A few of the men grunted in acknowledgement.

“Come on,” Bon whispered. “Let’s go find China Joe.”

I nodded. “And Jack.”

Bon ignored my last statement. “You take the cargo hold.” She flicked the dagger I’d tucked it into the waist of my britches. “I’ll take Captain’s quarters.”

“Wait!” I grabbed her arm. “Do you know where the Captain’s quarters are? I can—”

Bon covered my hand with hers. Her brows knitted together above her eyes and bespoke an air of sympathy. “The Black Otter used to be our best customer when we were in Caribbean waters.”

A pang of jealousy clanged within me. I shifted my weight. The thought of Jack doing with Angel-Arse Hazel what he and I did in the confines of our cabin brought a swell nausea to my stomach, followed by a flash of anger at my absent husband.

Bon closed the space between us and pressed her mouth to mine. My lips parted and accepted her tongue. I returned her kiss ferociously, my anger at Jack for using whores still hot. With her lips against mine, something felt strangely right and supremely wrong at the same time.

Finally, Bon pulled back. Her hand lingered on my waist. I covered it with mine, not willing to let the moment end so quickly.

“You deserve to reclaim your true love, Red. Let’s go find it.”

I gripped the dagger as Bon and I crept across the deck. As we split ways, her bound for the bedroom I shared with Jack, and me bound for the cargo hold, a chorus of bloodcurdling shrieks made me freeze. “Bon?”

“It’s all right, Red,” she whispered. “Part of the plan. They’re taking out China Joe’s crew.”

Ice chilled my veins as I started down the steps into the cargo hold. With no lantern, there was no way to see. I rubbed my eyes and eased the door shut behind me.

“Jack?” I called in a hoarse whisper. “Jacky? Are you here? It’s me, Red.”

Silence.

I inched down the stairs and stood at the bottom. The thought of striking out across the blinding darkness below decks gave me pause. A rash of tingles made the little hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

My sixth sense.

A strangled breath rasped in the blackness.

Hands outstretched before me, I struck out across the gently rolling floor. “Jack?”

“Red.” The familiar voice spurred me on with courage I didn’t know I possessed. “Red!”

“Jacky!”

My foot struck something and I tumbled to the ground. Scrambling across the sparse floor, my hand finally came to rest on something warm and sticky. The metallic, heavy smell told me immediately what it was. Blood.

Fingers curled around mine. “Red?”

“Oh Jacky!”

A lantern sparked to life and illuminated the sick scene that lay before me. Jack, bound at the ankles and wrists and bloody all over, lay in a crumpled heap. Our hands tightened together.

His blonde hair was streaked red and his iconic fur cap was nowhere to be seen. Black clothing was slashed open from what looked like whip marks, revealing torn and bloody skin beneath. Jack’s eyes were purple and swollen, only one opened just a slit.

Those soft lips that had tasted my kisses and explored my body were drawn and dry as though he hadn’t had a drink since his capture three days prior.

I struggled to help him sit up and cupped the side of his face, as he’d done mine so many times. “By Jove, Jacky. Let’s get you out of here.”

I produced the dagger given to me by Irish Bon and cut his rope bindings.

“Red,” he rasped. His chest rose and fell quickly and his hands began to twitch. “The lantern—”

Before I could process Jack’s dire warning, realization hit me like an anvil.

Who lit the lantern?

The light grew brighter as I turned slowly to see who was behind me. Before I could register who shared the hellish space with Jack and me, a booted foot kicked my hand hard. My dagger flew across the cargo hold and landed with a clatter.

“I thought you dead when China Joe throw you overboard?” A wiry Chinese pirate I didn’t recognize loomed over us. He unbuckled the latch of his britches and eyed me.

I rubbed my hand and glared at him.

“Strip,” he commanded.

Jack growled and began to push himself to his feet. Another fierce kick from the Chinese captor put him down again. “You,” he barked. “Watch.”

He sat the lantern down and glared at me. “Now.”

I looked at Jack and sucked in my lip. He is no help. This fight is all mine.

The brief thought of making a dash for my dagger swirled in my mind. Or, I could try and strangle the wiry pirate when he comes close enough—he doesn’t appear to have a blade—

Jack returned my pleading glance before looking back at his captor.

“No,” my husband whispered. He shook his head infinitesimally. “Don’t.”

The skinny pirate let his pants fall to the deck, exposing his want. From inside his stiff, grungy shirt, he drew Jack’s jeweled cutlass. He crouched like an animal and held the blade to Jack’s neck. The lantern light lit his slanted eyes. They were filled with hate.

His mouth twisted up into an evil smirk. “Do it. Or Jah-ky dies.”

I looked at Jack, hoping he could feel my apology. My eyes trained on my husband, I did as the skinny pirate commanded and slipped one arm out of my shirt.

A feminine cough came from the shadowed recesses, just outside the ring of light offered by the lantern. The sadistic smile melted from the pirate’s face as he turned his attention toward the sound.

This is it! Your chance!

I leapt at him and felt the jeweled end of the cutlass as it pressed into my back. I wriggled and arched as we fought for Jack’s fantastic blade. Finally, the pirate bested me and sat astride my hips. His grin returned as he held the blade aloft. I glanced about wildly, but the weight of the pirate had me pinned.

I kicked as much as I could and flailed my arms. A sudden whoosh, like wind through the canvas sails on a still night, and the lantern light went out. We were cloaked in darkness once again.

I squeezed my eyes shut and waited for the sharpness of the silver to take my life.