Thalassophile // JJ Maybank

Chapter 50

JJ pulls open the big garage door, revealing the large boat covered in a big tarp. Kiara and I follow him into the building, approaching the boat.

"There she be. Hey, girl. A 1983 Formula 402 SR1. The Phantom." JJ clicks his tongue, looking over at the two of us.

"J, question." I announce. "Why are you looking at the boat the same way you look at me?"

The boy rolls his eyes before speaking again. "The first boat to make the run to Bermuda in under 16 hours, guys. Forty years old. Forty! And still the fastest thing that Kildare's ever seen."

"It's kind of a junker." Kie says honestly. My hand flies over my mouth, stifling a laugh.

"Really? She's right there, Kie. She can hear you." The boy turns his focus to me. "And you, don't encourage her by laughing. I think I liked it better when the two of you didn't get along."

"Oh, come on, JJ. It's a boat." I shrug at the boy, stepping towards him. He instinctively puts an arm around my shoulders.

"Let's put it this way. You would not be smoking weed right now if she never existed, okay?"

"Let's just hope it runs." I retort.

"Oh, no, she'll run alright. She's faster than any cutters the boys in blue got."

A loud screech of tires stopping on the asphalt outside ends the conversation. I step away from JJ, going to look around the boat for the boy.

A loud gasp escapes my lips as Rafe Cameron appears in front of me. I step back, slowly backing up toward JJ.

"Hey, there. What's going on? JJ? How you guys doin'?"

The blond behind me reaches forward, grabbing my wrist, pulling me behind him. A whistle behind us sounds loudly. I whirl around to see the source. Barry comes around the side of Kiara's car.

"Well.." Barry pulls out a gun, cocking it, before pointing it at JJ.

"Woah, woah, woah." I step on front of JJ, putting my hands in the air.

"See, don't think I forgot about me and you..." His gaze shifts to me. "And you, on the side of the road. I'm here, because I want my motherfuckin' money." Barry shoves me to the ground before hitting JJ across the face with his fist.

"JJ! JJ!" Kiara calls with worry.

"That's what I'm here for!" Barry yells at the blond on the ground.

"Leave him alone!" I beg. I feel a hand grip under my arm, hoisting me to my feet. "It's not you we want, Frankie. Where's John B?"

"I don't know!" I push the boy a step away from me.

Rafe steps towards me, a menacing expression crosses his face. "I really wish you didn't do that."

"You know, there's a shit ton of things I wish you didn't do."

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

"The OBX movie, having dinner with my family. Rafe, you shot a police officer! You killed Peterkin!" Rafe reaches out, hand clamping down on my airway.

"You don't scare me." I choke out. His grip tightens, but my expression stays the same.

"Let go of her, you murderer!" Kie yells, trying to pull him off of me. He drops me to the ground, reaching out for her. He slams the girl against the side of the boat. She collapses to the ground in a heap of limbs.

He turns back to me, picking me up off the floor by my hair. His hand wraps around my throat once again. "I don't want to hear those words come out of your mouth again. Do you understand me?"

I glance over at JJ and Barry. Barry had the boy on the ground, hitting him repeatedly. My eye widen when I see the blood on the blonde face.

"Don't look at them. Look at me." Rafe yells at me. "Where is John B?"

"I don't fucking know!"

"Where is he?!" Rafe yells again, his grip tightening once again.

"I don't know!" I squeak out. By now I could barely breathe.

A loud thump rings out through the room as I'm dropped to the ground. I cough and sputter as I try to regain my breath. I push myself off the ground enough to see Pope swinging a metal rod at the Kook's back.

"Don't touch her!" He yells loudly.

Rafe swings his fist at the boy, but Pope dodges, hitting him first. I let the two boys get into it as I rush over to Kie. She was still on the ground but I could see that she was conscious.

"Hey! You okay? Kie, look at me!" My voice comes out hoarse from being choked. Her eyes focus on my face as I pull her to her feet. She shakes her head, refocusing on everything happening.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm good."

I notice Barry turning toward Rafe and Pope fighting. JJ grabs his ankle, causing him to stumble and fall to the ground. The gun clatters fo the ground by Kie's feet.

"Kie, kick it!" Kie kicks the gun, sending it sliding across the floor away from Barry.

JJ scrambles to his feet, attacking Barry. He slams the boy into the side of the boat before dropping him to the ground. He then turns to me, making his way over.

"You okay?" He asks, tipping my chin up. I see his eyes travel over my neck. I knew there was bruises beginning to form across it.

I place a hand on his shoulder. "I'm good. You?"

"Yeah."

Kie's voice pulls my attention away from the boy in front of me. Pope still hit the boy, his bloody from the amount of times he'd been hit.

"Pope! Pope that's good!" Kie yells.

"Hey, Pope!" JJ yells, stepping toward the boys.

"Pope, that's good! Stop!"

"He's had enough, dude!"

Pope grabs a rubber tube, putting it around Rafe's neck. He pulls it tight, crushing the boys airway.

"Snap out of it, man." JJ says.

"Pope, Pope that's enough! You're gonna kill him! Let him go!" I call out.

"Pope, that's too much."

JJ grabs Pope from behind, trying to pull him off the Kook. Kiara continues to yell at the boy, voice echoing loud.

"Look at me!" Kiara yells.

Pope finally drops the boy. Rafe collapses to the ground.

"Shit. Oh shit." JJ states, looking at the boy on the ground.

"Hey, we gotta go." I speak up, voice still raspy.

"Yeah, we gotta get out of here." Kie agrees.