Filed To Story: The Saltwater Curse Book PDF Free
The clerk nods, and her flip-flops clap against the tile toward the back of the shop.
Deedee hustles me into a seat beside her and points at a wooden stool at a free table for Ordus. She moves empty plates and cups to the end of the table for the clerk to pick up when she passes, then mutters something in Indonesian to the guy beside her. He nods.
Ordus drops the stool beside me and lowers him onto it more aggressively than necessary. If I move even slightly, my knees will knock into his. I’m struggling to recognize him in a sun-stained, blue
Bintang
T-shirt. I must admit, though, I can focus a little better without his abs on display.
It’s comical how much he sticks out amongst everyone else. Sure, he appears human, but if you stare long enough, you’ll start to notice there’s something other about him.
Especially in those murderous blue eyes.
We had a nice, long chat about human behavior, the dos and don’ts when we’re on the mainland. One of those things was that there’s to be absolutely no attacking or growling at or killing humans under any circumstance.
Based on the sneer he’s directing at the four men, he’d be doing the latter right now if I didn’t tell him it might put me in danger.
I keep my sights on the street in front of me, making a conscious effort not to look any of the men in the eyes, lest it set off Ordus.
I’m lying to myself.
They remind me of the Gallaghers’ men. If I look at them, I might throw up or run out of here like I’m on fire.
Half my butt cheek hangs off the side of the bench. I’m careful to leave a couple inches of space between me and Deedee.
“Where’s Nat?” I force myself to ask to keep my mind off things. I may question Deedee’s choice in friendship, but I know she would never put me in danger. She’s the one who helped set up my surveillance system, and if there’s ever a riskier drop, she’ll send some muscle to do it for me. We have matching tattoos, for crying out loud. Sisterhood and all that.
“The lab.” She huffs, shaking her head. “Works too hard, that one. We got a big order for Canadians. Good timing, though. We just moved the main op to bigger premises. I was about to look for another girl to take your place.”
I frown. I was gone six weeks. Before I left, we could barely make a decision on how the lab should be arranged, and suddenly, they’re moving to a bigger facility? When we didn’t have supplies? “So you managed to fix the machine?”
“Yeah, of course.” Deedee gives me the universal “why wouldn’t we”
look.
“What happened to the stolen stock?”
The guy with the piercing snorts, taking a drag of his cigarette. I drop my hand onto Ordus’ lap when he starts growling like a guard dog. He stops the second I touch him. I don’t want my dinner flavored with entrails.
Deedee waves her hand dismissively, not missing the mistaken show of PDA. “I told you; it was all a nonissue.”
My lips flatten into a straight line, and I try not to glower. “It clearly was an issue. Those supplies cost us?—“
I silence myself and mutter a quick thanks to the woman delivering my food. I cast a nervous glance at Ordus, who’s looking at the plate like it’s a pile of the worst possible thing known to man. His face is warped, like everything about dinner nauseates him.
His hand stops midair above the slice of pork. “Are you sure you want to eat?” I interrupt. It’d be rude not to eat it, but it would be far ruder if Ordus starts retching in the middle of the store. “You had an upset stomach earlier. Maybe we get you something lighter and take this to go?”
Ordus’ shoulders sag in relief, and he immediately goes back to staring down the men and watching the street while Deedee studies him with rapt fascination. It’s kinda irrationally pissing me off.
It can’t be jealousy. I’m not the jealous type. I mean, Ordus can see whomever he wants. It just makes me sick picturing them hanging out—or with anyone else, for that matter. Blind with rage, imagining him fucking her with his tentacles like he did to me…
Ordus drops his hand on top of mine, giving it a reassuring squeeze before caressing the soft skin there like he’s saying he’s mine, marriage or not.
I blow out a breath, trying to calm down. Deedee waves down the waitress to pack away his share into a container, and I quickly surveil the streets for anyone who might look like someone I recognize.
“You don’t need to worry about any of it. I’ve got it taken care of.” Deedee fiddles with her bracelet, and the smile she gives me doesn’t reach her eyes.
I force food into my mouth, chewing without tasting.
“So tell me: where’ve you been? We were so worried. I tried looking for you everywhere, but you went completely off the radar. I thought it might have been because of the whispers of the American looking for you.”
The temperature plummets. I drop my spoon. “What American?”
“Don’t know.” Deedee brings the cigarette to her lips and inhales deeply. Tendrils of grey twirl from the glowing ember. Plumes of the putrid smoke blow beside my head and stick between the strands of my hair. “One of my contacts said there was a guy going around, offering money in exchange for a woman. He mentioned your—
you know
—your name. Had a photo too.”
I stop breathing. My name?
Photo
?
It must be the same person Ordus smelled at my cabin over a month ago.
They’ve found me. I need to get out of here. Now. The very first place that crosses my mind is Saelim Island, and despite the threat of other krakens, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.
“What—what did he look like?” My voice cracks as I press.
Deedee shrugs. “Based on what I heard, like a bule.”
Like a Westerner. That doesn’t narrow down anything.
“And what did your contact tell them?” I want to slap the table so maybe she gets how fucking serious this is.
She shakes her head like this is no big deal. “He’s never met you, so he didn’t say anything. Just told me about it.” Her phone lights up with a notification, and she jumps to her feet. Ordus and I do the same. “Shit. I’m so sorry. I need to go.”
Wait. No. I want to insist she stay so I can interrogate her for information. When did they ask? Are they still here? Who’s your contact? How many men were with him? Did he leave a number? Did they say anything else?
Deedee taps her phone screen again, and she gives my shoulder a squeeze. “Where are you staying? I’ll meet you at yours so we can talk for longer.”
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