Bab 4: Chapter 3: "That's a little boat,"
Zayne snorted, swaying on the dock. Reeves squinted at the old fishing boat then back at Zayne with raised brows. "It'll get you where you need to be." He countered giving them a take it or leave it look.
"To Alaska?" Zayne scoffed glancing down at Rebekah who gripped the strap of her bag, knuckles white, face unreceptive. Over the last day and a half of driving, he had learned that Rebekah hid all of her emotions in her anxiety. Her face would always remain a calm passiveness that hid all, but her hands and lips showed that was not the case.
"With enough fuel, yeah it will get you there." Reeves nodded leaning back with a calculating expression, his long gray beard seeming to grow out of every pore of his wrinkled face. He was all but bald, except for a few wisps that danced in the breeze. Zayne pinched the bridge of his nose, "I used to make the trip all the time. How do you think I afforded that?" Reeves jerked his thumb towards his giant house, that he looked like he squatted outside of, rather than lived inside. "You'd think you would have bought a better boat." Zayne laughed, Reeves grinned a toothless smile, "I did, but it's too nice to go on that trip. Something about these old boats makes them made for a long sea voyage. Those new nice boats are shit in a storm." Reeves waved Zayne away, "If you don't want the ride,"
"We'll take it. When can we leave?" Rebekah interjected taking a step towards the boat, her hand gripping the strap of her duffel bag so tight, Zayne could hear her knuckles crack.
For Christ's sake, he thought, taking the bag from her. They glanced at each other and then at Reeves who eyed them suspiciously.
"What y'all running' from?" he looked up at Zayne suspiciously and Zayne gave him a grin. Rebekah glanced up at the sky as if asking for the clouds to open and pour patience on to her, "We are just anxious to get home is all." Reeves spit at her response and nodded.
"We will leave first thing in the morning," Zayne shook his head glancing at Rebekah, "I'll pay you to double if we leave now." Reeves spit again and looked up at Zayne with contempt, "I don't give a shit how much you'll pay me. I gotta prepare, fuel, food. And that boat is not fun to sleep in with just me. Let alone three of us." He jerked his thumb at the house again, "Follow me." Zayne smiles down at Rebekah with a 'What can you do look' and guides her after Reeves into his luxurious house.
It was surprisingly clean, Rebekah looked at the walls wearily, every type of game and fish imaginable mounted. Zayne was more interested in the aspect of a shower and whatever the woman in the kitchen was making.
"This is Priscilla. She keeps me honest, even though she's a big bitch." Reeves grunts, the plump woman turns, unbothered by his words. Smiling at them both, "Dinner will be ready shortly, Reeves will show you to your rooms" she gives him a pointed look making the old man roll his eyes. "Hard to know who works for who." He walks towards a hallway, lined with animal pelts opening a door gesturing for them to go inside.
"Are we sharing a room?" Rebekah's voice faltered slightly, her face turning bright red, Reeves looked at her confused. "Why wouldn't ya?" Zayne nudged her and smiled at him, "She's just shy because we aren't married yet. You know how it is." Zayne gives him a knowing look, Reeves looks between them eyebrows drawn forward, "Who gives a shit about that anymore?" he scoffs walking off, his house shoes scraping the marble flooring between skin rugs.
Zayne turns on the light shutting the door. Rebekah stands in the doorway as he tosses her bags on the bed looking at her pointedly, "I told him we were a couple because it requires less explanation. We are both adults, we can share a bed. I'll build a pillow fort." He grins making her face flush again.
Rebekah gives a meek nod walking to the bathroom, giving the shower an approving sound before going to her bag. Zayne opened his duffle, glad Rebekah had been thoughtful enough to break into his house, pack his clothes and toiletries before man-napping him. She was such a dreamboat. The bathroom door clicked shut behind him and he relaxed feeling like he could drop his smile. Laying on the bed he checked his phone, deleting Eve's millionth message asking him where he was. Checked the surveillance cameras on his tiger cubs, honestly the only thing he was concerned about. Aside from his Dad. He decided to send a text to let him know he was safe and enjoying his trip. He wondered how Rebekah had managed to call him and make it sound like it was him.
She emerged from the bathroom smelling like coconut and ginger, her hair in a towel, donning cotton shorts, and a bright yellow sweater that said SMILE on it. Zayne took in her sleek tan legs, the shorts stopping midthigh, wishing he could touch that warm skin, knowing it would be soft. "It's all yours," Rebekah probed knowing he was watching her, nodding Zayne stood off the bed throwing off his shirt.
Her eyes widened, and he couldn't help but smirk as she took in the sight of him, before tearing her eyes away. Digging through her bag to comb out her hair.
Going to the steam-filled bathroom that smelled heavily of her soaps, he thought about her saying she had a husband. Clearly not something she ever wanted, so to him, it meant she was free for him to flirt with and ogle. But he also didn't know how her sexual history went because of her situation. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable.
When done with the shower he realized he forgot his clothes on the bed.
Drying his hair, he wrapped another towel knocking on the door frame "Look away if you want to preserve your chastity" he joked, unable to hide his smile when her eyes went to him again.
"You're quite full of yourself, aren't you?" she raised her eyebrows as he leaned over his bag, "I'm not shy." He admits, he spent almost all of his free time either running or kickboxing. So, his physical appearance has always been in top shape. Since he didn't eat a lot in general, he never got bulky, just lean lithe muscle. And women seemed to always appreciate his appearance in general. She turned her back on him, her face to the collar of her shirt bright red.
The last day and a half of extra drive time had made it clear that they had a physical attraction to each other, but something bubbled beneath that.
Reeves's paid wife, his words, made delicious burgers and homemade fries. Rebekah seemed overjoyed by the food, stuffing her face continuously throughout the conversation. Zayne couldn't help but be impressed that her tiny body could hold two fat-loaded-up burgers and an endless number of fries.
Nodding as Priscilla told her all about coming to live out here to be Reeves's live-in maid. About how she had just gotten out of a bad marriage, was barren, and just wanted to get away from everything. Rebekah had a way of always becoming absorbed in people's words. Never breaking eye contact with the elderly woman as she told her story. Reeves interjected to clear his name of something Priscilla accused him of, Rebekah would smile politely at these parts. Zayne couldn't bother to pay attention to what they said, because this was the first time he was getting to watch her in a new environment.
The way her leg bounced continuously, and her hands went from still to busy.
"How did the two of you meet?" Priscilla asked sweetly now, making Zayne grin broadly. "At a club. I haven't been able to leave her side since." He beamed, her face turning a cute pink color, even her small ears heating at the top. "Well that's so sweet," Priscilla crooned and Reeves scoffed, standing up.
"We have an early morning. Boy, come help me load up the boat." He stands and stomps out the back door. Priscilla sighs as Zayne goes to follow saying "He is very excited to make this trip. He posted that ad months ago. He didn't expect it to be a ferry ride, but a fishing trip. So, he's a little disappointed in that aspect." Zayne only nodded in response following Reeves out to the docks.
He finds the man filling fuel tanks with a personal gas pump making Zayne laugh loudly, "Now you don't look that rich." Reeves shrugged, nodding to the canister for him to start loading it up. "I inherited this fueling dock from my Uncle," he grunts, filling the third can.
"People still come to get fuel, so I keep paying to keep fuel on hand." Zayne nodded carrying the canisters on board, looking at the small cabin space. There wasn't much space to sleep, a twin bunk-bed shoved in the corner, a small kitchen area, and a steering column. They would be getting very comfortable on this trip. "How long of a trek is this?" Zayne asked, grabbing the last cans. Reeves looked up from the deck, holding a box of food, "Well about two days I figure. You are going to the islands, right?" Zayne nods and Reeves squints out, "Depends if there is a storm, but usually about two days." He nods as if deciding and gives Zayne a gesture to grab the rest of the boxes.
By the time they set the boat up, Rebekah was asleep in the big bed. Zayne kicked his boots off, taking off his shirt he slid in next to her, smiling when he saw she had made a pillow fort between them. She slept with her body curled in a ball, making herself as small as possible. One arm covered her chest, the other cradled her head, no pillow. It looked like a defensive position. He thought of the last few days, how much his life had changed in the last few months. From his Mother dying, to feeling unhinged in a way he couldn't explain, to Rebekah showing up. He has lived his life in an aimless direction, with no goals, no motivation. Just auto-piloted every day. But this woman has traveled across the country to make a change. Even though Zayne had no idea what the change was. He had to smile at the thought, he never knew or looked forward to anything in the future, which was probably why he could not be bothered about not knowing now. What did it matter? He would follow her anywhere because she made his heartbeat. Which sounded so corny. But it was undeniable. She had said he recognized her energy. And maybe so. Because now that he knew it, he craved it. Could not be without it. He could not go back to being a husk, walking around every day with nothing. Looking over at how stiff and protective Rebekah looked even in sleep, he determined his new goal would be to do whatever he could to make her feel safe. Even in sleep.
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