Love Inspired Historical July 2015 Box Set: The Marriage Agreement\Cowgirl for Keeps\The Lawman's Redemption\Captive on the High Seas (83 page)

“Be careful, Nicky.”

The corners of his mouth lifted. “Ay, Yaya. I'm always careful.”

His grandmother always had a way about her that soothed. One gentle word from her when they were boys and their scuffles ended and he and his brothers became the best of friends. Although he'd been more than resentful when his father left them at Yaya's while he sailed the Great Sea, he now missed those days, wished they could go back to when things were simple. When his greatest challenge had been catching more fish than Jasen or swimming the fastest.

Nicolaus cut through the greenery and sprinted over the rocky terrain. He climbed onto the tallest rock and stared out at the expanse of nothingness before him. How many times had he stood in this very spot watching the sail of his father's ship until it disappeared? Waiting for him to return? Such was the life of a sea merchant.

He tipped his head back and bathed his face in the sun. Would his children watch him leave and wait anxiously for his return? Would Ada? He jerked his chin back to the sea. Where had that thought come from? He shoved a shaking hand through his hair and jumped from the rock.

Nicolaus raced to the edge of where the foam crawled. He removed his sandals and stripped down to his loincloth, leaving his tunic, daggers and the scrap of leather his father had given him upon his first sea voyage as a child on the rocky shore. The map held wistful adventures and tales of treasure. David had stolen the map from him upon Nicolaus's captivity. Nicolaus had retrieved it shortly after Jasen had paid a ransom for his release. It had been a moonless night when Nicolaus entered David's home and threatened to break David's will until he confessed Desma's destination. Even under the worse torture Nicolaus could think of, David had remained silent, which led him to believe David did not know where Desma was. He never once confessed who he'd given Desma to, which left Nicolaus wondering and longing to search the seas for her.

His bare feet hit the water as he ran into the surf. Waves swirled around his legs, pushing and pulling, but he kept moving forward until the water swirled around his chest, and then he dove beneath the water.

He thrust his hands out in front of him, cutting through the water as he kicked his feet. Wave after wave crashed over his head but he kept swimming until he neared one of the rocks rising up out of the sea. Treading water, he inspected the rock that had seemed so massive when he was a boy. New crevices had formed over the years; others had deepened, creating windows for the sunlight.

Standing against the sea as he sailed from one port to the next had changed him. In some ways it'd made his heart hard, as Ada had so rightly determined. Yet, in other ways, it had created a longing, a desire to furl the sails and keep his vessel moored. Looking at this rock, he knew he didn't want to be battered and broken until there was nothing left of him. However, that was not a choice for him to make. Not until he found Desma. Even then, he was beginning to think the only woman he longed to be moored to was Ada. No other made him long for the freedom of her arms over the freedom of sailing.

He swiped the droplets from his eyes and sighed. His father would never allow such a union, which left him as he was, adrift with no real port to call home. He stretched out his arms and legs and floated on his back. The sky, as blue as the water, consumed him. He was nothing more than a small speck in the earth and the sea. Was there an Almighty Maker of the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that was within as Ada believed? Lying here on his back, cradled by the sea, he could almost believe it. Did this God truly love the righteous and preserve strangers such as he? A Greek even?

He laughed. What else had Ada prayed?
Happy is the one who has You as their help, O Lord.

“Lord, if You truly exist will You help me find happiness?”

Turning over onto his stomach, he dove down into the water. Thrusting his hands outward, he swam down as far as he could until his lungs felt as if they'd burst, and then he somersaulted and kicked his feet. With his arms tight at his sides, he shot upward like an arrow from its bow. He broke the surface, took a deep cleansing breath and swam back to shore.

He didn't have the answers he sought. He hadn't expected any. It seemed his best course was to keep distance from Ada, especially if he was to keep this madness from plaguing him.

He had picked up his sandals and donned his tunic, leaving the shoulders to drape around his hips, when he spied the bright pink blooms his sister had always worn in her hair. Picking his way across the stones, he plucked the largest bloom and cradled it in his palm. He crept back to the rock he'd claimed when he was a boy and sat. The high sun soaked the droplets from his skin. The waters were calmer than they'd been earlier in the morn. Unfortunately, he was not. The duty to his sister weighed heavy on his shoulders. There was no guarantee he'd find her but he had to try, and he'd search the known world if he had to, which meant he had to go home.

Home. Now that was a source of confusion. If only he could remain here with Yaya. With Ada. To learn more about the woman beneath the fire. The one he knew held compassion for those less fortunate. He smiled. And those undeserving. Tenting his elbows on his knees, he twirled the stem between his fingers. Desma was delicate, much like the pink petals. She'd perish under the cruelty of slavery. Ada, although small in stature, was strong and courageous. And if truth were to be told, she was capturing his heart as efficiently as any seasoned fisherman.

“Ay, I best find a way to rid myself of the woman before I forget my duty to Desma.”

Chapter Fourteen

A
da followed the path leading to where Nicolaus sat. Her feet came to an abrupt halt and she gasped when she spied the red, welted lines slashing across Nicolaus's back. He jumped to his feet.

“You should not be here, Ada.” His muscles expanded as he pulled his tunic into place but not before she'd seen the mark branded on his chest. “There are snakes crawling about.”

Her gaze flew to the ground as she shuffled her feet.

“You would not wish to get bitten.” He climbed from the rock and stood in front of her. “How did you find me?”

She ignored his question. She'd sought him out for a reason and it was not to argue as his tone suggested he was prepared to do. “I wished to apologize.”

Nicolaus bent to tie his sandal, but glanced up at her. “There is none needed, Ada.” He unfolded his length, his height imposing. “You were correct. It takes a certain kind of man to be a merchant. One that is ruthless with no care for others. As am I.”

“Nicolaus.” She searched his eyes, looking for something to belie his words. However, she knew differently, knew Nicolaus was nothing like the man he described. She knew him to be kind and compassionate even if he was grumpy at times.

He stepped around her and headed up the path she'd come down. She gathered the hem of her tunic and raced after him. “Nicolaus, stop.”

He turned toward her. Vulnerability glittered in the dark depths of his eyes. She dared not examine why he resembled a child fearful of rejection. It was obvious the wounds marring his flesh were nothing compared to the ones buried within his soul.

Her hand reached up. The tips of her fingers brushed over his brow. The curls blanketing his skin were as soft as she'd imagined, even dripping wet. She caressed her thumb over a small white scar above his eyebrow. A ripple of warmth cloaked over her hand, spiraling up her arm and straight to her heartstrings. She jerked her hand away, dropping it to her side. “What happened to your back? I've seen many such scars. I have treated them among my father's slaves.”

His eyes narrowed, his nostrils flared. “Then you've no need for my answer.” He turned away and took giant strides up the hillside.

“They are recent.”

Nicolaus continued his trek until he disappeared between the greenery. Rocks slid from beneath her feet as she tried to catch up to him. She slid, and she cried out when her hands scraped against the stones. She inhaled a breath and released it as she pushed herself up from the ground and sat. Facing the water, she pulled her legs into her chest. She rested her chin on her knees and stared out at the endless blue waters.

“What are you doing?” Even though she jumped, his deep timbre soothed an ache in her chest, one that longed to be cared for, watched over. He sat beside her, nudging her with his shoulder. “You know, you have a habit of sitting like that whenever you are upset?”

She drew in a shuddering breath. The sun shone so brightly against the waters that it was near blinding, much like the blooming emotions she felt toward Nicolaus. If she were not careful she'd love him like her mother had her father. “It makes me small. Sometimes small enough not to be seen.”

“And why would you wish to hide, Ada?”

“How did you become a slave?”

He laughed but did not answer her. For which she was glad else she'd have to share her secrets, as well.

“It is beautiful here. The most beautiful thing I've ever seen.”

“Then you are sorely deprived, Ada.”

She turned her head, laying it on her knees, and looked at him. His eyes reminded her of obsidian. His hair, still wet from his swim, curled around his jaw and dripped onto his tunic. “The old woman seems fond of you?”

White teeth gleamed when he smiled. “Ay, she should. I'm her only grandchild who continues to visit.”

“Your grandmother?”

“We call her Yaya. She's my mother's mother. Brison refuses to leave the ship since he has duties, but I believe he fears Yaya will beg him to stay. He and Xandros will arrive to break the evening meal.”

“I am sorry, Nicolaus. I should not have spoken as I did. Your grandmother says you have much on your mind. I haven't considered others.”

“That is far from the truth, Ada.” He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, sending shivers racing down her back. “You've done nothing but consider others, even in your illness. And—” he turned his gaze toward the sea “—I understand what it is like to be scared. Several months ago I was sailing to this very island. My sister was to marry a wealthy merchant in a neighboring village. Although we were heavily armed we were overcome by thieves. They took everything, including her. I later discovered a man I had considered a friend had hired them to take her.”

Waves rolled ashore. A lone, white bird screeched overhead. Her heart thundered in her ears. A tear slid down her cheek at his loss and at the words he'd left unspoken. She had no doubt he'd been taken captive, too. She sensed the scars marring his skin from his time in bondage were nothing compared to the ones residing in his chest. She took his hand in hers. What must it have been like for the strong, brave man to have his sister stolen from him? “I am sorry, Nicolaus.”

He stilled, his gaze on their hands. He drew in air, and then twined his fingers with hers. His tanned calloused skin next to her paleness spoke of the differences between them, spoke of how she should not be giving him her heart. Yet, somehow this was more right than anything she'd ever known. It was as if she'd found her place in this magnificent world, here on this island, next to him. He lifted her hand and pressed his lips to her knuckles. The warmth of his breath whispered across her skin like finely woven silk. The pleasure stole her breath, threatened to steal her resolve to keep her distance.

“Nico—”

“Ada,” he said as he clasped his hands together, cradling hers between them. “You must know, I do not purchase slaves, not since my time in captivity and even before only for my father and they were treated fairly.”

Her heart sank at the thought of this proud man chained and beaten as his scars spoke.

“It is a way of life, Nicolaus. My father has many.” She thought of her mother and how all of his concubines were treated differently. The beatings they'd received for small offenses. Nicolaus wouldn't be so cruel to his concubines. However, she did not think she'd like to share his attentions with a wife. Her fingers itched to pull away, but he squeezed, holding firm.

“It does not matter, Ada. I'd made a vow to never buy a slave, but then I saw you. The man bidding on you would not have been kind. Life would not have been kind.”

She gazed at the waves, rolling in and then out. “I thank you for that.”

He released one of her hands and crooked a finger beneath her chin, drawing her gaze toward his, and then tucked another strand behind her ear. “When my father issued the challenge between me and my brother, I did not want to sail again, but Xandros convinced me that I could search for my sister in each port. Jasen had already scoured every port known on the Great Sea, with no sign of her, but I had to try.” His gaze shifted beyond her shoulder. “I do not care about possessions or my father's merchandise. I failed Desma in the worst way. There is little hope of finding her, but when I laid eyes on you and that distasteful procurer bidding on you I knew I had to try. I can't leave my sister to such a fate. If I win this challenge, if I beat Jasen, then I'll have my own vessel to search for her, to do as I wish.”

He stared into her eyes. The glassy blackness swirled deep with emotion. He cupped her cheek with his hand and leaned his forehead to hers.

“I can do as I wish,” he whispered against her mouth. His lips touched hers, light as silk. The air around them sizzled. He shifted back a little and gazed into her eyes. He caressed her cheek with his thumb. “If I win, I can do as I wish, Ada. I can continue to seek out my sister and save her, too.”

The longing in his eyes tugged her heartstrings. Wanting—needing—more of his touch, she leaned closer. He sealed his lips to hers. Her heart soared like the griffin flying over the desert in search of its evening meal. Was this what it was like to be loved? To be wanted? She wrapped her arms around his neck and wove her fingers into his hair.

“Nicolaus,” Xandros called from the path. Ada scrambled away and jumped to her feet. A rock caught her sandal. She wobbled, but Nicolaus caught her arm to steady her. The emotion in the look he gave her caught her off guard. She'd seen that look before, the one that consumed her father when he watched her mother, but there was something more, something she did not quite understand. It unnerved her and it left her more scared than when she was just his slave. It was as if he were a starved lion ready to pounce on his prey.

She jerked from his touch and ran. One thing she knew for certain—that kiss, still burning on her lips, proved she was no better than her mother, and that was something she could not allow. Ever again.

* * *

Nicolaus watched her disappear between the greenery and then Xandros emerged.

“Yaya said I'd find you here.” Xandros glanced over his shoulder. “What did you do to her?”

The corner of his eye twitched at his friend's tone. “Have you become her defender?”

Xandros crossed his arms over his chest and glared. “If I need be, I will. It seems you are always upsetting her.”

Twisting his lips, Nicolaus shook his head. “I do not know what has upset her.”

Xandros smacked him on the shoulder. “You don't look happy, either. No matter, soon we'll spread the sails and be home. I look forward to your mother's table.”

Nicolaus laughed. “Yaya has prepared you a meal fit for a king.”

His friend didn't try to hide his pained grimace. “I mean no offense, but even the dogs turn their noses up at Yaya's cooking.”

Nicolaus laughed as he traipsed up the hill, Xandros at his side. “Her skills have waned with her age. However, she has a new guest, one I'm certain she'll seek to impress. Besides, I went to the market myself. There will be cakes and honey and fruit.”

“That is all I need.”

“Is the mast repaired?” He'd seen the sail expand and knew it must be. However, he wanted to ensure there were no problems.

“Ay, and the men are rested. We worked in shifts. After all their hard work and getting us here in good time, I decided to give them leave to explore Karimos.”

“It is beautiful here, is it not?”

“A treasure unlike any other. There is smoke rising from your head. What is it you are thinking, my friend?”

Nicolaus stopped and faced the sea. “You know my grandfather has left all of this to me, but I had no thoughts beyond pleasing my father and becoming a merchant. Yaya's home was nothing more than a prison I longed to escape from while my father sailed off to grand adventures. I'm beginning to see it differently now. I could be happy here.”

“What is it you're saying?”

“Karimos is a strong port. My grandfather's land is fertile. He had dreams of cultivating it.” He swung back around, his hand swinging up toward the higher ground. “I could plant grapes. There is a valley on the other side of the main house where I could plant wheat, not much, but enough for the locals.”

Xandros laughed. “I've never thought you to be a farmer, Nicolaus. You blood flows with the waters of this world. You are happiest when sailing. It is who the gods meant you to be.”

Cringing at Xandros's use of
gods
, Nicolaus pierced his friend with a hard glare. “Is it? What if there is only one God, Xandros? A god who created the heavens, the earth and the seas? What if that God wishes me to grow roots here?” With Ada.

“You sound like your uncle.”

“He may have the right of it, my friend. The gods our people have worshiped for hundreds of years are no more than statues made by our own hands.” Joy filled him to overflowing. The excitement vibrated around him. “This God Oceanus speaks of, the one Ada calls upon, he is not made by our hands, he just is. How else do you explain that?” He motioned toward the vast sea. “And the sun, the ground we stand on. The thousands upon thousands of stars lighting the night sky. What if this Almighty God is calling me, a perfect stranger, to something more than what my father wished? If I do not win the challenge, Xandros, I'm making this place my home.”

And if Ada was willing, if his father allowed such a union, he'd make one with her.

“I am not sure about this God you speak of, but I think it is wise. Yaya is aging and should not be alone. However, I do not think that is your reasoning.”

He wanted to build a life here. To raise his children where he'd spent much time as a boy. To watch the sun set over the waters with Ada by his side, but he could not tell his friend the truth of it, not yet.

“What will you do if you win?”

A stone settled in his stomach. “Then I will own a vessel I built with my own hands. One my father has little control over, and I will have no choice but to search for Desma. I owe it to her enough to try.”

“What of Ada?”

Nicolaus plucked a bloom from a branch. “I would free her and see her to her family, but the abuse she suffered at the hands of her sisters... How long before they sold her again? Then where would she be, a prostitute?” Nicolaus shook his head. “There are few options for a woman without the protection of her father. As my slave she will be protected.”

“Until you marry. I cannot see a wife, no matter how considerate, approving of Ada in your household. And I cannot see you setting her up as a concubine.”

The thought of disgracing Ada in such a way soured his stomach.

“You've too much honor to dishonor your vows. Your brother would have no such qualms. It only stands to reason that you should free her, and then marry her.”