Page 114 of Duty Unbound

And what about Tommy? How far would he go to keep me here? The sting in my cheek gave me a partial answer.

I needed a weapon, something to protect myself. I scanned the deck, taking inventory. Various equipment was secured along the sides—ropes, hooks, metal tools I couldn’t identify. Most looked too heavy for me to wield effectively, especially in my still-drugged state. And even if I managed to overpower Tommy, then what? I had no idea how to operate a boat of this size, how to navigate back to land.

Maybe I could convince him to teach me? Gain his trust,learn enough to escape? But time wasn’t on my side. The possessive glint in his eyes when he looked at me, the way his mood had shifted so suddenly from adoration to violence… It wouldn’t be long before he expected me to play my part in his twisted fantasy.

The thought hit me with such force that I lurched to the side of the boat, my body convulsing as I dry heaved into the sea.

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, breathing deeply. Focus, Mel. I needed to focus.

My gaze fell on a white life preserver ring mounted on the opposite side of the deck. Could I use that somehow? Maybe taking my chances in the ocean was better than whatever Tommy had planned.

I crossed the deck on unsteady legs, examining the life ring. Behind it, mounted in a bright-yellow case, was something that made my heart skip a beat. A small device labeled “EPIRB.”

I’d seen something like this before, in one of those disaster documentaries Nova loved to watch. Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon. It sent distress signals to search and rescue teams.

My hands trembled as I opened the case, pulling out the yellow device. It was heavier than I expected, with a simple interface—a large power button protected by a clear cover. This could be my only chance.

Without hesitation, I flipped open the cover and pressed the button. A small light began blinking, and I nearly sobbed with relief. Help was coming. It had to be.

“What are you doing, Mel?”

I froze at the sound of Tommy’s voice behind me. Slowly, I turned to face him.

He stood at the cabin entrance, a tray of food in his hands, his expression one of profound disappointment. “I really thought you were different from the others.”

Others? The word sent ice through my veins.

Tommy set the tray down with deliberate care. “You shouldn’t have done that.”

“Tommy—”

He crossed the deck in three quick strides, grabbing the EPIRB from my hands. With a few practiced movements, he deactivated it. But the signal had already gone out—I was sure of it. Someone would come.

“I wanted this to be special,” he said, his voice soft but edged with steel. “I wanted us to have time to get to know each other properly, without interruptions. But you’re just like all the rest, aren’t you?”

His hand shot out, grabbing my wrist with bruising force. I tried to pull away, but his grip tightened.

“Tommy, please?—”

His other hand connected with my face again, harder this time. Stars exploded behind my eyes, and I tasted blood where my lip split against my teeth.

“Don’t fight me,” he hissed, dragging me across the deck toward a storage locker. “It’ll be easier if you don’t fight.”

Terror gave me strength. I twisted, kicking at his legs, trying to break free. My foot connected with his shin, and he grunted in pain, his grip loosening just enough for me to wrench away.

But there was nowhere to run. The boat rocked beneath us, the open water surrounding us in every direction. Tommy recovered quickly, his face twisted with rage.

“I was trying to be nice,” he snarled, grabbing for me again.

This time when he caught me, he slammed me against the railing, the impact knocking the breath from my lungs. Before I could recover, he’d retrieved a coil of rope from the locker and was binding my wrists with practiced efficiency.

“Tommy, stop,” I pleaded, struggling against the restraints. “This isn’t you. You don’t have to do this.”

His answer was to stuff a wadded-up cloth into my mouth,silencing my protests. The taste of salt and mildew made me gag, but I couldn’t spit it out.

“Now, stay quiet,” he ordered, tying me to a seat. “I need to fix your mistake.”

I watched in helpless desperation as he moved to the communication equipment at the helm. He adjusted some dials, then picked up a radio transmitter.