She took a deep breath. Very well. She would thank the Black Dragon for his timely intervention, then learn to be more self-reliant in the future.
“Did you sleep last night?” His question broke the silence.
Christina’s gaze jumped up to his face. His gaze traveled the length of her body; his expression remained carefully blank.
She looked about for something—anything—with which to cover her bare legs. Her own clothes were in the adjoining room, and he lay on the only blanket in sight.
“Indeed. And you?” she returned nervously.
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Without a word, he rose and tore his coverlet from the bed. On slow footsteps, he approached. The combination of tenderness and concern in his eyes shocked Christina. Could it be the Black Dragon might be more than just the scourge of the seas?
He disappeared a moment later, coming to stand behind her, and draped the blanket over her shoulders. Christina clutched it to her breast thankfully.
“I’ll give you a minute alone.”
Nodding, she turned. Funny, the visage she’d always regarded as daunting now appeared gallant. “Thank you. For everything.”
He swallowed, looking as if he had something to say. But he remained silent.
A moment later, his hand rose to her shoulder. Christina felt the warmth of his fingers curl around her neck, sending little pinpoints of warmth and pleasure scattering about.
The Black Dragon nudged her closer. She went willingly. A moment later, she felt his lips gently brush hers.
“You’re welcome, princess,” he whispered, then left.
* * *
Later that afternoon, Christina stood beneath the baking summer sun, watching with mixed emotions as two sailors strapped Talbot to the mainmast.
Her attacker was stripped to the waist. The ample flesh of his middle hung over the waist of his breeches. His skin’s darkened tone almost disguised the faded scars criss-crossing his back.
Today, he’d get fresh marks. She shuddered.
Talbot turned an angry glare on her, then shouted at the captain, “I tell ye, the bitch deserved wot I gave her and more.”
“The same could be said of you,” the captain returned. His voice sent chills through her body, despite the overly-warm day.
Hancock approached the Black Dragon, whip in hand, then handed the coil of leather over. Revulsion turned her stomach.
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Talbot would have hurt her had the captain not rescued her. Still, she couldn’t celebrate this punishment.
“Wait,” she whispered as the captain raised the whip.
He lowered his arm and shot her an angry glare. “Damn it, he deserves this, Lilli. If I let him go, the others will believe they can behave like Talbot without consequence.”
She bit her lip, considering his words. “I know,” she said. And she did, even if she did not like it. “Must I watch?”
A muscle worked in the side of his jaw. “Maybe if you do, you’ll understand what happens when you step on deck without me.”
“But if you—”
“No more, Lilli. This is my ship.”
Without further hesitation, the captain raised his arm and lowered it with a snap. Talbot cried out. Christina looked away as a line of red oozed across his back.
He deserved his punishment. Christina knew it. But as usual, the captain wasn’t interested in any opinion but his own.
As the Black Dragon raised his arm again, she tore away from his side.
Christina heard him call her name as she ran the length of the poop deck. She didn’t dare stop.
Gasping for air, she ran in rhythm to the thud of her heart for her cabin and slammed the door behind her. True, the captain would find her soon enough, and she had no doubt he’d give her a full dose of his displeasure. Too bad. If he could do with his ship as he pleased, she would do the same with her eyes.
Christina sank down on her bunk, cheeks in her palms. Blast him, why did they always argue? Couldn’t they ever discuss anything but responsibility and truth? The man never listened to others. He always assumed she wanted his opinion and guidance. Just like Grandfather.
So why did all of her thoughts center around the boor? Yes, he possessed magnificent shoulders, and her remembrances of his backside were stimulating, indeed. But the man hardly ever smiled. She had only seen a grin
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crack his implacable expression once or twice. Did he even know how to have fun?
He wasn’t completely awful, though. The tenderness he’d displayed after saving her from Talbot’s attack had amazed her. She had never believed the captain capable of such gentle concern. And who had ever heard of a privateer who could read?
She sighed. The man was a paradox. He titillated and confused her, intrigued and annoyed her. And when they reached Grand Bahama, he would be gone from her life forever. She would miss the freedom of the wind in her hair, the sway of the ship rocking her to sleep. She feared, however, she would miss the captain most.
The sound of his door and footsteps in the adjoining cabin brought Christina out of her reverie. The captain had returned from Talbot’s whipping, and no doubt wanted a word with her.
She stood and smoothed the front of her dress. The click of his boots indicated that he approached the door. Perhaps she could distract him from his anger and indulge her desire for more of his kisses at once, persuade him to become her lover. Maybe then she would discover he was not nearly as fascinating as she fancied and would not lament their parting.
Maybe.
Christina inhaled deeply, her stomach aflutter, and waited for the Black Dragon to walk through her door.
* * *
Drex stood at the door separating him from his stowaway, hand perched on the latch, exhaustion turning his eyes gritty. He paused. How could he chastise her for running from the brutality of Talbot’s punishment? He would never have forced Chantal or any other gently-bred woman to watch such an event.
Although Lilli had more backbone, she was still a woman.
And therein lay his problem.
If he walked through her door, his anger wouldn’t confront her. He’d spent all of that on Talbot. No, frustrated desire and confusion would talk instead,
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and say God only knew what. He might yell. More likely he would strip her bare and make love to her.
She was trouble personified. But between her lies and half-truths, he’d formed dangerous feelings for her. He’d come to covet her. Why, he could not fathom. Lillianne went hand in hand with distraction. His brother needed him, damn it. His stiff cock could wait.
But he wanted her. Too much, too deeply to explain.
Lilli had gotten under his skin. Beneath his rhetoric, he feared that if he touched her, took her into his arms and into his bed, tasted her skin and her passion, that letting go two days hence when they reached Grand Bahama would tear out part of his heart.
Drex dropped his hand from the door’s latch and turned away with a sigh.
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Chapter Seven
From the deck of The Dragon’s Lair, Christina stared at the lush, green land of Grand Bahama soaking in the afternoon sun. Pristine white sand met water such a clear shade of blue-green, she saw the brightly colored fish swimming beneath the surface.
The island’s beauty was everything Aunt Mary had claimed in her letters, and freedom would be hers as soon as she found a way off the ship. So why hadn’t she demanded a row to shore?
Christina glanced over her shoulder at the Black Dragon barking orders at his crew. His shoulders appeared impossibly broad in a dark blue vest—with nothing beneath.
As if aware of her gaze, he turned in her direction and sent her a stare that singed her insides. She whipped her gaze back to shore, pretending interest in the swirl of afternoon activity.