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)
“You had no chance in hell of sneaking aboard that vessel, and you ken it,” Madwulf said.
“I waited to free you until HMS Blitz returned to the flagship. Why do you think that was?”
Madwulf reclined in the chair, arms crossed. “I presumed you were just being a vexing cunt.”
“While your pack of rogues was storming the gundecks, seizing the arms, and killing every Englishman who withstood you, I was going to use that distraction to steal aboard the admiral’s flagship. That was my plan until you started blowing the tarnal thing to splinters!” Priest’s pretense slipped beneath his rising fury. “You told me she was hanged.”
“I dinna see why—”
“You knew she was there.” Priest shot to his feet, nostrils flaring and neck corded. “You knew she was alive when you destroyed that ship!”
I agreed that Madwulf was lying, but the past was in the past. We needed to secure our future, and that wouldn’t happen if Priest continued down this path.
“Madwulf.” I waited for his gaze. “I’m not your enemy. I’m a pirate captain, same as you.”
His hand went to the short red hairs on his chin, his fingers grasping at a phantom beard. “There’s nothing personal between you and me, lass. But after the disrespect your lover gave me, the lads and I will be wetting our cocks between your bonny thighs.”
Ashley made a pained sound, radiating tension beside me.
My insides shriveled, and my face went cold, bloodless.
“Lover?” Priest glared at me, his eyes swirling with dark, twisted threats.
Madwulf’s attention stayed on Ashley, his tone goading. “She took up with Lord Cutler in his cabin for nigh two weeks. His men—who are now my men—claim the two of them fucked like rabbits.”
My heart hammered so hard I saw black spots.
Priest’s head snapped toward Ashley, his ruse of revenge morphing into blatant jealousy. I’d seen him castrate men for touching me without my permission. He would have no qualms about killing Ashley first and asking questions later.
Except he didn’t go for any of the weapons on his person. His hands didn’t even twitch for them. If he had, one of these pirates would’ve ran a blade through him. There would be a vote on who got the privilege of murdering the commodore.
Even so, Priest never exercised self-control in these situations. How was he reining in his jealous, impulsive reactions now? I didn’t know what it was, but something about this niggled.
I needed to send a message to him without Madwulf suspecting our relationship. I had to get through to my husband the same way he’d tried to get through to me a month ago.
My mind sprinted through every argument Priest and I had exchanged about his adulterous relationship. I’d asked him why he protected his lover and remembered his response.
“Yes, he’s my lover.” My voice drew his eyes to mine. Then I threw his words back at him. “I protect what I love. Simple as that.”
We stared at each other, entangled, inseparable. I watched him recall our conversation and slowly process what I hadn’t said aloud.
I love Ashley Cutler. Killing him would be the same as me killing your lover.
Comprehension flashed across his face, there and gone in a blink.
Message received.
He stood and paced toward the table, running a hand down his face, hiding his expression.
Ashley sat stiffly beside me, eyes straight ahead and lips clamped around the gag. I couldn’t imagine the state of confusion he was drowning in right now. He didn’t have a clue about my history with Priest. Christ, he didn’t even know we were married. No one in this room knew.
With our hands bound to the beam at our backs, he stretched out a finger and hooked it around mine. The gesture meant more in that moment than anything else. We were a unified front. We’d get through this.
Across the room, Priest bent over the table, glaring at a plate of cut oranges.
Lounging idly around the cottage, Madwulf’s men talked amongst themselves, the din of their overlapping voices clustered with questions and speculation. With every second, the air thickened, filling with uncertainty. Madwulf watched it all with a calculating glint in his eyes.
I saw the moment Priest made a decision. The muscles in his beautiful face slackened. His shoulders relaxed, and he straightened.
“She took my father’s life and plundered his ship. My inheritance is gone.” He turned toward Madwulf. “I demand restitution from her. Following our agreement, I’ll kill her myself, but not before I exact my pound of flesh from her and her lover. Days, weeks… I want her to suffer for as long as possible.” He paused to draw a breath. “I’ll take both of them, a couple of horses, and find an isolated cottage farther up the coastline, where I can take my time fucking her to the point of death while her fine-mannered lord watches.”