Nothing But Trouble
Chapter 11

“Come on, princess, wake up. We’re here.”

Brent’s voice seemed to come from far away, gradually penetrating Sophie’s unconsciousness until she roused enough to open her eyes. Stretching as much as the confines of the truck allowed she yawned behind her hand, barely sparing him a glance before taking in her surroundings. Wherever they were it was pitch-dark, except for a smattering of twinkling lights directly in front of them. Beyond them appeared to be a wood fence. Eyes narrowing, she tried to determine what the lights were. Her mind burned with a memory that remained just out of reach, yet something told her she’d seen them before.

“Where are we?” Her stomach picked up the aroma of food, growling loudly, but she ignored it, more interested on what the blinking lights were in the distance. They made her think of fireflies dancing in the midnight sky.

Sophie glanced around, able to make out the dark shadows of other vehicles parked along either side of them. The faint sound of music and laughter drew her attention to the outline of a large square building off to the right. The lights filtering through the windows appeared very dim.

“Home,” Brent replied, sliding out of the truck. “Come on.”

As soon as her feet hit the ground, Sophie knew they were parked on gravel. Then the familiar screams of seagulls and the sound of water registered, turning her b***d to ice. She glanced again at the lights, a cold shiver spreading over her when she finally recognized what they were. They were at the marina. Boats anchored further out in the harbor looked like monsters rising from the deep; their lights reflecting off the black, mirrored surface of the water. Didn’t I tell Brent I’m afraid of the water? She couldn’t remember. Fear held her rooted as haunting memories came rushing back, locking the breath in her throat.

God, how long had it been since that summer? When a family vacation had ended tragically, forever changing her life? The day when a nine-year-old girl witnessed the violent end to an older brother who’d meant the world to her. How and when was a child ever supposed to get over something like that?

She started to pull back when the horror of that day rushed to the surface, threatening to overwhelm her. It was the one thing in her life she’d never been able to come to terms with: surviving when Paul hadn’t. The shrinks hadn’t been able to help her and finally her father had stopped forcing her to go to them. She hadn’t curled up inside herself as they’d predicted, but she’d never gotten over the incident either.

“No…” Brent’s head snapped her way, his gaze narrowing on her. The little bit of light from the restaurant allowed her to see his hardened expression. “I can’t go out there. The water…” Biting her l*p, Sophie looked away, unable to finish.

“You live on the beach,” Brent pointed out in a suspicious tone. “What are you trying to pull now?”

“It’s a love-hate relationship,” Sophie clarified, staring at the water. It looked like a black demon, getting ready to rear up its ugly head and swallow her whole. “I like living near the ocean, but I never go into the water.”

“You expect me to believe that bull?” His tone bordered with disbelief. He was obviously convinced it was all an act. “You’ll have to come up with a better one than that.”

Sophie shook her head negatively. “It’s the truth, Brent. I’ll do anything you want, go with you anywhere you want. But please don’t make me go out there.”

“You sound sincere, but what you’re telling me doesn’t make any sense.” Sophie followed his gaze, as he looked at something at the very end of the dock. With a sinking feeling she sensed it was his boat. There was grit in his voice when he said, “Sorry princess, you’ll just have to get over it, whatever it is. You’ll like The Lazy Jay. And if it helps any, we’re not leaving the dockside.”

For a moment they stood there in the darkness, facing each other like adversaries, neither one backing down. Instincts told Sophie that Brent wasn’t going to change his mind, and she was too stubborn to try and appeal to his softer side, if he had one. After all, he was the kidnapper and he called the shots. She steeled herself as he slowly made his way around the truck toward her.

“You’re not going to sway me from my one and only plan, so save that frightened, round-eyed little girl act,” he said firmly. He grasped Sophie by the shoulders; she gasped, his closeness causing the oddest sensation in the lower region of her belly. Before she could tell her mind to ignore it he turned her until she faced the dock. “All you have to do is put one foot before the other.”

“No!” Sophie held back, straining against his hands. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest as panic set in.

“Yes!” he said sharply in her ear, uncaring of her fears. He gave her a little shove.

Sophie spun around. “You’re a bas—” She cut herself off when it dawned on her she’d been about to go too far. No telling what a man like him would do if he was insulted. He surprised her by chuckling. She wasn’t fooled by his humor. Sophie bet if she made one wrong move he’d spring into action. She straightened her back and squared her shoulders, refusing to budge. There’s no way I’m going willingly. He’ll have to carry me.

“Well?” His sharp tone caused her to jump a little. The unexpected glare of a car’s headlight approaching the boat landing drew their attention. Brent put his hands on her, turned her, and gave her another little nudge. “Stop stalling and move it,” he warned in a low growl. It was obvious he didn’t want anyone to see them.

The dock appeared to jet out into the shimmering, black water for miles but Sophie knew it was just an illusion; a mean trick playing upon the fear bottled up inside her. She forced herself to breathe in slowly and deeply, working up the nerve to take the first step. Hating that Brent was witnessing a weakness she shared with no one. As her foot touched down on the first wood plank, feelings of terror every bit as sharp and vivid as it had been twenty years before cloaked her. Overwhelming anxiety threatened to weigh her down like a heavy blanket, stealing the breath from her body. Her very life if she let it.

Her heart began to pound like a drumbeat in her chest, so loud it blocked out any other noise. Time had done little in healing the pain or remembrance of that summer day. Of losing Paul in a frenzied shark attack that had gone on for what felt like forever. Tears welled in her eyes until she couldn’t see. She bit down on her l*p until the taste of b***d filled her mouth.

She was frustrated she couldn’t control this one tiny memory of her life and keep it from crippling her.

She took one more step and then another, barely breathing, her unfocused vision glued to the wooden planks at her feet, trying to ignore the row of boats docked on either side of her.

Once in a while she could see the glimmer of water through the split in the wood, catching her breath.

Brent finally lost patience at her snail’s pace. “Come on, princess, at this rate it will be daylight by the time we reach my boat.”

Holding back a sharp retort about his insensitivity she glanced up long enough to take in the boat nearest to her, wondering which one belonged to him. That one small move turned out to be her downfall because either the wharf was swaying slightly with the current or she was dizzy. Releasing a small gasp, she let her hands automatically seek the wood rail for support but it was already too late. She felt herself falling, as blackness quickly engulfed her.