Her eyes flare, and she raises her fist. I see it coming, and I know how to block it. Call me a seasoned pro, but I’ve learned how to dodge punches. As soon as her fist flies forward, I twist my body from her grips, and swing my head to the side. Her fist hits the wooden wall, and she screams in pain as it splinters and her hand goes right through it. Before I can react any further, the tall, blond man who threw me in the cells originally, Drake, I think, is pulling me back.

“Enough,” he barks.

“Oh God,” the blond girl screams. “Drake, my hand is stuck in the wall.”

“That will teach you for running your mouth off,” he barks.

He’s…defending me? I squirm in his grips, but he doesn’t let me go.

“I said enough, girl. Stop squirming.”

“Then let me go,” I snap.

“No,” he says simply, before reaching over, gripping the blond girls shirt and pulling her so hard her hand comes out of the wall. It’s got blood and splinters all over it.

“Go and see Jess, Senny, and get your hand sorted out.”

Senny is the blond girl’s name. She spins, gripping her hand and glaring at me. “This isn’t over.”

“It is over.”

I hear the booming voice and turn to see Hendrix appear from the shadows of the hall. How long had he been standing there? He walks over to Senny, grips her shoulder and leans in close. “You touch anyone on my ship again, male or female, I will slice you up and toss you overboard. You’re no more than an easy fuck, Sienna. That’s it. I don’t owe you anything, so I suggest you shut your mouth and stay away from Indigo.”

I feel my body tense. It’s the first time I’ve heard him use my name.

Sienna/Senny nods frantically, and turns and rushes off. When she’s gone, Hendrix turns to me. “Cock blocking?”

I bite my lower lip, and look away.

“Where’d you learn to dodge punches like that?” he adds.

I shrug, still staring at the floor. Drake is still holding onto me, saying nothing.

“I just reacted…”

“What did I say about lying?” he growls. “You will learn very quickly that I can tell a liar from a mile away, so don’t bother trying. Now, I ask again, where did you learn to dodge punches like that?”

I’m sick of his arrogant attitude. He’s always so pushy, so dominant, so frustrating. I wiggle from Drake’s grip, and he steps back and lets me go. I cross my arms, and face Hendrix, my eyes wild with adrenalin and rage. “I learned it because my ex-boyfriend used to beat me so much I had to defend myself. One night, I couldn’t defend myself, so I shot him and he went to jail. Now he’s free and looking for me. I had to learn to defend myself otherwise he would have killed me. Does that answer your question?”

Hendrix’s expression is hard to read, but his eyes are intense. They’re focusing on me, and he looks like he’s deep in thought. I shake my head, and turn to Drake. “Thank you, for whatever that was.”

He focuses his blue eyes on me and I see a flash of something else inside them. He looks…lonely. He holds his life in his eyes, and from what I can see it’s a life of bad, painful things. The scar on his face tells only confirms that. I hold his gaze, wondering about the man that is behind the giant. He’s so big, so muscly, so powerful, yet his face…it holds a certain level of gentle. He turns his eyes away from mine, and nods, before turning and walking off.

“Don’t make friends with Drake, he’s not the kind of man you’ll understand,” Hendrix says.

I rip my eyes from Drake, and turn to Hendrix. “You said I could do whatever I wanted on this ship, so long as I took care of myself. That’s what I’m doing.”

I turn and begin walking toward the cells again.

“Is he still after you?” Hendrix yells out.

I stop, and my entire body stiffens. I look over my shoulder and murmur, “It doesn’t matter, because it’s none of your business.”

He makes a growling sound as I disappear into the dark.

What does it matter to him anyway?

Yo ho, haul together, hoist the colors high!

“You what?” Eric rasps, widening his eyes.

I wrap my fingers around the cell bars, and peer in at him. “It was the only way to keep you safe, Eric.”

“You basically sold yourself to him,” he yells.

“I had no choice.”

“You knew he wouldn’t have hurt you, you didn’t have to make that deal.”

“He might not have hurt me,” I cry, “but he would have hurt you.”

“Indi…”

“I’ll get us out of this mess, I just needed some time. For the moment, he thinks I am not going to do anything because I want to protect you. If I can get you out . . . ”

“Even if you can, how do we escape?” he whispers, letting his eyes dart around the small space as if double-checking no one is around.

“If I can get the key we can sneak out really late at night when Hendrix is asleep. There’s a lifeboat at the back of the ship. I might be able to start hiding some water in there…it might give us a few days…”

“As soon as he knows you’re gone he will come looking, he will find us out there…”

“Do you just want me to give up?” I snap. “Lay down and let my life be sold?”

“No, but we need a more solid plan.”