She ignored me and left, likely to enforce her harsh no more pirates rule.
With only the two of us left, I leaned in close to Bash, smelling him. It was too much of a city scent and nothing of the sea salt and liquor smell I preferred.
“Did you just smell me?” he asked.
“Mmhm,” I said. “We need to get you back on the Wraith.”
He chuckled, and I felt it deep in my chest.
God, I loved it when I made him laugh.
The doors opened, and for the first and hopefully only time, we stepped into London Society together.
Chapter twenty-six
The Pursuit of Power
Bash
The Mysterious Deep holds treasures of great good and greater evil—and a few best left to the dark.
— The Mysterious Deep: A Comprehensive Understanding
Iwas not made for decent society, though decent was a choice word. Most of the pirates I’d known were more decent than the vultures circling Rose and me, asking questions with polite interest while all the while judging everything around them. The chafing of it all was soothed by watching Rose shine.
This was her world. As much as the sea was mine. Her polite smiles, the way she tilted her head just so, blinking a few times. It was like a role she’d created for herself. Even thoughI preferred her untethered and unmasked, I didn’t regret seeing this side of her.
I bit back my amusement as she politely listened to a young man tell her about his sea creature hunting expedition. Claiming he’d helped bring down a fifteen-foot serpent in the Mediterranean. Rose parted her lips and made a small gasp as if it were thrilling.
At least the man’s ego wouldn’t be bruised knowing who he was actually speaking to.
Movement caught my eye, and I turned to see Edmonds standing with a glass of champagne, watching me.
I whispered a quick excuse to Rose, whose eyes flashed in subdued wrath. I’d make up for my abandonment of her later. However, this conversation had waited long enough.
Edmond’s smile was one of profound self-satisfaction as I approached him.
“Congratulations, Mr. Smith,” he said.
I scanned for prying ears, but Edmonds was nothing if not efficient. We were tucked toward the east side of the ballroom, a large window serving as our backdrop as moonlight poured in.
“Have your plans gone to your liking?” I asked.
Edmond nodded, watching the crowd.
“There have been a few pivots, but I would say thus far my expectations have been exceeded,” he said.
I reigned in my temper that was beginning to cloud my judgment. Watching Rose dance from one conversation to another, knowing this man had used her. Was using her.
“Why Rose?” I asked.
There were better questions, but if I was going to outplay him, I needed all the pieces. Underestimating him would be a fatal error. It wasn’t just winning that Edmond wanted. He loved the game.
“You know, your wife has a very interesting story to tell. She was born on a ship in the North Sea,” he said.
“I think what's more interesting is your reputation. You are a remarkably difficult man to find information on. In fact, before you joined the Navy at the age of twenty, you were practically invisible.”
Edmond’s too-blue eyes scanned the room, landing on Rose. The way he watched her made me almost forget my vow to be on my best behavior.
