“Cap?”
Someone bangs on the door, and with an angry sigh, Hendrix jerks up his jeans and gently lifts me off him before standing. “What?”
“There’s a ship in the distance.”
My skin instantly prickles.
“You identified it?” he says, pulling on a shirt and lifting his gun.
“No.”
“On my way.”
He turns to me. “Stay here.”
“But…”
He gives me a stern look. “Indi, stay here.”
He leans down and kisses my head quickly before turning and rushing out. I stand for a moment, completely terrified that a repeat will happen again. It’s been five days since that attack; surely we can’t have another one…
I rub my arms with my hands and turn, walking towards the bathroom. I clean up, brush my teeth, and throw my hair up before making my way back to the sofa and just sitting, waiting, feeling like I’m about to throw up all over the floor.
It feels like I wait for hours, until finally I hear yelling. I get to my feet, feeling my heart pound. The yelling increases, and I recognize a few words. It sounds threatening. Unable to stop myself, I slowly walk out of the room. I should be with Jess. She will need me. She’ll be terrified.
I step out into the hall when I hear the words more clearly. “Fuck you, Chopper. I have nothing for you.”
Chopper?
Daddy?
My legs buckle, and I grip the wall to stop myself falling. He’s here? He’s here, oh God. I take a step toward the stairs that lead up onto the deck. Can I do this? Can I see him again after all these years? It’s been so long.
For so many years I dreamed about him, wanting him home. Can I face him now? Knowing he’s likely a monster? I am doubting everything, and yet I’m still walking toward the stairs, like my body is refusing to accept those doubts.
The steps creak as I walk up them, and the yelling becomes more obscene and loud. When the sun shines into my eyes, I lift my hand, blocking it out. I peer over at the other ship lined up against Hendrix’s. It’s bigger, but older. There are more pirates, easily, and they look far scarier. There’s a man in a dark, wide-brimmed hat, pointing a gun at Hendrix and snarling curses at him. He cocks his gun as I take a step, and I feel panic swell in my chest. Is he going to kill him?
“Stop!” I cry.
The man lifts his eyes to me, and barks, “Who are you?”
My knees wobble, and I press a hand to my heart. It’s him. I know that voice; I could never miss it. I open my mouth and croak out, “Daddy?”
He shakes his head, confused. “I’m sorry, you are?”
He doesn’t recognize me. I walk closer, falling into his view more clearly. I know the moment he recognizes me, because the gun in his hand just slips and crashes onto the floor. I realize now the sun was shielding my face. He seems to sway on his feet, and his hand reaches up, gripping his hat off his head and ripping it off.
“Indigo?” he rasps.
Tears leak from the corner of my eyes, and step by wobbly step, I make my way closer. I see the years have been rather good to him, though his face holds a fair few scars. He’s got thick blond hair that is down around his shoulders, and eyes that are sky blue. He’s tall and broad, like he always was, only now he doesn’t look fatherly—instead he looks like a pirate. Dark jeans, heavy boots, black shirt, and a gun belt slung around his waist.
“Daddy, is it really…?”
I am about to step forward when I see a woman in the far corner of the ship, her eyes wide and frightened, her hands trembling. She looks terrified. It hits me like a brick then. My father buys women, and likely sells them. I make a strangled sound, and I watch as he turns his eyes to the girl. By the time he turns them back to me, I’m backing down the stairs.
“Indi!” he yells, reaching out his hand.
“You’re…you left me and became a monster!” I cry. “You make women into sex slaves. You thought I was one…you were going to buy me…oh…God…”
“My daughter,” he bellows, spinning to Hendrix and raising his gun. “You sick fuck.”
“I didn’t know she was your daughter,” Hendrix barks.
“Hand her over, now, you fucking scumbag.”
“Ain’t gonna happen,” Hendrix growls, lifting his gun.
“Stop!” I cry, running over and gripping Hendrix’s arm. “I’m here by choice.”
My dad turns his confused gaze to me. “What did you say?”
“I said, I’m here by choice.”
“He was going to sell you!”
“And you were going to buy me!”
His face falls. “Indi, just let me…”
“No!” I cry. “You left me, Daddy. You left me when I had nothing, and you never came back. Then I found out you were out here and using women as sex slaves…”
He curses under his breath, and then turns to his guys. “Lower your weapons. No one shoots while my daughter is on board.”
“She remains on my ship, Charles,” Hendrix growls.
My father turns his eyes toward mine. “I’m not welcome on your ship, just as you’re not welcome on mine. The only thing that can move is her, and I wish to speak with her.”
“She’s not going on your ship. Over my dead fuckin’ body.”
“Stop it!” I cry, trembling. “Just leave me be.”