Page 7 of Drowning in Sins
The bunkroom was located at the stern of a lower level and had a decent-sized bathroom tucked into the corner. Outside the bunkroom was a hallway where stairs went up to the kitchen and dining area, large enough to seat everyone if the weather wasn’t nice enough on deck. Past the staircase was one additional bedroom, a storage room, and another set of stairs.
The three bedrooms meant for me and my crew were located closer to the areas we needed to be able to get to if we weren’t on deck. Each of these three rooms had their own small, private bathroom and were scattered around the dining area.
I’d claimed the largest of the three private rooms a few years ago. All of the rooms, apart from mine, were kept bare. There wasn’t a reason to invest in the comfort of others if nobody was permanent. The beds weren’t uncomfortable, and the research team had stocked the kitchen. We would be fine.
An additional small storage room and indoor seating area were located near the middle of that level, with stairs going upand down to get to the bridge above or the dining area below. Large doors opened to the deck.
I wasn’t sure how many would be on this expedition, but Jones Maritime Collective knew how many my ship would sleep. They assured me it would be less than that.
The first to arrive was a face I hadn’t seen since I was a boy. Joe wasn’t exactly retired, but he moved away a few years ago. He was the youngest of my dad’s last crew. The years had been kind to him. The smile reached his eyes as he stood on the dock. A backpack was slung over his shoulder, and another bag was in his hands.
“Damn, she looks the same.” His smile grew wider as he came aboard.
“Joe.” We greeted each other with a handshake followed by a hug. “I can’t say I’m surprised to see you.”
“Your old man said I was in for the adventure of a lifetime. Couldn’t exactly turn that down.” Joe chuckled. “Where to, boss?”
I shook my head. It felt weird that Joe would think of me as the boss. “You’re the first to arrive, so take either of those crew rooms at the bow.”
“Well, all right then.” Joe looked around the deck. “Did your dad tell you who the other person was?”
“No, do you know?”
Joe hesitated. “I’m going to drop my stuff off and get reacquainted.”
“Joe.” I was speaking to the back of his head at that point.
A few minutes later, the men I’d met a week ago were the first of the research team to arrive. Warren was probably close to the same age as Joe, if his gray hair and crow’s feet were anything to go by. He looked like he came from money, but his hands told the story of a man who wasn’t afraid to work hard. Collin was his younger brother. There was something about him that remindedme of a cartoon villain. All he was missing was a monocle and top hat. Maybe it was the mustache that curled at the ends.
I moved to the lower level to make sure the outside door to the storage room was still propped open and met two more men with the research team. They hauled in the same machine the others had used before, as well as SCUBA gear and more equipment I wasn’t familiar with.
When I went back up to the top deck, I was greeted with a face I wasn’t expecting, not in this lifetime. Someone who hadn’t been out to sea in years—not that I could blame him after what happened. He hadn’t stepped foot on this boat since. It was the biggest shock of a lifetime.
My half-brother, Frederick.
Chapter Six
ROSALYN
The air was warmer here than up on the cliff where the inn was. I thanked the driver, closed the cab door, then walked down to the dock. My eyes scanned over the markers above the slips to find the one I was looking for. A large white ship with red letters spelling outMaribethgreeted me. She looked old but solid, ready for an adventure.
“Ros!” I didn’t have to look up to recognize it was Tyler. We had multiple classes together at our university. His brown shaggy hair was nearly to his shoulders. He used to keep it short while in school.
I hugged him as I stepped onto the deck. His flight had been delayed yesterday, so I hadn’t gotten a chance to catch up with him like I did Beth. We’d all kept in touch in a group chat with a few others from our study group in school. It was nice knowing I had friends here.
“Rosalyn,” Warren greeted me. He was one of the leaders of the expedition. He and his brother were the ones who hired me. “This is the captain of the ship, Nicholas.”
My eyes turned and landed on a man a foot taller than me. I swallowed as I took in a broad chest, the muscles stretching hisblue Henley. The sleeves had been pushed up to reveal tattoos along both arms and hands. My gaze slowly crept up to his as I held my breath.
“Call me Kai.” He held his hand out.
I exhaled slowly. “Rosalyn, or Ros.” I smiled as I put my hand in his.
He held mine as his blue eyes pulled me in. A baby blue that brightened like the sun reflecting on the ocean, holding me captive. Something about them made me want to dive in. Sink or swim.
There was also something about this man, an unexplainable familiarity. It was on the tip of my tongue, a forgotten memory. Blurred images rushed to the front of my mind like an old Hollywood film. Why did it feel like I knew him?
He slowly released my hand, his thumb brushing across the back of it and sending tingles up my arm. It was an innocent touch, an accidental brushing. But the way it warmed me inside was shocking. The way I didn’t want him to let go.
