Page 21

CHAPTER 21

L ea

I put my hand up to block the sun as we close in on the other boat.

The shark boat, or whatever it’s called, is much bigger than the mini-yacht, but it doesn’t look like it is built for leisure. It’s painted white along the top and blue along the bottom. I can see a huge cage hanging from a crane. A cage I’m supposed to be in, while sharks swim around me.

“H-how many people have died doing this?” I ask apprehensively.

“None that I’m aware of,” Massimo chuckles, then he walks over to the ladder. “Captain Reynolds, good to see you. It’s been a while.”

“Massimo Morandi!” Captain Reynolds responds, his voice a little gravelly and thick. “And…”

“This is Lea,” Massimo says, gesturing to me.

“Nice to meet you, ma’am.” Captain Reynolds tips his hat to me.

Captain Reynolds is an older man in his late forties or early fifties. I can see some gray hair poking out from beneath his peaked cap. He looks like he’s spent most of his life outdoors, and his ruddy complexion suggests he doesn’t believe in sunscreen like Massimo does.

Massimo secures the yacht and helps me onto the ladder. He keeps a hand on my bottom until I’m high enough for Captain Reynolds to take my hand. Once I’m safely on the deck, Massimo ascends the ladder.

“I put a few pieces of chum in the water as soon as I saw you on the radar,” Captain Reynolds explains. “And it looks like we’ve already got some takers for the bait.”

I glance at the radar and notice several smaller dots moving around near the boat.

“T-those are all sharks?” I ask, my eyes getting wide.

“More than likely,” Captain Reynolds says. “I’ve seen some fins poking out of the water. No way to know for sure until you get in the cage, though. We’ll need to wait a few minutes before we go under. Give them time to really get crazy for the bait so you get the show you want to see.”

“Uh…” I raise my brow. “I don’t really care about watching them eat.”

“Better than being dinner,” Captain Reynolds jokes. “Once we have a few more, I’ll dump the chum bucket, and you can get in the cage.”

“Come on, let’s watch from the side of the boat for a few minutes,” Massimo suggests, gesturing for me to follow him.

I follow Massimo to the railing. I spot several shark fins that make me shudder. They aren’t very close yet. The bait has caught their attention, but I guess they’re looking for more than a bite. The thought of that makes me shudder even more.

Music starts playing and I glance over my shoulder as Captain Reynolds turns up the volume.

“Music?” I ask.

“Sharks like music,” Massimo answers. “Or so I’ve heard.”

I shrug and lean forward, my feet tapping along with the beat. It’s a classic rock song. I can’t remember the name, but it’s one my grandmother used to play. Between the song and the wine still coursing through me, I can’t help taking a step back and swaying with the music.

“Alright, we’ve got several more dots showing up!” Captain Reynolds calls out. “Massimo, come help me with the chum.”

“Almost time, bambina ,” Massimo says as he walks away.

I keep swaying, letting the music distract me from the fact I’m about to watch bloodthirsty predators devouring a bunch of cut-up fish, judging by what is in the bucket. I do my best not to think about it. This will be an experience, just like every day with Massimo. At least nobody is going to die this time—I hope.

Massimo and Captain Reynolds start baiting the water with chunks of chum. The song ends and another one starts. This one, I remember the name of. ‘Pour Some Sugar on Me’ by Def Leppard. My grandmother used to love this one, so of course I did, too. Every time we’d bake a cake, she’d start singing the chorus when she was adding the sugar to the bowl.

“Pour some sugar on me,” I sing, dancing along the edge of the boat.

My eyes are closed. The wind feels amazing, a gentle breeze that brushes away the sun’s warmth just enough to give the best of both. I’m obviously buzzing from the wine, and probably look like a fool, but I don’t care.

“ Bambina , watch out!” Massimo yells.

I open my eyes, right as my foot slides into some smeared blood and fish guts on the side of the boat. I try to get my balance and reach for the railing, but I’ve got too much momentum. A scream rips from my throat as I hit the railing, spin toward the ladder, and fall off the side of the boat.

“No! No!” I scream, closing my eyes as I see the blue water beneath me.

I hit the water awkwardly as I belly flop into it and feel a sting in my midsection that knocks the breath out of me. I gasp, go under, and struggle to breathe. Then I remember what is in the water and start furiously kicking my legs.

A second later, strong arms are around my waist. My head breaks the surface and I’m finally able to breathe, but I sputter on the water.

“I got you, Lea,” Massimo barks, swimming toward the boat.

I cling to him, then look over my shoulder and scream when I see a fin darting toward us. “Shark!”

I look up and see Captain Reynolds with a worried expression on his face. He picks up the bucket and starts hurling chum behind us. Some of it drips on me, but I’ve got bigger things to worry about. Massimo grabs the ladder and yanks me out of the water. He half-drags, half-carries me up the ladder as I struggle to get my footing.

I’m trembling when we get to the deck. Massimo grabs a towel and wraps it around me. I’m safe—I don’t feel any pain. I pull the towel tight, looking up at Massimo, who has an angry expression on his face.

“You okay, ma’am?” Captain Reynolds asks, putting his hands on his hips.

“Y-yeah,” I stammer.

“You’re not supposed to be the bait,” the older captain chuckles, then he returns to the cage.

“S-sorry,” I whisper, looking back up at Massimo’s ice-cold expression. “I’m definitely going to get a spanking now, aren’t I?”

“You already were,” he growls. “Now it’s going to last a little longer than I previously planned. Do you still want to go in the cage, or would you rather forget about this?”

I swallow hard. I’m not eager to go back into the water, but we came all this way. I’d hate to ruin the entire excursion because I fell off the boat.

“I still want to do it,” I mutter.

I expect more anger from Massimo, but his expression softens, and he wraps me up in a tight embrace.

“You scared me to death, bambina ,” he murmurs. “I thought I lost you.”

“No, you’re still stuck with me,” I sigh, leaning against his chest.

I’m trembling from a mixture of adrenaline and fear. This will be my last excursion. I nearly got robbed and kidnapped yesterday and nearly got eaten by a shark today. But I didn’t. Because Massimo will jump into shark-infested waters to save my life.

How is anyone going to compare to that? They can’t. I’ll never meet anyone like Massimo again. Never feel the things I’m feeling. I’m so directionless I fell off the boat. The only time I don’t feel directionless is when I’m in his arms. Like now. I’d go into the water without the cage, if it meant I got to stay in his arms the entire time.

I feel an ache in my chest when Massimo finally lets go. Our eyes meet and his gaze looks less frigid than normal. More like the ocean I just got rescued from than a cold tundra the sun never illuminates.

“Alright, you two,” Captain Reynolds says, motioning toward the cage. “Put on your gear so we can do this before the sharks finish all the bait.”

We have wetsuits to put on, flippers for our feet, and oxygen tanks so we can stay under the water. Massimo helps me suit up and I watch while he does the same.

The cage is big enough to hold at least a dozen people and the bars are close enough together to ensure the sharks can’t get to us. Massimo tests the sturdiness before he reaches out and helps me inside. He joins me and slams the door closed, making sure it is secure.

“Ready?” Captain Reynolds asks, walking over to the panel that operates the crane.

“Yep,” Massimo confirms, glancing at me. “If you’ve had enough and you want to go up, just point at the surface.”

“Got it.” I nod and swallow hard, then put the breathing apparatus in my mouth.

The cage begins to lower and my pulse races. Sarah always says she doesn’t like the ocean because she has thalassophobia, but I’ve never feared the water. Until now. Sinking into the watery depths is terrifying, but not nearly as terrifying as the sharks I see circling below us.

I clench my hands into fists and try to breathe normally so I don’t get too much oxygen from the tank. The cage comes to a grinding halt, and we’re suspended in the water. I can see the sunlight above us, but it’s still rather dark in the water. The sharks are more concerned about the bait than our arrival. I guess we don’t look very appetizing in the cage.

Massimo points out a few sharks and I watch them feed. It’s a disgusting sight, but mesmerizing in a way. One shark finally notices us and moves closer to the cage. I keep a distance, but Massimo approaches it, standing only a few feet from the behemoth that could rip us in half as easily as I could rip apart a piece of paper.

This isn’t an excursion I would have planned myself, but there’s something captivating about watching sharks in their natural habitat. The one near Massimo bumps into the cage and it rocks, but since I’m floating, it doesn’t frighten me as much as it should.

After about ten minutes underwater, the sharks have finished most of the bait. Some are still circling and watching us, but several have moved on. Massimo tugs on a chain and a few seconds later, the cage begins to rise toward the surface. I move closer to Massimo so I can hold onto him when we emerge from the water.

“You got to see a lot of them today!” Captain Reynolds calls out, stopping the crane and unlocking the door.

Massimo helps me out of the cage and removes my mask. I take a few breaths before trying to speak.

“That was a lot more fun than I expected,” I admit.

“Good,” Massimo smiles. “Just don’t try to swim with them without a cage to protect you in the future.”

“I’m staying far away from the edge of the boat,” I laugh, finally able to make light of the terrifying situation.

Massimo and Captain Reynolds talk for several minutes, but I’m too preoccupied with removing my wetsuit to listen. I wait until they finish, then watch as Massimo strips to his swimsuit. He helps Captain Reynolds put all the equipment away before walking over to me.

“Think you can manage to get back to the yacht without taking a swim?” Massimo jokes. “You’ll have to be the near the edge of both boats for a couple of minutes.”

“I’ll let you go first this time,” I say, glancing toward the mini-yacht with some apprehension in my eyes.

Massimo nods, leads me over, and scales the ladder. He effortlessly steps over to the yacht and motions for me. My hands tremble a little, but I manage to get down without falling. Massimo’s strong hands pull me the rest of the way and I lean against him once he puts me back on my feet.

“Let’s find a nice spot between here and the marina so we can have lunch,” Massimo says. “Then I’ll give you a tour of the reefs on the way back.”

“No more swimming, right?” I ask.

“Nah, I’m going to keep you out of the water for the rest of the day,” he chuckles. “But you’re still getting a spanking after dinner.”

I have nothing to say in my defense. I acted like a brat, and I knew there was a trip across his knee in my future, even before I fell into shark-infested waters.

But at least I had fun.

If I fall for him much more, my face is going to hit the ground, unless he’s there to catch me.