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He was about to argue with me and I put my hand up and faced the men starting to calm down a bit by my interruption.
"We are not in international waters, there should be no game here at all." I looked at the table with piles of money. "Especially with high-stakes betting."
"Micki, I said I'd handle this." Beck moved towards me and stepped in front as if to shut me up. It only infuriated the hell out of me.
Arguing with him right now would be inappropriate. I was the captain and he was the owner. I reported to him. But I was responsible for everything that happened on the boat. I just walked around him and faced the men and women.
"Now, if we had a visit from the harbormaster or the Love Beach Marine unit, you'd be screwed. As would I and him." I pointed to Beck. "He's the yacht owner, in case you didn't know. I suggest you collect your money, forget that anybody was betting here, and get the hell off the boat."
"Nothing is settled yet." A man who appeared to be ready for a brawl replied to me.
"I don't care. It will not be settled here. Everybody take what's yours off the table and go."
"Micki…"
I faced Beck. "What? Were you handling this well? Because I don't think so. Maybe they won't talk back to or get into a fight with me, because I'm a woman." I gave the card players a heated stare. They quickly gathered up their belongings. "Jason, escort these guests down to the launch and make sure they get back to shore."
I turned to the players. "Off you go now."
With muttering and grumbling, and threats against me and Beck about the interrupted card game, they left the conference room.
I was so furious my ears were hot and I was ready for a fight. I looked at Beck who stood there, his face still like thunder. He gave me a look and I knew he was pissed at me and probably the whole situation.
"Never, ever do that again and undermine my authority." He turned on his heel and left the room.
I let out a shaky breath. The adrenaline rush was still high. Sure, there was a hierarchy, he was owner, and I worked under him, but I was captain and responsible for everything on board, what happens to Intrepid, crew and guests and so much more.
So much for our improving relationship after this debacle. If there was ever to be anything more between Beck and me, it was gone.
Iwent to my cabin, my stomach turned over about our confrontation. The party mood was gone now and I wanted to be alone. Had I been too forceful? I couldn’t stay out of it, nor should I regret it. I was doing my job and if there were consequences then I would deal with them.
In my room, I shed my clothes and stepped into the shower. The whole thing had wound me up and I stood under the water, letting it run over me, doing my best to calm down. I switched my mind off, and let the hot stream cleanse away the negativity.
I don't know how long I'd stood there, and the water began to chill. I turned it off and stepped from the shower wrapping myself in a towel. I half expected to see Beck standing outside the bathroom like he had the first night, but he wasn't.
The bed called to me and I didn't want to think about the after-party cleanup. The following days were downtime to prepare for the next set of guests arriving in a week, friends he was letting use the yacht and he would be away while they were on board.
Stop thinking. Go to bed.
I wound my hair onto my head, utterly exhausted after tonight. Everything caught up with me and was topped off by emotional fatigue from the conflict and the strong drinks from earlier. I slid between the cool sheets with a contented groan. I was going to sleep like the dead tonight.
Beck sat at the desk in his office. He was furious by what had happened. Fights. Arguments. Illegal poker games. But the biggest disappointment was how Micki stepped in when he told her not to. It had embarrassed him, something he wasn't used to, and why he was here with a glass of whiskey sitting at his desk deciding how to deal with it. He hadn't wanted her to get involved. Not because she couldn't handle herself but because well, because he didn't. She was the Captain and was in charge of the boat. In all fairness, it was her place to handle the conflict.
Whiskey and ice clinked in the class. If Fletch had been aboard, he would've been right beside him, the two of them facing off the crowd. Was he being rational about it? Would he have behaved the same way with Fletch?
He knew the answer to that. No, he wouldn't. Then why was he behaving this way towards Micki?
She made him think about things from different perspectives. Things he normally wouldn't give a second thought. But he was and it was all due to her. And that was a good thing.
He knew she was mad at him. She'd been right to call him out because she was a woman.
Would she be in bed now? He grabbed his glass and went out onto his private deck. It was a dark night with nothing to see. The ship lights were off save a few, and the faint clink of cutlery reached him. Security had been told to wind down the party. It was well past midnight and he'd learned long ago nothing good ever happened after midnight.
Beck sighed, feeling the tension ease from his body, and looked up at the stars. Nursing his whiskey.
In the morning. That's when he'd make things right with Micki.
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