Raging Hard: A Stepbrother SEAL Romance (With bonus novel Based!) (11 page)

“Why are we stopping?” I asked him.

“Map says to.”

“Okay, any clue why the map says to?”

He shrugged. “Nope. We should probably go down and help Tommy out, though.”

I stood up and rolled my eyes at him while he dropped the anchor. I walked down onto the deck and leaned up against the railing as Tommy began to pass out fishing rods. He showed everyone where the bait was and where the beer was and basically stepped back to let the men cast out and teach their women how to do it. It was all pretty old fashioned, but I didn’t mind.

“Does it usually go like this?” I asked Tommy once he joined me.

“More or less. It’s an easy job.”

“Ever have any problems?”

He sighed and looked off into the distance. “No, but I’ve heard rumors.”

“Rumors about what?”

“Pirates.”

I stared at him for a second and then burst out laughing. “Like with eye patches and peg legs?”

“No. Pirates with speedboats and machine guns.”

“You’re serious?”

“They’re rumors, but sometimes rumors are true. Apparently, there are some pirates that patrol these waters and like to board boats and steal everything they have.” He paused, looking away. “Sometimes they steal the women, too.”

I gaped at him. “There’s no way that’s true. What about the coast guard?”

“It’s a big coast. They can’t be everywhere.”

I opened my mouth to reply, but suddenly I heard my name called out.

I looked over and spotted two guys in their mid- to late twenties. One was smiling at me and the other was busy casting his line out over the edge.

“Friends?” Tommy asked me.

“Never met them before in my life.”

The one guy waved me over, and I reluctantly pushed off the railing and walked over to him.

“Hi,” I said. “Do I know you?”

“No, you don’t know me.”

“How do you know my name then?”

“Well, this is a little awkward, but your father invited us out on this trip. He said you’d be here. I assumed that was you based on his description.”

I nodded and smiled at him. That made sense. These were probably two more of his young business associates, and he probably thought I’d like to meet them. Maybe have their babies.

“Well, I’m Claire, but you know that already.”

“Claire, I’m Joshua.” He held out his hand and we shook. I noticed a small red tattoo on his wrist in the shape of a broken heart with a dagger in the top. It was tiny, barely noticeable, and it disappeared under the sleeve of his dress shirt as soon as he pulled his hand away.

“So what brings you out here?” I asked him.

“We’re investing in your father’s new club.” Joshua looked at his friend. “My rude business partner here is Alfonse.”

Alfonse glanced at me. “Call me Al.”

“Okay, Al. Nice to meet you.”

He nodded once and went back to fishing.

“Sorry, he’s not very friendly,” Joshua said, wearing a winning smile.

I was taken aback at how straight his teeth were. He was handsome in a conventional way, like every guy Dad brought around. And like every guy, I wasn’t really interested in him at all, but I knew I had to play nice, otherwise I’d get a stern lecture.

Besides, these were his business partners. I needed to put on a good face and help Dad out by making them happy. That was my unspoken job every time he had clients around.

“That’s okay, so long as he’s having a good time.”

Al grunted and Joshua laughed. “He seems pretty content. Anyway, do you work on boats often, Claire?”

I laughed, shaking my head. “Not at all. Honestly, my dad just wanted me to get some good work experience this summer, and so here I am.”

“Ah, I’m not surprised. Your father seems like a tough one.”

“He definitely is. But he’s also a really good guy, or at least everyone says so.”

“What do you say?”

I smiled, looking out over the ocean. “He’s my dad. He’s the best.”

Joshua grabbed a beer from the cooler and offered me one. I declined and he returned it, cracking his open.

“I have to admit, I was surprised when I first saw you.”

“Surprised?”

“Yes. Over how attractive you are.”

I smiled but inwardly cringed. Was this guy for real? I was the daughter of a business associate, and he was hitting on me?

“Well, thank you.”

“No, thank you. I’m glad your father decided to introduce me to you.”

“What else do you have planned for this weekend?”

“Oh, nothing special, just looking in on some assets I have.”

“Assets?”

“Properties. Businesses.” He paused to sip his beer. “Things of that nature.”

“Sounds exciting.”

“Oh, it is very exciting. I live a very exciting life.” He stood very close to me, his breath coming heavily.

“I hope you’re having a good time while you’re in town,” I said lamely.

“I would if you agreed to spend some time with me.”

I turned white and looked around, suddenly wishing someone would give me an out, but everyone was too busy fishing to pay me any attention.
Where the hell is Nate?
I thought to myself.

“I don’t know,” I replied.

“Say yes. I will show you an incredible time. It would make me very, very happy, and I’m sure it would please your father as well.”

I didn’t know what to do. The idea of going out with this guy repulsed me, or maybe that was just the motion of the boat. Either way, I had absolutely zero desire in seeing him ever again.

But I couldn’t just say no. That would be rude and would make my father look bad. If this was an investor in his new business, then I had to at least make an effort to make him happy.

“What did you have in mind?” I said slowly.

“You, me, and the beach,” he said softly. “I’ll bring the wine. You just bring your pretty face. We’ll see what happens from there.”

“I don’t know,” I said.

Suddenly, I felt a presence behind me. Joshua looked up, and a strange look came over his face for half a second.

“This guy bothering you?” Nate grunted.

I turned around. “Oh, Nate. This is Joshua, one of my dad’s business associates. Joshua, this is my new stepbrother, Nate.”

Nate and Joshua shook hands, and Nate held on for half a second longer than was normal, looking Joshua right in the eye. There was a strained tension between the two men. Nate was clearly the larger of the two, taller and broader, with muscles like crazy. Joshua was smaller and wore an expensive suit, his hair gelled up and styled.

“Good to meet you,” Joshua said.

“Likewise.”

“Joshua here was just inviting me out. I’m sure you’d like to come too, Nate.”

Joshua gaped for a second before composing himself. “Uh, yes. I’m sure that’d be great.”

Nate stared at Joshua for another second, his body imposing and serious. “I’ll think about it.”

“Great,” Joshua said, “just great. I’ll let you two get back to work.” He quickly turned away, returning to Al.

“Creep,” I muttered.

Fortunately, though, I was almost positive we would never hear from Joshua again, or at least about that little trip he wanted to take me on.

“That guy bother you?” Nate asked me.

“Just another banker asshole my dad is trying to set me up with.”

“He do that a lot?”

“Yeah,” I said, “he really does.”

Nate frowned at Joshua for a second and then looked back at me. “You have any issues with guys like him, you come find me. Understand?”

“Okay,” I said softly.

“Seriously, Claire. Any issues, you find me. I’ll handle it.”

I nodded quickly, my heart skipping a beat. “Okay. I will.”

He leaned back against the railing. “So, interested in that guy?”

“No, not at all,” I said quickly.

Too quickly, clearly, because Nate’s face lit up in a huge grin.

“Defensive?”

“No,” I muttered.

“Seems like you’re a little embarrassed to be caught getting hit on.”

“Its not my fault my dad wants me to marry some proper investment banker just like him.”

“It’s weird he’s doing that. Isn’t that usually a mom’s job?”

“Yeah, well, ever since my mom died, my dad took up the slack.”

“Shit. Sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s okay.”

“If it helps, my mom gave up trying to set me up a long time ago.”

“Why’s that?”

“Apparently proper ladies are intimidated by me.” He stood up and moved close to me. “Truth is, though, they usually ended up throwing their panties at me and begging for it. But Mom doesn’t know that.”

“I’m sure you obliged.”

“I’m a gentleman, after all.”

The day went like that for another few hours. Nate and I went around helping people and serving lunch while Tommy answered questions about the area. Finally, our time was up, and we helped everyone pack away their rods and their catches, though nobody got much of anything.

Back up in the pilot’s room, Nate began to sail the boat back toward the harbor. I felt relieved to be hidden up away from everyone. Joshua and his associate, Al, kept giving me looks all afternoon, but whenever Nate got too close they would instantly look away.

Part of me was thrilled to see that. Part of me loved that Nate could scare other men away simply by being near me. I loved that he was powerful and masculine enough that he didn’t even have to try. And yet part of me was afraid of him and how easily he could posses me.

I knew I was skating on thin ice. There was a razor-thin margin between us, and one tiny slip up would leave me reeling and in the palm of his hands.

Once there, I knew I’d never get away.

“Almost back,” Nate grunted.

“Yeah.” I looked out the window and down at Tommy giving the customers his last little speech. “Listen, Nate.” I bit my lower lip, not sure what I wanted to say. “We shouldn’t do this.”

“Drive the boat back?”

“No. I mean, you shouldn’t scare guys away.”

“Scare who away?”

“Those guys. Joshua and Al.”

“Seems to me they needed scaring.”

“We’re stepsiblings now. My dad is going to be throwing guys at me all the time.”

“And you’re going to want to date one of them.”

“I don’t know. Maybe.”

Not at all, not even slightly. But whatever I needed to say to make that tiny margin wider would be good.

“Whatever you want to do is fine with me, princess,” he grunted at me, “but don’t act like that pussy doesn’t ache every time I’m around you.”

“Nothing aches,” I snapped back.

“Whatever you say.”

We lapsed into silence, and I inwardly kicked myself for opening my stupid mouth. He didn’t seem to mind, but I felt like a total idiot.

I quickly got up and went down to help Tommy finish up packing everything away. I decided chores were better than sitting up with Nate, where the tension between us was thick as hell and ready to snap at any moment. I couldn’t promise myself that I wasn’t going to let myself get swept up into Nate’s powerful gaze.

Once we were docked, I tied the boat off and got out of there as fast as I could. I needed to get home and think about things.

As I walked up the driveway, I could have sworn I heard Nate laughing. I looked back but didn’t see a thing.

S
torm clouds were gathering in the south as Claire and I pulled into the marina parking lot.

“Not promising,” I said to her.

“It’s just rain. My weather app says it won’t be bad.”

“Still,” I grunted. “Not the best idea to take tourists out on the water in a rain storm.”

“Scared?” she asked teasingly.

I gave her a look. “I’m never scared.”

We parked and I climbed out, walking down toward the dock. Claire followed, hurrying to catch up. It was our second day of work and I was already bored of the job, but the money was fine, and, plus, I had nothing else to do.

“You don’t have to be such a hard ass all the time,” she said.

“I’m not a hard ass.”

“Sure you are. You pretend to be this badass Navy SEAL, but you’re really just a lazy jerk.”

“It’s not pretend, babe. It’s who I am.” I smirked at her.

“Yeah, see, exactly. That’s what I’m talking about.”

I laughed at her, genuinely amused. She really had no clue who she was talking to or what I had done in my life, but I didn’t need to correct her. She could think my attitude was just some act or whatever she wanted.

Truth was, once you were a SEAL, you were always a SEAL. The shit you did for your country, the amount of training, it all made you into the person you were. There was no getting rid of it, not ever, no matter how hard you tried. I was just embracing my identity.

We walked down the dock and saw Tommy leaning against a wooden pole up ahead. He had all of his stuff still out on the dock, not packed on the boat like it had been the day before.

I liked Tommy. He was a no-bullshit kind of guy, a local his whole life. He probably disliked working for men like Jonathan as much as I did, but I wasn’t going to make any assumptions about him. Tommy was in his mid-forties and affable, basically a decent guy so long as you didn’t have high expectations for him.