-Author-
LEE STORM

PROLOGUE​​

 

Crossing the Atlantic this time of year was usually uneventful.  This had not been a typical crossing.  Only a few days out of Cape Town and they had encountered the first of many minor storms.  Linked together for the past few weeks these storms had been exhausting.  The only good thing was that the unusually high winds had shortened the trip significantly.  

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When Frank and Karina had agreed to ferry this brand new 45’ Catamaran for Don Emilio they had pictured a pleasant and highly profitable cruising vacation.  His offer to pay them $50,000 plus a bonus of $10,000 if they got it to the Caribbean early was too tempting to pass up.  The money would be enough to finish their dream home in Costa Rica and provide a nest egg to start up a business to supplement their early retirement income from the boring jobs they left behind in the states.

​

They had worked for Don Emilio before, but only short hops around the Caribbean.  They had no misgivings about what they were doing.  They knew that they were smuggling something and being used as cover, since they could easily pass as an innocent couple on a cruising vacation.  The money was just too good to pass up, so they asked no questions. 

​

The island of Trinidad appeared on the horizon just after noon on their 26th day at sea.  By the time they got close enough to pick out a quiet, out of the way anchorage the sun was setting in an incredible array of red, gold and yellow streaks across the sky. 

​

“Well sweetheart, we made record time even if it was exhausting,” Frank said.  “That deserted cove just ahead looks like the perfect place to drop anchor and rest up.” 

​

“I agree, my love, and I have the perfect bottle of wine to open and celebrate being on the ‘hook’ for at least a day or two,” Karina replied and hugged his arm to her body.

​

They had been instructed to not clear customs when they arrived in the Caribbean.  Don Emilio said he didn’t want to have to register the boat until he got it to Guadeloupe where he had connections to avoid some of the costs of registering the boat.  So, this out of the way deserted anchorage worked perfectly.  They might still need to sneak in and get fuel somewhere if they motored at full speed to Guadeloupe, but they were ok for now.  The 80-gallon fuel bladder they had strapped to the top of the main cabin had lasted for most of the trip and their tanks were only down about a quarter.  They had also conserved water and limited their usage to only five gallons a day.  They could now enjoy a hot shower since they still had almost a hundred gallons left.

​

After they got anchored, Karina promptly popped the cork on a nice South African cabernet they had picked up in Cape Town.  She sliced up some of the special Gouda cheese they had saved, along with some great spicy sausage and crackers that were going stale.  She had popped them in the oven earlier to crisp them up.  “Tomorrow morning we’ll have a proper breakfast of bacon and as decadent an omelet as I can conjure up,” Karina said with a smile and clinked her wine glass against Frank’s.

After they finished the second bottle of wine they were fading quickly.  “I think sex will have to wait until morning,” Frank sighed. “I can hardly keep my eyes open.”

“Let’s go to bed sweetheart,” she grinned. “ I want you at your best.” 

Frank made one last check of their position to make sure the anchor was holding while Karina put away the dishes, went below and stripped off her clothes. 

​

          When Frank came down he admired her bronze, firm body and kissed her hard.  “How about that shower, before we crawl into bed?” Karina purred in his ear.  “I put clean sheets on the bed and I want clean bodies to match.”  They squeezed into the head that was also the shower and soaped each other down, enjoying the intimacy and the touch of their bodies against each other.

​

By the time they got out of the shower, the wine had worn off a bit and Frank was clearly aroused.  “Maybe we don’t have to wait until morning my love,” Karina grinned and rubbed her naked body against him.  She smiled at his arousal and crawled up on the bed giving him an intoxicating view from behind.  She rolled over on her back with her legs spread and her arms outstretched.  “Come here, baby,” she said, “not nearly enough sex for the past few weeks at sea.  Time to make up for it.” 

​

Frank climbed in beside her and stroked her body.  It positively glowed in the moonlight coming through the hatch.  She was firm and supple and her breasts stood up with her nipples hard from the excitement of his touch on her belly and then down between her legs.  He kissed her gently on the lips and moved down to take her nipple in his mouth.  She moaned with pleasure.  When he moved on top of her they were both aroused and anxious to make up for the lack of sex on the passage.  She gasped when he entered her and wrapped her legs tightly around him.  They made love with abandon and collapsed in each other arms truly exhausted. 

​

Their exhaustion overcame their usual senses during the night.  Normally the slightest change in the movement of the boat or any unusual noises would awaken them instantly.  Karina screamed when she was jerked off the bed by rough hands that had grabbed her ankles.  Her screams awoke Frank and he sat up in a daze just as he was struck in the face by a huge fist.  The blow knocked him unconscious.

When he came to, his hands and feet were bound and he was lying on the floor of the back deck.  He saw his blood on the deck where he had bled from the blow to his nose.  He called out to Karina and heard her sobbing reply, “I’m…I’m ok, Frank.  Don’t do anything foolish.  Just let them take what they want.”

​

Frank heard the slap and her cry from the pain.  “Shut up bitch,” a rough voice said. “We intend to take everything you have including this lovely boat.  If you cooperate we may let you live.  You have a lovely body.”  His rough hands ran over her naked body and he climbed on top of her.  His partner had already raped her while Frank was passed out.  “Now its my turn to enjoy it,” he laughed and lunged into her brutally.

​

When he had finished he yanked Karina out of the bed and slapped her hard.  “Fix us something to eat, and make it quick.”  She winced and grabbed a wrap to cover her nakedness.  He yanked it from her and laughed.  “You don’t need that.  You have much too nice a body to cover it up.”

​

When Karina went up to the galley she saw Frank laying on the deck and started toward him.  The big hands grabbed her and the man said, “Forget him.  Get our food ready.  We are leaving at dawn.” 

​

Karina made them the bacon and eggs she had saved for breakfast and served them with tears running down her face.  The two men ate like they were starving and had her fix more.

​

Frank and Karina planned to retire in a few years and just enjoy the sunshine and pristine beach in front of their home in Costa Rica.   They were both handy and had done much of the construction themselves while living in the partially finished structure.   Now their dream seemed to be fading before their eyes. 

As Frank lay on the deck, his head throbbed from the blow to his face, he cursed himself for being so careless in dropping his guard and picking this out of the way harbor.  It had made them an easy target for these thugs.  At least it’s not my boat, he thought, but getting out of this alive is going to take a lot of luck and guts.  These guys look really tough.

​

Just before dawn the bigger of the two thugs got on the small walkie-talkie he had clipped on his belt and hailed someone.  He said into the mic, “We are all set here.  I think we have enough fuel and water to get to the DR and drop this baby off to our buyer.  It meets his specs perfectly and we should get at least $100,000 for her.  You get on a plane and meet us there after you have made all the arrangements to hand over the boat, get our money and get back home.”

Neither of the thugs used their names.  It was just ‘asshole’ or ‘butt face’ or some other derogatory term they used to address each other.  They appeared to be Hispanic, but actually spoke pretty good English.  Frank decided Asshole was the leader since he seemed to be giving directions to Butt Face.  He decided he would need to take out the leader first since he was the biggest, strongest and seemed the smartest.  How was the big question?

​

It would take at least four days of hard motor sailing to get to the DR and their fuel would last that long at a half gallon per hour per engine if they alternated using one engine at a time.  This only reduced their speed by about one and a half knots while cutting fuel consumption in half.  The net effect increased their range by about thirty percent.  Frank wasn’t sure if these two knew enough about the boat to figure that out, or if they even knew how to sail at all.  The question was soon answered.

​

Asshole bent down and grabbed Frank by the hair and yanked him to a sitting position propped against the bench seat of the cockpit.  “How far can we go with the fuel you have left?  Can we make it to the DR?” 

​

Frank spit out some blood and replied, “I think so.  For sure if you only run one engine at a time.  The winds will be favorable if you sail directly there and don’t follow the island chain, but once you commit to that course there are no stops along the way.” 

​

Asshole patted him on the cheek and said, “Good boy.  Now I am going to untie your feet so you can stand up and show me how to set the course and get underway.  Does your bitch know how to navigate as well?” 

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          Blood rose in Frank’s face at the derogatory term for his wife, but he kept his cool.  “Yes, she is just a capable as I am.”  After saying it he regretted making himself ‘dispensable’ and added, “but it really takes two experienced hands to handle this boat.” 

​

Asshole laughed, “Sure it does amigo.  You just better behave or we will manage just fine without you.”

​

The next three days were brutal, not the sailing which was a breeze, but the treatment from the two thugs.  They took turns with Karina and Frank could see the desperation and terror in her eyes.  He had found no chance to take them out and knew he was getting weaker by the hour from lack of sleep and the meager food they gave to him and Karina.  He had heard the two talking about getting rid of them before the DR and knew time was running out.

​

Frank finally had a chance to talk in a whisper to Karina while the two were eating lunch on the third day.  “We have to make a move sweetheart or they will kill us for sure.  You need to sneak a knife down below and hide it next to the bed so you can kill the next one that takes you down there.  Can you stab a man?” 

“These aren’t men.  They are animals,” she replied.  “I will cut off their balls if I get the chance.” 

​

The anger that flared in her eyes was enough to assure Frank that she was up to the task.  “Good, wink at me when the knife is in place.  I will wait until I hear you make some noise so that I know you are ready.  When you hear me shout ‘oh shit’ that will be the signal that I am in a position to strike when you do.”  He kissed her just as Asshole came out and yanked her from the seat. 

​

“Don’t get any ideas you two,” he snarled at them.

​

Asshole had finally relented and let Karina wear clothes at night when it got cool, but it would be hard to get a knife into her shorts’ pocket.  She had to pick a small paring knife with a three-inch blade.  She figured it would be easier to handle and she would drive it into the neck of her next assailant to the hilt.  She placed it between the mattress and the hull of the boat and made sure the sheet covered it.

After dinner the two thugs drank a half bottle of rum to celebrate the near end of the trip to the DR.  Both were excited about the money they would get for the boat.  They flipped a coin to decide who would take Karina to bed first and Butt Face won.  He grabbed her by the arm and dragged her away from the galley sink where she was cleaning up.  He led her down to the starboard cabin, right below the helm. 

​

When he shoved her into bed and started to get on top of her, she said, “How about I get on top for a change?  Its pretty boring to just do the missionary position over and over again.”  She figured this would allow her an advantage in getting the knife and killing the bastard.  She made a point of rubbing her breasts on his face to distract him as she climbed on top of him. 

​

She knew that Frank could hear everything from his position just a few feet about them and started making moaning sounds like she was enjoying the sex and to let him know it was time.  Frank cried out “Oh shit” and pulled the kill switch on the port engine.  It gave off a loud buzzing sound. 

​

When Asshole came up to the helm to see what was going on, Frank pointed to the gauges and said, “look.”  As Asshole stared at the gauges uncomprehending, Frank pulled the flashlight out of the pouch hanging from the seat and hit him as hard as he could, knocking him senseless but not out cold.  Asshole staggered back and Frank jumped on top clamping his hands around the thug’s neck.

​

Below in the cabin, Karina had slipped her hand around the knife and struck at her assailant with all her strength.  The noise above had caused him to throw her off and sit up to see what was happening.  Her aim was off because of his movement and the knife hit his shoulder blade only causing a flesh wound.  She pulled it out and stabbed again but he deflected the blow with his forearm and knocked her against the wall.  He grabbed her wrist, pulled the knife from her hand and bolted up the stairs to help his partner.  

​

Butt Face came up behind Frank who was lost in his anger and struggling to keep the big man down.  He grabbed Frank’s hair and pulled his head back plunging the knife into his neck.  Frank passed out almost immediately and fell to the deck with blood spurting from the wound.

Karina was knocked unconscious from hitting her head against the wall.  When she came to she heard a huge splash and heard one of the two men laugh and say, “I never really liked the guy anyway.  And we don’t need him anymore.  We will be in the DR tomorrow and I will buy the first round of drinks.  The best rum in the house.”

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Butt Face came back down the stairs and grabbed Karina by the legs, pulling her out of the bed.  He hit her brutally and broke her nose.  “We don’t need you anymore either, bitch.  You bore me and you are a lousy cook as well.”  He pulled her up the stairs and out on the back deck.  “I feel generous and will not make you suffer.”  He pulled her head back and slit her throat.  Blood spurted from the wound as the man dragged her to the stern and shoved her overboard.  She had passed out before she hit the water and quickly sank from view in the foam of the boat’s wake.

 

Chapter 1

 

Three Weeks Later.  The Miami Airport was packed with humanity as usual.  People had boxes labeled television, microwave, stereo and the myriad of other products that were hard to get in the third world countries of the Caribbean. 

​

Mack was standing in line with his own collection of boxes.  They held equipment to outfit his new boat, a single sideband radio, radar, and water maker.  The extra cost of taking these items on the plane was well worth it to reduce the risk of them being ‘lost’ in the customs office in the Dominican Republic.

​

Looking over the waiting passengers Mack was struck by a very attractive, petite woman who was already up at the counter, apparently by herself.  At least she looked great from the back - short skirt, great legs, tight ass, curly blond hair, and an infectious laugh that made him smile.  She clearly had the agent behind the counter captivated.

​

From Mack’s experience when a woman looks great from the back, the front usually matched.  She had even more boxes to check than he did, but they weren’t labeled with electronic names, just plain brown packing boxes with a name written on them in large print that he could read.  Carly Thompson followed by Casa de Flores and Dominican Republic.  He didn’t recognize the name of the place, but thought to himself, I wonder if I could be lucky enough to sit by her on the plane - nah, not likely.

​

When Mack got to the counter, the same agent asked him for his passport and customs form for the boxes.  “You know you will have to pay customs on these when you get to the DR, don’t you?”   

​

“Yes, I know.  I have the receipts with me to confirm the cost, but they are for a boat in transit so I shouldn’t have to pay customs.” 

“It may take a while to get them through,” the agent said, “so just be prepared.” 

​

“I am.  I’ve done this before and I know the routine.”

​

After checking in and getting his ticket, Mack headed to his gate.   This was pre 9/11, so there was no long line or metal detector to go through.  He found a familiar hamburger joint and sat down where he could people watch the concourse, secretly hoping to see the cute blond from the ticket counter.  He ordered a cheeseburger, medium rare, thinking he better enjoy his last real burger for a while.  He didn’t look forward to those grass fed, overcooked beef patties that he would have to accept as a poor substitute for the next six to nine months.

​

The time he would be in the Caribbean depended on a number of things.  The weather for one thing.  He didn’t plan to stay through prime hurricane season, June through November, unless he could find a safe harbor to spend that time.  His insurance wouldn’t cover him unless he was farther south than the Grenadines.  He couldn’t afford to get caught in a named storm having no coverage for damage.  He had saved enough money to cover normal expenses for about a year until he could get his planned charter business going, but not enough to cover a big bill for damage to the boat.

​

The burger was delicious and he savored every bite.  It really wasn’t a great burger, but he knew it was way better that what he was going to get in the islands.  As he poked a french fry in his mouth he saw her.  She was every bit as cute from the front, and her chest matched that great ass he had seen at the counter.  She didn’t seem to be in a hurry, just strolling along and looking in the shops, probably trying to see if there were any last minute items she might need for her trip.

​

Carly Thompson was from Los Angeles.  She grew up in Playa del Rey spending every possible moment on the beach.  She didn’t get great grades in high school, but not because she wasn’t smart, just not enamored with academics.  She always said, “If they just taught with rock and roll music instead of textbooks, I would have been an A student.”   She new every song in the top 100 by heart, who sang it, who wrote it and when it was first recorded.   She also knew the oldies from the 50’s and 60’s by heart and had a great collection of old 45s.  She hoped some day to have a jukebox to play them on.

​

Carly had noticed Mack after she got her ticket and thought he was handsome, but a little too old for her.  Not that she didn’t like mature men, but she really wasn’t in the market right now, and if she were, it would probably be for a hunk to have a brief sex fling with in the islands.  Mack looked more like a guy that might get way to serious too soon.  He was handsome though, in a rugged sort of way.  He was tall enough, well-built and had penetrating blue eyes that she had felt checking her out when she was getting her ticket. 

​

She wasn’t really shopping for anything, just killing time until they called her flight for boarding.  She thought about stocking up on books to read, but they had told her that guests at the resort where she would be working were always leaving new books behind to avoid hauling them back in their luggage.  She did see a cute swimsuit cover-up that tempted her, but she was on a tight budget until she got her first paycheck.

​

Carly’s mom and dad had thought she was crazy to pack up and move to the Caribbean.  Her mom had moaned when Carly told her, “So far from home and not knowing anyone.  Even the guy who hired you won’t be down there.” 

​

The man who recruited her was just an agent for the resort, lining up English speaking, attractive people to cater to the rich clients that came to the resort for pampering and lots of island fun.  He had told her that discretion was key to her success and her winning smile and laugh would be her greatest asset.  Carly knew he thought, but didn’t mention her body as an even greater asset. 

​

Carly liked the way she looked, especially since her last boyfriend had paid the bill for her boob job.  Now her top matched her bottom and she liked the looks she got in her bikini.  She dressed to take advantage of her new body, but not to flaunt it.  Nothing about Carly was cheap, including her taste in clothes.

​

The first leg of the flight would be to Puerto Rico.  It would be a fairly short layover and passengers would not have to clear customs if they stayed in the terminal. 

​

Mack checked his watch to make sure he had time for a bathroom break before the boarding would start.  He still had two carry-ons to stow away in the overhead bins and wanted to make sure he boarded as soon as possible to get space for them.  

​

When he came out of the restroom he almost collided with the cute blond.  “Excuse me,” he managed to say, obviously flustered by the close contact with her. 

​

She smiled a smile that would get the attention of a marble statue and said, “no problem Mon”, in island accent and walked on toward the gate.   

When Carly glanced over her shoulder at him, Mack felt a surge of chemistry that he hadn’t felt in a long time.  Crazy stuff he thought to himself, She probably has a six foot four linebacker waiting to meet her when she arrives in the islands.

​

The announcer called his flight for boarding and he came out of his trance.  He managed to get to the front of the line and was about the tenth passenger to hand his ticket to the agent at the door.  He had an aisle seat.  He liked the legroom and ease of getting out to go to the head.  He was starting to use nautical terms to get himself in the mood for his new adventure.  He stowed his two carry-ons, one overhead and one under the seat for easy access to the navigation book he was brushing up on.  He settled in to wait for his seatmates to arrive. 

​

There she was, coming down the aisle, checking out the numbers, smiling that engaging smile and saying hi to people along the way.  You would think see was the flight attendant.  She stopped next to him and pointed to the seat next to Mack.  “That is my seat next to you.” 

​

Mack sat there somewhat in shock.  This never happened.  The cute girl sitting next to him!  It was always the fattest person on the flight who spilled into his space.  Recovering his cool, he said, “Sure, let me get up so you can get to your seat.” 

​

“Thanks,” she said with that incredible smile across her face.  No makeup, just the girl next-door type of honest beauty that opened doors and stopped clocks and men in their tracks.

​

He stood up and helped her with getting her larger carry-on into the overhead bin - his Texas heritage coming through.  He still opened doors for ladies and would have tipped his hat if he had one.  She slid into the seat and sat down while pulling her short skirt down to keep from showing too much leg. 

​

After he sat down, she turned to him and smiled.  “Hi, my name is Carly, what’s yours?”  Nothing shy about this girl, but it was just so honest and refreshing it didn’t come across as someone on the make.  Just an honest innocence and excitement in her voice.

​

“My name is Mack.”  He extended his hand to shake hers and felt a tingle as she grasped his hand with a healthy grip. 

​

“Is that short for your last name?” 

​

“No.  My dad was a truck driver and hoped I would follow in his footsteps.  Just liked the name and the big bulldog symbol on the hood of his truck, I think.  My last name is O’Connor.” 

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“And what is a truck driver going to do in the Caribbean?” 

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“Well, the truck driving thing didn’t take, I traded it in for a sailboat.” 

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“Oooh, that sounds much more exciting!”

​

They settled into their seats and listened, sort of, to the flight attendant warning about water landings, exits and how to put on a life vest.   After takeoff, Mack pulled out his laptop and tried to look nonchalant about having this sexy babe sitting next to him.  After all, she was obviously too young for him and he didn’t want to come across as an ‘old’ letch, even though he didn’t think he looked that old.  After all, he did work out regularly and tried to stay in shape.  He thought he looked pretty good for turning forty-five in a few weeks.

​

After a respectable wait so he didn’t come across as hustling her, Mack asked, “I noticed at check in you had quite a few boxes.  Are you planning on staying a while in the islands?” 

​

“I am going to work in a resort for a couple of years to learn the hospitality business and work on my tan,” she laughed. 

​

“So how does someone get that kind of cool job?” 

​

“I know it sounds terrible, but I met a guy in a bar in Los Angeles and he liked my personality.  He just offered me the job.  I sold my car, packed my bags and here I am taking off for a new adventure.  What about you?  What is taking you to the Caribbean?”

​

Mack thought for a minute about how to reply, and decided just to keep it simple and to the point.  The details were too complicated and could quickly get boring he thought.  “I bought a boat to start a charter business down in the Virgin Islands.  I pick up the boat in the DR, excuse me, the Dominican Republic and will then take it to Trinidad to have some additional equipment installed to make my guests more comfortable and me more prepared to keep the boat safe.” 

​

“Why not just get the work done in the DR?”  Carly asked. 

​

“It’s cheaper in Trinidad and I just feel safer not being in the DR.  It’s nothing like it was years ago when it was a dictatorship government under Trujillo, but it still has a ways to go to be a true and safe democracy.  The military really makes me nervous.”

​

Carly looked a little rattled.  “So you don’t think it’s safe?”  

​

“Well, let’s just say I have heard of some pretty scary situations and I don’t want to risk my boat. It’s my primary possession and my future source of livelihood.”

Carly was quiet and thoughtful for the rest of the trip, but they did continue to get to know each other and share stories about where they grew up and what they had done up until this point in their lives.  Both had been married and both had recently broken up from what they thought were serious relationships.  

​

Mack’s recent significant other decided the sailing life wasn’t for her.  They had spent six weeks in the Grenadines checking out different boats in some challenging sea conditions.  By the end of that experience she called it quits.  He had also learned she didn’t have the kind of adventuresome spirit he was looking for in a mate for life.

​

Carly left her last boyfriend when he pushed a little too hard to get married and settle down in a bungalow built for four.  She just didn’t think the kid thing was for her at thirty-two.  She still had lots to do and places to see in the world.  This Caribbean adventure seemed a good place to start.