Chapter 30
Chapter Thirty
RIGEL
The warmth of Mia’s body presses against mine. Her confession, the weight of her secrets, and the depth of our connection—it all feels like a dream, but the reality of her presence reassures me that it’s all beautifully real.
Over the next day, we explore each other’s bodies and souls, the passion between us a fire that refuses to be tamed. I lose myself in the softness of her skin, the taste of her lips, the way she moves beneath me. Every touch, every whispered word of affection, is a promise, a vow to stand by her side, no matter what the future may hold.
As the ship sails on, I marvel at the unexpected turn my life has taken. Just days ago, I was a man adrift, searching for purpose and direction. Now, with Mia in my arms and the weight of her trust in my hands, I’ve found something precious—a love with the power to change my life forever.
As the days blur together in a haze of sunshine, laughter, and stolen moments of intimacy, I’m grateful for the twist of fate that brought Mia into my life. She’s a gift, a treasure beyond measure, and I silently vow to do whatever it takes to keep her safe, to help her expose the truth and find the justice she so desperately seeks .
Tonight, the sun dips below the horizon, painting the sky in a breathtaking array of oranges, pinks, and purples. The gentle breeze carries the salty scent of the ocean, and the sound of the waves lapping against the hull creates a soothing rhythm. On the deck of the Serenity , passengers mingle and laugh, their voices blending with the soft strains of music emanating from the ship’s speakers.
Amidst the casual atmosphere, Mia and I stand at the railing, our bodies close, our attention focused solely on each other. The fading light casts a warm glow on her face, accentuating her delicate features and the depth of her dark eyes. I can’t help but be drawn to her, my heart swelling with affection and desire.
I reach out, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear, my fingertips grazing the soft skin of her cheek. Mia leans into my touch, a smile playing at the corners of her lips.
I pull her closer, my arms encircling her waist, the heat of her body seeping into mine. Her arms wind around my neck, her fingers toying with the short hairs at the nape.
“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else right now.” She curls against me, hand on my chest, arm wrapped behind my back.
“Not even below deck? In my cabin?” Since that first night, we rarely leave our cabin. If it weren’t for once-in-a-lifetime dives, I’d keep Mia down below until the end.
“Now that you mention it…” She lifts on tiptoe, pulling me down for a kiss.
Our lips meet, and the contact ignites a spark of passion between us. The kiss deepens, our mouths moving in perfect synchronicity, our tongues dancing in a sensual exploration. I lose myself in the taste of her, the feel of her pressed against me, the way her body responds to my touch.
“I could stay here with you forever, just like this.” My voice is rough with emotion.
When we finally break apart, both of us slightly breathless, I rest my forehead against hers.
“Or, we can make the most of every moment.” Her soft gaze meets mine with an intensity that steals my breath. “Take me below.”
“You’re insatiable.”
The world around us fades away as we stand there, wrapped in each other’s arms. The other passengers, the ship, the vastness of the ocean—all of it becomes background noise, insignificant in comparison to the connection we share.
Just as I’m about to take her below, however, a commotion shatters the intimate bubble we’ve created. Shouts of alarm pierce the night air, followed by the sound of running footsteps and the clash of metal against metal.
Mia tenses in my arms, her eyes wide with fear.
“What’s happening?” she whispers, her voice trembling.
“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out. Stay close to me, okay?” I instinctively pull her closer, my body shifting to shield her from any potential threat.
She nods, her trust in me evident in her gaze. I take a deep breath, my senses heightened, my mind shifting into the focused state of a trained operative.
I scan the deck, searching for the source of the disturbance. Passengers scatter, their faces etched with panic as they rush for safety. Amidst the chaos, I spot two armed men, their faces concealed behind dark masks and bodies encased in tactical armor. They move with purpose toward the center of the ship.
Their movements are coordinated, their actions precise. There’s a level of skill and discipline in their approach that sets off alarm bells in my head.
They systematically round up the passengers, herding them into a corner of the deck. They bark orders, their voices harsh and commanding, but they haven’t fired a single shot.
As if they’re trying to minimize the risk of casualties.
My mind races, trying to make sense of the situation. If this were a typical raid, they would be more focused on looting and causing chaos, but these men seem to have a specific target in mind, a purpose that goes beyond mere theft.
Mia .
Red Phoenix.
They’re here.
It’s the only explanation that makes sense, given the timing of the attack and the way they’re moving through the ship. I glance down at Mia, her face pale, her body trembling against mine. I have to act fast and keep her safe.
I weigh the options and calculate risks. I need to get her to safety and to do it without getting us both killed in the process.
As the armed men draw closer, their footsteps echo on the deck. I tighten my grip on Mia’s hand.
“Do you trust me?” I ask, my voice low and urgent.
“With my life.” She meets my gaze, her eyes filled with fear and determination. Her voice remains steady despite the chaos swirling around us.
“Then stay close and be ready to move when I say so.”
With those words, I step forward, my body poised for action, my mind focused on the task at hand.
I don’t hesitate, launching myself at them with the full force of my body. My fists fly, connecting with flesh and bone, as I engage them in fierce hand-to-hand combat. I used to fight MMA competitively and put all that training to use.
There are two of them, but I fight with everything I know, giving them a run for their money. The first attacker comes at me with a vicious swing, but I dodge the blow and counter with a swift uppercut to his jaw. He staggers back, momentarily stunned, but his comrade is quick to take his place.
I bob and weave, my body moving on instinct as I fend off their attacks. The deck becomes a blur of motion, a whirlwind of strikes and countermoves, as I fight with every ounce of strength and skill I possess.
The sound of grunts and the impact of flesh against flesh fill the air, mingling with the panicked screams of the passengers. I block out the noise, my focus narrowed to the men in front of me, to the fight at hand.
I take them simultaneously, my body a blur of motion as I dodge, block, and strike. I land a devastating kick to one man’s kneecap, sending him crumpling to the ground in agony. The attacker lands a glancing blow to my ribs, the pain exploding through my body, but I push through it, retaliating with a series of rapid-fire punches that send him reeling.
I frantically scan the deck, searching for Mia. I lost her in the chaos. A sickening sense of dread settles in the pit of my stomach, a fear that I may have already failed her, but I can’t let that thought consume me.
I can’t let it distract me from the battle at hand.
I redouble my efforts, my movements becoming more aggressive. I lash out with a flurry of kicks and punches, my body a whirlwind of motion as I fight to clear a path through the attackers.
But they keep coming, their determination unwavering. The first flicker of fatigue creeps into my muscles. They don’t have to take me out. All they have to do is wear me down.
Adrenaline courses through my veins, the familiar rush of combat I’ve experienced countless times before.
But this time, it’s different.
This time, I’m fighting for Mia.
Just as I’m about to take down one of the attackers for good, I catch a glimpse of movement from the corner of my eye. I turn, my heart leaping into my throat, just in time to see a third man emerge onto the deck. In the blink of an eye, I assess the situation, my trained instincts kicking into overdrive.
The man makes a beeline for Mia, who has been pushed out of the fray. With a swift motion, he shoves an inflatable life vest over her head, the kind that inflates only when it hits the water.
The realization hits me like a punch to the gut.
They’re going to toss her overboard.
In that split second, the world narrows down to a single point of focus.
Mia.
I have to get to her, have to stop them from taking her. My muscles coil, ready to spring into action to close the distance between us before it’s too late.
But the attackers sense my intention, and they redouble their efforts to keep me engaged, to prevent me from reaching her. I fight against time itself, a desperate race to save the woman I love from a fate I can’t even begin to imagine.
The world slows down, every detail etched in stark clarity. Fear fills Mia’s eyes as the man grabs her, the way her hands claw at the life vest, trying to free herself from its confines. I hear the rapid thud of my own heartbeat, pounding in my ears like a drumbeat of dread.
I lunge forward, my body straining against the hands that hold me back. I’m so close, just a few more steps and I can reach her and pull her back from the brink. The attackers are relentless, their grips like iron. Their blows rain down upon me from every angle.
Mia’s feet leave the ground as the man hoists her up, her body twisting in his grasp. I see her lips form my name, a silent plea for help, for salvation, and then, with a sickening lurch, she disappears over the railing.
Her scream pierces the night air, a sound that will haunt me for the rest of my days. It’s a sound of pure terror, desperation, and helplessness, a sound that tears at my very soul.
I’m frozen, my body unable to move, my mind unable to comprehend the horror of what I’ve just witnessed. The attackers take advantage of my momentary shock, their blows landing with renewed force, driving me back and away from the spot where Mia vanished.
Rage consumes me, a blinding fury that turns my vision red. With a roar, I surge forward, my body fueled by a strength I didn’t know I possessed.
I will find her.
I will save her.
And heaven help anyone who stands in my way.
My vision tunnels as I fight to reach the spot where Mia vanished, but the attackers sense my intention and block my path with renewed ferocity. I’m forced to engage them; every second I waste fighting them is another second Mia spends alone and is vulnerable in the water.
The thought of her drowning, of the ocean claiming her life, is like a knife twisting in my gut. It fuels my rage and my determination as I fight with an animalistic savagery I didn’t know I possessed.
I take my attackers down with brutal efficiency, my mind focused solely on getting to Mia. I don’t feel the blows that land on my body, don’t register the pain that explodes through my muscles.
I take down one attacker, then another, my movements a blur of brutality. Blood splatters on my knuckles and my face, but I hardly notice.
All that matters is getting to Mia, of finding her before it’s too late.
Saving her.
As the last one falls, I race to the railing, my heart pounding in my ears. The deck is slick with blood and sweat, but my feet are sure, propelled by a desperate urgency that consumes me.
I reach the edge, my hands gripping the metal railing so tightly that my knuckles turn white. I look down into the inky blackness of the water below. It’s a dizzying drop, forty feet or more, but there’s no time for hesitation, no room for fear.
Mia is down there, somewhere in that dark abyss, and every second I waste is a second she drifts further away, pulled by the relentless current.
I don’t hesitate.
I don’t stop to think.
I take a deep breath, filling my lungs with the salty night air, and then, without a second thought, I vault over the edge of Serenity ’s railing, plunging forty feet into the dark waters below.
For a moment, I’m suspended in midair. The wind rushes past my face, and the stars blur overhead. It’s a strange sensation, almost peaceful, a brief reprieve from the chaos and violence of the night.
But then I’m falling, plummeting toward the water at breakneck speed. The surface rushes up to meet me, and I brace for the impact.
The shock of the cold water is like a thousand needles piercing my skin, but I ignore it, my mind singularly focused on finding Mia. I surface and scan the choppy waves for any sign of her, but the ocean is a vast, unforgiving expanse, and the night is dark and moonless.
I hit the water like a torpedo, the force of it driving the air from my lungs. The cold is a brutal assault, a thousand icy knives stabbing into my skin, but I push through it, my limbs already moving, propelling me toward the surface.
I break through, gasping for air, my eyes desperately scanning the choppy waves for any sign of Mia. But the ocean is a vast, unforgiving expanse, and the night is dark and moonless.
I tread water, my heart hammering in my chest, my mind racing with terrible possibilities. Where is she? How far could she have drifted in those few precious seconds?
But I refuse to give in to despair, to the creeping fear that threatens to overwhelm me. I am a U.S. Navy SEAL, trained to survive in the harshest of conditions, to never give up, never surrender.
And I will find her, even if I have to search every inch of this godforsaken ocean.
With a deep breath, I plunge beneath the surface once more, my eyes straining against the murky depths, my body cutting through the water with powerful strokes.
Suddenly, three distinct splashes sound behind me. I whip my head around, trying to locate the source of the sound, and that’s when I see them—the three attackers I just fought.
They’re in the water with me.
They surface one by one. They’re not here to help me save Mia; they’re here to finish what they started.
I brace for another fight, my muscles coiled and ready to strike, but as they swim toward me, I notice something strange—they seem to be scanning the water, their eyes searching like me.
They’re looking for Mia.
Which begs the question, why risk their own lives to jump into the ocean after her?
If they wanted her dead, they could’ve just left her to her fate.
I don’t have time to ponder their motives, but I refuse to let Mia slip away without a fight .
I swim with powerful strokes, my body cutting through the water like a knife. I call out her name, my voice raw and desperate, hoping against hope that she’ll answer.
But there’s nothing, no sign of her, no response to my increasingly frantic cries.
One of the attackers closes in on me, his eyes filled with a murderous rage. He lunges at me, trying to grab hold of my neck, but I’m quicker. I dodge his grasp and slam my elbow into his face, feeling the satisfying crunch of bone beneath my strike.
The attacker reels back, momentarily stunned, but quickly recovers. He comes at me again, this time aiming a vicious kick at my head. I dive beneath the surface, the force of his kick sending a flurry of bubbles cascading around me.
Underwater, the world is eerily silent, the only sound the muffled rush of the ocean currents. I use this to my advantage, swimming behind the attacker and resurfacing just long enough to snake my arm around his neck in a chokehold.
He thrashes violently, trying to break free, but I tighten my grip, my biceps flexing with the strain. We sink below the surface, locked in a deadly underwater embrace. His struggles grow weaker by the second until his body finally goes limp.
Just as I think I’ve won, a muscular arm suddenly wraps around my neck from behind, squeezing with a force that threatens to crush my windpipe. Instinctively, I release my hold on the now-unconscious man in front of me and reach up to claw at the arm around my throat. Another set of arms grabs the unconscious man, bringing him to the surface.
My new attacker is strong, his grip unyielding. Black spots dance in my vision as my lungs scream for air. I twist and thrash, trying to break free. Just when I think I’m about to lose consciousness, I slip out of his grasp and kick hard to put distance between us.
I surface with a gasp, salt water burning my throat as I cough and sputter. I’m disoriented, my vision blurred, but I force myself to focus.
I need to find Mia.
Frantically scanning the waves, a flashing light in the distance catches my eye. It’s the life jacket they put on Mia, equipped with a small but powerful beacon. Relief surges through me, tempered by the knowledge that she’s still out there, fighting for her life in the churning sea.
I swim toward her, my strokes fueled by a desperate, primal need to reach her, to hold her, to know that she’s safe.
I keep my head above water, my eyes locked on that flashing light as if it’s the only thing tethering me to sanity in this nightmare.
The waves buffet me. Salt spray stings my eyes, but I don’t falter. I can’t. Mia’s life depends on me. She looks so small, so vulnerable, but I know the strength that lies within her. She’s a fighter, just like me.
“Mia!” I call out, my voice raw and hoarse. “Mia, I’m coming.”
But even as I swim, it’s fruitless. Her attackers are still out here, with us, somewhere in the darkness, and they won’t stop until they have what they came for.
I just pray that I can reach Mia before they do.
But then what am I going to do?
I surge forward, my heart leaping with fragile hope. I reach out, my fingers searching and grasping until they close around the soft fabric of Mia’s dress.
I wrap my arm around Mia, holding her close to my chest as I tread water. She’s unconscious, her head lolling against my shoulder, but I feel the faint rise and fall of her chest.
She’s alive.
For now.
But our situation is dire. Her attackers are still out there, swimming toward us with a determination that chills me to the bone. And the Serenity , our only hope of rescue, is disappearing into the night, its lights growing fainter by the second.
I know the protocol for a man overboard. They’ll initiate a search and rescue mission, but it could take them twenty, maybe thirty minutes to slow the ship, turn it around, and launch a boat. In these conditions, with these attackers closing in, that might as well be an eternity.
Desperation claws at my throat, threatening to overwhelm me. I’m a strong swimmer, but even I have my limits, and with Mia to protect, those limits are rapidly shrinking.
I look around frantically, searching for something, anything that might give us an edge. But there’s nothing. Just the endless expanse of the ocean, dark and unforgiving.
The men are getting closer. I can see their faces now, hard and ruthless. They’re not going to stop. Not until they have what they came for.
I make a decision. It’s risky, but it’s the only chance we have.
The flashing light on Mia’s life jacket is the very thing that allowed me to find her, but it’s now a beacon drawing our attackers straight to us. I fumble with the jacket, my fingers numb and clumsy in the cold water. I find the switch and flick it off. The light dies, plunging us into darkness.
It’s a double-edged sword. While it might hide us from the men pursuing us, it also means the Serenity will have a much harder time locating us, but right now, our immediate survival takes precedence.
I pull Mia close, trying to shield her body with mine as I strain my eyes and ears for any sign of our attackers. I swim, striking out in a direction perpendicular to our original course. It’s a gamble, but I hope it will throw them off our trail.
Each stroke is a struggle. My muscles scream with fatigue. Mia’s dead weight in my arms only adds to the burden, but I refuse to let go. I made a promise to keep her safe, and I intend to keep it.
Minutes pass, but they feel like hours. Time loses meaning in the darkness, with nothing but the burn of salt water in my throat and the ache in my limbs to mark its passage. My body is reaching its limit, and my mind is clouded with exhaustion.
But then, just when I think I can’t go on, I hear it. The distant purr of an engine grows louder by the second.
Hope surges through me, so powerful it brings tears to my eyes. Could it be the Serenity ? Have they found us against all odds? I strain to see through the darkness, desperately searching for the source of the sound. And then I see it—a light bobbing on the waves.
But as it draws closer, my heart sinks. It’s not the Serenity . It’s a smaller vessel, sleek and fast .
And it’s heading straight for us.
The distant lights of the Serenity are getting farther and farther away. Which means any hope of rescue is gone.
I tighten my grip on Mia, my mind racing as I try to formulate a plan. I’m outnumbered and outmatched, especially with Mia unconscious in my arms, but I refuse to let them take her from me.
“Mia, come on, wake up,” I plead, my voice hoarse with fear and desperation.
She remains still, her head lolling against my shoulder, her breaths shallow and labored.
Then I see them.
Mia’s attackers close in. Their powerful strokes cut through the water with terrifying efficiency. Out of the darkness, that bobbing light reveals itself to be a small inflatable RIB that speeds toward us.
It’s not a rescue boat from the Serenity .
The man on board is dressed in the same black tactical gear as the attackers, his face obscured by dark goggles and what looks to be a HUD. Whoever these men are, they’re drowning in money. I haven’t seen gear with that kind of quality in a very long time.
The rib pulls up alongside the attackers first. The man on board hauls them from the water and then turns toward us, engine revving as it closes the distance.
I brace for a fight, my body coiled and ready to strike. I may be outnumbered and outmatched, but I’ll be damned if I let them take Mia without a fight.
But as the boat draws closer, something feels off. The men on board aren’t aiming weapons at me. They aren’t shouting threats or demands. Instead, they’re focused on Mia and her unconscious form. Then, a voice cuts through the night, a voice I haven’t heard in years but would recognize anywhere.
“Rigel? Rigel Hanson, is that you?”
I whip my head around, my eyes widening in disbelief as I take in the sight of the man at the helm. He rips off his goggles and HUD, revealing a face I haven’t seen in years.
“Well, I’ll be damned. You son of a bitch! What the hell are you doing out here?”