He’d thought she’d won on a fluke last time. Not a fluke. She was a worthy opponent. She could win this.
But she wouldn’t.
Last time, he’d been exhausted from the battle before she showed up. This time, he would outlast her. No matter her skill, she didn’t have his muscle.
She would tire.
And he would claim victory.
Minutes dragged on and with each thrust he made, he sapped her of precious strength. Soon, her shoulders heaved and sweat dripped down her chest into the valley between her breasts.Don’t look.
Too late.
She sensed his distraction and switched her tactic, pressing forward with a thrust from down low. He slid to the side and her blade narrowly missed his thigh. She kept moving, forcing him to turn into the sun.
He squinted at where she had settled into a crouch near the mainmast. Her blade wavered for a split second and she stretched her arm. He grinned.
It wouldn’t be long now.
“Give it up, Red. You know how this ends.”
His men laughed. “Finish the wench off,” one of them shouted.
With a shake of her head, she tossed her braid over her shoulder and faced him. She wouldn’t give up. Respect flared as she tightened her grip on the hilt. She was going to rush him.
Valiant, but it would be her doom.
He would end this now.
Muscles coiled, he waited for her to move first. When she launched forward, he leaped to meet her. His fingers tightened around his hilt as he took in the determination in her eyes, the way her muscles bunched beneath the leather of her breeches. She flew at him like a warrior goddess.
He kept his sword tucked close to his side, ready to flick it out and capture hers. One of his favorite moves. She kept her blade aimed straight at his heart as she approached. Confident determination shone across her face.
Just before they met, he pushed off the deck with his left foot and extended his arm to disarm her.
But his boot slipped. And with no way to stop his momentum, he pitched forward.
Time slowed to a crawl as he tried and failed to catch himself. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he heard Isaac’s panicked shout, but Christian could only think one thing: He was going to die.
Red’s eyes went wide and he braced himself for the bite of steel while her blade continued its deadly plunge.
The bite never came.
Instead, she let out a strangled cry and did the impossible. In less time than he could blink, she twisted her wrist and released her grip—sending the sword flying.
With a clatter, the rapier bounced harmlessly at his side and she slammed into his chest. The impact sent them both reeling backward. She tried to pivot away, but he was already reacting.
His arm closed around her chest and he yanked her back to him. Before she could struggle, he jerked his sword up and pressed the blade to her neck.
Chapter Seven
Samantha went utterlystill, her pulse reverberating in rapid beats against the cool edge of the lieutenant’s blade. She blanched. What had happened?
She’d nearly killed him.
One second, she’d been ready to relinquish her rapier and pull the dagger from its sheath in her boot. Before he could recover, she would have spun behind him and had the deadly blade at his neck.
But the blasted man had slipped.
