He stroked my hair a moment. “Now you know the story of my sordid past, Back from the Dead Red.”
“What happened after you killed him?”
He twirled his fingers in my hair. “Vane and I extended an offer to the men on Vladimir’s ship—join us or go down with your ship.”
“That’s a kind offer, I would think.”
“Would you believe every one of those Russians joined our ranks? And just in time before we sunk my late father’s ship, with his sorry body aboard.” Jack pulled back from our embrace. “Tell me something, Red.”
He cupped my face in his hands.
“Anything.”
He pressed his lips to mine. Our mouths worked against each other, eliciting fiery passion that sparked to life once again. Our breath, coming faster, intermingled in the muggy cabin air when Jack pulled away.
“Do we have to go up on deck now, or do you have a few moments to spend in the arms of your husband?”
“A few moments?” Without hesitation, I began to work the button’s on Jack’s shirt. “You have all my moments for the rest of my life, my love.”
•
“See that ship there?” Jack’s easy tone matched that of the calm evening. Days at sea were my favorite of all the days. With frothy grog, sea breezes, and Jack instructing me on this or on that, I preferred these days to the adrenaline-filled ones that came with taking ships.
Besides a few pelicans and a pod of dolphins, we’d been completely alone on the Caribbean Sea. Until Jack spotted the wayward ship.
“Notice the flag.” His hands tightened around my waist. Memories of our rough love that played out in the confines of our cabin this morning flamed within me. Aches from forgotten muscles only Jack could stretch made me shiver.
“It’s a Spanish flag.” My voice was sultrier than I intended. Still, I was powerless to look away from Jack’s chiseled jaw. Had he not spotted this ship, I would have been inclined to pull him below decks to continue what we’d started earlier.
Jack, though, was oblivious to my want. “Yes, it’s Spanish. But it’s no ordinary ship.” He looked down at me, his eyes sparkling anew. “It’s a rum ship.”
•
Those aboard the Spanish rum ship stood on the deck, all smiles, and waved as we sailed alongside them. As Charles Swan pulled down our English flag and ran up Jack’s flag Jolly Roger, however, the waving slowly stopped.
Jack’s flag was quite foreboding, even to me. A solid black flag boasting a white outline, much like The Molly Maiden, except Jack’s white outline was a grinning skull over a pair of crossed swords. Rightly so, fear shrouded the Spanish faces that had moments before been welcoming and friendly.
“I am Russian Jack of The Black Otter fleet. There’s nowhere to hide, nowhere to go,” my husband shouted. “Throw down your anchor and let us board.”
A bearded man with a young redheaded woman clinging to him nodded. He waved to his men who tossed the anchor overboard.
“Good,” Jack said. “We’re coming over.”
Jack nodded to Poison Lightning, who drew his dagger and nodded in return. The tall African waved his arm. Dark Water, Tommy, and Charles followed him as he stepped from the side of The Black Otter onto the captured ship. Red Legs dashed up from below decks and tossed a sword to Solo and kept one for himself.
My heart thumped in my chest as Poison Lightning stepped up to the big, bearded man in charge. He held out his black hand and accepted the man’s sword without uttering a word. The others aboard the rum ship followed suit and surrendered their arms.
Solo stepped up beside us. “Always nice when it goes down easy, ain’t it Cap.” He glanced at me and winked. “There’s a time for bloodshed, and then, there’s a time for just stealing some rum.”
“Agreed, Prince,” Jack said. His chest puffed with pride. “Looks like the boys will have it handled before we go over and finish the deal.”
The redheaded girl, who couldn’t have been that far out of her teenage years still clung to the old man. She glanced from face to pirate face and showed no fear Still, something about her body movements wasn’t natural. I furrowed my brow and studied her until her nervous gaze met mine.
“Jack.” I tugged at his waistcoat. “Something’s not right.”
Jack turned his beaming face down to me. Slowly, his smile faded. “What is it?”
“I don’t rightly know—” I studied the girl. Her long red hair flowed with reckless abandon over her shoulders and her young face was shadowed with fear.
Her arms were wrapped about the big man as though she meant to meld right to him. But her hands—
Wait! Her arms!
“Jack, she is tied to that old man!”
“What? Surely—” Jack let his words trail off as he struggled to see what I was seeing.
“Look at her hands! She’s trying to get away.”
Solo, who’d been listening as Jack and I spoke, nodded. “She’s right, Cap. I see it.”
Jack and Solo shared a look so bold that even I heard the unspoken word.
Headhunters.
Jack drew his cutlass and marched all the way to the edge of The Black Otter’s deck before he turned around.
“Come on, Red. Time to see if your hunch is right.”
