Stowaways: Reverse Harem Romance (The Challenge Book 4) Read online

  “Er, g’day, mate. I’m Evan Tate, Melbourne.”

  “And why are you boarding my ship without permission?”

  “Permission to board, Captain.”

  “No, fuck off.” He slammed his hands on his wide hips and glared at Evan.

  “Ah, sir, it is so good to meet you.” Raul moved up beside Evan. “We have learned of your great ship and your fine seaworthiness from the port office.” He pointed over his shoulder. “And we have come here to offer you our services.”

  “I don’t need your damn services.”

  Olivia swallowed. He really was a grumpy bastard. Being in his company for any length of time wasn’t appealing.

  “But you do.” Raul stepped past Evan. “Your chef has left, and this big ship needs a maintenance crew.”

  “What do you know about Joan D’Arc?”

  “I know that I am top Barcelona chef and will cook amazing breakfast, lunch and dinner for you.” Raul banged his hand on his chest then turned and pointed at Mason. “And here is top navigation expert.”

  Mason nodded.

  “And this guy.” Raul clasped Evan’s shoulder. “Is my right-hand man, he knows how to do everything. This man you need.”

  “And the girl?”

  “She is engineer of extraordinary talent.”

  “Yeah, right.” He pulled an ugly expression and glared at Olivia.

  She tilted her chin.

  “She is, Captain, I promise. Anything break, my wife here will fix it for you.”

  “Your wife.” The captain snorted. “You got lucky for a Spaniard.”

  “What can I say, she is greedy for Espanola sausage.” Raul laughed and winked at Olivia.

  The captain huffed. “Lucky you.” He swung his gaze around. “Okay, I do need a cook and someone handy with engines. You and your wife are on. Navigation expert, I’ll take that.” He pointed at Mason.

  Olivia bit on her bottom lip and wound her hands together. They all needed jobs, they all needed to get on board.

  “And you, Tate from Melbourne, you look useful, I need someone to clean up around the place. You’re on. But…” He held up his hand. “I’m not paying you, I guess you just want a free lift to France.”

  “Barcelona, actually,” Raul said, stepping onto the gangplank. “But we can work that out later.”

  The captain frowned at him then flicked his hand at Harry. “I don’t need you, or the other one.”

  “Then we can’t go,” Olivia said, unable to bear the thought of Harry and Lucas not being with them.

  “We’ll fly, meet you there.” Harry folded his arms and frowned.

  “No.” She rested her hand on his wrist. “That’s not how it’s going to be.” She looked at the captain. “Please, we all need to go.”

  “I don’t need you all. Take it or leave it.” He turned and walked between a stack of containers and out of sight.

  “But we need this,” Evan said, glancing between the ship and Harry.

  “Aye,” Lucas said. “We do.” He nodded at Mason. “You thinking what I am?”

  “Aye.” Mason nodded. “It’s huge, plenty of hiding places. We can take turns keeping out of sight.”

  “Hiding places?” Olivia asked.

  “Brilliant idea.” Evan grinned. “If what the old chef said is right, and the captain is a hopeless drunk, it should be easy to hide out on here for ten days.”

  Raul held up his hands. “Perfect, he will never know. I will ensure he has plenty to drink with his dinner, sleep till lunchtime. We can speed up boat, get to Barcelona fast.”

  “I’m not sneaking on board and hiding out for weeks.” Harry shook his head. “Who the fuck do you think I am?”

  “A bloke who needs a free lift to Spain,” Lucas said. “Same as me.”

  “Yeah but…” Harry frowned.

  “I can’t order myself a Lear,” Lucas said. “So I’m happy to be a stowaway.”

  “Stowaway,” Harry repeated then shook his head. “How the hell did my life come to this?”

  “Ah, come on.” Olivia rose up onto her toes and kissed him. “This is what you wanted. A life of unpredictability and adventure. The real stuff remember, not the kind of thing you can buy.”

  He studied her, and his eyebrows pulled low.

  “Real mates, real love.” She touched his cheek, his stubble was sharp on her fingertip. “Real life.”

  “Being a stowaway wasn’t quite what I had in mind.”

  “And capsizing and being castaway was?”

  His frown deepened. “And I haven’t got an identical twin to switch with.”

  “Thank God for that.” Evan laughed. “The world can only handle one Harrington Vidal.”

  Harry looked over at him. “You really think I should…just sneak on?”

  “You have to.” Evan shrugged.

  “No, I don’t.”

  “Sure you do.” Evan stepped up to him, and his expression turned serious. “Because we’re not going without you.”

  Harry was silent.

  “Please,” Olivia said. “What’s the worst that could happen?”

  “The captain will throw a fit and…” Harry held up his hands.

  “And what? You’ll have to wire some cash into his bank account to shut him up,” Mason said.

  “I could just do that now.” Harry nodded at the boat. “Buy our passage to Spain, no hiding required.”

  “But where’s the fun in that?” Lucas clasped him on the shoulder. “Come on, it will be a story to tell your kids.”

  “Kids?” Harry snorted. “Be a few years before it’s told, then.”

  “We have to go.” Raul jogged on the spot. “Now, quick. Come on. While he is not here.”

  Olivia clasped Harry’s hand and tugged him toward the gangplank. Lucas was close behind him. Harry hadn’t actually agreed to boarding the boat as a stowaway, but she wasn’t going to give him the chance to back out.

  “Mason and I go and find the captain, keep him distracted,” Raul said, trotting up the gangplank. “You find staff quarters, lay low for a while, till we’re at sea.”

  “Good plan,” Evan said. “I’m guessing on a ship like this, accommodation is on the second deck.”

  “Try it.”

  Raul and Mason slipped past the containers in the direction of the bridge.

  Stepping onto the boat, Olivia was in awe of the size. She’d never been on such a big ship. The containers were stacked four high and four abreast with narrow passageways between some of them so it was possible to go from port to starboard and bow to stern. They were strapped down with industrial supports and most had Chinese writing on them.

  “Down here,” Evan said, spotting a narrow metal staircase that was as steep and narrow as a ladder. “Let’s see where it takes us.”

  Within seconds she was in the bowels of the vessel. Harry and Lucas were behind her. Evan led the way.

  “It’s dark and creepy,” she said.

  “Let’s hope the rooms have some natural light,” Harry said.

  “I’m sure they will.” Evan paused to study a laminated map that was pinned to a wall. It showed fire escapes primarily but also gave them an idea of where they were heading.

  “That way, I reckon.” Evan nodded ahead.

  “Aye, come on.” Lucas took the lead, winding along the narrow corridor, his footsteps silent and moving with his usual speed and grace.

  Olivia was aware of her stomach tightening, and a roll of nausea gripped her. The last thing they needed to do now was bump into the captain. Although she didn’t think he could be a physical danger, not with her men around, he could throw Harry and Lucas off the boat. If they did, she’d have to leave, too. They all would. And right now, Joan D’Arc was their best way of getting to Barcelona without flying and without flexing the Vidal gold-plated credit card.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Scooting along the corridor, they passed several storage rooms, the entrance to the lower deck and engines, and a kitchen.r />
  “Can’t be far now,” Harry said.

  “Nah, keep going,” Evan threw over his shoulder.

  Suddenly Lucas came to a stop. He tapped the door to his right. “This is number one.”

  “Cabin number one?” Olivia asked.

  “I reckon so.” Lucas shrugged. “And not likely to be captain quarters, he’ll be nearer the bridge.”

  “So try it.” Harry glanced behind himself.

  A sudden loud whirring noise rumbled down the corridor, and vibrations attacked the soles of Olivia’s feet. “The engines are on. We’ll be leaving harbor soon.”

  “Jesus Christ.” Harry sighed. “What am I doing here?”

  “You’re sticking with your wife,” Olivia said, grabbing his hand. “Which is what you’re supposed to do.”

  Lucas opened the door and peered inside. “Clear.”

  Quickly, they all scooted in. Evan shut the door and leaned back against it.

  “Not bad.” Lucas shrugged. “Room for two, and I’m guessing there’s several more like this along here.”

  “And a porthole,” Harry said, tugging Olivia to the window to look out.

  “It’s better than I thought it would be,” Olivia said. “I know it’s not billionaire luxury, but it will do for a while.”

  “Hey.” Harry wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “I think I’ve proven I don’t need billionaire luxury at all times.”

  “True.” She kissed his cheek. “So are you going to be okay, hiding down here?”

  “As long as Raul feeds me and you guys visit me, then yes. I’ll be okay.”

  Evan pulled open a door to the right. “There’s a loo and shower in here. And we’ll all make sure you get food, Harry.”

  Harry sat on the bed. The blanket was pale blue and the pillowcase white. “I suppose I shouldn’t complain. We’ve been busy lately, I can kick back for a while and recharge my batteries.”

  “Yeah, you do that.” Evan laughed. “We’re likely to be busy running this ship. And it could definitely do with some routine maintenance.”

  “Which will have to be done at sea.” Olivia gestured outside. “We’re moving. I’d say the pilot tug will be with us for about twenty minutes before we’re on our own, what do you think?”

  “Yeah, sounds about right.” Evan nodded. “I’ll go and see what Raul and Mason are up to. Get a bit more of a feel for the place. You coming, babe, it would be weird for the captain not to see you when he’s offered you a job.”

  “Sure.” She looked between Lucas and Harry. “You guys going to be okay?”

  “Of course,” Harry said, kicking off his boots and lying down with his hands behind his head. “I’ll just be resting up here.”

  He appeared a picture of ease, but Olivia knew he wasn’t exactly over the moon about the situation. Yet he was trying to be upbeat about it, and for that she was grateful.

  “I might just…you know, have a wee bit more of a look around,” Lucas said. “See if there’s another room like this for me and Mason.”

  “Don’t get caught.” Evan scowled.

  “I won’t.” Lucas opened the door. “And if I do, he’ll think I’m my twin.”

  “Not if Mason is there, too. He might be an old drunk but he’s not stupid.”

  “I’m sure we can persuade him he’s seeing double.” Lucas laughed and slipped from sight.

  “He’ll be okay,” Olivia directed at Evan. “He moves with ninja stealth, remember.”

  Evan’s expression relaxed. “True.”

  She dropped a kiss onto Harry’s forehead, then headed back up the corridor with Evan.

  “I can smell garlic,” Evan said.

  “Raul must be making himself busy in the kitchen.”

  They paused outside the galley door. A small round porthole was set two thirds up. Olivia peered in.

  Sure enough, Raul was in there. He wore a blue and white striped apron and was busy shaking a large black frying pan over a stove.

  “Come on,” Evan said, pushing open the door. “Let’s see what he’s learned.”

  They headed in. Raul barely looked up. “I am cooking him a perfect steak and egg brunch. He will be so happy he has us here. And with it red wine.” He set down the pan. “But to be honest, I think he’s already been on the whiskey today.”

  “Already?” Olivia said.

  “This is why he has trouble with staff.”

  “Where’s Mason?” Evan asked.

  “On the bridge, figuring out the navigational system. It’s old but seems to be working.”

  “Mason doesn’t need equipment, as long as he has a map.” Olivia remembered how good he’d been at figuring out where they were lost in the Pacific. He’d been spot on, and that was just from the memory of maps he had stored in his head. His knowledge had taken them to Elysium and then safety.

  “We should go to the bridge.” Evan slipped his arm around Olivia’s waist. “Show our faces.”

  “And then I’ll be quite happy to stay out of the way of our new captain.”

  “You can keep Harry company,” Raul said. “Is he okay? Lucas, too?”

  “Yes, we found the accommodation, it’s basic but clean and comfortable.”

  “The best we could expect.” Raul began cracking eggs into a bowl.

  Olivia nodded at the fridge. “How is that stocked?”

  “It is not Temptress,” Raul said, grabbing a whisk. “No caviar or smoked salmon. But we will eat well. There are good basics. The captain clearly likes his food.”

  “I wish we could have all got on board legitimately.” Olivia knotted her fingers together. “It’s going to be hard for Harry to twiddle his thumbs for several days.”

  “I’m sure you can find a way to entertain him,” Evan said, tugging her close and speaking against her ear.

  “Will you join us?”

  He paused, then, “Yes.”

  “Good.” She ran her hand down his chest. “I’d like that.”

  They slipped out of the kitchen and made their way up to the bridge.

  As they climbed the outside steps, the breeze caught in Olivia’s hair, and she breathed deep, filling her lungs with the briny air she loved so much.

  “This is pretty spectacular,” Evan said, pausing and gesturing back toward the city.

  “Yes, not a view we get every day.”

  A thin layer of cloud had settled itself over the flat top of Table Mountain. Beneath it the city stretched toward the waterfront, and the sun glistened off tall buildings and then the ocean.

  “Goodbye, Cape Town,” Olivia said.

  “It was good while it lasted,” Evan said, continuing up the steps. “But the time had come to leave. Last night proved that.”

  She shuddered. “It definitely did.” She only hoped they hadn’t jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire.

  “Where are those other two people? Have I hired a bunch of work dodgers?”

  Her belly tightened at the sound of their new captain’s voice. It was so loud it seemed to shake through her brain.

  He stuck his head out of the doorway to the bridge. His hair was long, and strands hung over his eyes, hid his ears, and merged with his beard. He wore a tattered blue t-shirt, worn combats, and clumpy boots. He was easily as tall as the twins, as wide, too, but his bulk was fat rather than muscle.

  “Hello, Captain,” Evan said, stepping up to him. “We were just throwing our bags into the staff cabins.”

  “Ah, good, you found them.” He huffed. “Now get in here. I need to show you our route and then I’ve got some things for you both to work on. I expect ten hours a day, at least, from you all if you’re getting free board and passage.”

  “That’s fine,” Olivia said. “And what we’d expect.”

  He frowned at her. “And what is your name?”

  “Olivia Bailey.”

  “And you’re the chef’s wife, oui?”

  She glanced at Evan. “Yes, that’s right.”

  “Okay, good.
Well, we’ll see what kind of chef he is in a minute, he’s cooking my breakfast.”

  “He’s an excellent chef, Captain.”

  “I will be the judge of that. Here, familiarize yourselves with the bridge while I speak to the harbor.”

  Olivia and Evan went into the bridge. Mason was leaning over a large slanting table that held maps.

  “All okay?” Olivia asked, stepping close and resisting slipping her hand into the back pocket of his jeans so she could enjoy the curve of his ass.

  “Aye.” He slid a pencil behind his ear. “Seems he does this route frequently, probably why he’s so laid back about it.”

  “He goes up the west coast of Africa, right?” Evan said.

  “Yes, then through the Strait of Gibraltar and up past eastern Spain.”

  “A stone’s throw from Barcelona.” Olivia paused. “If he’ll let us off then.”

  “We’ll figure that out when we get there.” Mason nodded at the huge window, which towered over the containers. “The tug will be gone in a minute, then we’re on our own.”

  “Almost.” Olivia nodded at Victor, who was fiddling with a dial on the radio.

  “It is what it is,” Evan said. “And at least we’re not flying.”

  “True.” She smiled at him.

  “You, girl,” Victor said. “You fix stuff, oui?”

  “Yes, Captain.”

  “There is a broken winch, on the starboard side, about halfway down. Go and fix it.”

  “Yes, Captain.” She nodded. “Are there any tools around?”

  “Of course.” He frowned.

  “Where will I find them?”

  “In the engineer’s room…look on the chart.” He flicked his hand at the wall behind. It held the same laminated map they’d found earlier.

  Quickly, Olivia located the engineer’s room, then she turned to Evan and Mason. “I’ll see you later.”

  “Much later,” Victor said, nodding at Evan. “I need the inventory checked, to make sure every container we’re supposed to have is on board.”

  “Shouldn’t that be done before we left harbor?” Evan said.

  Victor puffed up his chest and jabbed his finger in Evan’s direction. “You think you can be captain of a container ship? Huh? Well, I’ll tell you something, it’s a hard job, a tough job. Not one for little Australian mammy’s boys. I have been captain of Joan D’Arc and moving goods around the world for many years, it’s skilled and not for the faint hearted.”