The Butcher and the Beast by Sean Michael

Author:Sean Michael [Michael, Sean]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

* * * *

John stood at the wheel, watching the sun set over the water, wind blowing in his hair.

There had been slim pickings in the last few weeks, and they'd met no real challenge since his wounds had healed. He knew the men were grumbling, unhappy. They needed a good fight now and then to keep them sharp, and food in the galley, gold in the hold.

Still, he was feeling too good to suffer the same mood as his crew. And the reason for that could be laid at the feet of the butcher they'd taken on. Just thinking of Grey had his smile widening and he shook his head. It would not do to let people know that Stephen was perhaps more to him than a butcher on the crew and a good time. It would not do to have that vulnerability exposed.

118

The Butcher and the Beast

by Sean Michael

So instead of following his desires and going below to find Grey, he stayed where he was until the sun was gone, the water getting darker and darker and then going black as sunset turned to dusk and became dark, stars twinkling in the sky.

Tom came by with a lantern. "Cap'n, sir? I brought your late meal to your cabin. Will ye take it here instead?"

John shook his head. It was a good excuse to go below and find his butcher. "Matey, you have the bridge."

"Aye, sir." His first mate took the wheel from him, settling behind it with a grin. John chuckled; he wasn't the only one who loved to feel the wheel in his hands, the sea beneath him.

He followed Tom down below eagerly. He had taken Grey the night before, the butcher offering himself, asking and then begging to be taken. It had been delicious—the surrender so sweet, earned. Just taking Grey would have been fun, but it would have broken that spirit that aroused him so. This had given him the best of both; he had played his game well and won.

They had both won.

He left the lantern with the lad outside the door as he went in, trusting Grey would have lit something in the cabin.

Grey was sleeping, clad only in a nightshirt, the man's regular clothes washed and hung to dry. It must have been a bloody day for him. There was a single candle on the table, a tray there with bread and a hank of cheese, two mugs of ale.

Slim pickings indeed if this was the best of their fare.

119

The Butcher and the Beast

by Sean Michael

Tomorrow they would make a run at Santa Maria, but not the town itself. There were farms on the island and they'd grab some livestock and other stores.

He swigged down half his ale and stripped out of his shirt and his boots before going to sit at the edge of the bed. His hand slid along Grey's shoulder. It made him chuckle, how the man could do the things they did together, but would never climb naked into bed to sleep.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.