He straightens. “I only came to check on you. I would’ve come sooner, but Blackbeard was being a right twat about it because of Huran.”
“I’d rather you didn’t come at all.” I try to coat the words with venom.
“That so?” He only smirks.
“Are you slow? That was aninsult.”
“Aye, lass. I know you were certainlytryingto insult me. But that’s neither here nor there. I only came to check on you. And to tell you one thing.” He steps toward me.
I shrink against the shutter despite myself. I want to be tough, but it’s hard when a pirate captain who’s twice your size and has no qualms about killing your friends is coming after you.
He puts one hand against the wall beside my head and leans forward.
I hold my breath and fist my hands, ready to do my worst if he tries to hurt me.
Again, he glances at my lips.
A puff of breath escapes me, and I suck it back in.
“Stay here during the meeting, lass. Don’t leave this room no matter what you hear.”
“What will I hear?”
He makes ahmmnoise. “Pirates aren’t exactly amenable to reason.”
“I’m aware.” I glare at him, my spine returning.
He breezes past my implication with ease. “Which means even a calm dinner could turn ugly. I don’t plan on that happening, but I don’t plan against it, either.”
“That doesn’t even make sense.”
“You understood me, lass.” He moves even closer, our bodies almost touching. “Do what I say and stay put. Lock the door when I leave. Don’t let anyone else in here unless it’s me or Huran.”
“You don’t get to tell me what to do.” I try to keep my voice from shaking but fail. Still, I continue, “I don’t care what sick plan you have for me. You aren’t mycaptain, and I don’t have to listen to you. Now if you would kindly fuck off, I’d appreciate it.”
His smirk is back, but this time it does things to me. Bad things. Things I’ll never admit. Why is he like this?
“We’ll see.” He grips my wrist and pulls my fist up, then he brings it to his mouth.
“Hey!” I try to wrench it away, but he’s far stronger, and he grips my other wrist to hold me in place. He bites my thumb knuckle. Not hard, not enough to hurt. But he doesn’t have to hurt me physically to make me shudder. His lips against my skin, the feel of his teeth—they do that just fine on their own, no pain necessary.
He drags his lips across the knuckle then lowers my hand. “You have to pull your thumb out of the fist, lass. If you hit a man with it tucked inside your fingers, you could break it.” He releases my other hand and pulls my thumb free, then places it along the outside of my fist. “Like this. Hit a man square on the jaw, and you might have a chance to knock him flat, but I’ll warn you, it’ll hurt if you do it right.”
My traitorous tongue darts to my lips.
He follows the movement, his pupils widening. “In fact, there’s plenty that can hurt when you do it right.”
“Thanks for the lesson.” I want to murder my breathy voice. “Now please fuck off.”
He backs up a step. “Effective cussing is a lesson for another day.” Turning on his heel, he strides toward the door.
Did … did he just imply I’m not creative withwords?
“I’ll have you know I could cuss circles around anyone.” What the hell am I saying? No, I certainly can’t. He’s asailor, for heaven’s sake.
“We’ll see,” he says with the smug, infuriating tone. “After the meeting.” He closes the door behind him, but I don’t hear him walk away.
I creep over to the door and listen.
