Page 150 of Blind Prophet

“Are you sure this is the best idea? It’s possible we’re the only ones on the yacht. Or those still onboard are crew and won’t hurt us. This boat feels small.”

She’s not wrong about the size. Compared to the yacht, to the waves, it’s tiny. “My gut’s telling me we need to move.” I flip the small outboard motor engine on, and we sputter away.

There might not be a bomb on the yacht, but there could be. There could be mercenaries too. Anyone on the boat was hired by Geoffrey, which means we can’t trust them.

Caroline joins me on the bench seat, snuggling into my side as sea spray lashes every time our hull crashes into the crest of a wave. Clouds thicken into a steel-gray hue, blanketing the setting sun beneath a foggy shroud. For a brief moment, I second-guess myself and consider going back, but no, this is the smarter plan.

Seated on the bench, the dinghy feels impossibly small against the vastness of the Pacific. Gray clouds gather on the horizon, promising rougher seas ahead. Each wave lifts us high before dropping us into troughs that seem to swallow us whole. Salt spray stings my eyes as I grip the throttle, pushing us further from the yacht with every surge.

“The video of you,” she says. “So real. It’s scary they can do that.”

“I agree. The video of you with a bomb terrified me. Jesus, Caroline.” I shake my head, hoping to shake the image. “If there were any AI markings, I didn’t pick them up.” The terror damaged my objectivity. I’d like to go back, study the video again, and take the time to find the markers. They have to be there.

“What happens now?”

At this very second, I’m hoping we’re clearing enough distance that we’ll be safe from the blast radius if there’s a bomb on the yacht, but she’s asking a bigger question.

“I’ll call in every favor. Geoffrey won’t have any pull, even if he tries to impersonate my father. Or me. I’ll make sure the evidence reaches every major intelligence agency simultaneously.” My father’s legacy may be shattered, but he’ll never need to know. “The Arrow team will track down Geoffrey. If whoever he’s working with pulls off some bigger plan, my company won’t be used to further their goals. He must’ve truly hated me to misjudge me so greatly.”

With greater distance between us and the yacht, I loosen my grip on the engine handle, slowing our speed, and pull back to inspect her injuries. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine.” She brushes my hand away, but she can’t see the gash on her forehead. “Dorian, what was he talking about? Have you broken laws? Are you–”

I stop her with a light press of my finger to her lips. “I’m not perfect. I’ve arranged deals with questionable enterprises. Worked with people you wouldn’t approve of.”

“Criminals?”

“For the most part, no one who’s been convicted of a crime.” It’s a weak defense, but in a global economy, crime is a multifaceted concept. “I followed in my father’s footsteps. But Geoffrey misjudged me. Power isn’t something I crave.”

“That’s easy to say when you’ve always had it.”

“Caroline, for all of his studying me, one thing he didn’t grasp is that I’d give it all up for you.” In all fairness to Geoffrey, I’m not sure I understood that about myself until this weekend. He clearly understood that I love Caroline, but he didn’t understand the depths of my feelings. I’d give up my life before I let anything happen to her. I’d give up everything for her. Or maybe, come to think of it, maybe he did understand.

“What he said about an investigation…are you going to cover this up? You could, you know. There’s no reason for any of what you or your father have done to be exposed.” There’s an earnestness to her words that tells me she’d help me.

“Kill the investigation?” I meet her gaze directly. “Not an option. The lies, the deceit. That wouldn’t work out well for me in the long run. I couldn’t win you back if I did that. No. I’ll work with the authorities. And I’ll do what I need to do to ensure nothing like this happens again.”

She studies me for a long moment. “The Dorian I left would’ve chosen differently.”

“I'm not that man anymore.” We’re far enough from the yacht, and I kill the engine, letting the boat roll with the waves. When the rescue team approaches, we want to be easily found.

I gently lift her chin. “I thought power and legacy were what mattered. But living without you—” My voice catches. “Those were empty years.”

The boat rocks beneath us as I carefully touch the wound on her forehead. “When I thought I might lose you today... I realized there’s only one legacy I care about building.”

“And what’s that?” Her voice is barely above a whisper.

“A life with you. If you’ll give me that chance.” I take her hands in mine. “I’m dismantling the Moore empire, piece by piece if I have to. The satellites, the companies—they’ll serve the world, not profit from it. That’s my choice, and it’s one Geoffrey never foresaw.”

A smile—the first real one I’ve seen since this nightmare began—spreads across her face. She leans into me, and this time when our lips meet, there’s no goodbye in it.

“I’ve missed you,” she whispers against my mouth.

An explosion rips through the air, catching us by surprise. Bright orange flames and black fumes strike a surreal image against the horizon. I scan the ship, but don’t see anyone jumping from it. Perhaps there was no crew. Debris litters the ocean, and the yacht falls on its side.

“You were right,” Caroline says under her breath.

Off in the distance, a Coast Guard chopper appears on the horizon, and I hold Caroline close against the wind and spray.

---