Total pages in book: 173
Estimated words: 163328 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 817(@200wpm)___ 653(@250wpm)___ 544(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 163328 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 817(@200wpm)___ 653(@250wpm)___ 544(@300wpm)
The door to the hatch closed, and footsteps descended into the hold. One man.
“My lord? What are you—?” His unfamiliar voice gasped and stuttered with the stumble of his boots. “Is that—? Pray, sir, put your hands where I can see them!”
I peered around the barrel, and my heart turned keel-up.
A head taller, the soldier towered over Ashley, holding a cocked pistol to Ashley’s head. The man was bigger, probably stronger than Ashley. But he trembled so miserably his finger bounced against the trigger.
Ashley’s face was one sneeze away from looking like the admiral’s.
He didn’t move. Didn’t appear to be breathing. His aristocratic mien smoothed his features, his unfeeling voice showing no traces of fear or guilt. “Lower your gun, Sergeant, and I’ll enlighten you on the situation.”
There was no explaining this. The blood of three officers coated his face. He murdered an admiral of the Royal Navy, for Christ’s sake.
“Do not presume to give me orders.” The sergeant stiffened his stance. “Your privileges are presently revoked, by God! Where is the prisoner?”
A chill hit my core.
“In the compartment behind me.” Ashley cocked his head. “Did you know the admiral was raping her?”
Oh, no, Ashley. Let it go.
“She’s a pirate. And you, sir, are a murderer.” The sergeant craned his neck, trying to see into the darkness. “Miss Sharp? Come out, if you please.”
“She’s gagged and shackled. See for yourself.”
“You first.” The soldier thrust his chin. “Go on.”
Perhaps Ashley had this under control. But perhaps wasn’t good enough. I couldn’t leave his survival to chance.
Rising slowly, silently, I curled my fingers around the daggers and sneaked up behind the sergeant. Ashley didn’t glance at me as he stepped backward, following the soldier’s orders.
Together, they shuffled into the tenebrous hole. When the soldier coughed, distracted by the stench, I charged.
Blades out, I swung them with all my strength. The steel slid easily into either side of the man’s neck, the tender flesh giving little resistance. A gurgling sound bubbled from his mouth. Warm blood spurted over my fingers, and Ashley caught the waving pistol, wrenching it away.
The man dropped. I pulled the daggers free and heaved a shivering exhale.
Another soldier dead. Another body to hide.
“Thank you.” Ashley’s gaze latched onto mine.
I nodded, breathing heavily. “You were saying…”
“My plan was to acquire clean frocks and breeches.” He stepped to a bucket of water and washed his face. “If we lure two soldiers down here and subdue them without bleeding them”—he cast me a narrowed look—“we can walk out wearing disguises.”
“Oh.” I grimaced at the gore saturating the sergeant’s frock. Blast it.
“We’re going to take care of each other, Bennett. You and me, from now on. No matter what happens. We’ll get out of here. I promise.”
His vow flowed through my veins, warmed my blood, and penetrated my heart. But I knew, even dressed as the admiral’s soldiers, we wouldn’t make it off the flagship without inquiries and detention.
“We’re even.” I squatted before him and cleaned my hands in the bucket. “You saved me from the admiral. I saved you from the soldier.” I closed my eyes against the resolution hardening his face. “I need you to go. Leave. Now.”
“No.”
I made a sound of frustration. “Think, Ashley. I’m a savage. A murderer. My fate is decided. This ends with me hanging, and you know it.” I met his searing gaze. “You are going to walk out of here. Right now. Tell them I murdered these men, and you managed to escape. Do it. For me. It’s the only way.”
“Never.” He rose in a blur. In the next breath, he pinned me against the wall beneath the furnace of his hard, shirtless chest. “If you ever suggest a preposterous idea like that again, I will punish your lovely arse until you can’t sit for a week.”
I sighed. That was the commodore I knew and loved.
Confident, stalwart nobleman.
Irritating pain in the arse.
Tipping my head back, I gazed into his beautiful, passionate blue eyes, and whoa. I was dizzy. Head-spinning, heart-racing dizzy. Probably stress and nerves. Or hunger. Or perhaps it was the floating, mystical magic I always felt in his presence.
Honest to God, if we weren’t surrounded by the stench of death, I would’ve planted an adoring kiss on his lips.
“We’re not equals.” He cupped the side of my face and brought my cheek against his warm chest. “And we’re not even close to being even, madam.” His mouth lowered to the top of my head, his breath rustling my hair. “I’m beneath you, less than you, in every way that transcends this world. Perhaps someday, I’ll do something great and good and earn your forgiveness.”
“You are great and good.” I circled my arms around him and squeezed tight. “So good, in fact, it’s positively annoying and not at all attractive.” Pressing my face into the chiseled heat of his torso, I found heaven. “Damn, I missed you.”