Page 113 of Duty Unbound

But I wasn’t restrained, and Tommy wasn’t here. That was something. I wasn’t wasting even a precious second this time. I was getting the hell out of here and would be screaming my head off as soon as I got outside.

I stood shakily, pressing my hand against the wall to steady myself as I moved toward the door. It opened easily—not locked. Another small mercy.

A narrow set of stairs led upward, light spilling down from above. I carefully climbed them, one hand clutching the railing as the strange tilting sensation continued. When I reached the top, the reality of my situation hit me with stunning clarity.

I was on a boat. Not a yacht, but a good-sized boat, cutting through open water. The endless blue stretched in every direction, no land visible on any horizon.

“No, no, no,” I whispered, panic clawing up my throat.

“Good morning, sunshine! Well, good afternoon, I should say.”

I whirled around at the cheerful greeting, nearly losing my balance. Tommy stood on the upper deck, one hand on the wheel, wearing crisp white shorts and a blue button-down shirt like he’d stepped out of a sailing catalog. He was beaming at me, as if this was completely normal.

“Beautiful day, isn’t it?” he called, gesturing at the cloudless sky.

I fought to keep my breathing even, to maintain some semblance of calm. Panic wouldn’t help me now.

“Tommy,” I began, choosing my words carefully, “where are we going?”

He smiled wider. “Wherever we want! That’s the beauty of it, Mel. Total freedom. No schedules, no commitments, no Nova demanding your attention every five minutes.”

I took a few cautious steps toward him, testing my balance on the gently rocking deck. “I’d like to go back to shore now, please.”

His smile faltered slightly. “We just started our adventure. You’ll feel better once you get your sea legs.”

I glanced around, assessing my surroundings. Nothing but open water in every direction. My heart hammered against my ribs.

“Tommy, I need to ask… My clothes…” I gestured down at the bikini, trying to keep the revulsion from my voice.

“Oh!” His face flushed. “I didn’t look, I promise. I just thought you’d be more comfortable in something appropriate for the boat. Your clothes are below, all folded up.”

The thought of him undressing me while I was unconscious made bile rise in my throat, but I swallowed it down. I needed to stay calm, to think clearly.

“Tommy, I appreciate that you thought you were doing something nice for me,” I said, forcing a neutral tone. “But this isn’t what I want. I need you to take me back to the nearest port, and we can forget this whole thing happened.”

He laughed, the sound unnervingly light. “You just need time to adjust. I know it’s a big change.”

“No, it’s not a big change. It’skidnapping.” The words slipped out before I could stop them.

Tommy’s expression darkened instantly. “Don’t say that. I rescued you, Mel. From that life you hated. Remember? You told me you wanted to sail away from everything.”

“I was speaking figuratively. And I especially didn’t mean I wanted it with you?—”

His hand moved so fast, I barely saw it coming. The slap connected with my cheek, the stinging impact knocking my head to the side. I gasped, my hand flying to my face.

“Don’t be a tease,” he snapped, his friendly demeanor evaporating. Then, as quickly as the storm had appeared, it passed.His face softened into contrition. “I’m sorry, Mel. I shouldn’t have done that. You just… You say things that hurt me sometimes.”

I stood frozen, my cheek burning, as the full reality of my situation crystallized. Tommy wasn’t just obsessed. He was dangerous. Unstable.

“I’m going to make us some food,” he said, as if nothing had happened. “You should enjoy the sun. Get some color on that beautiful skin.”

He brushed past me, heading below deck, leaving me alone with the endless horizon.

I moved to the railing, gripping it tightly as I fought against rising terror. The irony wasn’t lost on me—in another life, being on a beautiful boat like this with someone I cared about, someone like Ethan, would have been a dream. But not with Tommy. Not like this.

Ethan’s face flashed in my mind, and my chest constricted painfully. Was he looking for me? I honestly had no idea how much time had passed since Tommy took me.

I squinted at the horizon, searching desperately for any sign of land, for any clue as to where we might be. Nothing but blue in every direction. Could I swim for it? The thought seemed ludicrous even as it formed. Without knowing which direction led to shore, I could just as easily swim farther out to sea.

---