didn’t want them to ruin the moments he was sharing with Antónia, however much they went against all protocol. “Who is captain of this ship?”
“You are, sir.”
“And who must determine what to do with criminals while at sea?”
“You, Captain.”
“What is the problem?”
Ward shifted his gaze, and his feet. “The… pirate lady was in your clothes. In your arms.”
“Her clothing was wet. She swam from her ship to ours. Would you rather I allow our prisoners to die of cold while being questioned? That seems as though their demise would be on my head, and perhaps without just cause.”
“Sir—”
“I’ll not listen to another word of this. If any man is against my decision, they may spend the night in the brig as a reminder of who is in charge, and just who they owe allegiance to.”
Ward straightened to attention and nodded emphatically. “Aye, Captain.”
“Make certain Grenville is aware of our conversation here, Ward.”
“Aye, sir.”
“Now be off with you. I have much questioning to do with this wench who’s stolen onto our ship.”
Ward touched his hat and waited for Titus to go back into his cabin. He shut and locked the door behind him.
Antónia no longer lay on his bed, but stood in the center of the room, her wet breeches on, and the linen wrapped tightly around her breasts. Boots on. “Is aught amiss?” she asked, pulling her wet black shirt over her head.
“Why are you redressing?”
“This interlude has been very entertaining, Captain Graves, but it is clear that we have both shirked our duties to our men.” She pointed his own gun at him. “Now, raise your hands over your head and walk slowly toward the door.”
“What in bloody hell are you doing, Antónia? We had an arrangement.” Why did his chest feel like it was tearing in two?
“Pity the fool who makes an arrangement with a pirate,” she said with a dainty shrug. “Did you not say pirates have no honor? I’m leaving this ship, with the ring, and ye’re going to let me, else I put a bullet in ye and whistle for my men to attack.” Then she winked at him, a confident grin on her lips. “I’m sure ye must have known this was coming. Today is not the first time I’ve played ye for a fool. Surely ye remember us meeting last year? I do look forward to ye chasing me over the seas. I must admit, it has been quite the pleasure.” Her gaze roved over his body and she shook her head. “Such a shame we couldn’t at least have had a few more minutes before your valet interrupted.”
Titus stared at her incredulously. “You…” His mind flashed back to the damsel in distress upon the pirate ship. The daring rescue of the men at their execution. It was her all along. She’d played him in more ways than one. “I should have known.” Ordinarily, he would have been irate to be duped, but with her… Well, she was right, he was a fool. And damn, but he did want to chase her. To throttle her. To make love to her again. Good lord, what had she done to him?
“’Twas fun while it lasted.”
“One last kiss, love?” He crooked his finger. “A kiss to make the pain of your betrayal less bitter?”
Antónia laughed. “As much as I would enjoy that, I’m not as much a fool as ye. Now out.” She waved the gun toward the door.
Titus backed up until he reached the portal.
“Open it.”
“If my men see that ye’ve a gun pointed at me, they may take aim and shoot ye. I’d hate for a perfect pair of breasts to be ruined by a spray of bullets.”
Her grin widened. “And that, my love, is why ye’ll tell them not to shoot me.”
Her love. If only… “And if a man should take it into his head that I have lost my mind?” Titus clucked his tongue. “Which they will most assuredly, given I bedded you in the first place.”
“Ouch, Captain. Let us not pretend ye didn’t enjoy it as much as I.” Something flashed behind her eyes. A hint of remorse, vulnerability. As tough as she tried to play…
“You are, sir.”
“And who must determine what to do with criminals while at sea?”
“You, Captain.”
“What is the problem?”
Ward shifted his gaze, and his feet. “The… pirate lady was in your clothes. In your arms.”
“Her clothing was wet. She swam from her ship to ours. Would you rather I allow our prisoners to die of cold while being questioned? That seems as though their demise would be on my head, and perhaps without just cause.”
“Sir—”
“I’ll not listen to another word of this. If any man is against my decision, they may spend the night in the brig as a reminder of who is in charge, and just who they owe allegiance to.”
Ward straightened to attention and nodded emphatically. “Aye, Captain.”
“Make certain Grenville is aware of our conversation here, Ward.”
“Aye, sir.”
“Now be off with you. I have much questioning to do with this wench who’s stolen onto our ship.”
Ward touched his hat and waited for Titus to go back into his cabin. He shut and locked the door behind him.
Antónia no longer lay on his bed, but stood in the center of the room, her wet breeches on, and the linen wrapped tightly around her breasts. Boots on. “Is aught amiss?” she asked, pulling her wet black shirt over her head.
“Why are you redressing?”
“This interlude has been very entertaining, Captain Graves, but it is clear that we have both shirked our duties to our men.” She pointed his own gun at him. “Now, raise your hands over your head and walk slowly toward the door.”
“What in bloody hell are you doing, Antónia? We had an arrangement.” Why did his chest feel like it was tearing in two?
“Pity the fool who makes an arrangement with a pirate,” she said with a dainty shrug. “Did you not say pirates have no honor? I’m leaving this ship, with the ring, and ye’re going to let me, else I put a bullet in ye and whistle for my men to attack.” Then she winked at him, a confident grin on her lips. “I’m sure ye must have known this was coming. Today is not the first time I’ve played ye for a fool. Surely ye remember us meeting last year? I do look forward to ye chasing me over the seas. I must admit, it has been quite the pleasure.” Her gaze roved over his body and she shook her head. “Such a shame we couldn’t at least have had a few more minutes before your valet interrupted.”
Titus stared at her incredulously. “You…” His mind flashed back to the damsel in distress upon the pirate ship. The daring rescue of the men at their execution. It was her all along. She’d played him in more ways than one. “I should have known.” Ordinarily, he would have been irate to be duped, but with her… Well, she was right, he was a fool. And damn, but he did want to chase her. To throttle her. To make love to her again. Good lord, what had she done to him?
“’Twas fun while it lasted.”
“One last kiss, love?” He crooked his finger. “A kiss to make the pain of your betrayal less bitter?”
Antónia laughed. “As much as I would enjoy that, I’m not as much a fool as ye. Now out.” She waved the gun toward the door.
Titus backed up until he reached the portal.
“Open it.”
“If my men see that ye’ve a gun pointed at me, they may take aim and shoot ye. I’d hate for a perfect pair of breasts to be ruined by a spray of bullets.”
Her grin widened. “And that, my love, is why ye’ll tell them not to shoot me.”
Her love. If only… “And if a man should take it into his head that I have lost my mind?” Titus clucked his tongue. “Which they will most assuredly, given I bedded you in the first place.”
“Ouch, Captain. Let us not pretend ye didn’t enjoy it as much as I.” Something flashed behind her eyes. A hint of remorse, vulnerability. As tough as she tried to play…
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