Page 11 of The Situation Ship
Levi smiled. “Good. I’m glad you stopped by tonight. Seems like we’re all getting what we want.”
“Or, like you said, we’re pawns in a much bigger game.”
Levi chuckled and walked him to the door. “And doesn’t that sound like fun?”
They said goodbye, but Isaiah wasn’t so sure. Considering how easily everything was falling into place, he couldn’t help butwonder if luckwason his side, or if this was just the start of a storm.
Sitting next to Joshua in the back of the car, Poppy cursed herself for having trusted him. Just sharing the same air as the man plotting to kill her infuriated her, and Mina’s attempts to fill the silence with chatter about the ship’s amenities only heightened her unease.
Days had passed since the funeral. She’d waited for Joshua to come clean and confess everything, but he’d kept away, claiming he was busy. The weight of his unspoken betrayal was becoming unbearable, casting a shadow of distrust over everything. Perhaps it was best for both of them that he had stayed away; otherwise, she might have been tempted to push him off the balcony of her new penthouse. Then again, two suspicious falls might be too much of a coincidence.
“When we first met, we agreed that I’d help you with your career, and you would be a buffer to stop my aunt from settingme up with men who could ‘benefit’ my aunt’s career. Our relationship might be a lie, but I thought we were at least friends,” Poppy said suddenly, unable to stand the silence a moment longer. She wanted to give him a chance, an inch, to come clean before it was too late.
“Of course we’re friends. Where is this coming from?” he asked, fidgeting with his expensive watch. His stale breath and the dark circles under his eyes told her he had been out all night drinking. Maybe planning to kill his girlfriend had worn him out.
“Do you feel like I didn’t hold up my end of the deal?” she asked, trying to make sense of his betrayal.
“Poppy, I’m too hungover to understand what you want to hear. Can we just enjoy our holiday, and when we return home, we can figure out our next move?” Joshua grumbled, his refusal to make eye contact a clear sign of his guilt.
Poppy gave up. As theMidascame into view at the end of the dock, flying the trident flag, a wave of relief and hope washed over her. The ship, a symbol of her escape from Joshua and her troubles, was a welcome sight. It was as if a heavy burden had been lifted from her shoulders and she could finally breathe.
“Who’s that?” she asked Mina as she got out of the car, nodding towards a tall man with broad shoulders talking to a staff member with a clipboard at the end of the pier by the boarding area. He lifted his arm to adjust his collar, which was caught in his long navy jacket, and in doing so revealed the gun holstered at his hip. The weapon sent a shiver down Poppy’s spine.
“As requested, your new bodyguard. Isaiah Rivers comes highly recommended by Mr Eckells. I should mention that he’s also a detective on leave. I’ve spoken to him briefly, and I believe we can trust him to be discreet,” Mina whispered. Joshua was overseeing the process of their bags being unloaded and brought to the ship.
“A detective? I thought you would hire a bouncer,” Poppy protested. The thought of being under the watchful eye of a detective, especially one she didn’t know, made her uneasy.
“Rivers showed up while I was making arrangements with Mr Eckells about the trip, and he offered Isaiah the job,” Mina replied.
Poppy wished she hadn’t let Marty retire after the funeral. He was the only one on the security team she trusted, but he’d wanted to spend more time with his family, and she couldn’t deny his request. Isaiah was undoubtedly nicer to look at, but now wasn’t the time to focus on his designer stubble and dark eyes.
“Where’s Marty?” Joshua asked like an echo of her thoughts, staring at Isaiah like he had a disease.
Then again, it might be handy to have a detective around. She wondered if he had any cuffs on him.
“Marty retired; I told you that,” she said, hoping a smile would ease his suspicion.
“So he is…?” Joshua winced as the sun got in his eyes.
“Our bodyguard for the trip. He’s here to make sure we’re safe,” Poppy said, leading the way towards the boarding plank where Isaiah waited.
“How much protection do we need on a cruise ship?” Joshua argued, apparently frustrated by the change in plans.
“We’ve always brought security away with us. You’ve never complained before,” Poppy pointed out sarcastically.
“That’s different. We know Marty. We don’t need to be protected by a stranger. I can look after us,” Joshua said, loudly enough for Isaiah to turn from Mina and greet them.
“You must be Ms Roe.” Poppy liked how Isaiah directed his attention at her, ignoring Joshua’s temper tantrum. “I arrived early to go over some details with the staff. I’m Isaiah Rivers, and I’ll be your protective detail for the next two weeks.”
“I’m afraid we’ve wasted your time. We won’t need your services,” Joshua put in before Poppy could reply, making a show of sizing up Isaiah.The two men were complete opposites; Joshua wore a Hawaiian shirt, socks, and sandals. In contrast, Isaiah wore a shirt and trousers with a belt, highlighting his toned body, all business.
Isaiah smiled, clearly not bothered by his attitude. “I’m sorry, sir, but I was hired by Mr Eckells, the owner of theMidas, to ensure Ms Roe’s safety during her trip. Without his say, I won’t be leaving her side. I’ll merely be a shadow. You won’t even notice that I’m here,” he said coolly. Poppy silently thanked him for standing his ground. He wasn’t easily swayed, which she respected.
“There’s no point in arguing. Everyone has a bodyguard on theMidas. With so many important people on one ship, it’s better to be safe than sorry,” Mina interrupted, backing up Isaiah without hesitation. Poppy figured it was because they both worked for the same person. Still, she was curious about Isaiah’s background. How had a detective ended up working for Levi Eckells? Was he corrupt, or did he like to moonlight as a bodyguard?She made a mental note to stop assuming the worst of people.
“Can I speak to my girlfriend alone for a minute?” Joshua snapped.
“Please don’t take too long, sir. We’re already running behind schedule. Captain Hamill doesn’t like to be late, and we have the other guests to consider,” the staff member with the clipboard said.
