by Alyssa Drake
His wrinkled face crumpled, tears leaking from his eyes. “Do you not trust your father?”
Alana flung her arms around his neck, squeezing him fiercely. He wept on her shoulder, his frail body shaking. “I do, but…” Her eyes jumped to Aidan, begging for assistance.
“Alana has decided to remarry, Da.” Aidan placed his hand on his father’s shoulder. “She will return with a husband.”
“Have you?” Pushing away, their father extracted a handkerchief, mopping his face. He tucked it carefully back into his pocket before lifting his gaze to Alana, the burning blue fire in his eyes dying. “Perhaps you will give us grandchildren this time; Noreen always wanted grandchildren.”
The coach slowed, the driver pulling back on the reins. When the coach stopped, the driver opened the door, assisting Alana as she climbed from the cabin. Aidan followed, turning to help his father from the coach. His father slapped his hands away, grumbling he was more than capable of climbing from a coach.
Snickering, Alana turned, her eyes searching the docks for the red shock of Patrick’s hair. Like her and their father, Patrick had inherited the vibrant Flannery characteristic, quite the opposite of Aidan, whose dark hair took after their mother. The only shared trait between them was their brilliant blue eyes.
“Patrick!” Alana waved her hand, jumping up and down. “Patrick!” Running through the crowd, Alana launched herself at her brother, tackling him. His large hands closed around her waist, swinging her in a circle, a smile cracking his lips. Setting her back on her feet, he drooped a heavy arm over her shoulders, leaning his weight on her. “A pleasure to see you again too.”
Grunting, Alana shoved him off. “We brought Da,” she murmured, indicating the coach with a jerk of her head.
“How is he?”
“Better, worse, the same.”
“I see.” Heaving a giant sack over his shoulder, he lumbered down the docks toward the coach.
“Da!” Patrick called out, a forced happiness in his tone. Their father lifted his head, searching the crowed docks for the familiar sound. Spying Patrick pushing his way through the throng, his eyes popped open wide. With a whoop, their father dashed toward them, Aidan trailing after. Enveloping him in a bone-crushing embrace, Patrick’s free arm snaked out, wrapping around Aidan, drawing him in too. “Hello, little brother.”
“Patrick.” Aidan extracted himself from his brother’s heavy arm. “We have a schedule to keep.”
Patrick glanced at Alana, muttering loudly, “When did he become so proper?”
“Right after Ma died,” snarled Aidan over his shoulder. He stomped back to the coach, yanking Alana’s trunk from the rear and slamming it to the ground.
“You got something you want to discuss with me.” Patrick’s face darkening, he stepped to Aidan.
“I have a lot that needs to be discussed.” Aidan’s eyes narrowed, he leaned in, refusing to back away from Patrick. Perhaps she ought to rethink her trip; Patrick and Aidan would kill each other long before Mr. Morris managed.
“Boys.” Their father hobbled between them, his stern gaze bouncing between the two. “There is no need for this hostility. Noreen doesn’t like hearing her sons fight, and I think it’s been much too long to continue this disagreement.”
“Disagreement?” exploded Aidan. “He abandoned the family.” Aidan slashed his arm at Patrick.
“I had a job.”
“Which you do not need…”
“I happen to enjoy the sound of the ocean.”
“I gave up everything, Patrick.”
“I told you to hire a guardian.”
“Why, so I could be as happy as you?”
“I am happy.”
“You ran away.”
The sound of flesh on flesh echoed. Alana gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. Aidan staggered backward, blood dripping from his nose. With a snarl, Aidan flung himself forward, crashing into Patrick, knocking him to the ground.
“Stop!” Alana yelled, watching helplessly as they rolled across the filthy ground. A small crowd was beginning to gather around them. She glanced behind her at their father, who perched on her trunk, an amused smile on his face. She flung her hands up. “Da! Do something.”
“What can I do?” He grinned, tilting his head. “One does not interrupt two dogs when they are fighting. Let them get this out.”
“Ma would be embarrassed.” She appealed to his sentimental side.
“Then it is a good thing your mother is not here to witness this.”
Alana growled. Of course, he would be lucid for this particular incident. Marching over to them, Alana leaned forward, grabbing ahold of Patrick’s ear, which she wrenched until he cried out. Before Aidan could swing, Alana grabbed his ear as well, dragging them both to their feet. They bent at the waist, craning their heads toward her, twin expressions of agony on their faces. The crowd around her clapped as she hauled them back to the coach, flinging them at the side.
“You should be ashamed,” she muttered, her eyes darting between them. “A public spectacle of your private disagreement.” She shook her head, lowering her voice. “I expect the two of you to end this absurdity, right now.”
“He started it,” murmured Aidan, staring at the ground. He hit Patrick with his elbow, digging it into his ribs. Patrick shoved him in return.
“Aidan! Patrick!” They froze under her hissed chastisement. “I am leaving tonight, for America, per Aidan’s suggestion.”
“You agreed.”
Alana placed her finger over his mouth. “Yes, I agreed. However, after this childish display of manners, I am concerned leaving the two of you unchaperoned might result in the death of one of my brothers.” She raised her arms, cupping each of their cheeks. “Aidan, can you not see Patrick was grieving and did not know how to cope with that loss? Patrick”—she cut off Aidan’s retort—“can you not see Aidan felt abandoned, left to deal with everything that should have been the older brother’s responsibility while he was suffering the same loss?”
They both stared at each other, processing Alana’s comment. Slowly, they leaned forward, embracing. “I am sorry, brother.”
“As am I.” Aidan released him, turning to Alana. “When did you become so intelligent?”
“I have always been so.” Offering him a giant smile, she looped her arm through her father’s, lifting him from the trunk. “Will you carry my trunk to the dock?”
“Before you leave, I have something.” Patrick collected his bag from the ground. Untying the rope, he dug into the bag, extracting a small bag, tossing it to Alana. Peeling open the top, she giggled, glancing up at him with glee. “Washed ashore a couple of weeks ago. They’re too small for someone of my size, so I figured…”
“Thank you.” Alana rose up on her toes, planting a kiss on the side of his bearded cheek.
“It’s nothing to get emotional about.” He reddened. “It’s just a bag of clothing. At least, it should deter you from borrowing mine.”
Glancing down at her trunk, Alana blushed. “Does that mean you’d like me to return the ones I already took?”
Patrick laughed, the deep booming sound reverberating through Alana’s bones. She would miss that sound. She prayed when she returned from America, he would extend his trip. She never had enough time with him. “Keep them. Return them to me the next time we meet.”
Unlatching her trunk, Alana dropped the sack of clothes on top and relocked it, hanging the key from a chain around her neck. She walked toward the docks, her arm threaded through her father’s. He mumbled quietly, telling her how much he’d miss her and wishing her luck in finding a sturdy husband. She patted his hand. “I shall write you every week, Da.”
Her father grabbed her wrist, squeezing tightly. “Noreen had a terrible dream.”
Sighing, Alana glanced back, catching Aidan’s eye. With a grimace, he set her trunk end-up next to the quartermaster, speaking with the man regarding Alana’s accommodations. “What did she say?”
&nbs
p; “Do not go to America.” The hand holding her arm shook fiercely. “She is worried for you.”
Alana leaned forward, embracing him, and placed a light kiss on her forehead. “I promise to be safe.”
“What about sharks?”
“I don’t plan to go swimming.”
“Storms?”
“At least there will be no sharks.” Alana smiled, releasing her father. Turning around, she hugged Patrick and Aidan simultaneously.
“Pirates?”
“Pirates should be terrified of her,” replied Aidan with a smirk. Giving Alana a light shove up the ramp, he waited on the dock as she walked slowly up the gangplank. Spinning at the top, she offered them a small wave before vanishing into the bowels of the ship.
She never reached America.
* * *
The End
* * *
An Imperfect Scoundrel – Are you ready to set sail?
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling Author Alyssa Drake has been creating stories since she could hold a crayon, preferring to construct her own bedtime tales instead of reading the titles in her bookshelves. A multi-genre author, Alyssa currently writes Historical romance, Paranormal romance, Contemporary romance and Cozy mystery. She thoroughly enjoys strong heroines and often laughs aloud when imagining conversations between her characters.
She believes everyone is motivated by love of someone or something. One of her favorite diversions is fabricating stories about strangers surrounding her on public transportation. When she’s not whipping up chocolate treats in the kitchen, Alyssa can often be found madly scribbling notes on a train or daydreaming out the window as the scenery whips past.
Read More from Alyssa Drake
http://www.alyssadrakenovels.com
A LADY’S BARGAIN
Published as part of Pirates: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology
AVALISSE ROSS MYSTERIES
* * *
VIRTUALLY YOURS (book 1)
* * *
ETERNALLY YOURS (book 2)
Published as part of Prophecy of Magic
DAMSELS DEFEATING DISTRESS
FORTRESS OF DESIRE
* * *
HARBOR OF SECRETS
* * *
SHELTER OF INNOCENCE
Published as part of With Love from Dublin
DARK TALES FROM FIREFLY ISLAND
AFFLICTED
* * *
DEVOURED
* * *
ELECTRIFIED
Published as part of Mischief Night
* * *
PETRIFIED
Published as part of Prophecy Fulfilled
* * *
SCORCHED
PARANORMAL TALES FROM FIREFLY ISLAND
CONJURED
* * *
CURSED
* * *
DAMNED
Published as part of With Love from New Orleans
* * *
HEXED
* * *
POSSESSED
* * *
SUMMONED
Published as part of With Love from London
THE WILTSHIRE CHRONICLES
A PERFECT PLAN
(Book One)
* * *
AN IMPERFECT ENGAGEMENT
(Book Two)
* * *
A PERFECT DECEPTION
(Book Three)
* * *
AN IMPERFECT SCOUNDREL
(Book Four)
Published as part of Once Upon a Pirate
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