The Pirate by Sheritta Bitikofer

Author:Sheritta Bitikofer [Bitikofer, Sheritta]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781946821225
Publisher: Moonstruck Writing
Published: 2018-02-19T16:00:00+00:00

In his life, James had been keelhauled, whipped, tied to the mast for days without food or water, abandoned on a deserted island, lost at sea, beaten, stabbed, shot, run over by horses, and once had a harpoon lodged in his side. None of it, absolutely none of it, could compare to the immense pain he endured when he assaulted Grace and pushed her across the deck to the waiting rowboat. He would have rather tied a cannonball to his ankles and thrown himself overboard than treat her so savagely as he just did.

He thought putting on a show for the crew would be a necessary thing and he’d have the chance to explain to her that he meant none of it. They could have made a good spectacle together. But with the new addition of Will, who could hear just as well as James could, there was no room for apologies, no chances to atone for all that transpired that morning.

More than that, he regretted finally giving her a glimpse into his dark secret. Showing her his wolfish eyes, the ones that struck terror into the hearts of his enemies, might have been one of the only ways he could effectively deter her from stepping foot on a sailing ship again. If she feared the man that roamed the seas, then perhaps he would never have to see her again and be tempted to undo the damage he had done. It was better this way.

Now, he had to watch her leave and pretend that he enjoyed tossing her to Mr. Bones’ feet as if she were a worthless thing that meant nothing to him. What a lie that had been. But those who watched on seemed to believe his pretenses.

His inner wolf was far less pleased with his actions and he knew that he would pay for it later. While he waited for Mr. Bones to come back, there were more pressing matters to attend to. He had already told Patrick there would be no ransom to collect, so the men would be itching for more coin to fill their pockets.

But when he turned back around to face his crew, it wasn’t his quartermaster he needed to consult with. It was Will. He spotted him near the mast and their eyes met. Silent communication passed between them and they moved toward his cabin in unison.

Patrick made to intercept. “Captain, where – “

“Not now,” he barked and pushed the Irishman aside. He was in no mood for giving explanations or orders. His nerves had been scourged and left raw after watching the only woman he had ever come to love row away forever.

“Captain!” Patrick shouted.

Before he realized what he was doing, James spun and punched him across the jaw. The quartermaster staggered back and tumbled to the deck, holding his cheek that would be covered in a dark bruise within an hour. The crew, seeing their captain was tetchy, gave him and Will a wide berth on their path to the cabin.

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