How To Seduce A Pirate by Alexandra Benedict

Author:Alexandra Benedict
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2016-08-13T18:30:00+00:00

CHAPTER 13

“You look like hell,” said James, straddling a chair.

Captain James Hawkins was the last of the brothers to arrive at the pub. Not since their bachelors days, when they’d all sailed aboard the Bonny Meg, had the four found time to spend together and get pissed.

“I feel like hell,” growled Quincy. He sensed a familiar, uncomfortable pressure on his chest as he remembered his wife’s impudent condemnation. A disgusting offer, was it? Fine. If she wanted to be a martyr and remain celibate, she could go right ahead. He sure as hell wasn’t going to maintain a monastic life. And he would not feel guilty about avoiding his “husbandly” duty.

“I was talking to Will, pup.”

“Oh.” Quincy rolled his eyes toward William. “He’s looked like that for months.”

James shouted for ale, then, “What’s the matter, Will?”

After downing a pint, William wiped his mouth. “Nothing’s the matter.” He slammed the empty glass on the table and belched.

The brothers exchanged bewildered glances, for William never imbued.

James shrugged, taking a swig of malt. There was a time when he would’ve beat the confessions out of them. But he’d considerably mellowed since his marriage to Sophia.

He turned toward Quincy next. “So what the devil’s wrong with you?”

“Forget I said anything.” Quincy raised his mug. “We’re here for a toast. To Eddie and Amy.”

The others lifted their hands. “Eddie and Amy.”

A cacophony of striking glass filled the already noisy pub.

“Any word on Gravenhurst?” asked James.

“No.” Edmund squeezed his tankard. “The bastard’s still at large.”

“I don’t want to dampen your good fortune, but have you considered he might try to ruin the wedding? Or come back to hurt Amy?”

“Consider it? It’s all I bloody think about, protecting Amy. If I can’t stand outside her parent’s house, I send patrols to guard her.”

“And the wedding day?”

“I’ll have runners at the church and during the ball, looking out for him.”

“We’ll keep watch, too,” said James, his voice lethal.

Whatever their differences or disputes, the brothers always protected their family.

A sardonic grin soon crossed the pirate captain’s face as he turned his attention back toward his youngest brother. “How’s married life, pup?”

“Fine,” gritted Quincy.

“Trouble in paradise already?”

“Whoever said it was paradise?”

Edmund snorted. “Can’t keep the wife happy? And you, the charmer in the family?”

“Piss off. All of you.”

James and Edmund sniggered. William called for another round.

“It’s a strange time, indeed,” said James, still chuckling, “when mine is the only uncomplicated life.”

“Perhaps it’s the full moon,” grumbled Quincy.

“A word of advice to you all.”

“Oh, crikey,” groaned Edmund.

But James ignored the protest and lifted his mug once more. “Whatever your troubles, men, heed the wise words of our forerunner Blackbeard, ‘damnation seize my soul if I give you quarters, or take any from you’.”

The brothers knocked glasses again. But Quincy considered James’s counsel the worst he had ever heard. He imagined the position he was in and what it would mean to take up such advice—both refusing to surrender and refusing to accept surrender from Holly. A fight to the death, in other words.

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