Page 50 of His Captive
“T-those are all sharks?” I ask, my eyes getting wide.
“More than likely,” Captain Reynolds says. “I’ve seen some fins poking out of the water. No way to know for sure until you get in the cage, though. We’ll need to wait a few minutes before we go under. Give them time to really get crazy for the bait so you get the show you want to see.”
“Uh…” I raise my brow. “I don’t really care about watching them eat.”
“Better than being dinner,” Captain Reynolds jokes. “Once we have a few more, I’ll dump the chum bucket, and you can get in the cage.”
“Come on, let’s watch from the side of the boat for a few minutes,” Massimo suggests, gesturing for me to follow him.
I follow Massimo to the railing. I spot several shark fins that make me shudder. They aren’t very close yet. The bait has caught their attention, but I guess they’re looking for more than a bite. The thought of that makes me shudder even more.
Music starts playing and I glance over my shoulder as Captain Reynolds turns up the volume.
“Music?” I ask.
“Sharks like music,” Massimo answers. “Or so I’ve heard.”
I shrug and lean forward, my feet tapping along with the beat. It’s a classic rock song. I can’t remember the name, but it’s one my grandmother used to play. Between the song and the wine still coursing through me, I can’t help taking a step back and swaying with the music.
“Alright, we’ve got several more dots showing up!” Captain Reynolds calls out. “Massimo, come help me with the chum.”
“Almost time,bambina,” Massimo says as he walks away.
I keep swaying, letting the music distract me from the fact I’m about to watch bloodthirsty predators devouring a bunch of cut-up fish, judging by what is in the bucket. I do my best not to think about it. This will be an experience, just like every day with Massimo. At least nobody is going to die this time—I hope.
Massimo and Captain Reynolds start baiting the water with chunks of chum. The song ends and another one starts. This one, I remember the name of. ‘Pour Some Sugar on Me’ by Def Leppard. My grandmother used to love this one, so of course I did, too. Every time we’d bake a cake, she’d start singing the chorus when she was adding the sugar to the bowl.
“Pour some sugar on me,” I sing, dancing along the edge of the boat.
My eyes are closed. The wind feels amazing, a gentle breeze that brushes away the sun’s warmth just enough to give the best of both. I’m obviously buzzing from the wine, and probably look like a fool, but I don’t care.
“Bambina, watch out!” Massimo yells.
I open my eyes, right as my foot slides into some smeared blood and fish guts on the side of the boat. I try to get my balance and reach for the railing, but I’ve got too much momentum. A scream rips from my throat as I hit the railing, spin toward the ladder, and fall off the side of the boat.
“No! No!” I scream, closing my eyes as I see the blue water beneath me.
I hit the water awkwardly as I belly flop into it and feel a sting in my midsection that knocks the breath out of me. I gasp, go under, and struggle to breathe. Then I remember what is in the water and start furiously kicking my legs.
A second later, strong arms are around my waist. My head breaks the surface and I’m finally able to breathe, but I sputter on the water.
“I got you, Lea,” Massimo barks, swimming toward the boat.
I cling to him, then look over my shoulder and scream when I see a fin darting toward us. “Shark!”
I look up and see Captain Reynolds with a worried expression on his face. He picks up the bucket and starts hurling chum behind us. Some of it drips on me, but I’ve got bigger things to worry about. Massimo grabs the ladder and yanks me out of the water.He half-drags, half-carries me up the ladder as I struggle to get my footing.
I’m trembling when we get to the deck. Massimo grabs a towel and wraps it around me. I’m safe—I don’t feel any pain. I pull the towel tight, looking up at Massimo, who has an angry expression on his face.
“You okay, ma’am?” Captain Reynolds asks, putting his hands on his hips.
“Y-yeah,” I stammer.
“You’re not supposed to be the bait,” the older captain chuckles, then he returns to the cage.
“S-sorry,” I whisper, looking back up at Massimo’s ice-cold expression. “I’m definitely going to get a spanking now, aren’t I?”
“You already were,” he growls. “Now it’s going to last a little longer than I previously planned. Do you still want to go in the cage, or would you rather forget about this?”
