Romancing the Pirate 01 - Blood and Treasure (28 page)

The cell door clanked closed and the lock engaged. Bennington dabbed his fingers to the bleeding prick on his neck, his jaw frenetically ticking.

Her victor grabbed Lianna by the waist, tugging her to him. She threw her arms around him, hugging him tight, and he buried his face in her hair. “I’ve told you once and I’ll say it again. You are mine. I won’t let you ever leave my side.”

“How sweet.” Acidity dripped in Bennington’s tone. He snatched the handkerchief his valet offered, pressing it to his wound.

“Sorry it has come to this, Commodore,” Zane said. “’Tis nothing personal.”

“Oh, but it is, Fox,” Bennington sneered. “And not to spoil this triumphant moment for you,” he continued sarcastically, “defeating me, saving the girl, and so forth. But you have neglected one very important thing.”

“Sadie,” Zane spat.

Surely it struck Zane like a blow to the stomach as it did Lianna.

“Your traitor has escaped with The Serpent.”

“True.” Zane feigned perplexity, though Lianna suspected him seething with umbrage. “Hmm. I wonder who’ll get to her first.”

“Excuse me.”

Everyone turned toward the doorway. A dapper young man holding a rolled document stood in the threshold. Zane grinned.

The guard on the floor at the fellow’s feet groaned again, startling him. Zane strode over, silencing him with a kick to his jaw. “Johnston. ’Tis good to see you again. Come in.” He swung his arm out in an invitation. “Commodore, you remember Terrence Johnston, Governor Abbott’s representative.”

“Of course.”

The surprised carrier timidly eased inside, scanning the wreckage, stepping over the dead soldier, before looking at the four men behind bars. “Commodore Bennington?”

“What is it?” Bennington snapped.

The carrier stifled a smile. “From Governor Abbott.” He handed him the scroll through the iron bars.

Bennington seized the paper, impatiently loosened the tie and unrolled it.

“It decrees that Captain Zane Fox has been under commission by a letter of marque as a privateer signed by the governor,” the messenger zestfully announced. “He is protected in Jamaica and her waters. Governor Abbott demands the immediate release of Captain Fox’s ship and any detained crew member thereof.”

“Son of a bitch.”

“A copy of this should just be reaching your men on my ship,” Zane boasted. “Now, if you’ll be so kind as to excuse us, we have a medallion to recover.” Zane smirked, grabbed Lianna’s hand, and pulled her out the door.

“You’re a dead man, Fox!” Bennington shouted. “Do you hear? Dead man!”

Tossing the keys into the bushes as they fled down the porch steps, Zane led Lianna into the night.

CHAPTER 15

Zane pulled Lianna into a back alley, pinning her to the wall. He crushed his lips to hers, sweeping his tongue inside her mouth. A need for him pooled in her like liquid fire. She had never imagined wanting someone like this before. And she would have never before consented to abandoning her independence for a man. Yet there she stood, intertwined in a white-hot heat with a peculiar rogue she had only known a little more than a week, trusting her life to him. She was either as crazy as a loon or crazy in love.

She cupped his face in her hands just as she pulled away to peer up at him. She swore he could render her helpless with those searing blue eyes should he want to. And that would be all right.

He took hold of her hands. “That was a very brave thing you did back there.” His voice oozed husky and deep, like rich molasses.

“Thank—”

Zane mashed her wrists together and tacked them over her head to the wall with one fisted hand. Confused, she frowned up at him.

“And very stupid.”

“What?” He was angry with her and that only ruffled her feathers. “How dare you chide me.”

He lashed out at her irrationally. “You need to get over your fancy idea of taking on the world, lass.”

“Me?” She couldn’t believe what she heard. She struggled against his grip. “What about the way you prance around like you own the whole damned Caribbean?” Lianna couldn’t read Zane’s expression in the dim light. But she sensed it. And it screamed deadly.

“I do own the whole damned Caribbean,” he snarled. “I take liberty, power, and pleasure and boast satiety aplenty. ’Tis all mine.” The corners of his mouth twitched. Hooking his finger in her bodice, he peered down her valley.

“You vainglorious rake.”

“Aye.” His heated gaze slowly met hers again. “And it doesn’t mean a thing without you, Lianna.”

He buried his lips into her neck, each smoldering kiss branding her. She let a moan escape. It frustrated her how his kisses just blew away her anger and doubt like ashes in the wind. She wanted to stay mad at him for his rebuke. But how could she when he followed up with a confession like that? Not to mention how he made her body feel so alive, so sensitive with his touch.

“You should’ve gotten on that boat,” he mumbled, his lips skimming her skin.

His breath in her ear sent sparks sputtering across her flesh and her nipples puckering into buds. She definitely could not concentrate. “Why?” she whispered. “To return to my oppressive, wasted existence? I know now I would never find what I want back in Nassau.”

“I did,” he said, lapping at her ear.

With his free hand, he lifted up Lianna’s skirt, working around the hindering fabrics. He rubbed the smooth skin of her leg around to her inner thigh. “I won’t let you go again.” He gently kicked at her feet to spread her legs wide for him.

Desire for him coiled tightly within her at his possessive words. Rolling her head to the side, she closed her eyes and breathed him in, filling her lungs with his unique salty scent. She was so terribly thirsty.

You’re giving into your desires. Keep your head.
“I’m not what you want, Zane. I’ve my own mind and I won’t change.”

He hummed along her collarbone. “Please don’t. I want you for exactly who you are.”

How can I keep my head when he says all the right things?

Zane pressed his hand to her already wet core, circling his finger on her nubbin, sending waves of blossoming pleasure flooding through her awakened body and distracted mind.

“What would you have me do?” Her breath caught as he slid a finger inside.

“Promise me that you will never deny me.”

Inserting another finger, he caressed her using his thumb to heighten her pleasure. She rose to her tiptoes to wriggle away, but he only deepened his strokes.

“I…I cannot…” She struggled to utter the words between her shallow pants. “I cannot give away my free will that I’ve only just reclaimed.”

“Your will is not what I want, Lianna. ’Tis your heart.”

She whimpered as he removed his hand. She opened her eyes and was startled to see him staring at her, his eyelids heavy with need. She held his regard, hoping to find something more than spontaneous lust, searching for a glimmer of truth in his words. Did he mirror her feelings, the same feelings that had been growing inside her since she first laid eyes upon him?

“Don’t toy with me, Zane.” Her pitch rang high. She was in no state to have her heart broken. This adventure with him had taught her to trust again. She had come too far to become careless with it now, especially in the throes of passion.

“Woman. I am through with games. I plan to give what I take, if you will have me.”

There, in his eyes, she saw it. Saw what she had been dreaming of. She must have said something because a devilish grin appeared across his magnificent face. He unlaced his trousers and she jumped as his tip rubbed her slick folds. He released her wrists above her, planting his hand on the wall. Claiming her mouth again, he pushed his way inside her.

His kiss brought her much needed relief because at that very moment she feared she would begin sobbing. This man was a gift from God. A dangerous, torturous man of honor and courage who reigned physically and mentally above all others. Powerful and hardened, yet he could be gentle and kind. He was everything Blade and Sadie said him to be plus more. And he had just given his love to her. Zane was better than any prince she could dream up. He was her king.

Throwing her head back, she tunneled her fingers through his long wayward hair, unwilling, unable to let him go.

He grabbed Lianna’s legs, lifting her, wrapping them around his waist. Digging his fingers into her hips, he prodded deeper and deeper into her. Her bare shoulders scraped against the rough wall with each thrust. The grating pain intensified her ecstasy, each pump scaling her higher and higher, her moans growing louder and louder. Locking her feet at his back, she cried out. Her body jerked, squeezing against him as the peak shattered through her.

Zane didn’t stop. Instead, he picked up his rhythm. Baring his teeth, he growled low, animalistic. The planes on his face hardened, his muscles bunched. He rammed her hard to her core, unraveling spasms of glorious pleasure, upon his own release. She could feel him throbbing inside of her, so incredibly intimate and binding.

“Lianna.” Her name was but a breathless whisper.

“I am yours forever,” she answered.

Putting her arms around him, hugging him, she embedded her face into his damp neck, praying he wouldn’t withdraw. Not yet.

Please, not yet.

*****

Blade’s grin spread from one ear to the other as he looked from Lianna to Zane when they sat down at the table in The Blue Peacock’s secret room. Zane returned the gesture with an eyebrow raised. He recognized that mischievous pucker. No fooling his mate. To Blade, ’twas glaringly obvious Zane managed to squeeze in a little love play in the middle of a deadly crisis. This was a jaunt usually masterfully manipulated by his friend. Blade’s nearly imperceptive nod awarded him his approval.

“So let me get this straight,” Lianna began. “You really
are
a privateer?”

“Yes,” Zane answered.

“Not a pirate?” Lianna seemed fascinated by this newfound discovery.

“Well, not exactly.” Zane and Blade shared a laugh.

Lianna forehead wrinkled in confusion. “What does that mean, not exactly?”

“Well, I am something of a chameleon. I am what you will see me as. Mariner, captain, traitor, stalwart, pirate, whatever. A man’s got to make his way. I am often commissioned by one governmental body or other to do the unscrupulous things that they, under the penalty of law or the heavy hand of King George, could not get away with.”

“Zane has not once failed any mission he has undertaken,” Blade said. “For that, he is highly sought after. Both for his skill and for his head.”

“Ah, but I couldn’t be such without a worthy partner.” Zane reached over and clapped Blade’s back. “And a strong crew, most of which came from other pirate ships.”

Blade bowed his head at his captain’s acknowledgment.

“And characteristically,” he continued, “my loyalty lies with the highest bidder.”

“May their pockets be deep!” Blade chimed.

“Hear! Hear!”

The men raised their cups high and drank their ale deep. Zane caught Lianna smiling. He winked at her as she raised her own cup. He had been antagonistic with her earlier in the alley. Maybe even angry. He was proud of the way she handled herself back at the jail. But he wouldn’t be able to keep her safe if she kept making reckless decisions. Still, he couldn’t deny her actions had led to their escape. She didn’t play the part of damsel in need of protection and she kept surprising him. His pride greatly suffered.

“Nice work, by the way, getting through to Abbott,” Zane said. “Are the men in place?”

Blade leaned back in his chair, throwing one boot on the table. “Aye. Henri has the
Rissa
anchored in the harbor and half the crew is strewn throughout the port.”

“Good. I trust Henri knows what to do if provoked.” Zane’s instructions were very clear. Simply put, show the colors and attack.

“He was pretty upset that he couldn’t join in the festivities here with us.” Blade put his cup to his lips and snickered before taking a sip. “I had to remind him of his injured leg. He argued until Willie got tired of listening to his carping. Willie snatched away his cane and popped him square on his wound with it.”

Zane wished he could have seen that. “Go on.”

“Word came fast. In fact, I’ve already got a line on Sadie, about ten minutes ago.” Blade tsked. “How ever did she slip through your hands, oh Great One?”

“The situation called for saving my bonny girl,” Zane replied definitively. He glanced at Lianna, still glowing from their tryst in the alley. She smiled and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Right then and there, he decided the only way to protect her was to keep her with him always. And he wanted nothing more than to scoop her up into his arms, take her to the nearest bed, and make love to her again and again. But that would have to wait. He had unfinished business to hunt down.

“Well, let’s have it. What about Sadie?”

“She tried to book passage with Bradley. When he refused her, ahem, advances, she stormed off his boat.” Blade’s smile made a mischievous curve. “He’s the only boat sailing in the morning, so if she’s looking to leave Jamaica now, she’ll have to ferry to Kingston. No one has crossed the harbor yet tonight since we’ve begun watch. My guess is she’ll try to get to Abbott.”

Zane nodded. “Meaning she’s probably snaking her way through the docks. We’ll have to be careful going after her. Bennington will ignore Abbott’s directive and attack us at will.”

Lianna scowled. “But he can’t do that. He would be violating a direct order.”

“His men may comply upon an edict,” Zane said, “but Bennington knows Abbott is blowing smoke up his arse. Abbott cannot get directly involved. ’Twould jeopardize his office as governor and weaken his position with the royal court. He was only buying us time.”

Blade swung his leg off the table. “We’d better get going.”

Zane looked at Lianna as she rose from her seat. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“With you.”

Had she not learned anything? The bland seriousness across his intrepid woman’s face answered that she had not. Zane shook his head. “Oh no you’re not.”

“Yes I am.” She stuck her chin out defiantly.