Catching the Storm

18. Kidnapping, Fights, and Finer Qualities

I threw open the door and saw and Jackson at the helm, standing in front of all the gauges and controls. He barely glanced at me.

"Noah was supposed to take you to your room."

I didn't say anything to him. Instead, I just walked right up to him and decked him.

Noah, who had followed me into the room immediately took a few steps backward until he was out of the room and shut the door behind him.

Jackson stumbled back from the controls and rubbed at his jaw. "And which grievance was that for?" He asked me, calmly. Which only served to piss me off even more.

"Pick one," I growled before taking another swing at him.

He took a step back and sideways, dodging my punch.

"Where is Agent North and Julie?"

"Agent North is having a lovely nap in one of the downstairs bedrooms."

"And Julie?" I questioned.

"She was given the option of walking the plank or playing nice and staying in her bedroom for the remainder of the evening. Unlike you, she chose to be a gracious guest."

My angry flared up even more. "Guest? You're keeping me here as your prisoner. I'm nothing more than a trophy to you."

Jackson rolled his eyes and waved me away dismissively. "Don't be so dramatic."

He was watching me out of the corner of his eye. He thought I couldn't tell, but I could. So, I threw the punch that he was already expecting. He moved to dodge it, except he ran right into my knee that I'd brought up, ramming him in the stomach.

He dropped to the floor doubled over and I kicked him in the stomach. He groaned as he rolled onto his back, cursed at me, and then before I could make another move, he swiped my feet out from under me with his leg.

All the air in my lungs rushed out of me and I laid on the floor trying to remember how to breathe after landing on my back and getting the air knocked out of me. The fact that my head was also pounding after hitting the floor was not helping.

Jackson was suddenly straddling me, leaning over so his face was barely a foot from mine. "This would be so much better if our positions were switched," He said as he smirked at me.

I felt my breath catch in my throat, only this time I was for a different reason. I was suddenly all too aware of him. All too aware of our position and just how close he was to me. And all too familiar with exactly how his body moved and what it looked like without clothes.

And then I suddenly became aware of the fact that his face was in perfect striking distance.

So, I seized the opportunity.

He cursed and rolled off me, hand clutching at his now split lip.

I rolled away and pushed to my feet, glaring at him the whole time. He'd gotten to his feet as well, leaning back against the controls to the yacht. He wiped off the blood on his lip and let out an audible sigh. Like his split lip was nothing more than an inconvenience.

"I realize I likely can't best you in a fight," He started.

"I'm willing to let you try," I interjected.

"At least," He continued. "Not unless I seriously injured you."

"That sounds like an excuse," I taunted him. I was still pissed and feeling mean, after all. "What, afraid to hit a girl?"

He shook his head. "No," He replied. "Though it would be a shame to mess up that pretty face of yours."

I continued to glare at him.