He charged her.“I will silence that vicious tongue, woman!”
Backing against the chair, Gabrielle let out a squeal of terror as he grabbed her shoulders, heaved her up, and shoved her against the bulkhead.
Pain spiraled down her back.Her breath came fast.His wild furious eyes shifted between hers as the smell of his brandy and cologne filled her nose.
He glanced toward the bed, and for a moment she thought he’d force her onto it.
Memories came hard and fast, sending ice through her veins and terror through her heart.
A knock rapped on the door.“Cap’n?”
He pushed from her.“What is it?”Anger burned in his voice.
A pirate entered, water dripping from his trousers.“We lost theResolute.”
Marching across the cabin, Damien uttered a roar that would wake the dead.
Gabrielle dared not move.Neither did the pirate.
“Captain Hayes returned?”Damien finally asked.
“Aye.”
“Where stands she?”
“She still anchors in the harbor, Cap’n.”
Damien gripped the hilt of his rapier, staring out the stern windows, fury fuming off him in waves.Would he attempt another attack?Surely not with Cadan back on board.
“Raise all canvas to the wind.Set sail immediately!”He barked, then waved at Gabrielle.“And lock this woman in with her mulatto.”
Chapter 21
Leaping on the bulwarks, Cadan dove into the turquoise water.The liquid swept over his body, cooling the heat of battle, but not cooling his anger at Smity’s betrayal.Images and memories swamped him of the man’s words and movements of late, further infuriating Cadan.How had he been so blind?Lady Fox had been right all along.
He reached the boat within minutes.Grabbing one of the oars Smity was furiously slapping into the water, he shoved the handle into the traitor’s gut.Moaning, Smity slumped over, giving Cadan enough time to climb aboard and slam the hilt-end of his knife onto the cullion’s head, knocking him out.Then clutching both oars, he rowed back to theResolute,draped Smity over his shoulder, and climbed up the rope ladder.
Moses leaned over the railing to help him over the side, where Cadan tossed the unconscious man to the deck.Then grabbing a nearby bucket of slop, he poured it on him.
Smity coughed, gasped, shook his head, and finally opened his eyes.Terror streaked across them, terror and a fury Cadan had not seen before in the man.
“Moses, bring up the babe in the box and secure the boat.”
“Aye.”The large man leapt over the railing with more grace than one would expect from him.
Smity struggled to rise, rubbing the back of his head.Blood stained his hand.
The other pirates surrounded him, loathing twisting their expressions.A few spat on him.
“How much did he pay you?”Cadan asked, his soaked breeches dripping onto the deck.
Smity glanced over his fellow pirates, once his friends.His jaw tightened.“I don’t know what yer sayin’, Cap’n.”
“To spy on me!”Cadan barked, stepping toward the man.“To tell him about my trap.”
Smity’s bad eye drifted to the left as he rubbed the rippled skin on his face.The fear of only a moment before transformed into fury.“Ye ruined me life.Look at me!I’m a monster.No woman will come close t’ me.People run when they see me.All because o’ yer stupidity, yer foolishness.What do ye expect?Me t’ bow down an’ serve ye every day?”He spat onto the deck by Cadan’s feet.
Cadan swallowed, shocked at the flaming arrows of hatred firing from the man he’d considered his friend.And each arrow hit its mark, straight in Cadan’s heart.He plowed a hand through his wet hair.What a fool he’d been.He’d been blind to the man’s hatred and need for revenge.
