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Hollis didn’t stay put and Dylan looked up to see her on deck, bending over and picking up the gun.
“Do you ever follow directions?” he asked.
“Nope,” she said and trained the gun on the thug. Meanwhile, Dylan just shook his head and reached for a roll of duct tape. After wrapping it around the man’s wrists and covering his mouth, Dylan shoved him down onto the deck.
Then, Dylan and Hollis walked over to a table full of scavenged goods already pulled up from the sea bottom. “He’s already finding stuff,” she said and handed the gun to Dylan as he stashed the knife back in his boot.
An array of sandy, coral-encrusted items ripped from the ocean floor and smashed open littered the table. Coins and small trinkets, pulled out in a hurry, and tossed aside, sat in small seawater puddles.
“Do you see the Rosary?”
Just as Hollis shook her head, Tony and another thug surfaced from the dark ocean depths, pulling a chunk of coral-covered coins up with them. Tony tossed it up onto the deck, pulled himself up and froze when he saw Dylan and Hollis.
His eyes narrowed as he shrugged the tank off his back. “Get off my boat,” he snarled.
“Your Dad got hurt tonight,” Hollis said, gauging his reaction.
“He’s still alive?”
“You’re vile,” Hollis spat.
“Business is business. He got in the way. Just like you both are doing right now.” Tony shed the rest of his equipment and moved closer. Like a snake slithering toward its prey. “You should’ve taken my offer, Dylan.”
“Shut up,” Dylan said.
Tony had wanted to partner up with Dylan and work against her. But, Dylan had chosen her, not him. He had told her as much. But, for some reason, her stomach sank with dread.
“We should’ve edged you out,” Tony told Hollis. “I think he would’ve taken the deal I offered, too, except that he has the hots for your tight little ass.”
Dylan lifted the gun and pointed it at Tony. “Shut. Up.”
“Where’s the Rosary?” Hollis asked.
Tony looked from Dylan to Hollis and snorted. “What’re you gonna do? Shoot me? You don’t have it in you.”
As he talked, Tony slowly moved toward a small console where a box sat. But, Dylan caught a glimpse of it before Tony moved completely in front to block it from view.
Dylan lunged for the box and, at the same time, Tony knocked the gun from his hand. It clattered across the deck and disappeared beneath a built-in chair.
They smashed into the table and the box fell, tipping over to spill the gold coins and the emerald Rosary stolen from Diamond’s house. They scrambled for it and Dylan drove an elbow into Tony’s face while Tony returned the favor with a fist to Dylan’s jaw.
But, the Rosary slid out of their reach and stopped right in front of Hollis. She scooped it up with wide eyes and then dropped it in her jacket pocket.
All eyes turned to Hollis. The other thug and Tony both lunged for her and she jumped out of reach with a cry. Dylan grabbed Tony and yanked him back, but the thug managed to grab a corner of Hollis’s jacket. It ripped, but she jumped over the side and landed back in the dinghy and aimed it back toward theFortune & Glory.
Tony pulled free and moved over to a seat compartment. He threw it open, pulled out a rifle with a grenade launcher and aimed it at Dylan’s boat.
Horror ripped through Dylan as he spun toward his boat where Hollis now hurried across the deck. “Hollis!” he yelled.
Tony fired the weapon.
And, Dylan’s stomach dropped.No, God, no.
The deck of theFortune & Gloryexploded in a flash of bright orange and red fire. Black smoke surged upward and Dylan strained against the rail. His frantic gaze searched for Hollis, but he only saw flames and debris.
Chapter Seventeen
Suddenly, from behind the flames and smoke, a waverunner bounced into view. Dylan released a shaky sigh of relief when he spotted Hollis steering toward him.
