Chapter 24 #2
“Hold your whining, Salacia,” Ravencroft commands without missing a beat.
“I am more than aware of the repercussions and eco shifts that chumming can create; however, I’m also a woman who believes you should treat yourself whenever the opportunity fits and have a feeling the sharks that do roam these waters share in the sentiment.
” She lets her stare briefly cut to her.
“And you can rest assure the residue from my accessory will dissolve without harming them or their feast because if either are harmed there’s a beautiful, brilliant chemist whose balls I will empty for more than just an heir to my legacy.
” Salay’s mouth doesn’t even have time to twitch courtesy of another order being spoken. “Follow.”
Staying close on her heels occurs without reluctance.
“Youjustkilledmybrother!” Temperance shouts in surprising disbelief, the sounds of fish gut filled buckets being dumped overboard forcing her to do so.
“Oh, tuck your Tony Award winning tears away, Princess,” sighs the woman approaching her. “You’re just upset that I beat you to it.”
At that, she clamps her mouth shut.
“I’m upset because you had the audacity to hire one of the syndicate’s companies to do your dirty work to avoid blowback on your pending coronation, dirty work that included harming those under its direct protection.
” Our arrival at her side precedes Ravencroft roughly gripping Temperance’s chin.
“I’m upset because you brought your little family squabble into my waters, went after my property, and tried to use my resources to wrap up this little inbred feud that had no business being brought to my shores without permission, permission that your younger sibling, Theodosia, understands, respects, and is more than willing to abide by, making her a much better successor to the Weslington crown than either of you would’ve ever been.
” Her eyes widen in what I assume is shock.
“Opener.” Salay swiftly tosses over the sharp object to the woman I now owe my life to resulting in a flawless catch followed by an even more impeccable stab into Temperance’s neck.
“Most people assume you can’t successfully pierce the carotid with such a tiny point; however, like most things, with enough force,” word emphasized by her mirroring the exact motion, “you absolutely can.”
“Holy shit,” whispers the woman who delivered the object.
“Now, you and your brother know your place, Temperance.” Crimson slowly begins cascading down Ravencroft’s wrists. “And so does the next Queen of Hoalkey.” Craning her face to practically close the gap between them is accompanied by her cooing, “Reign. Order. Reestablished.”
One smooth pullback allows the blood to drip across Ravencroft’s toes and enough space to abandon Temperance’s twitching figure over the edge.
“Franklin,” she states to one of the men who helped the deceased piece of royalty to her watery grave. “Chum.”
“Yes, Madam,” he replies and tucks his weapon away to do what he’s been instructed to do.
“Longworth.” Her foot twists to the side. “Feet.”
The other male that had been previously assisting in the holding of my partners hostage immediately puts away his gun, drops to his knees, and retrieves his pocket square to begin his task.
“Wow,” breathes Salay in admiration, “you’re like Great White with phenomenal legs.”
“And an ass that won’t ever retire.” The single remaining man left hustles over to clean the blood coating her palm. “Greet them.”
I instantly rush over to the only two people I don’t wanna live without and wind my arms aggressively around both.
“Thank fuck, you’re okay,” Garcia murmurs into my neck, fingers latching possessively onto a fistful of my shirt. “Estaba preocupado.”
“Worried or scared, my guy?”
“Scared, Little One,” our princess sells out at the same time her grip tightens on my fabric covered back as well. “But I told him you’d rescue us.”
“Of course, I’d rescue you,” I lovingly insist. “I’d do anything for the two of you…”
Including…but not limited to…what I did do.
“Enough sentiments,” Ravencroft announces, unfortunately pulling us apart. “We have business to attend to.”
Stepping to the side grants her a clear view of the three of us when Garcia cautiously questions, “Permission to speak?”
“Oooo,” coos the crazy in red bottom pumps prior to letting the tip of the freshly cleaned tool touch her lips, “I knew you could be trained.” A waggling of her eyebrow precedes her pointing the object in his direction. “Granted.”
“What business do we have with you, Ravencroft?”
“You owe me a debt,” she emotionlessly informs. “You each owe me a debt for saving your lives – that is not something I nor the organization does for free – and you also owe me compensation for my expedited services as I had to…rearrange…my plans to tend to this matter instead.”
“I made the deal,” leaves me before she can explain further. “I…made…a deal…with the devil…”
Ravencroft villainously beams. “Flattery will get you almost anywhere and everywhere.”
“Our lives in exchange for goods or services to be rendered by the syndicate.”
“Zero!” shouts the salt and pepper bearded man like I predicted he would. “Why would you fucking do that?!”
“Because it was the only way I knew how to make sure you stayed alive! And you two being alive is all that fucking matters to me!”
His mouth lowers, although no sound escapes.
“And if that meant selling my fucking soul to a woman without one-”
“Blush…” she nefariously swoons in between sounds of more buckets being emptied into the water.
“-and doing the same on your behalf then that’s what’s up!”
“Did you even bother considering what we might want?! What we might have to fucking say about this shit?!”
“The dead don’t talk, Garcia,” Salay sassily reminds.
“Exactly,” I argue in a weaker tone than intended. “And I’d rather you be alive and pissed at me for what I did and chewing me out about not reading the fine print of this arrangement than be some shark’s 4th meal.”
“Real shit?” Our bikini bearing woman throws out. “Kinda always assumed I’d get eaten by a shark.”
“There’s still time.” Ravencroft vilely smirks. “Particularly if you continue to waste mine.”
Garcia momentarily presses his lips together in submission.
Fuckme, I know on the clicks and clacks, it’s not time to admire her for that, but I do.
Her ability to flex on him is the same one Salay possesses.
It’s the same one I wish I had.
Could have.
But no matter what I do, no matter how much I nut up, do the shit that show my balls are made of steel not Styrofoam, he still bucks back.
Fights me.
Refuses to accept that I am a lot more capable than he wants to give me credit for.
Stronger than he wants to see.
I’m not some fragile little fuck toy all the time.
That’s a privilege.
One I’d really fucking appreciate him understanding.
Ravencroft tucks her newly cleaned letter opener into the tight, high bun on top of her head. “Debts will be paid in services-”
“Not dollars?” rudely interrupts Garcia.
“My business. My decision.” He lowers his jaw to talk again prompting her to lift a finger.
“You’ve now lost your speaking privileges.
” The tiniest twitch pushes her to add. “One more unapproved sound, and I’ll use my new gift,” she motions to the tool tucked into her locks, “to hold your tongue in place while I use a fillet knife,” this time a gesture is made to Gibbons who wiggles the one he’s holding, “to cut it out of your mouth.” A quirked eyebrow is attached to her next command. “Nod that you understand.”
And he does.
“Salacia-”
“Salay,” she instantly corrects. “Respectfully.”
“Salay,” Ravencroft slyly smirks, “you will finish the salvaging of écume de mer éternité with my blessing.”
No sound manages to escape her bobbing lips.
“You will lead a team – for a much lower rate than that of which you initially charged your boyfriends – that’s approved by me – all approvals will go through me – to finish finding the remains of the ship and getting them back onto land where they will then be verified, vetted, and admitted into a state history museum with your name absorbing all the credit and backing linked to a wealthy, anonymous, multiple dead-end shell corp owning donor. ”
“You don’t want the credit?!”
“Unlike you, I don’t need notoriety from Daddy dearest or any other authoritative figure that basically told me I wouldn’t amount to anything more than a tight twat with a danger addiction and preference for men who look great naked but believe sea horses are just horses you ride by the sea.”
The glare she’s twitched by the woman she’s speaking to simply deepens her grin. “One. Guy.”
Garcia struggles not to comment while I do my best to stifle my chuckles.
“You will take all the attention. You will answer any questions they have. You will do any PR they request. You will be the face of the find and you will do it your way. That means bikini tops, jeans, and swearing like the sailors and mermaids you live to honor. Why? Because you’ll bitch less about it when you’re the one calling those shots.
And this donation delivers the leverage I actually enjoy having, which are pleased government officials who will ask less questions and provide more sovereignty once they have the court of public persuasion to perform in front of. ”
Salay slowly nods her agreement.
Finishing the salvage…doing what she loves to do…getting the recognition for it…all sounds like she’s the one winning in spite of her doing it to pay back a debt for her life being saved.
I’m grateful she doesn’t know Ravencroft like I do.
This isn’t a gift.
This is a completely selfish action.
She’s securing what she needs to secure for the syndicate while leaving no traceable trail back to herself.
It’s for Ravencroft’s anonymity yet masked to be my woman’s one chance at infamy.
Damn.
I’mma miss saying my woman.
I already know what my cost is.
I just hope they can forgive me for it.
“You, Victor Ferdinand Garcia-”
“Ferdinand?!” Salay teasingly cackles. “Shutthefuckup…”
“You will be repaying your debt by doing what you do best. Paperwork.”
An undersell of his capabilities that he would argue if allowed to speak.
“A finding of this caliber is going to come with jurisdiction – state and federal – and cultural – multiple countries – challenges I do not feel like tasking my internal team with as they have larger issues to tend to. The only country I know that will not be seeking claim is that of Hoalkey due to an…arrangement made by the youngest sibling…hence how she became the one who will now rule the entire country with a security team that knows better than to ask any questions that might elude to her siblings unforuntate timely demise.”
As she loves to remind…everyone has a price.
“You will handle any and all legal matters tending to this – also for a significantly lower fee than you would charge a client of lesser status – and if that means hiring aids, counsel, or assistance to help you will do so – post consulting me – and their fees will be covered. This arrangement also means tending to the legal needs of Salay when she inevitably receives pushback for her findings. I am now your most important client. All others second. And spare any need to regurgitate about the law you are most comfortable practicing because we both know the law you practice is the law you need to practice when you need to. It’s like talking to a surgeon.
Sure, you have your specialty…preference…
extra letters and titles accordingly…but if I put a gun to your head, hand you a scalpel, and tell your ass to operate or die…
something tells me you’d figure it the fuck out. Yes?”
He reluctantly nods.
“Consider your debt to me the gun and this situation the operation.”
Another head bobbing of comprehension is given.
“Zero,” she slowly purrs, turning towards me, fingers playing with the collar of the leopard print button up I put on specifically for her, “originally your debt was to be served by you permanently moving into the estate to give Goldie something to play with-”
“What?!” Salay shrieks on both of their behalf, eyes darting to them to wordlessly express my apologies.
“Interrupt me again, Salacia, and you’ll be learning sign language to conduct the pending interviews regarding your historical finding.
” One gentle tug returns my remorse-filled gaze back to hers.
“Goldie deserves a new toy, but I know if I take you away from them and them away from you, you’ll all create the type of headache that only ends when you’re all hanging upside down from my favorite cherry tree for a round of pinot and pinata. ”
An audible gulp can’t be stopped.
“Therefore, your debt will be served to me in another way.”
It takes every ounce of strength I have to not let my voice shake, “Oh?”
“You amuse me.”
I make an attempt to smile.
“So, you will amuse me.”
Rather than speak out of turn, I merely lift my brow.
“You will fuck Garcia. Garcia will fuck Salay. And I will watch.” Even considering a rebuttal isn’t possible due to her finger tauntingly trailing my chin.
“Right here. Right now.” The digit moves to the other side.
“Right against the very balcony where I eliminated the threat that tried to keep you apart.”
An unanticipated – almost feral – growl rattles around the back of my throat.
“And for my expedited troubles…I’m going to film. The. Entire. Thing.”