Within a Captain's Hold by Lisa A. Olech

Author:Lisa A. Olech [Olech, Lisa]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 20

“Bonchette.” Annalise looked at him with panic in her eyes. “He’s come to kill you.”

Jaxon pulled two pistols from his desk and added them to his baldric. He’d grab more powder and shot on deck. “He’s come to try.” He slipped an extra dirk into the band at his waist.

“Jaxon.”

He made the mistake of looking at her. Tears shimmered in her golden eyes. He reached out to her and tried to still the trembling of her lips with the pad of his thumb before lowering his mouth to cover hers. He kissed her as if he’d never have the chance to do so again.

Annalise began to speak, her voice caught, and she laid a gentle hand to his cheek. “You have to know, these past few days, I’ve come to--”

“Don’t.” He placed two fingers across her lips. “Don’t say it. Not those words, not now.”

“But, if--”

“No. I can’t hear them. Not now.” Crushing her to his chest, he buried his face into her hair. He pulled the sweet scent of her deep into his lungs, wrapping her around his heart.

A sob racked her body.

He tightened his hold. “Tell me tonight, when I’m holding you like this in our bed. Tell me then.” He kissed her again.

Her tears washed his cheek.

“I have to go. You need to be brave. Hide yourself and wait for me.” He brushed the wetness from her face.

She drew in a shaky breath and nodded. “Tonight. I’ll be waiting.”

Jaxon stopped at the door. God help me, don’t look back at her. He closed his eyes against the deep ache in his chest. God help us both.

Steeling his resolve, Jaxon left the cabin and found Robbins waiting a few paces down the corridor.

“Robbins, you owe me more than a punch in the jaw, and I’m not going to waste time trying to justify my actions. The ship heading at us means to see everyone on board the Scarlet dead before they’re done. Everyone. If we are lucky enough to survive the day, then it’s your right, nay, your duty to turn me over to the crew. But Annalise is the innocent one here, not me.”

The boy’s mouth was nothing but a thin line.

Jaxon’s jaw tightened. “If we’re not the victors today, if the ship is taken, Bonchette will serve her up to his crew on a platter.” His belly twisted at the image and bile rose in his throat. “I need to give you one last order as your captain. No--strike that. I’m going to ask you to do something for me, man to man.”

Overhead, the shouts of the crew and the running of feet thundered. The battle was upon them.

“I want you to stay below. Here.”

“Here?” Robbins shook his head. “I got me duty. I ain’t afraid to fight.”

“I know. Let me finish. I want you to stay here. If I fall, if Bonchette wins.” Jaxon handed a small pistol to the boy. “I want you to have mercy on my wife. Take her life before that depraved bastard has a chance to annihilate her.

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