Chapter Thirteen

Ariel don’t know when she slept off; it seems exhaustion had washed over her. It was after the sun was up that she wakes up. 

“Is she not up yet?” Alaska asks Jefrey a bit worried, but don’t know he was worried about her. 

“I will check” 

As Jefrey turns to leave, Ariel walks unto the deck, she stretched her arms. The sea looks glimmer under the sun shine, quiet and peaceful, she feels the waves of the breeze. The breeze from the ocean was cool and calming. She closes her eyes to let it in and a faint smile escape from her lips. 

Alaska sat nearby with Jeffrey at the side, unknown to Ariel. He was watching the horizon Jefrey as they talk, but Ariel caught Alaska’s attention as she smiles to the sea. 

He had felt nothing but frustration towards her since last night, he thinks he had gone too far involving her in the mission. But watching her hair blown by the breeze as she stretches and smile, he felt something within him, more like peace. 

Ariel don’t notice his gaze on her as she smiles more, but thinking about her life. She thinks the sea is far more peace than her life, then her smiles fade and turns to worries. 

Alaska’s chest tightens as he sees her expression changes to worries. He feels concern, but he doesn’t know he was concern for her. 

Jefrey, who had been talking to Alaska notice he was distracted and followed his line of sight, he was surprise to see the cold Alaska watching Ariel with much intent. Jefrey clears his throat to get Alaska’s attention.

Alaska blinks.

“Get her a blanket, the breeze is too much” he mutters. 

Jefrey raises a brow, he wondered when Alaska start getting concern about people.

“And something to eat” he adds and look away.

Jefrey looks shock, it was the first time he had ever seen Alaska concerned about someone especially a woman. Jefrey quickly passes the order to the crew, making sure Ariel was looked after.

Ariel takes a hot bath and eats, feeling refreshed, now she knew Alaska’s true personality. The people were not lying about him, he was indeed brutal and she knew he hated her. 

She now knows what to prepare for, she doesn’t know when Alaska will probably end her life since her life is worthless to him. She thinks that before he kills her, she has to destroy him to secure her life. She doesn’t want to die.

Alaska secretly went to check on Ariel to ease his disturbed mind but she seems to look sadder now as she quietly sits in the cabin. She has nothing doing, he already took her phone from her.

He wonders if he should return her phone to her or get her a new phone instead.

He sighs and sits beside her. 

Ariel don’t look at him even though he knew he was there, she has determined to treat him with contempt, since her life worth nothing to him. Alaska expects her to say something to him or question him like she did last night. He doesn’t know why his mind feels heavy because of her, but she just kept silent like he was not there. 

Alaska frowns. 

He wanted her to push him, to make him justify himself for his action. But she kept quiet, every minute of her quietness weight on his mind. His chest grew heavier.

“Was she given me a cold-shoulder now?” Alaska could not believe such attitude from her. He feels more frustrated. 

He doesn’t know why he will want to feel justified involving her in the mission. What is because of what she had said to him yesterday or because she is a woman? Alaska don’t know, but he thinks she is actually becoming fearless. 

“You!” he let out frustrated. 

Ariel turns to him wondering what she has done, she was just on her own. 

Alaska stands up and decides to leave, he is Alaska! His peace cannot be threatened by anyone, not even a woman!

That night, Alaska was still angry with the fact that Ariel ignored his presence. He had to show her who was in control. 

She has been staying in his personal cabin since they boarded; he let her stay because he felt wrong towards her but she has gone to far to ignore him. 

Tonight, he will be staying in his cabin, he walks in without knocking and went to lay on the bed.

Ariel looks surprise suddenly seeing him enter, she sits up on the bed.

“You can’t”

“I can! Because this is my cabin” he said flatly, taking off his shirt. 

Ariel looks shock, she instantly turns her face away. Alaska is use to taking his shirt off before sleeping. He only sleeps with his trousers. It was like that when he was enlisted in the army by his godfather, so he has gotten used to it. 

“I... will sleep elsewhere” Ariel feared Alaska might want to have his way with her. Someone as ruthless as him might not really mind her being pregnant like she had told him. 

“You won’t” he was not raising his voice, but the air between them thickened. When she tries to leave, Alaska blocks her.

Ariel looks sadly at him. 

“That look again!” Alaska sigh. 

He did not want anything with her, he only wants to let her know who is in control. To him he believes there was no other place for her to sleep safely, except in his personal cabin, which why he doesn’t want her to leave. 

Ariel was not yielding to him and just look at him with those sad eyes which he hated so much. He realizes those sad eyes makes him feel powerless before her, it reminded him so much of someone. 

But he doesn’t want her to leave. He doesn’t like to deal with females because they are stubborn, Ariel’s eyes reminded him so much of someone dear to him.

“Alright” he pretends to succumb to her. 

Ariel quickly picks the blanket to leave, but Alaska pulls her into bed, wrap her in his embrace and look into her eyes. 

Ariel froze; she hadn’t expected that from him. 

“You know I can actually force my way with you, right?” he threatens. 

“I know you are pregnant. I don’t have any interest in you” he adds as he holds her still in his embrace. He wanted to assure her that she is safer with him than anywhere.

Looking into her eyes for that long, he felt drawn to her. He quickly let go of her but still hold her hand to stop her from leaving. 

Ariel swallow hard, she seems to believe his words but why was he shirtless? How did he expect her to sleep beside him safely with his bare chest expose to her eyes?

She turns her back at him. Pick the pillows to demarcate the bed and wrap herself inside the duvet closing her eyes. 

She closes her eyes but her mind was wide open, she could not get his broad chest off her mind. She doesn’t know if it was safe to sleep beside him like that. 

Alaska smirked, he lay on his side, the quietness between them was louder than the sea.