Pirate's Pleasure (Sentinels of Savannah)

by Lisa Kessler

  “Wow.” She cleared her throat, shaking her head as she struggled to stop staring at the antique pirate dagger. It had to be worth a fortune, and he kept it in an unlocked drawer. She lifted her gaze to his face. “This ship is beyond amazing. Drake is a fantastic craftsman.”

  “He’s actually the ship’s carpenter.” John scanned her face. “Colton owns the boat, and he’s also our quartermaster, and I’m the boatswain.”

  She could name every sail on the mast of the top deck, but she was hazy on the different titles for pirate crews. “You’re part of the crew that takes this boat out to sea?”

  John nodded. “We’ve got a pilot, navigator, master gunner, first gunner, cook, and our captain lives in Atlanta.”

  She supposed this explained the gold hoop in his ear. John apparently liked to play pirate on the weekends. She never would have pegged him for a cosplayer or a live action role-player, but whatever floated his boat. It wasn’t any of her business, anyway.

  And none of that answered her question. Was he distracting her on purpose? She leaned in closer, running her finger along the intricate carving on the handle of the dagger. “What does any of this have to do with the Holy Grail?”

  “The Sea Dog crew plundered the Holy Grail. It was their final conquest before the ship sank.”

  She raised a brow. “So, this government agent came to the new Sea Dog crew and asked if you guys have seen a cup laying around?”

  “Not exactly.” He chuckled, shaking his head. His smile warmed her all over. He tapped the ledger. “I own the original ledger for the Sea Dog.”

  Her eyes widened. “Seriously?” She stared at the worn leather-bound book. “Can I look at it?”

  “Be my guest.”

  She scooted closer to the desk and carefully opened the cover. Faded words written in flourished old-school calligraphy stained the front page.

  Provisions and Prizes of the Sea Dog

  Mr. Smyth, Boatswain

  Harmony blinked and looked up at him. “You have the same last name.”

  “Aye. Distant relative and my namesake.” His deep voice softened. “My crew helped Agent Bale recover the Grail, and then he asked for our assistance to find Pandora’s box. I had no idea the hunt would lead me right to you.”

  “Privateer Capital.” She tapped her fingertip on the page. “You’re related to a real pirate?” Her pulse suddenly raced like she just ran a marathon. “Wait. You believe in the myth of Pandora’s box? You think I’m really hiding a box stuffed with all the world’s evils?”

  He nodded slowly, not a trace of a smile on his face. “Aye.”

  And something in the way he sat behind the desk, his accent, everything about him flashed back in time, back to the days when stories were reality, when science was an infant and incapable of proving them wrong.

  And then it was gone again. She rubbed her eyes, resting back in her chair as she stared at the floor. “What if I had opened it?”

  “Ah, but ye didn’t. That’s all that matters, lass.”

  A weak smile curved her lips. “You’ve been on the pirate ship too long. You’re starting to sound like one.” She met his eyes, expecting at least a chuckle, but something else lined his features, something closer to loneliness, regret. She cleared her throat, changing the subject. “I tried to open it, even used a crowbar, but nothing worked. The lid won’t budge.”

  He shrugged. “Maybe Pandora emptied it long ago, or maybe only she could lift the lid.”

  Harmony blew out a pent-up breath. “You really do believe all this.”

  “Now you understand why it’s so important to keep the box locked away and safe.” He closed the ledger and tucked it back into the drawer along with the dagger. When he stood, he offered his hand. “Come with me.”

  She took it with a skeptical smile. “More surprises?”

  He pulled her up from her chair, his body so close to hers she could hardly breathe. His gaze locked on hers, and desire smoldered as he murmured, “Just because I appreciate safe bets with my money doesn’t mean I’m an open book.”

  “So I’m learning.” She surrendered to her yearning to touch him, to close the distance between them. His chest was firm under her hand, chiseled, but not bulky like a bodybuilder. In all the years she’d known him, John had always been the conservative, uptight businessman. She enjoyed pushing against his professional boundaries and butting heads. He was way too handsome for his own good, but she’d never viewed him in any other light than an employer, not really as a man.

  However, the more time they spent together, she discovered new sides of him she never imagined existed. From his offer to fund the Digi Robins’ software upgrade, to hiring his woodworker friend to make a replica of the box, hiding her from a government agent, and then there was that kiss.

  During the past twenty-four hours, she was quickly discovering she hadn’t known her boss as thoroughly as she thought she did. In fact, this wild side made it easy to forget professional boundaries.

  She stared up into his eyes, struggling to remind herself this was also a man who had money. Women threw themselves at him, but being “kept” didn’t appeal to her. Her appetite for adventure and drive for financial security were insatiable, and both desires stemmed from a need to do it on her own, not to rely on anyone else to provide it. The only person she could count on was herself.

  Already, John had swooped in to solve the Digi Robins’ software issue. How long would it take before she lost her edge? Before it became easier to ask him for help instead of being self-reliant?

  Not happening.

  She patted his sexy chest and took a step back. “Actually, it’s past my bedtime, can I take a raincheck?”

  He caught her hand and brought it up to his lips. Old-school, but somehow John made it sexy. “I enjoy your company more than I should.”

  His admission made pulling away even tougher. Watching his lips caress her fingers had her entire body aching for their attention until she ran her other hand up his back, her voice barely a whisper. “For what it’s worth, I don’t want to go anywhere.”

  “Then don’t.” His lips claimed hers, his strong arms embracing her tight. The moment her breasts pressed against his chest, heat blossomed low in her belly, her body yearning for much more than just a kiss. Their tongues twined together, her fingers tangling in the back of his hair. Without breaking the kiss, he walked her back until she rested against the wall, their hips matching the rocking of the boat. She’d never had sex on a ship, but every part of her hoped that was about to change.

  His hand gripped her ass, keeping her as close as their clothing would allow. Her phone rang, burning through the fog of lust. She broke the kiss, her gaze locked on his as she took out her phone. The Savannah Police Department lit up the screen.

  She’d forgotten she ever called them. “I need to take this.”

  John backed away, raking his hair back from his forehead as he moved to the other side of the tiny office, pacing like a panther stalking his prey.

  “This is Harmony.”

  “Ms. Andrews, this is Detective Harris. There is no sign of forced entry to your apartment, but there are some damages. The suspects are gone, but I’d like you to meet me here to identify if any property is missing.”

  She sighed, all her attention on her sexy dark-haired partner. She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Sure. I’ll be right over.”

  She ended the call, staring at John. “I called the police earlier, hoping they’d catch your agent friend in my apartment without a search warrant, but I guess they tossed the place and got out.” She blinked and shook her head. “Unless the police are working with the government. It could be a trap.”

  John shook his head. “Most of the government, including local law enforcement, has no idea Department 13 exists. Agent Bale wouldn’t risk that. Besides, he gave us twenty-four hours to return the box. He knows he won’t get it if you’re behind bars.”

  Her pulse dipped back into a steady rhythm. �
�I better get home, then.”

  “I’ll drive you back to your car.” He took her hand, leading her back up the stairs to the top deck. She stopped for a second, and he turned back. “Are you all right?”

  “Yeah.” She stared up at the Sea Dog’s bound-up sails, aching to unfurl them. “Just wanted one last look up the mast. I bet she flies through the waves.”

  “Aye.” John smiled, a spark in his dark eyes. “You miss the open water.”

  She nodded slowly. “In more ways than you know.”

  …

  When Harmony approached her apartment, fatigue weighed heavily on her shoulders. She gave her name to the officer at her door, and Detective Harris introduced herself. “Harmony Andrews?”

  “Yes.” She glanced at the woman with her hair in a no-nonsense bun. The detective was about Harmony’s height, wearing dark slacks and a thick leather belt with a taser on one side and a gun on the other.

  Detective Harris took out a notepad, and Harmony answered questions as she scanned the front room. The asshole had dumped everything. Broken glass, overturned furniture, and papers covered the beige carpet.

  She interrupted the detective. “Can I check my office?”

  “Sure. I’m going to need an itemized list of your missing property, too.”

  Harmony nodded as she strode down the hallway, her heart thumping in her ears. When she turned the corner, her stomach twisted. Her desktop computer was gone, and the bag with her laptop lay empty on the floor.

  He had her computers. Damn it.

  She sighed and glanced at the detective. “Can I get you the list tomorrow? I’m exhausted and barely keeping it together right now. I’ve got to sort through everything first, anyway.”

  Detective Harris nodded and took out a business card. “Call me when you’re ready.”

  Harmony waited for the police to leave before righting her office chair. Her mind raced with the implications of the federal agent from Department 13 having her computer. John had hustled her out of her apartment so fast, she’d been careless. Both her computers were password protected, but any good hacker would be able to get through.

  The passwords to the dark web and Digi Robins sites were encrypted using all types of keyboard characters and access codes. Even a government agent would need a few days to break through. That would give them time to shore up security on their end.

  John’s capital would help.

  She sent an encrypted text to Tuck to let him know about the potential breach, and then leaned back in her chair. Now that the police were gone, Bale could circle back. John didn’t think he would, but she had her doubts.

  At this point, she was almost too exhausted to care.

  Where could she go? No way she could trust herself to call John. It took what little self-control she had left to walk away from him on the ship. Being under the same roof with a bedroom nearby would only lead to more entanglements she didn’t need right now.

  Tuck was out. She didn’t even know his real name. That meant there was only… No. There had to be someone else. She didn’t want to get her brother involved in any of this.

  But there was no one. A drawback from being so focused on her career meant she’d isolated herself from the rest of the world. She’d gone out for drinks with her coworkers before, but no one she could call at 2 a.m. to crash on their couch.

  Three rings and it went to voicemail. “It’s Max. You know what to do.”

  After the beep, she said, “Hey Max, it’s Harmony. Wondered if I could crash on your couch tonight. Call me back.”

  Her call waiting was already ringing. She pressed accept, and her brother’s deep voice groaned. “Harmony? You okay?”

  “Hey bro. Sorry it’s so late. Someone broke into my place, and it’s a mess. I was hoping I could stay with you tonight until I get a new lock on the door.”

  “Damn. Seriously? Course you can crash here.” He sounded wide awake now. “Need me to come pick you up? Are you all right?”

  Her “little” brother now stood about five foot eleven, almost ten inches taller than her, and was just starting his senior year at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Max had a gift for 3D animation and had already landed an internship at Pixar for after graduation.

  He had plenty on his plate without his big sister’s life imploding.

  “I’m fine, Max. I wasn’t even home when it happened.” She stared at the empty spot where her computer used to be. “I’m just going to grab a few things and I’ll be over. Is the spare key still under the front fender of your Prius?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Good. Go back to sleep, I know how to find your couch.”

  “Yeah, right.” He chuffed. “You’re sure you’re okay?”

  “Yeah.” A smile curved her lips. It was nice to know someone out there cared about her. “Get to bed. You have school in the morning.”

  “See you soon.”

  She ended the call and grabbed a tote bag. After stuffing it with a change of clothes and some toiletries, she yanked her phone charger from the wall socket. At least Agent Bale left her that.

  He wasn’t a total dickhead.

  The drive to Max’s place was a blur. Her brother lived near the college in an apartment complex that bordered Colonial Park Cemetery, so the neighbors were…eerily quiet. Savannah had a reputation for her haunts, but being this close to the burial grounds of the city’s founding ancestors dating back to the 1700s gave Harmony the willies.

  She carried her bag up to his door on the second floor. Before she could slide her key into the lock, it opened. Max’s hair was mussed to one side, and he wore his favorite gray sweatpants with Thar be Pirates printed down one leg. God, he was a sight for sore, exhausted eyes. She wrapped him up in a tight hug.

  He walked her back inside the apartment and closed the door, engaging the deadbolt.

  She finally stepped back, shaking her head. “You’re supposed to be sleeping. You have school tomorrow.”

  “My first class isn’t until 11:30.” He went into his tiny kitchenette. “Sit down and tell me what’s up with you. Did you sell stocks to the mob or something?”

  “Ha! I like long shots, but I do try to keep them legal.” Except for her side interest in valuable antiquities to fund her dark web group, but she kept that part to herself. The less Max knew, the better.

  She didn’t notice it at first, but the pungent aroma of cinnamon and cloves teased her nostrils. He made masala chai. Good thing he was in the other room, or she might’ve cried.

  Harmony’s grandparents had been first-generation immigrants from India, but their daughter was born and raised in Texas, so while Harmony’s grandparents tried to ingrain tradition into their daughter, Harmony’s mom had pushed back and married a Texan cowboy, and that was just the beginning.

  Eventually Harmony’s grandparents grew to love her father, even though he ended up moving their daughter and grandchildren to Savannah for work. Her grandmother was the polar opposite of Harmony’s mom, nurturing and a great listener. She’d make masala chai, sit them down, and then coax them to share their hopes and dreams.

  After Grandma passed away, the tea became a warm reminder of her.

  Max came back with two steaming mugs. “So…spill.”

  Her brother was tall and gangly, but he had their mother’s big dark eyes and long thick lashes. Harmony was probably biased, but any twenty-something in Georgia would be lucky to date him.

  She peered at his bedroom door and back to her brother. “I wasn’t interrupting anything?”

  He chuckled. “If I ever got to see you, I could’ve told you April and I broke up.”

  “Oh shit. I’m sorry.” Her smile faded. “Are you okay?”

  “I was pissed and hurt for a couple weeks, but I’m good now.”

  Her chest constricted with regret. Between her full-time job and her obsession with the Digi Robins’ mission, she’d lost touch with her only sibling, and they lived in the same city. This was the part of her m
other she’d sworn she’d never be. “Sorry, I’ve been really busy.”

  “I know. I wasn’t trying to lay a guilt trip on you.” He took a sip of tea and raised a dark brow. “Brilliant effort to change the subject, though. Bonus points.”

  “Damn it.” She chuckled, lifting her mug. “I’m losing my touch.”

  They talked about everything and nothing until the sky was lightening outside the windows. She was beyond tired, but chatting with her brother had been more than worth it. Seeing him healthy and chasing his dreams invigorated her commitment to help more people do the same. No one would ever guess he’d almost died a few years ago.

  She laid her head on the pillow as her phone buzzed. Picking it up, she frowned. An encrypted text from Tuck glowed on the screen.

  Someone’s watching my place. If you don’t unload the box today, I will.

  Damn it. So much for sleep.

  Chapter Eight

  Bale woke up before the sun and called Brenda first thing. Her life was her job. He loved that about her. During the past ten years, she’d become his right hand in the home office in D.C. He’d snagged her from Quantico when she’d been written up for her habit of calling in psychics and considering angles on crime scenes that her superiors deemed supernatural.

  She’d taken to the oddities of Department 13 without any hesitation, and his trust in her abilities was implicit.

  “Brenda, it’s Bale.”

  “Good morning, sir.” Commotion came through the connection, and she raised her voice. “We have the computers, but there’s an issue of chain of command.”

  “Give them to King. Tell Bryce it’s no slight on him, but I need to crack into the Digi Robins board ASAP. I don’t have time to fight about seniority.”

  “Will do, sir.” She paused. “Is that why you called?”

  “No.” He took a swig of his black coffee. “I need transport at the ready. I’m going to have the missing box in the next twenty-four hours one way or another, and this time I want it to go directly from my hands to the vault in D.C.”