought back to Kendra as she gave me shit in The Squad Room. She was a feisty one, that Kendra. I thought about tracking her down and reconnecting, but then a phantom pain from my lower left leg brought me back to reality. Kendra ran off last night because of the destruction of the outdoor shower, and she’d run off again if she got a good look atmy missing limb. It was for the best that she left. Women always did.
When I opened my eyes, I spotted two people standing in the doorway of my office.
An older man with unnaturally brown hair and green eyes looked familiar, but the woman beside him did not. She was a foot shorter than him and had gray hair. She wore a sharp, cream-colored business suit, and her presence filled the entire office.
“Mr. Rafferty?” She asked in a posh British accent. “My name is Uma Maddux, Mayor of Pleasure Point. We’ve come to make you an offer you can’t refuse.”
Chapter 4
Captain Kendra’s Log: Buy lightbulbs. Install breathalyzer.
Four weeks later
I thoughtstomach flu was hell.
But I’d take a week of puking my guts out any day over the trio of trouble on my boat.
“This fucking sucks.”
“It’s the girl’s fault.”
“Waywaywaywayminute.”
I gripped the helm of theNetfish and Chilltighter, my knuckles turning white as I watched the Myquelson men struggle to bait their hooks on the deck. The dim moonlight cast eerie shadows over their unsteady movements.
My First Mate, Decker, did his best to assist, but these drunk idiots were complicating it. Their fumbling fingers struggled to thread the hooks, and they could barely see straight in the glow of the working deck lights. It was a wonder someone hadn’t impaled a finger already with their clumsy attempts. And that reminded me to get replacement bulbs at the store.
As I made a note on my phone, I couldn't help but regret agreeing to this night charter. The Myquelson men had shown up already sauced at four o'clock, violating the boat's rules.
My boat.
My rules.
