Love's Abyss (St. John Series) (15 page)

Chapter Seventeen

Madison woke up to the clock striking nine. Her eyes felt like sand had been tossed in them. She hated crying herself to sleep. Gently rubbing her eyes, she looked around the room. She was alone. She ambled to the wash basin and splashed the cold water onto her face. The sound of her growling stomach broke the silence of the room. She crossed both arms over her abdomen and pressed in to try to ease the hunger pains.

The slow methodical tic of the clock echoed eerily throughout the room. The ship creaked and popped loudly. She could hear the water splashing on the side of the ship through the open window. Walking towards the window, she placed her hand on the pane. The coolness of the glass on her hand caused a faint smile to cross her lips. She breathed out slowly towards the window to make it fog up. Her long dainty finger wrote “Madison” on it. The cool breeze coming through the open window caused a shiver to run down her. She pulled the window to and turned to find
him
watching her. She took a quick breath in and the hurtfulness of his words crept back into her head.

“Branding my ship?” he asked as he looked at where her name was gradually disappearing from the window. She said nothing.

They both just stared, the minutes ticked by on the clock, neither one speaking. It was as if time stood still.  Madison was too angry and Alex too prideful.

He took a step towards her. She held up her hand. “Stop.”

The sound of her voice cut him. She had cried so hard that her voice had turned hoarse. “Madison,” he said softly.

“Stop,” she said again. “You’ve said enough. I know now that I was just a pawn in your game against Andrew. And I want no more part of it. I want out of it. Take me to the brig or drop me off on some deserted island. Whatever you want, but don’t toy with me any longer.” She held her chin up high, holding back her emotions.

“Madison,” he said again. “I . . . I . . .” He took a heavy, collective breath and looked at her. She was standing there defiantly, with pride, trying to appear brave and emotionless. “I never meant to—”

“To what! Kidnap me? Hold me hostage? Take advantage of me?”

“No,” he said and shook his head. “Yes. I never meant for any of this to happen. What I said earlier . . . I . . . uh, well . . . I . . . ” He swallowed hard. Why is it so difficult to admit when you’ve wronged someone, to apologize? “I didn’t mean it. I was angry.”

She reluctantly let her guard down.

“It’s just that you’re . . . you . . . ,” he began as he moved to the window. He placed his strong hand on the back of his neck and rubbed it. “You’re the most frustrating woman I have ever met.”

“Frustrating?! Frustrating! Here I thought you were going to apologize and you insult me!” she burst out.

He crossed the room to her and gently grabbed the top of her arms. She turned her head from him, the tears beginning to build back up in her eyes. “Look at me.” She shook her head. “Madison,” he said softly, “look at me.” She slowly turned her face towards him. “Yes, you’re frustrating. You make me do things and behave in ways . . .” He stopped and looked deep into her eyes. “I want to strangle you one minute and the next I want to kiss you.” A small smile crossed his face as the moment was broken by her growling stomach. “Hungry?”

“No,” she said defiantly.

He released her arms and looked at her. She was such a proud, beautiful woman. “Well, then,” he replied as he strolled towards the table, “I guess I’ll just take this back to the galley.” He lifted a white linen napkin from a plate of food.

Madison’s mouth watered as the aroma of fresh fruit drifted through the room. The aroma of the fruit was soon drowned out by the fragrance of broth and chicken. The thought of chicken made Madison smile as she thought of Kris on her rampage. She was drawn to the tantalizing smells of the delicious bounty in front of her.

“What’s so funny?” Alex asked.

“Nothing.” Her stomach growled again.

Alex pulled a chair out from the table. “Sit. Eat.”

“I’m fine really.” Her lie was answered by her stomach growling again.

“You’re a horrible liar. Your growling stomach says differently. Now eat.”

With a frustrated breath, she plopped down in the chair. He pushed her chair up to the table and sat down across from her. She picked up her fork, picked up a piece of chicken and then placed it down again.

“What?” he asked.

“I can’t eat with you watching me. Besides, my stomach may be growling but I don’t have an appetite.”

“Why not?”

“It’s hard to eat across from the man who told you about three hours ago that he planned on taking advantage of you.”

“I did not.”

“Oh, really? I believe you said you always take what you want.”

Sorrowfully, Alex acknowledged, “Yes, I did say I take what I want, but I never said it was planned. It just happened.” He looked at her and saw the turmoil in her eyes. He stood up and knelt down beside her. “If I could take back what happened last night I would. I never planned on it to happen, but it did. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

She looked down at her plate and blinked rapidly trying to hide the hurt in her eyes. “You took something that didn’t belong to you. It was for my husband to take.” She picked up the fork and pushed the food around her plate.

“I know.” The thought of McClain having her turned his stomach. “But how was I supposed to know you were innocent of the way of men, especially after the way you touched me.”

“What?!” Her head shot up and she looked into his eyes, the surprise evident in her voice.

“You heard me. I’m definitely not innocent in the way of women. I’ve had more than I can count. But never have any of them touched me like you did.”

“How dare you insult me like that! Are you suggesting that I am like . . . like one of those women?”

“No, that’s not what I’m suggesting,” he said in defense of his words. “Why do you insist on twisting my words? I’m just saying the way you touched me, held me in your hands, it made me think you had experience in the ways a woman pleases a man.”

Her fingers tightened around the fork. Before she knew what she was doing, she picked up the fork and stabbed him in the leg. He let out a yell of surprise and grabbed her hand. He jerked the fork out of his thigh. “You shouldn’t have done that.”

She stood up quickly and walked to the far side of the table. “Why? You plan on insulting me again or taking something else from me? I never asked to be here. I never asked for any of this. Yet you act surprised when I defend myself while being attacked by your words?”

He stood up and rubbed his leg. “I ought to throw you in the brig.”

“Well, please do. At least there I won’t be around you!” she spat, her pride fueling her fury. “The hurtful things you do and say. You strutting around here shirtless like some heathen,” the tears flowed down her cheeks. “I won’t have to hear you insult Andrew or tarnish his good name. I . . .” She couldn’t say any more, her voice beginning to quiver.

“Tarnish Andrew’s
good
name? The only thing
good
about that man will be when I run my sword through him.” The reality of what was happening hit him. He had not planned on fighting. His apparent frustration about the situation began to leave. He took a slow breath. “Look, Angel.”

“Don’t call me that.”

“All right then . . . Madison, I didn’t come here to fight.”

“Well, you did a smashing job of not fighting.”

“Bloody hell. You see what I mean, frustrating. You have a great way of turning my words around. Look, all I was trying to do was say I’m sorry about what happened last night. I’m sorry if I hurt you. I never planned on it.”

The sincerity in his voice was apparent to Madison. She turned to look at him. His back was to her and he was walking towards the door. “Do you really mean it?”

He stopped. “Yes.”

“Thank you,” she replied quietly.

He turned towards her and nodded once. He watched her sit back down at the table. He walked back over to the table and sat down from across her as she began to eat. He poured her a glass of wine. There was an unsaid truce at that time. He looked around the room and noticed the draperies to the large window were open. He sauntered to the window and closed them. “Why did you do that? With the draperies closed it blocks the breeze.”

“I’ll open them again when you have finished eating.” She looked at him strangely. “If I leave the draperies open I’ll have to snuff the lantern, leaving you to eat in the dark.”

“I’ve been meaning to ask. Why are there no lights on the ship after sunset?”

“One lantern can be seen for miles away. If one is lit, it will reveal our location to others.”

“Oh.”

“Better eat up and enjoy this meal. Tomorrow will be a busy day.”

“Why?”

“We make port late tomorrow morning.”

Port! Oh how the thought excited her. She could hopefully escape. “I see,” she said calmly. “Well, then, I’d better hurry up, so we can get some rest.” She ate quickly, her thoughts plotting her escape, but not quite sure how to accomplish it. Her mind raced all night trying to come up with a plan. She drifted off to sleep as the clock struck midnight.

* * * *

The next afternoon
The
Abyss
was abuzz with activity. The crew was making ready to dock. Madison looked around the room, trying to decide what to do. She still had not conjured up a plan for escape. She wandered around the room. The ship pitched slightly to the left and the door to the cabin opened. Her eyes grew wide with excitement. Alex had forgotten to lock the door! She made her way out and up to the deck.

The crew up top was hustling around. Some were gathering in the lines and others were mending the sails. Her eyes scanned the ship looking for Alex. At first she didn’t see him, but then her eyes spotted him. He was clinging to the main mast with one arm while the other was doing something to one of the topsail halyards. She watched his shirtless body climb the mast as if he were walking. He moved with grace and ease over the ropes. His chiseled body reminded her of the Greek statue in her father’s office.

She watched him as he swung from one rope to another. Her heart stopped in her chest when the rope he was holding broke and he began falling to the deck. He grabbed hold of the rope beside it and held fast. He slid down a few feet before he stopped. “Damn it!” she heard him yell as he looked up. “James, I thought you said that line was secure!”

“It was, Capt’n. It must have grown weak,” replied the robust copper-haired man hanging above him.

“Madison, you shouldn’t be up here,” came Samuel’s voice from behind.

She turned and looked at him. “The door was open,” she informed him.

He took her hand and led her to the helm where Max was standing. “Wait here,” he said.

She looked at the tall tanned man beside her. He was clean shaven today. His strong square jaw looked so much like her father’s. That thought keep coming to her mind every time she saw him. He looked down at her. “You need something?” he asked in a deep voice.

“How old are you, Max?”

“Why?”

“Just making conversation.”

“Thirty-two,” he replied. “You?”

“Max, you should know you don’t ask a woman her age,” she teased. “I’m twenty. So how long have you been a pirate?”

“Almost ten years,” he answered.

“How did you two meet?”

He looked at her with agitation. “Is there a point to all these questions?”

“You don’t like me, do you?”

“No, I don’t”

“Why? What have I ever done to you? I didn’t even know you until about three weeks ago.”

He turned towards her, keeping one hand on the helm. “I know your type. You think you’re better than everyone else,” he said with bitterness in his voice. “You’re one of those elite rich people. You sit up on the hill, in your big fancy house, talking about being proper and helping the less fortunate souls of the world. But when it comes to actually helping those less fortunate, you snub your nose at them. Call them names to their faces, without regard to how you make them feel, or how the words will affect them later in life.”

She looked at him with concern in her eyes. “I’m not one of those people,” she said softly.

“No?”

“Have I wronged you in some other life? I think you can see I’m not like the ‘elite rich’ you’ve apparently had dealings with. I volunteer at the orphanage, or at least I did till I was kidnapped. My best friend back home is my biracial housekeeper and now your wife. I’m teaching Samuel to read, and risked my life to save Kris’s. Whatever dealings you’ve had with the other rich, you can see I am not like them.”

His dark eyes were hard to read. “Boredom,” he replied.

“Boredom?”

“Yes. You’re doing all those activities out of boredom.”

She looked at him and flailed her hands in frustration. “Honestly! What does Kris see in you? You set around all surly and mad at the world.”