by Lilli Feisty
“Viven owns you, Captain. And owns what’s yours.” He nodded toward Ayla, who was bound and gagged at the back of the tender. “This girl belongs to us. And guess what? We don’t want her. Women on a ship are nothing but bad luck and a hazard. We just thought we’d bring her out to show you ingrates a lesson.”
It was then Bryn noticed there was a rope attached to Ayla’s neck. Kaz jerked at the rope, yanking Ayla to her feet. Bryn saw her face was bruised. White-hot anger shot through Bryn like an earthquake.
Kaz gave Ayla another yank. “Viven just thought you might need a reminder of what happens when you attempt to disobey.” He pulled on the rope, and Ayla stumbled forward. “We’re going to dispose of this girl. Because he owns her, just as he owns you. And yours.” He snarled. “Although it was fun for a while. Nice, sweet pussy. A shame I’m going to throw her overboard. But I’m sure her brother will find some satisfaction in watching her drown.”
Hawke placed his hands on the hull, and Bryn knew he was about to haul himself overboard. But Xander stopped him.
Still holding Hawke back, Xander yelled, “You wouldn’t dispose of such a commodity, Kaz. What do you really want?”
“You think I wouldn’t?”
Ayla’s eyes were wide, and she looked scared as Kaz pushed her toward the edge of the boat. “Oh, I think I would. After all, nothing else seems to get through your thick skull, Captain. Viven is quite certain you need to be taught a lesson. And put in your place.” He spat into the sea. “Plus, a woman on a ship is bad luck. Isn’t that so, Captain Xander?”
Xander yelled, “Come on, Kaz. You know damn well you can be bought off. What do you want?”
Kaz put a finger to his temple, as if considering his options. “What could you possibly have to offer me?”
“Fuck,” Xander said under his breath. And then, louder. “Fuck.”
“Tell you what,” Kaz yelled. “I’ll give you a few minutes to think about it. And then I throw the girl overboard.”
“You do it,” Hawke said, “and you’ll be dead in minutes.”
Kaz glanced back to the ship he’d sailed from. It was twice as large as The Sugar Skull and Bryn could see a full crew of men onboard. “And if you try anything, my crew will attack and you’ll all be killed. So, yeah. You go and think about how to get out of this. I’ll just be waiting right here with this sweet little Rose.” He gave Ayla a lecherous glance and licked his lips. “I can find ways to amuse myself.”
Bryn’s entire body shook in violent tremors. She couldn’t allow him to hurt Ayla. She wouldn’t allow it.
She gently touched Xander’s shoulder. Looking up, she said, “Do you think we’ll have a battle?”
She watched his jaw clench. “Definitely. We have nothing to offer. We have no other choice but to fight.” He took her arms in his hands with a firm grip. “Bryn. Please. I beg you. Wait in the hold.”
She looked deep into his eyes and bit her lip. He wanted to keep her safe, and it was killing him. She saw it in the hard expression on his face.
Finally, she nodded. “Okay. But I don’t like it.”
He gave her a chaste kiss on the forehead. “Thank you, Bryn.” Then he softly shoved her toward the hold. The crew became busy, preparing for battle.
She climbed down toward the hull, but made her way to the Captain’s quarters. Once inside, she unlaced her boots and shrugged off her trousers. She then went to the collection of razor-sharp shells they’d collected on the island. They’d used them for de-boning fish. Bryn smirked. Yeah, something was about to get de-boned in about ten minutes.
Even Xander and Hawke, no matter how well they’d treated her, still thought because she was a woman, she was helpless. Powerless. A liability.
But some twisted fuck had kidnapped Ayla. Bryn did have power, and she was about to use it.
Daily swimming lessons on the island meant Bryn was proficient in the current of the water. While the men were still preparing for what may lay ahead, she dove silently into the sea. She kept her head low as she made her way to the tender holding Ayla. Her legs kicked steadily through the water, and it took only moments before she was sneaking up on the boat.
Bryn dipped beneath the surface and emerged between the tracks. Kaz was sitting on the opposite end of the boat, smoking an arre’te that was so foul she could smell it over the scent of the sea. His eyes bugged out when his gaze discovered Bryn treading water between the metal decks of the boat.
She put her finger to her lips. “Sssh. Wouldn’t want the boys to know I’m here.”
Using her arms, she lifted herself up a bit. Knowing exactly how the white tunic clung to her naked skin, she watched Kaz’s gaze rake over her wet body. She looked up through her lashes, giving him that look she’d perfected so well during her years as a whore.
“You stupid girl. Who are you and what do you want?” he said.
“I came to make a trade. Myself for her.”
Ayla’s eyes were big. The gag kept her from speaking. Good.
She lifted herself onto the boat, using her arms and legs to support her on either side of the decks. Legs and arms spread, she continued to stare at him. The tunic wetly hugged her thighs, giving him a peek of skin. But just a peek.
“Me for her. Take me.”
“Why don’t I take both of you?” Kaz spat. “In fact, I will. Before I kill you.”
“You don’t want both of us. I’ll be all you need.”
Kaz heaved himself to his feet and flicked the remainder of his arre’te into the sea. “Shut up. I’ll fuck you while your friend watches. And then I’ll shove you both overboard, and make your friends on The Sugar Skull watch.”
Bryn’s stomach turned as a drop of saliva dribbled from the side of his mouth. He came at her. Jerking her out of the water, he threw her to the floor of the boat.
“Please,” Bryn said. “I just want you to release my friend. Take me instead.”
“Fucking worthless whores, the both of you.” He yanked her legs apart. “Stupid too. But who needs a brain in a whore? I just want your cunt.”
“But you’ll release my friend?” she asked, searching his eyes. Pleading.
He knelt between her thighs. “Fuck no.” He laughed, and she felt his spit hit her face. She flinched. “I’m not releasing anyone. I’m going to see if your worthless Captain has anything of value. If so, I’ll take it. Either way, my ship is still gonna blow apart The Sugar Skull and take the remains back to Viven. If there are any remains, that is.”
“But…” Bryn said, squirming under his obtrusive belly. “Just take me and leave all the others alone.”
The smack across her face had her seeing stars. Collecting herself, she tried to focus on him. “I’m begging you…” she said, her voice shaky.
“Not yet, bitch. But you will be.” He went to move her tunic up her thighs.
“Please…” Bryn begged. “Just let Ayla and my friends go. Take me.”
“Yeah. Right. That’s gonna happen. Now shut the fuck up. You Roses talk too much. That’s why I shoved a rag in your friend’s mouth.”
She felt his erection pushing against her. It all came back in a rush. The powerlessness, the vulnerability. The helplessness. It swarmed over her, entered every muscle of her body. Her heart pounded in her throat.
With his big chunk of a hand, he squeezed her breast until she wanted to cry from the pain.
“Take it, you brainless slut.”
“Please…no…” She shook her head from side to side. “Please…”
But his eyes were wide, crazy.
Good.
She slammed her legs together. He screamed. Jerking between her legs, he tried to get away. But the sharp shells she’d strapped to her thighs were buried deep in the sides of his legs. She felt his blood pouring out of his flesh, sticky on her skin.
He struggled. But the harder he fought, the deeper the shells cut into him. Looking straight in his face, she clamped tighter. “If you think I’m letting that fucking cock anywhere near me or m
y friend you’re the only stupid cunt I can see on this piece-of-shit boat.”
His eyes were dark as he stared down at her. Reaching down, he tried to open her legs in an attempt for release.
But the month of hiking and swimming in paradise had made her strong. And he was a fat, drooling slob. Also, he was probably in massive amounts of bloody pain. The battle only fueled her strength with a river of adrenaline. It seemed she was using no effort at all.
She moved her legs like scissors, using her thighs to slice his skin. More blood spilled—she was getting covered from it.
He screamed again. “Fucking whore!”
Reaching into the back of her tunic, she withdrew the dagger strapped to her back. Looking up, she smiled. “Not anymore.”
She then plunged the dagger straight into his heart. Blood gushed from the wound. Grimacing, she turned away. “Gross.”
He spasmed, and she watched as the man died. A big bloody mess, his eyes finally went dark, and he collapsed on top of her.
“Ew.” She shoved him off. Then she climbed over to Ayla and released her gag. “Are you okay?”
“Bryn?” Ayla shook her head. “I’ve been so worried… What are you doing here?”
“I’ll explain later.” She cut the rope off of Ayla’s neck. “Let’s get back to the ship.” She yanked her friend to her feet.
“Bryn. You know I can’t swim.” Ayla shook her head. “And neither could you .”
“I’ve learned a lot since you last saw me, Sister.” She took Ayla’s hands in hers. “It’s okay. Trust me.”
“Do I have a choice?”
Bryn grinned. “No. You don’t.”
They turned to the water. With a last glance at each other, they grabbed hands and jumped into the sea.
“What the fuck?”
Xander and Hawke rushed toward them. Hawke went straight to his sister and wrapped her in a fierce hug.
Xander, on the other hand, did not look happy. He grabbed Bryn’s shoulders, stepped back and raked her over in one all-assessing swoop of his gaze. The sea had washed away all the blood from her body, but her tunic was still stained.
“Holy fuck. Are you okay?”
She nodded. “Yes. I’m fine.”
“What did you do?” He gave her a shake. “What did you do?”
Releasing herself from Xander’s grip, she unstrapped the shells from her legs. “I saved Ayla.”
“By yourself?” Xander said incredulously.
She threw a belt of shells to the floor. “Um. Yeah?”
He just stared at her. She wondered if he might kill her.
But he yanked her into his arms and buried his nose in her hair. “You…fuck, Bryn.”
She hugged him back. The adrenaline that had been coursing through her was ebbing, and she felt her body begin to shake. He held her tight.
Still clutching Ayla, Hawke turned to Bryn. “If you didn’t just save my sister…I’d throttle you.”
Bryn managed a smile. “But I did. So you can’t.”
“I’m impressed.”
The words had come from Adiv, and they turned to look at him. He was gazing at Bryn with an expression of admiration. “I can’t believe you had the balls.”
She couldn’t help but smile back at the big man. “Yeah. Well, turns out…you don’t need a cock to be a fucking man.”
Epilogue
Lounging on the deck, Bryn glanced at Ayla. They were wearing scarves around their hips and breasts. Hawke refused to let his sister run around the ship naked, so both women had been obliging enough to cover up their female parts.
Bryn took Ayla’s hand. “He’s looking at you again.”
She saw the flush creep up Ayla’s pale neck. “You think?”
Glancing at Adiv, who was checking stock in the infirmary trunk, Bryn grinned. “Um, yeah. I do.”
“He is kind of…”
“Hot?”
Ayla’s cheeks turned red. How strange to see a former prostitute blush. She turned toward Bryn and bit her lip. “He is, isn’t he?”
“He’s a voyeur, but something tells me he wants to be a bit more participatory when it comes to you.”
Ayla looked to Adiv, who quickly whipped his gaze off the gorgeous redhead. He went back to sorting hand-cannons.
“Yeah,” Bryn said. “He is so into you.”
Xander walked over to the women. “It’s bad luck to have women on a pirate ship.”
Hawke came over and took his place next to the Captain. Their shadows cast out the orangey light of the sun. Bryn couldn’t wait to get back to the clear sky of their haven.
“Bad luck to have women on a ship, you say?” Bryn said.
“Yeah.” Hawke took a seat on a nearby stool. “But you rescued Ayla, killed the captain of Viven’s ship. I’m beginning to wonder if that little idiom is true.”
Bryn gave him a nonchalant look. “Don’t forget. I bought off the rest of Viven’s crew with my jeweled earbob.”
“Right,” Hawke said. “Can’t forget that.”
Bryn tilted her head and grinned. “So. You still think women on a ship are bad luck?”
Taking her hand in his, Xander squatted next to her. “I suppose we can make an exception.” He kissed the back of her hand. “In fact, I can’t imagine being on this ship without you. Or your new partner-in-crime.”
Hawke looked at Bryn, and his eyes were dark and serious. “Bryn.” He nodded toward her. “You have my ever-long devotion.”
“That’s not necessary. I was just saving my friend.”
“And I am indebted.”
Bryn lifted herself onto her elbows. “Is that so?”
He nodded. “Indeed.”
“Then get us back to the ruins, get our supplies and get us the fuck back to paradise.”
Xander squeezed Bryn’s hand. “That’s affirmative, woman. And after we leave the ruins, it’s nothing but us, the open seas and…”
“What?” Bryn asked, searching his eyes.
“When we reach land, you girls are going to have to remain on the ship. It’s too dangerous for you to be wandering around the ruins.”
She touched Xander’s arm. “What about Viven? He’ll still be looking for you. He’ll be more angry with you than ever because of what happened at sea. Will you—we—ever be free from his wrath?”
Xander’s eyes went cold. She felt the muscles of his arm clench beneath her touch. He said, “Don’t worry about Viven.”
Hawke was staring at Ayla. “We’re going to pay that man a visit. And he won’t be bothering us again. We have things to protect now.”
A chill raced up Bryn’s back. She was afraid for the men’s safety, but she could see the determination in their eyes. She knew if she was going to choose this life there would be risks, and scary moments. But Xander and Hawke weren’t stupid. If they had a plan to take care of Viven, she would just have to trust them.
If she were to choose this life, she was going to have to trust them.
She did.
Xander took her hand, reassuring her with gentle strokes from the pad of his thumb. “We’ll return from the ruins. Safe and sound. And Viven won’t be bothering us again.” His eyes darkened, and he held her gaze. “And then you know what awaits us?
“Freedom. There can’t be just one island… I believe there’s an entire new world to be discovered. One with no rules, no castes, no trading yourself for a life of servitude.”
Bryn’s heart swelled. She knew what he meant. During the weeks they’d been sailing since the incident with Kaz, Xander had made it glaringly obvious the only man who was ever going to touch her again, other than himself, was Hawke. Thanks to these men, she’d never see the walls of a brothel again.
Bryn was fine with that.
Settling back onto the hemp blanket, she closed her eyes and felt. Felt the sea, felt the waves beneath the ship. Felt freedom. She smiled. “Let’s do it,” she said. “Let’s just sail. The world is more than we ever imagined, and I want to dis
cover everything that’s out there.” She squeezed Xander’s hand. “With you.”
“You got it, baby. After we get re-stocked at the ruins, we’ll find our oasis.”
Eyes still closed, Bryn grinned. “Oh. I think we already have.”
About the Author
Lillian Feisty expected to write typical boy-meets-girl tales. But so often the characters wanted to be tied up by each other. Lilli had to oblige. Her love of writing spicy romance evolved, and the next thing she knew, she was published. Her first erotic novella was released in March 2007, and she’s been consistently pursuing her passion ever since.
Lilli was born in the San Francisco Bay Area. She spent the majority of her twenties working just enough to pay for extended trips to Europe. Some of her fascinating employment titles included makeup artist, secretary and perpetual student. She owned an art gallery for several years, holds a degree in Creative Arts and was just a thesis short of her MA when she decided to drop out of school to write romance.
For more fascinating Feisty information go to www.lillianfeisty.com.
Look for these titles by Lilli Feisty
Now Available:
Sting of Desire
Love comes at the turn of a card…or the crack of a whip.
Sting of Desire
© 2009 Lilli Feisty
Sandine would love to walk out of her ex-boyfriend’s life forever. Except the sadistic bastard stole the ancient tarot cards her late mother gave her, knowing she’ll do anything to get them back. Including endure his abuse on the stage of his sex club.
For the crime of trying to get her prized cards back, she’s steeling herself for the public beating of her life. Knowing that no matter how much she screams, no one will come to her aid.
Harry Marshall should be immune to undercover work at sex clubs by now. From the moment he spots Sandine chained at the mercy of the suspected drug dealer he’s after, his gut tells him something isn’t right. He can’t believe he’d risk blowing his cover by stepping in, much less his body’s erotic reaction to inflicting pain on her luscious body.