The Captain's Daughter

Chapter 12

Tucker

My phone rang, I glide it out of my pocket and see a blocked contact. I've been getting these calls every day since I got here.

Suddenly I start getting ping after ping, text messages coming in at a rapid pace.

                     [Text messages]

(509) 2943-9942: Where's my f*****g money?? Stop hiding your chickenshit. Time is running out and you won't like what happens.

(509) 2943-9942: You will lose everything.

(509) 2943-9942: How's the captain's daughter?

509) 2943-9942: Lucy, right?

(509) 2943-9942: Mmm, she's beautiful I'd hate to see her beautiful face be unrecognizable.

How does he know? What the f**k do I do? This can't be happening.

"Dude you ok? Chester asks. I couldn't think let alone make words come out. My body was taking me away like it had a mind of its own, I ended up down in the lower level pacing the kitchen.

"Tucker? I look over and see Lucy looking at me with concern.

"What's wrong?? She spoke warmly.

"Nothing! I say as I ran my hand over the back of my neck avoiding her eyes. Her stunning eyes would reel me in and make me tell her everything but she needs to be protected. She may be in danger. I turned away needing to think. I feel her hand on my arm.

"Tell me." She spoke softly, her voice was closer her scent was closer she's right behind me. She doesn't deserve to be any part of my mess.

"I can't this is dangerous." I barely speak above a whisper.

"Are you in trouble? Lucy sounds worried. Her hand touched my shoulder. Heat travelled through my body from her touch.

"Tucker, is it that crazy chick? She wants you back? I'll bust her up if you need it." Haha, that's sweet and hot but this is serious.

"No, this is so bad." I shake my head.

"You're scaring me." She says as she pulled on my arm to turn me. I turn and she reached out and touched my face, I look up and her eyes are soft as they look at me, caring, gentle non-judgemental.

"Lucy we have to stay," I say, I need to get her to listen and hopefully she will stay.

"Why?? She asks curiously, as she moves in closer. Her fingers ran over my arm. Again warmth I felt radiate from her touch.

"Can you just trust me? I say.

"I need more than that? She replies still curious about what's going on.

"Lucy, we are better here."

"What if I say no? She asks as she backs away and rests her hip against the counter island. f**k I have to tell her even if I lose her. Why did I think I even have a shot with this beauty.

"Okay, I'll tell you." I pace the floor feeling my heart race and my hands shake. I shove my shaking hands into the front of my jeans pockets.

"I won't judge you, Tucker, I've done some stupid shit." I know she's trying to be understanding but she's going to hate me and f**k her Father is going to kill me.

"Tucker, I know I've been all over the place but I care about you. Let me in."

Her voice made me want to grab her and hold her tight and never let her go my conscience was telling me to let her go and protect her. As long as she stays away from me she'll be safe.

"I needed money back home and I haven't been able to pay it back. This guy keeps calling. But today he said your name so now this has just blown up even more. I'm so sorry."

"How much money?? She asks calmly why is she so f*****g calm. Did she not hear that she, she is in danger.

"800 Grand," I say with shame.

"What the f**k!! That's a whole lot of f*****g money." She finally showed some kind of shocked tone.

"I know, that's my problem is I can't pay it back and it's only growing in interest originally it was 600."

"I'll ask my dad." she turns and heads towards the door.

"no-no, no no...please don't tell your dad. I beg her.

"I'll just make my money here and pay what I can then go from there."

"Seems your in over your head and this guy isn't the nicest guy."

"You got that right, so for now we stay here." I step over to Lucy, I delicately toucher her cheek, she tilts her head starring at me.

"Okay." She steps into my body and wraps her arms around me. I tighten my arms around her small body. Damn, she barely flinched when I told her. She nestled her head into my neck. Her warm breath spread over my neck. I ran my hands up her back then back down slowly and settled on her perky ass. Her round ass I pressed her into me. She leaned out and has a smile one that I haven't seen in a few days.

"Let's tell the guys that we are staying." She squeals as she pulls me with her up to the upper deck. We find the guys suiting up getting ready for the next haul of crabs. Chest and Tommy look over as we came over.

"Why are you two so happy about, did you finally do it?? Tommy humped the table, gyrating his hips.

Smack

I smack him behind the head.

"Shut up! I say.

"We are staying," Lucy says with a genuine smile.

All the guys stopped then charged at us and bringing us in for a group hug. Tommy and Jasper picked Lucy up walked over to the side of the boat and pretend to toss her over.

Lucy

"Oh don't even think about it, I scream.

They have a tight grip on me but as they hold me over the edge the boat tipped making the guys lose their balance and drop me. I hit my stomach on the side of the boat and am about to fall in when they grab my hands.

"Hold on." They both say. The boat tips again and a giant wave splashed up and drenched me. My hands are beginning to slip from there grips.

Tucker raced over and grasped his hand onto my hoodie and they all pull me up. and I fall on top of them. I lay there trying to catch my breath as my heart raced and my body shook.

The guys all talk at once.

Tucker: "Holy s**t, are you okay?

Tommy: "I'm so sorry."

Chester: "Holy f**k!

Dylan: "Way to f*****g up assholes."

Jasper: "I'm so sorry."

"Just let me get up you fuckers." Tucker and Chester helped me up the boat were still all over the place, going up and downside to side.

"Are you hurt? Tucker looks me over and brushed my hair out of my eyes.

"I'm fine." I walked off feeling shaken up, by what just happened but I tried to play it off like it wasn't a big deal. The boat made it hard to walk straight. Tucker hurried to my side and helped me down below.

"Are you alright? He spoke from behind me, soft-spoken and with gentleness.

I turn around and look at Tucker. His dark eyes looked back at me with genuine concern.

"I need you to hold me." I whimper softly feeling overwhelmed by what just happened. He moved in and circled his arms around me. I stood stiff as a board at first then relaxed as he soothingly spoke close to my ear.

"You're ok." His hands brushed over my back then travelled up to my tousled hair. I softly rest my head against his hard strong chest. The steady beat of his heart I could hear. He felt like my lifeline...my security to keep me safe in this life. I felt this feeling of peace fall over me like Jacob was okay with me letting go.

"Jacob would have liked you," I spoke against his chest as his hand rest on face caressing it with his rough weathered hands. But it felt nice. His fingers stroked through my hair. I wipe my tear and step back.

"What was Jacob like? He asks, he seems sincere like he wants to know, but does he really?

"You want to know? He nods his head.

"Yeah, if you'd like to tell me.Want to lie down with me?

"Lead the way," he says, I take his hand and fold my fingers with his and pull him along behind me. We enter my room and I sink to the bed. He took a seat then laid out on the bed and rest his head on his fist resting his elbow on the bed. His other hand he reaches out for mine and entwined our fingers together.

"I want to hear about him," he says, he was so gentle and his hand broke free for a moment and brushes a thread of my hair off my face. Then he placed his hand back with mine.

"He was always happy, always laughing and joking. We just made each other happy. I met him when I was 13 we were best friends new every about each other. We started dating when we were 16. He would come out here on the boat with me and my dad and we just had a blast." I smiled as I remembered being out here on the open sea. Waking up early to watch the sunrise or the excitement we felt when we pulled up a filled cage. I look up and see Tucker just listening letting me speak letting me remember.

"But his parents both died in a plane crash. He started doing drugs and drinking to deal with his pain." My eyes filled with tears my throat felt tight and this lump formed making my voice waver and crack.

"I tried to help him through it but he was too lost and broken. I'd find him passed out in the tub or outside on our lawn or at some bar or even in someone woman's bed. But I loved him so I stayed."

"Seems maybe he wasn't perfect but you loved him flaws and all and you knew that wasn't the real him when he was high or drunk which is why you accepted him not being perfect," Tucker says gently giving me his honest feedback, I actually appreciate it.

"Yeah. When he was clean he was so sweet, positive, kind and treated me like a beautiful princess. But sadly he didn't think this life was good enough or I wasn't enough to get clean. He overdosed on my birthday." I sat up holding my arms around myself as I sobbed. I rocked back and forth.

Tucker moved close and wrapped his arms around me in a protective and caring embrace.

"I'm so sorry and I hate saying it as I know it's not what you want to hear." His whispered quietly close to my ear.

"My f*****g birthday. I went out to get some things for my birthday, I came back and found him in our bed with a needle in his arm. He'd overdosed, I tried to save him but he was already gone." My whole body hurt as I cried.

Tucker just held me, and it's all I could ask for right now.

Tucker

Damn this is hard. Hearing that was not easy for me but that was even harder for her. I have no idea what to say. So my best effort is to just hold her.

I pressed her head against my neck her sobs were killing me.

"I need a drink." She begged me.

"You really shouldn't."

"Please." She pulls away from her sad eyes as making me nearly cave.

"No." I try and sound stern and serious but her puppy dog eyes and wet lashes and patchy face were tearing at my heartstrings.

"I need it, please? Her chin trembled giant tears slipped down her eyes.

I shook my head.

"Fine." She pulled away and slid off the bed.

"Don't be mad," I say quickly not wanting this to escalate.

"I'm not mad, I'm pissed." She yells.

"Is there a difference? I ask.

"Yes...mad is a little less, pissed is when you better look out because I need to break something." She replies with spitfire pouring out of her as she stalked off.

This is not good. I hurry after her.  I find her with a crab in her hand without any gloves on and she's wacking it against the side of the boat. Screaming at it, chunks of crab meat and limbs go flying everywhere.

The guys all stop what they are doing and stare at Lucy. I just shake my head for them to leave her. It is better than drinking. She hucks the dismembered crab at least what was left of him into the ocean. Then she turns around and walks over and starts sorting the crab-like nothing just happened.

Lucy

My hands  I noticed they were bleeding, and stung really bad, but I don't care. I just get to work and ignore the stares. The guys slowly gather around the sorting table and get to work. We cleared this table in 10 minutes, then brought up the next cage, I got to bring it up. I smiled when we got the biggest mother load.

"Holy s**t!!! I dance up and down. Tucker and Dylan guide the cage to the table and open the side and hundreds of crabs fall out onto the table. My dad honks his horn he was so happy.

I give him a thumbs up.

The guys and I get to work sorting. My hands were starting to sting even more and they were beyond wrinkly from the salty water. I walk off to the lower deck.

I enter the bathroom and rinse my hands. "Ahhh...I hiss from the stinging. My hands trembled as I rinse them. I look for something to bind my hands I search for a first aid kit.

I feel hands slid over my hips. I jump being startled. I know it's Tucker from his smell.

"Are you okay?? I spin around and he holds my wrist up and inspects my hands.

"Damn Lucy these look bad." He says worryingly. His expression was that of gentle tenderness, not patronizing but genuine worry.

"I'm ok." I pull my hands away and walk past him to the kitchen I shuffle through the closet until I find the red first aid bag. Tucker opened it for me. He placed his hands on my hips and lifts me up onto the counter. He puts some cleaning ointment on my palms that were all split open. Then he found some thin fabric to wrap my hands with.

"They're all better, he kissed the tops of my hand.

"Thank you." He lifts my chin up with suck gentleness and yet power. Our eyes sink into one another. His other hand slides up my thigh. Warmth consumes my body at a rapid rate. I close my eyes feeling the radiant energy fill me. His fingers tighten ever so slightly that it made my stomach tingle inside. The good kind the saught after kind.

"Look at me." He whispers by my mouth his lips brushing over the side of my mouth. I unlock my eyelids and see Tucker so close.

"Can I kiss you? Hope and stillness lie in the wake of his eyes. This gems desiring I say yes.