Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 45135 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45135 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Closing her eyes, she allowed the familiar sounds of her boat to lull her to sleep. It wasn’t the best sleep and she was still a bit disoriented when she woke, but even at half alertness, she knew the steps to take here, on the Puerto Rico.
She leaned against the wall, fighting for breath as the thought of not being able to call this submarine home any longer hit her. It wasn’t fair.
“I fought for this. I bled for this. I’m not lying here and letting them take it all away on some trumped up charge.”
Her words fell like daggers and she dug down for the strength she had relied on all through school and training. Hell, even now when she had to work with men who didn’t feel she belonged. Who despised her from entering the “men’s club” of the submarine world.
“Fuck them all. This is my boat and I’m not giving up.”
She almost felt better. By the time she finished her short, so fucking short, shower and had dressed for the day her mask was back in place and to look at her, one wouldn’t know all the turmoil going on inside.
What was the expression, almost only counts in history, hand grenades and horseshoes? unless you were Navy then it got added thermonuclear weapons.
She navigated the passageway with familiarity, avoiding who she had to and meeting the stares head on. She had nothing to be ashamed of. This was not something that she had done.
As soon as her CO let her off the boat, however, it would be something that she was going to finish. Once and for all.
She’d worked hella hard for this life she’d carved out for herself and to sit back and let her drug addicted brother ruin it for her because he was having a tantrum? Hell no. Not on her watch, as the saying went.
“Kirk.”
She froze, not liking the unease curling within her gut at the way her XO drew out her name. Ensuring that nothing showed in her expression, she slowly turned to face him.
“Sir?”
“I need a word with you.”
She didn’t argue with him on that and just gave a slight nod as she made her way toward him. A few of the other sailors watched her progress. Two she noted had gleeful looks on their faces. Making it a point to turn her head and look at them directly, she cocked an eyebrow and made sure they looked away first.
Her XO watched the entire thing but didn’t say a word.
Of course he wouldn’t. He doesn’t like me anyway, why would he discipline the ones who were being disrespectful to me? That would be seen as helping the enemy, so to speak.
And, again, honestly, she didn’t understand why she wasn’t liked. She didn’t complain, didn’t expect to be treated differently. The one thing was she did have her own space and she understood the frustration there, however, if she’d had to room with men, she would have done so. All she’d ever wanted to do was serve on a submarine and here, with the Puerto Rico, she had the chance.
One I’m not going to let be taken from me.
“I’m going to need an answer, Kirk.”
Oh shit. I wasn’t even listening to him.
She flicked her tongue over her lips to buy herself some time and shook her head. “I’m sorry, sir. I wasn’t paying attention.”
“I know.”
He continued walking.
“Can you repeat the question?”
“I could. Point is, I don’t want to. You didn’t see fit to listen to me the first time. Why should I repeat myself when I feel it will be the same result?”
“So, I can provide you the answer you want.”
He stopped and opened the door to the officer’s mess.
She trailed him as he went and grabbed some coffee, before making some for herself. At a table, they sat across from one another and he stared at her while she sipped and tried her damnedest not to fidget beneath his sharp gaze. Not an easy task to be sure.
“This situation you’ve gotten yourself into is not a good look for anyone. Not the Navy who put a lot of time and money into getting you here. Not for the Puerto Rico because my sailors are now being asked about you when they are off the boat. And not for you.”
Neha didn’t like the direction of this conversation at all. She bit her tongue and waited to see where this would go.
He drank more of his coffee before placing the mug down with a quiet thump.
“Do you know where I am going with this, Kirk?”
She had a damn good idea.
“No sir.”
The corner of his left eye twitched and she braced herself for the shit storm he was known for leveling on his sailors when they didn’t do as he’d wanted, asked, or expected. While it didn’t come, she couldn’t say she wasn’t disappointed, that wasn’t anything she enjoyed going through.