Alexandra Benedict - [Too]

by Too Dangerous to Desire

  Adam wiped the dampness from her cheeks with the pads of his thumbs.

  Why did his touch bring her such comfort? Ella’s letters had been so grisly. A man’s touch was supposed to be foul…but Adam’s was not.

  She took in a shaky breath and swallowed the last of her tears. “Vadik mistreated Ella in a very vile way. But Ella still protected me; she informed me of his character and warned me to avoid him should anything happen to her.”

  “And something did happen?”

  “Her last letter was a good-bye; she feared for her life. She mailed me her half of the heart and counseled me to be brave, to run away if I had to. But I was to stay away from him at all cost.”

  “What does Vadik want with you?”

  The crashing surf below matched the flurry of thoughts in her head. “He wants me to replace his late wife.”

  Adam’s jaw hardened. “He wants to marry you?”

  “Yes,” she whispered, voice quivering.

  After a respectable period of mourning had passed, a letter had arrived from Vadik. In it he’d announced he was coming to England for a friendly visit. But Evelyn knew the real reason for his trip to the island. Ella had cautioned her about the man’s obsession with beauty.

  “That’s why I ran away,” she said. “That’s why I came here to the cliff.”

  “I understand, Evie.”

  “I don’t want to be with him, Adam. I don’t want to endure what my sister endured. Her letters…they were so ghastly.”

  He stepped even closer to her. She was overwhelmed by the strength he possessed—the strength she very much lacked.

  “You’re safe from him here, Evie.”

  But she wasn’t so sure about that. “Vadik is rich and powerful, with many servants to do his bidding. Henchmen, really. I live but ten miles from here; I know they’re looking for me right now. I don’t think I will ever be safe.”

  “Did you leave a note, confessing your intention to drown in the sea?”

  “No.”

  “Then don’t panic. If the henchmen are looking for you, there are many miles to cover in many directions. You are safe.”

  She gazed into his soulful eyes, so determined. What fuelled his dogged assurances? His confidence? What provoked his passion so?

  “What about your father?” said Adam. “He might be a drunkard, but surely he will not let another daughter die at the hands of a villain?”

  A choking laugh. “Father is always searching for more money so he can gamble. He already consented to the betrothal with Vadik. We are to celebrate our engagement tomorrow night.”

  The depth of anger in Adam’s voice was staggering. “But he murdered your sister!”

  “No one believes Vadik killed her. It was purported she had died in a riding accident. But I know the truth. Only I read Ella’s letters.”

  Adam approached the precipice in clear agitation. “He’s your brother-in-law, though. He cannot lawfully wed you.”

  “In England, no. But there’s no such law prohibiting the union in his home country. We’re to announce our engagement in England, then sail to the continent for the wedding.”

  “That’s not going to happen.”

  Evelyn wanted to believe him, but…“I can’t hide here forever.”

  She was not his kin. He had no real obligation toward her. True, he had promised to protect her, but he had made the rash vow in the emotional aftermath of their first stormy encounter. He wasn’t going to give her shelter forever. She had already intruded upon his life, and one day she would have to leave, allow him to return to his comfortable existence.

  Adam was quiet for an unpleasant moment before he said, “You’re right; you can’t stay here forever.”

  Her heart pinched.

  “I’m a widower. And you belong with a proper chaperone.” He returned to her side, his gaze thoughtful. “You deserve a fitting home. A place where you can live in comfort and security.”

  She expected him to say that. She didn’t expect the crushing sensation in her breast, though. She didn’t understand it, either.

  “But we don’t have to think about that right now,” he assured her. “You are safe from Vadik here. And while you are here, I want you to learn how to fight.”

  Evelyn wasn’t so sure she could learn. “Ella always took care of me.” She let out a sigh, lighter in her heart for having confessed her ordeal. “I miss my sister so much. I feel lost without her.”

  “I understand.”

  “Do you? Do you feel lost without your brother?”

  Adam looked back out to sea. The sun’s crimson rays caressed his tanned skin, his woeful eyes.

  Evelyn could sense the deep turmoil in his soul. It pained him to think about his dead brother. She wanted to ask him more about his sibling, but she sensed he wasn’t ready to confess his heartache yet.

  “Yes, I feel lost,” he admitted quietly. He looked back at her with those piercing blue eyes. “Come. Let’s return to the cottage.”

  Chapter 10

  It was a moonless night.

  Adam folded his hands behind his head and reclined across the sand. He stared at the bright stars and listened to the smooth swell of the water lapping against the shore.

  What was he going to do with Evelyn?

  He had attended to her immediate needs: food, shelter, and clothing. However, he had not devised a plan for her future welfare. She couldn’t live with him forever. It was improper. He needed to find her a secluded, more suitable, home. A chaperone, too. Perhaps even a husband? Now that would definitively put an end to Vadik’s wedding plans. But Adam was no matchmaker. He hadn’t the social graces to orchestrate a courtship.

  There was so much he still wanted to do for Evelyn…so what if he didn’t survive the night? What would happen to her then?

  A soft light beamed in the distance.

  Adam watched the glowing speck brighten, unperturbed. The tin lantern soon cast a soft sparkle over the dark beach.

  “Evening, Capt’n.”

  Lieutenant Eric Faraday limped across the sandy turf.

  “Good evening, Lieutenant.”

  Adam rose to his feet and dusted the sand from his clothes.

  “It’s a beautiful night for a pirate raid, isn’t it, sir?”

  Adam glanced back at the cottage, a short distance away. Lamplight flickered in the window; a shadow moved inside the house. “Yes, a beautiful night for a raid.”

  “Is something the matter, Capt’n?”

  Yes. Evelyn. Adam had sworn to shelter the young woman. But what if something happened to him tonight? Who would protect her?

  A morbid thought came to mind. Adam imagined Evelyn brutalized, suffering under Vadik’s hand. The savage vision burned his blood. He desired to crush the villain’s throat. But he would settle for keeping Evelyn far from his reach instead.

  And yet Adam had also vowed to apprehend Black Hawk. It was a rotten truth, but to honor one duty he had to be remiss in another.

  Adam stalked away. He was very much aware of the obligation upon his shoulders. He had made a sacred promise to capture the brigand in memory of Tess. And he loathed to break his vow. To fail Tess. To disappoint the loyal men who had served him so faithfully.

  But what about Evelyn? What about the vow he had made to her?

  Adam circled a small spot on the beach, mulling over the situation. At length, he wondered, “Is the crew ready?”

  “Armed and ready, Capt’n.”

  A well-prepared crew. A loyal lieutenant. Adam need not fear failing his “ward” by getting hurt and leaving her without a guardian. And he need not neglect his duty to Teresa, either. He would capture the pirate captain and return to safeguard Evelyn.

  He was adamant.

  “Then tonight we apprehend Black Hawk, Lieutenant…but there’s something I must do first.”

  A knock at the door.

  The needle was poised to poke through the fabric when Evelyn stilled.

  Another rap. “Evie?�
��

  She let out a short sigh. For just a moment, she’d thought…

  No, she would not reflect on him anymore. Not tonight. She would think about more pleasant things instead, like her sister.

  And Adam.

  Flustered, she said, “Come in.”

  Adam popped his head inside. “Still working on the drapes?”

  He was rugged and handsome, and her heart thumped with more vigor at the sight of him. The low timbre of his voice made her shiver with pleasure, too. “I’ve one panel complete. I’ll have the other ready shortly.”

  Adam stepped inside the cottage. In the dimness he seemed to fill the small space, his burly figure awash in lamplight.

  Again she admired him. But only for a moment before she wondered: Why is he here so late?

  A shiver of trepidation. “Is something the matter, Adam?”

  “I have to leave.”

  She dropped the stitching in her lap. She was breathless. “You’re leaving me?”

  “It’s only for a short time: a matter of business.”

  Her thoughts quieted to hear he was not abandoning her. “What sort of business?”

  “Captain’s business.” After a short pause he offered: “I made a vow a long time ago…to my late wife. And tonight I have the opportunity to fulfill my vow.”

  To honor one’s wife? She was unfamiliar with the sentiment. It should please her to hear Adam’s assertion, though; it proved he was not like the cruel Vadik.

  And yet it did not please her. Not entirely. To realize the promise to his late wife, Adam would have to leave her…alone.

  “Will you be all right for a few hours, Evie?”

  She gripped the stitching tight. Without Adam nearby, she was by herself in the world. He might jump from the shadows and steal her away.

  But she was not Adam’s keeper. She had no right to meddle in his affairs. He had been kind enough to let her stay in his home. She could not implore him to remain with her, however much she wanted to, and forsake the pledge he had made to his late wife. She had trespassed on his kindness enough.

  “Yes, I’ll be fine,” she said, voice soft and shaky. She had endured the morning without him…but she’d had myriad chores to keep her active—and the daylight to chase away the shadows.

  He scratched the back of his head in clear discomfiture. “There’s another matter I need to discuss with you.”

  He moved across the room to the chest at the foot of the bed. She watched him closely as he lifted the lid and rummaged through the contents before he surfaced with a small jar.

  Even in the soft lamplight, Evelyn recognized the banknotes.

  “This is for you, Evie…in case I don’t return.”

  She dropped the stitching on the table and jumped from her seat. “You are deserting me!”

  “No!”

  He set the jar aside and approached her.

  She gasped as a firm set of hands pinched her arms and caged her tight. An equally firm pair of eyes imprisoned her, deep blue in the shadows.

  “I intend to return,” he said with a hard passion. “The money is just a precaution.”

  She was hungry for the man’s intimate touch; it offset the panic in her breast. But she soon gathered her thoughts to demand, “A precaution for what?”

  “In case I slip and crack my head on a rock.”

  He was funning with her. He wasn’t the clumsy sort. He wanted to keep her in ignorance; he wanted to avoid talking about the true nature of his business. But she could see the sincerity, the gravity in his expression.

  “It’s dangerous business, isn’t it?”

  He admitted with a light shrug: “A little.”

  The muscles in her chest cramped, pinched her lungs. “What are you going to do?”

  “I can’t tell you.”

  “Why?”

  Because I don’t want to worry you even more. It was there in his piercing stare, the answer.

  “Don’t fret, Evie.” He cupped her cheeks to emphasize, “You’ll be all right.”

  But she was more worried about him. Why did he have to risk his life to honor his late wife?

  “I’ll be back soon,” he said. “You’re safe here, you know?”

  She nodded wordlessly, swallowed the rising alarm in her breast.

  Adam eyed her closely. “You’ll stay away from the water?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good.” He headed for the door. He offered her one more heartening look before he whispered, “Good night, Evie.”

  She stared at the closed door.

  Her feet twitched.

  She wanted to run after him. She remained still instead.

  Go to sleep.

  Good idea. Sleep would while away the time until Adam returned…if he returned.

  She hurried across the room to ignore the dark thoughts, ordered the clutter of thread and fabric. Once the cottage was put to right, she carefully divested the pretty dress Adam had gifted her and draped it over a chair.

  Evelyn then picked up the lamp on the table and carried it over to the bedside. She crawled into bed, but did not extinguish the flame.

  Warm under the woolly covers, she closed her eyes and envisioned a cheerful thought: her sister. But then the gruesome memory of her sister’s death intruded upon her reflection, and Evelyn started to quiver, thinking of him and what he had done to her kin.

  Evelyn opened her eyes. She was alone. The shadows in the room flickered under the lambent light. Her eyes darted from one dark silhouette to another, the pressure on her breast smarting.

  The covers twisted.

  Evelyn hopped off the feather tick and crossed the room. She opened the sturdy sea chest at the foot of the bed and picked up the rapier. Then once more under the sheets, she cradled the sword against her chest and prayed.

  Chapter 11

  Raven’s Cross: a patch of rocky coastline.

  Adam and Lieutenant Faraday waited at the meet point. The notorious Black Hawk and brigand crew had yet to arrive. It was late, near midnight. But for the dim glow of lamplight, dark as pitch, too. If the pirates were approaching, Adam couldn’t see them. Yet he wasn’t worried. He trusted the two dozen armed shadows scattered across the hilltop, waiting for the signal to advance. His crew had never failed him in the past.

  Still, if anything happened to him tonight, Evelyn would be without protection. He had offered her funds in case of a mishap; he was confident she would not be destitute. But she would still be alone—and frightened.

  “Your weapon, Capt’n.”

  Adam stared ahead, insensible to the lieutenant’s words.

  “Capt’n?”

  A nudge.

  “What?” said Adam.

  Faraday handed him the pistol. “Your weapon, sir.”

  “Oh…thank you, Lieutenant.”

  Adam tucked the gun behind his back.

  “Is something the matter, Capt’n?”

  “No.”

  But Adam’s curt response did not silence the lieutenant. “It’s your ward, isn’t it, sir?”

  Adam glanced sidelong at his trusted mate. “Why do you think that?”

  “It’s my job to be suspicious.”

  He snorted. “I thought it was your job to hunt pirates?”

  Faraday shifted his weight from one leg to the other. “That, too.”

  There was a brief lull in the exchange before Adam said, “Should anything happen to me, Faraday…”

  The lieutenant was quick to assert: “In the event of a calamity, I’d be honored to care for your ward.”

  “Thank you, Lieutenant.”

  More at ease, Adam fixed his thoughts to the matter at hand—arresting a notorious band of buccaneers. He had waited four long years for this moment. He should be savoring the anticipation of victory. Instead he was anxious to apprehend the brigands and head home.

  There was a murmur of voices in the distance.

  Adam girded himself for the confrontation.

  “Do you
have the blunt, Lieutenant?”

  Coins jingled. “Aye, Capt’n.”

  Splendid. The stage was set for a spurious smuggling, for Adam and Faraday had to confirm the pirates’ identities before announcing the signal to the crew. They had only one opportunity to accomplish their goal. No sense wasting it on a premature attack.

  The figures advanced.

  Adam counted six, maybe eight heads; it was difficult to see in the darkness.

  Faraday lifted the tin lantern. “Who goes there?”

  The shadows stilled.

  One stepped forward.

  The lieutenant squinted. “Is that you, Black Hawk?”

  The shadow remained quiet about the matter of identity. “Do you have the blunt?”

  Faraday rattled the gold coins.

  “Well, toss it over,” demanded the shadow.

  The lieutenant shifted the tin lantern to illuminate Adam’s features. “Capt’n here wants to do business with Black Hawk. Are you the pirate leader?”

  There was a pause, then whispering.

  “There’s been a change in plans,” said the shadow. “The capt’n will have to do business with me.”

  Adam hardened.

  “And who are you?” snapped Faraday.

  “The man you’ll be doing business with.”

  The shadow’s cheeky irreverence was intolerable. Adam wanted to yank his impertinent tongue out and dispense with the whole blasted proceeding. But he remained silent and still.

  The lieutenant reiterated: “Where is Black Hawk?”

  “Black Hawk doesn’t want to get involved with such petty business and risk his identity revealed.”

  Adam glanced at Faraday in silent communication.

  “I’m afraid we won’t be doing business together then.” The lieutenant raised his voice to carry over the crashing waves. “My capt’n here wants to be sure Black Hawk gets his money.”