“Jericho gave me a nice welcome party.”
I hissed. “I think we need to plan our ownwelcome party for when he returns.”
“Definitely,” Jeremy said, moving next tome.
“Because we could totally overpower him withall our weapons, right?” Mikado huffed.
“We are weapons, Mikado,” Jeremy said. “Iwatched you fight at your martial arts studio. You wereamazing—powerful beyond belief.”
He laughed bitterly. “Haven’t you everheard, don’t bring a knife to a gunfight? We don’t even have aknife. I’m decent on the mat, but what could I do against semi-autoweapons?” He shook his head, then looked at Jeremy accusingly. “Andwhy the heck were you watching me fight?”
Jeremy chose not to answer the lastquestion.
I started to talk. “Don’t sell yourselfshort. You’re a machine, and you can easily take Jericho.”
“Not when he has a gun and is surrounded byfour or five other guards with guns.” Mikado tsked.
“We can teach you how to disarm not only oneattacker, but all of them all by yourself…of course, it will beeasier with all three of us,” I said.
“You’re always the optimist, aren’t you?”Mikado mused.
Jeremy nodded. “Yes, she is.Definitely.”
“I try. I try,” I said. “Let’s getbusy.”
“Now?”
“Of course. We don’t have a spare minute. Weneed to be ready when the next person comes through that door.”
We practiced for a good while until I couldsee that Mikado needed to rest. His injuries had taken a big tollon him. I was feeling tired, too, and I pushed up againstJeremy.
“I’ll take first watch,” I said.
“No, I’ll do that,” Jeremy argued, but I cuthim off.
“We all need some rest, don’t deny it. I’mso tired, I don’t know if I could get up to take my shift if I fellasleep now. Better if I take the first watch.”
Jeremy nodded, a bit hesitant.
It didn’t take long for their breaths toeven out.
Chapter 30
I jerked awake to someone pulling me up bymy arms and twisting a rope around my waist and chest, binding metight. I’d fallen asleep on my watch. He held me to him in achokehold. It took me about two seconds too long to realize who hadme. In that time, guards stepped behind me, restraining both Jeremyand Mikado who had obviously been sleeping just as hard as I hadbeen. Gut-wrenching fear sliced through me. I was exposed, about tobecome Jericho’s plaything, and I had no way of stopping it. Itonly took Jericho three more seconds to have me at the door.
Jeremy called out, “Leave her alone. Youheard what your boss said.” Both he and Mikado were on their feetmoving toward me, pulling against the men who had them restrained.Two more guards stepped over to help keep them in check.
At that, Jericho stopped and gave a menacingchuckle, throwing his head back. “Oh, don’t worry. I won’t doanything that he’ll be able to see.” Then he licked my cheek.
Resisting the urge to gag, I hit my headinto his with a sickening thud. He didn’t gasp. He hit his headback into mine, making me see stars as he said, “Ooh, I do like itrough.” Then he bit my ear. I screamed out. I tried to yank my handup and feel if he’d removed a chunk, but the ropes held me firm. Mybreathing turned rapid and short as panic took hold of myheart.
“Yes, this is going to be fun,” he said in abreathy whisper. “A lot of fun.”
The sharp pain in my ear seemed to crescendoat his words. Both Jeremy and Mikado were having an epic battlewith the men holding them, grunting as they fought for theirfreedom to help me. Jericho took two more steps, and we wereoutside on the deck of the ship. I took a deep breath of fresh airand tried to calm my mind enough to figure out a way out of themess I was in. A prayer leapt out of my heart. A prayer that bothcalmed and reassured me. I closed my eyes and pulled hard on thebrisk air as the guards pushed the door to the container shut andlocked it.
Just as I was going to place the heel of myfoot in Jericho’s groin, he moved me a couple feet away from him,and two guards took hold of my arms. A grotesque smile played onhis face. He turned and headed for the stairs. The guards pushed meforward.
I would not have a chance to escape until Iwas untied. And that most likely wouldn’t happen until I was alonewith Jericho. The thought of being alone with him shot furiousdread through me. I fought hard to quell the terror and work onfinding a way out of this. As I walked, I could feel the ropearound me slacken little by little. As we tromped down the stairs,I purposefully shook with each step to help loosen it. With anyluck, it would be loose enough for me to get the drop onJericho.
I figured he was leading me to the livingquarters, and I visualized how I would stop him from followingthrough with his plans and hopefully detain him so that I couldhelp Jeremy and Mikado escape.
We took the door leading to the bedrooms,and I focused. So much was riding on my ability to stay calm andexecute my plan flawlessly. He opened the first door on his right,which increased my optimism. I would not have to run down the wholehallway and avoid anyone in it in order to escape. It would besimple to get to the stairwell door once I’d incapacitated him.This was going to work. I had to crook my arms slightly to preventthe rope from falling off me as I stood outside the door. Iassessed the room, taking stock of every last thing that could helpme escape.
My head throbbed at the spot where Jerichohad hit me. I’d have a hefty goose egg for sure. Jericho walkedinto a room with a bed, a side table with a lamp, and a dresser.The guards pushed me inside, closing the door behind me as theyleft. Their job was done. Or would they act as
