Page 254 of The One
The wind rattles the metal railing, and the water slaps harder against the hull. The storm is still distant, but it’s coming.
“Let’s get everything ready before it gets harder to move around,” I suggest, kneeling down to open one of the storage boxes and beginning to unload blankets and cushions to access the hidden compartment.
Mari grips the railing, her fingers tight around the metal, her worried gaze locked on the dark horizon.
The confidence she had earlier, the exhilaration of the wind in her hair, is gone and there’s a slight tremor in her hands. It’s not just the approaching storm, the reality of what we’re about to do is sinking in.
“Won’t this storm make it harder to get to shore?” she asks, not taking her eyes off the dark clouds.
“Not really. We’ll be mostly underwater. You won’t notice the waves there. And the marina is sheltered, so it shouldn’t be too much trouble to get out. In fact, the storm works in our favor. There will be fewer people around who might spot us.”
She nods but still seems frazzled. “You seem so calm, though. Are you really?”
I take out some wet weather gear, finally spotting the ledge with the combination lock.
“Years of training,dolce mia. I’ve handled worse. This? This is controlled. No enemies to fight, just a simple plan to execute.”
A slow clap cuts through the wind, and a deep rumble of thunder rolls across the water.
“Are you sure about that?” a voice I’ve heard somewhere before says from the shadows beyond the cabin.
Both Mari and I spin around, staring at the shadowed figure to find a gun pointed straight at us.
Chapter Ninety-Six
Mateo
Afigure clad entirely in black steps forward. A female figure, judging from her silhouette.
She pulls the balaclava off her head, and long, platinum blonde hair tumbles over her shoulders.
Beside me, Mari gasps.
“Sofia?” Her voice is a mix of shock and disbelief.
“Surprise,” she singsongs, her lips curling into an infuriating smile.
I pull Mari behind me, my need to protect her taking over. She grabs onto my hand, squeezing it so tight I feel her pulse rattling her bones.
But then I sense her straightening, and she steps next to me again, her head held high despite the shock still shimmering in her eyes.
“What are you doing here?” she asks, a shaky edge to her voice, but still holding on to her composure.
“Well…” Sofia taps a manicured finger against her lips dramatically, never taking her eyes off us. “After we talked the other day, I had a feeling you’d try to leave. I’m just here to help. You know, make sure it’s for good.” Her tone is casual, as if discussing the weather.
Mari’s staring at Sofia, her forehead creased in confusion, as though trying to make sense of the twisted puzzle before her. But I get what Sofia means.
“When I heard through the grapevine, you were going to take a few days off to go sailing, I knew you were making a run for it,” Sofia continues, her voice laced with amusement. “So I had a tracker put on this magnificent vessel.”
She looks around, letting out a dramatic sigh.
“What a shame to blow up a beautiful, expensive boat like this. I’m guessing you planned to be off it when that happens. But actually you’ll still be here, already dead.
“How comforting,” I deadpan, my mind working overtime to find a way out. Weapons, options, the best angle to fight this.
Next to me, Mari covers her mouth, her face draining of color.
“I thought you were my friend! Why are you doing this?” Her voice cracks with pain, the betrayal too much to hide.
