“Good. We’d best get back before Hook starts to look for you.”
I ignore the knowing look she gives me and walk around to the back garden.
“There you are.” Hook is waiting, and I have absolutely zero illusions about him not knowing exactly where we were.
“Captain.” Tiger Lily gives him a slight bow.
“Tiger Lily. Nice to see you again, on better terms this time.” He bows in return.
I can feel the tension in Shiner and the others rising by the second.
“The terms are yet to be decided.” Her tone is polite but edged with steel.
“True.” He nods. “All the same, I’m glad you’re here and not actively trying to kill me, at least for the moment.”
“For the moment.” She nods.
Cookson whistles sharply, and several pirates head over to him, each of them grabbing platters and trays of meat and vegetables. They carry them inside.
I startle for a moment when I see another familiar face. “The frat boy. The hot dog jerk was a pirate?” I gawk at him as he carries what looks like an entire roasted boar on one shoulder. “Still serving up pork, I see,” I mutter under my breath. Who else did Hook plant to keep an eye on me? He played it so cool when he saw Peter on the quad. That little dickwad. I bet he ran back to Hook the second I was out of his sight. I need to give Hook hell for sending spies after me, but I suppose it’s better than straight up kidnapping me like Peter did. Now when I think about him, I feel like my memories are coated in a grimy residue. He piled so many lies onto me that I didn’t know which way was up. I’m still trapped in all sorts of deceit—from Peter and Hook—but at least with Hook I feel safe. Which is probably exceptionally dumb, even for me.
“You all right?” Widow asks.
I didn’t realize she was waiting at my elbow. “Yeah. I’m good. Just hungry.”
Once all the dishes are inside, Hook motions for Tiger Lily to lead the way. “Princess, after you.”
Bunk offers her his arm. She takes it, and they walk into the house toward the dining room. Starkey, fresh off carrying a tray of roasted potatoes, comes to Widow’s side. “Shall we, my beautiful piratess?”
“That’s not a word, Starkey.” She rolls her eyes but allows him to escort her inside.
Hook is still standing in the same spot, his eyes on me. “Come, lass. If you’re as hungry as I am—and I know you are—you’ll be wanting to eat your fill.”
I don’t miss the heated tone and the lascivious implication, but I choose to ignore it. Hook truly has a sailor’s grasp of filth.
I take his proffered arm and walk with him into the dining room.
Tiger Lily has already chosen a seat at the head of the table on the opposite end. Bunk is on her right, Shiner on her left, and the others beside them. She’s protected and has her back to the wall so nothing can surprise her from that direction. I wouldn’t have noticed any of this if it weren’t for Widow. She’s always calculating a few steps ahead when we’re sparring and in life in general. I’m picking up some of her habits, which is a good thing.
Cookson fusses over the serving dishes, using a white cloth to wipe the edges where bits of broth have spilled over or a sauce dripped. The pirates pick a chair, all of them doing their best to seem polite and pleasant. So much so that Bill Jukes has a decidedly terrifying smile on his face, and Smee his usual pinched one. Skylights is the only one who seems remotely comfortable as he makes small talk with Cobweb.
“Thank you, Cookson and Nessie, for this feast.” Hook leads me to the seat beside his. “It looks and smells amazing. I hope our friends enjoy it and take it as a sign of our shared interests.” He takes his glass and raises it toward Tiger Lily.
The pirates follow suit, though Alf Mason (nee Corey Glavin) fumbles his glass and almost drops it. A scowl from Cookson gets him back in line.
“To friends.” Hook tilts his glass to Tiger Lily.
She mirrors the movement, and they both drink. A silent sigh of relief seems to envelop the room as everyone downs the wine, the grapes tart on my tongue.
Once Tiger Lily sits, to my surprise, Hook pulls my chair out for me. Smee makes a strangled sound as I sit. Then Hook takes my napkin and lays it across my lap for me. Smee is bright red now. I shouldn’t do what I’m about to do. But this is too good. Payback for Smee scaring the hell out of me in my room a few nights ago.
I look up at Hook. “Thank you,James. That’s very kind of you.”
The pirates pause, all eyes on me. Only a few of them call him James, and most of the time it’s ‘Captain’.
Hook’s eyes widen in brief surprise before his smirk is back. Then he leans down and kisses me rough on the lips, like he’s starving for me, like he didn’t just devour me upstairs. Now I’m the one making a strangled noise. I didn’t see this coming. And I certainly didn’t see him swiping his tongue against my lips to deepen the kiss while everyone at the table watches.
I clutch his shirt in my fists as he grabs my hair and pulls, harder and harder, silently telling me I’m going to open my mouth and let him in because that’s what we both want. He’s right. I open for him, and he relaxes his grip as he delves inside, his tongue wicked and wanton, carrying the tart taste of the wine. I tease my tongue against his, sharing his desire, and he angles my head to the left, taking over and showing me what he wants. I give it to him, my body willing even though I know everyone’s watching. Hook has a way of doing that, of consuming my focus until he’s all I can see, think, breathe.
