Page 39 of Wayward
Sam
“We’ve stopped moving,” Zane whispers to the right of me.
I nod.
I can’t stop thinking of Haley in the hutch. We should have brought her under here with us. And I’ve had enough. I’m not sure the last time I squeezed under a bed, but I definitely had more space when I did. Hide and seek with Charlie, maybe?
“Sam?” Zane whispers.
I hold my hand up to him to say wait, but straighten myself up. Easton’s already at the end of the bed, pulling Haley out of the box. Dante and Zane pop out of the other side of the bed.
“I thought it would be a good space,” Haley whispers and then winces when she tries to put her foot down. “My foot’s asleep.”
Easton picks her up and turns to the bathroom when the door opens.
“Well, I see you all fucking listen well. I said stay hidden. Fuck me,” Thayer growls and shakes his head, closing the doorbehind him. “We’ve anchored. I’ve made arrangements for you to be taken to the main building. My father’s men have their own facilities on the other side of the property. You’ll need to be out of here fast. Holloway will come get you. I know this isn’t what you want. But in my own way, I’m keeping you safe. So don’t fuck me over.” His eyes narrow, and he glides through the door with a click. Honestly, I’m not sure what to think of him anymore. Is he even telling the truth? Mostly I have no idea what’s in it for him.
“Sam?” Haley wraps an arm around my waist, rubbing her calf with the other hand. “Are you good?”
“No. But yes. What do you think is in it for him?”
“Thayer?” Her eyebrows rise. “I don’t know. But you know, I don’t think he knows either. He’s like a hurricane, not sure if he’s going to rain down over the coast of Florida or save it all for the Carolinas. Ya know?”
“Yeah, that’s perfect.”
We debate about going back into the closet, but we’re all sick of it and end up sitting and sprawled over the massive bed. Haley’s still trying to stand when the door opens again. We pop up, a wall of men between the door and the bed.
Holloway has a sack over his shoulder. “Here, black clothing to match the rest of the security team.” He tosses it down on the bed and shakes his head. Like he too can’t figure out how we’re still alive. “I’ll be back in five minutes. Be ready. Single file. There are some guns in the bottom of the bag.” I must have given him a reaction because he laughs. “No ammo in them. But it would look weird to have a boat full of unarmed guards coming ashore. And Hal, cover up your hair.”
“Got it,” Haley says behind me. I turn to find her still rubbing her leg. Her wide blue eyes hold mine.
“Be ready.” Holloway shuts the door.
Soon, we’re changed and standing with our empty guns strapped to our bodies. Haley found a black T-shirt of Thayer’s and has it wrapped around her sun-bleached hair as a scarf with a ball cap over top of it.
Holloway’s back in the room in no time. “You’re a sorry looking bunch of recruits. But let’s go. Anyone talks to you, you let me do the talking.” Holloway moves over to Calvin. “Do you understand me, Green?”
“I’ve been a good little prisoner.”
“Fuck me. Move.” Holloway opens the door and we’re out. Through the main salon where the odd wood fire is crackling, out onto the back deck, and down to the swim platform where there’s one guard?the older guard who threw Collins into the water?and the head steward Kennedy. I step up to the tender. Calvin has already climbed on board.
“What’s wrong with him?” Holloway points at Haley. We’re moving quickly, and Haley’s limping.
“My foot’s asleep.” She lowers her voice, just like she did back on the pirate boat.
“Well, cut it out,” Holloway growls.
“I’m trying,” Haley huffs out.
I step onto the tender and turn back to take Haley’s hand to help her aboard, but she shakes her head. I drop my hand because she’s right?Thayer’s dad or the security team might be watching. I take a seat in front of Calvin, moving all the way to the end of the bench. Haley sits next to me and slides down.
“Hurry up.” Holloway glares at Easton, Zane, and Dante. “I’m not sure which I’ll be happier to have gone, you or the damn animals.”
I look back at theRosewoodand at Holloway. “Penny, my dog?” Fuck, after all of this . . . to lose Penny now? She’s half of the reason I didn’t lose my mind when I was adrift on theRock Candy. I’m trying to forget my drunken nights on board,the hours of spying for a speck of light on the horizon. Praying that anyone I came across didn’t want to shoot me to salvage theRock Candyfor profit.
“And Pepper?” Haley asks. Haley’s the other half of what kept me alive all those days. Staring at her picture kept me from losing my shit altogether. Hoping,prayingthat she was okay. Picturing her back in Miami, alive, kept me going through those long days.
“They’re already in the main house. Mr. Z had me bring the two of them there. After the animal shelter picked up the feral cats,” Kennedy says.
