by Jewel Adams
The first blow sent Jacob staggering back across the deck. Another and yet another came before Jacob set himself against Brian’s fist to fend off the most damaging. Brian’s rage wasn’t going to be spent quickly, and Jacob steeled his body to accept the man’s fury.
~ * ~
“A fight?” Groaning, Corin failed to keep the ugly sounds of flesh hitting flesh out of her conscious thoughts. The pain her first movement rendered made her grip herself to combat the assaulting waves. But something kept her from remembering how she came to be injured, and the trembling fear seizing her prevented her from looking too deep for an answer. She couldn’t ignore the crashing sound of bodies on deck… it wasn’t allowed.
“Deck?” She looked around herself in confusion. “Raven? I’m back on her?”
She lived the dream before, knew that she did. But something ugly turned her insides into a knot, warning her to leave it alone. Don’t ask for the memories to return.
“Rogan?” Her eyes went to the ceiling, brightening with hope that tried not to be heard.
The effort it took for her to stand on her feet should have killed all thoughts of going on the deck. Another body slam made her force her legs to move. As she made her way to the cabin door, she caught her image in the small mirror.
“No… what happened to me?” Her hand rose to the mass of tangled hair falling about her shaking frame. She wore one of Rogan’s billowy shirts. The thin material couldn’t hide the ugly dark bruises and gashes on her breasts. Her stricken gaze went from one damaged globe to the other. She squeezed her eyes shut to fight off the intruding memory. Corin didn’t want to remember how this happened to her, or who did it. “I refuse to… that’s the end of it!”
She grabbed her skirt off the hook by the door. Her legs couldn’t rise high enough to slip it, on so she ended up pulling it over her head. The pressure of the shirt being pulling against her tender skin made her jerk the shirt tail out of her waist.
The bright sun fought with her eyes and it took all her concentration to keep them open against its force. The fighting men quickly gained her attention. Arms and legs tangled as they rolled about Raven’s deck. “Jacob?”
Corin always knew he possessed a powerful temper, but from what she saw, he fended off blows and didn’t prevent the next from coming. He could deck any man she knew, probably even Rogan. “It’s… not him.”
No, she saw the other man, and the recognition squeezed her heart. “Brian.” The disappointment made her jaw harden.
Corin prided herself on being quick to take in a scene and make sense of it. She understood exactly what Jacob allowed Brian to do and why. She shook her head at Dan, letting him know she wouldn’t interfere.
When Jacob did begin to push back, it came more to protect Brian than anything else. The man refused to quit. Corin figured that stubbornness was probably what saved his life these last years.
She felt the shift in Raven as Caleb began to tack her. Corin stayed clear of the brawling men and made her way to the wheel. Caleb smiled, earning a small try from her. His finger gently rubbed her swollen lip.
“You want her, Corin?”
“If you don’t mind; I think you and your bother should break those two up. Brian’s anger may be vented, but I doubt if he’ll leave it buried, and I’ve no strength to fight with him.”
“Dad wants us to anchor behind that cay.”
Corin followed his pointing arm to pinpoint the barely visible strip of land. She nodded and took hold of the wheel as Caleb moved over.
“The wind is strong, running about fourteen knots.”
The bow dropped and slapped against the increasing waves. “Feels like a storm is coming, Caleb. We’d best reef the sails and slow her down a bit.”
Caleb called Jess over and went to do her bidding.
Corin lifted her face to the wind, and let it rip through her hair. She didn’t care how much more tangled it became; it felt free and alive.
Jacob noticed Corin at the wheel before Brian. When he charged once more, Jacob pushed him to the deck and held him down beneath his foot. “Enough! Give it up, Brian. I let you beat me, and it is done.” As he started to ease his foot off Brian’s chest, he felt the man’s rage coming to life. Before Brian rose with his fury again, Jacob knocked him out.
Caleb and Jess came over and looked at the man splayed out over the deck. “You want us to throw a bucket of water over him?”
“Hell no, let him stay out.” Jacob looked at Caleb. “How is she?”
“In a lot of pain, but just being at wheel seems to be healing her.”
“Good.” Jacob went to the rail and did bring up a bucket of water to dump over himself. He used two more buckets before feeling clean enough to go over to Corin.
She’d been watching him. Jacob didn’t try to make conversation. He took up a seat beside her at the wheel. When she steered the Raven, she looked like art in motion. Today she looked wild and untamed. He could see the bruises coming to the surface—she still looked ready to fight.
“You should have decked him a while back.”
“No doubt, I’ve never seen such anger in a man.”
“Hell, he lived in hell, Jacob.” Her hands were shaking so hard that Jacob took over the wheel. Corin moved to the rail and looked out over the water. “Why are we back here, Jacob?”
He wondered if anyone realized how natural sailing came to her. That she knew their heading, knew exactly where they were— “We need to find out how bad it is, Corin.”
She turned and faced him, wishing the ugly memory had stayed buried. “You mean if I killed him or not.”
His curt nod was all the answer she needed. “I can’t say—so much blood.”
He called for Caleb as he watched her staring at her hands. Her whole body started trembling, and Jacob moved to her the moment Caleb took the wheel. “It will be all right, Corin. He deserved every blow.”
The tears were streaming down her cheeks as her overly large eyes rose to meet his. “I couldn’t stop.”
“I know. It will be all right. We will find out, and then head home.” His hand took hold of hers, ending her fight with them. “You protected yourself, that’s all.”
Her head leaned into his chest as she stood there and sobbed. “I killed him, Jacob.”
“You don’t know that, Corin.”
She stood away from him, and his hold stayed her sway. “What if I did?”
“Then we will deal with it.”
Jacob didn’t move as she searched his face as if confirming his words.
“All right, we will get the answers.”
“Corin?”
She looked at him again, trying to control her sobbing. “Are you hurting anywhere, besides…?” He briefly lowered his gaze so she would understand. “Are you nauseous? Any pain, Corin?”
Her head lowered as if shielding herself from his scrutiny, but he refused to let her avoid his questions. Jacob wasn’t sure if she understood why he asked. He watched as she looked around to be sure no one was near. “Come on, Corin, you should know by now that you can tell me anything.”
Her fingers played with the button on his shirt, reflecting the turmoil going on inside the woman.
When she finally spoke, he needed to lean in to hear her.
“There is some pain, but no bleeding.” She looked up into the concerned gaze of the one man she never thought she would hold so dear as a friend. “I think… I am not sure… Jacob, I think I am pregnant.”
“You have been for some time, Corin.” He smiled, trying to ease her concern.
“How did you…?”
“I was married once.”
Corin’s eyes darkened over the pain she saw in his. Whatever he said, she told herself not to act surprised or say anything that might hurt him. Her hand tightened on his bare forearm. “Jacob?”
His head fell back on his shoulders as he stared up at the sky before slowly coming back to her. So much emotion glared out of the depths of his gaze.
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“She was beautiful… a lot like you, Corin.” He smiled at her blush. “I never thought one man could be as happy as I was married to Teresa. I wish… she died in childbirth.”
Corin sucked in her breath. “Oh Jacob, I’m so sorry. The child?”
“He was too small to live.”
She reached out and hugged this big man as if he were a child. “Even a day with the one you love is worth every second without them, Jacob.”
He slowly regained control and stood once again before her. “So tell me true, Corin, any pains? Bleeding? Nausea?”
Each question earned the shake of her head. “Only once did I feel any pain—after the horse ride that first day. I think that is when I finally realized that I am pregnant. I am not very good at knowing these things.”
He laughed over her heart-given confession. “No, I guess not. But lady, you sure can sail.”
Before she could answer, Jacob gathered her up in his arms and headed for her cabin. “You really need to rest, Corin; take care of the child. That baby growing inside you is now your main focus. We can handle the rest.”
Chapter Twenty-five
The Truths
Corin paced under the moonlight, remembering another night filled with danger. “Where are you, Rogan?”
Her hand couldn’t stop moving over the swelling evidence of the child growing inside her. She still felt amazed that Jacob knew she was pregnant. They discussed it in the cabin while they waited for nightfall. His knowledge is what made him so furious over the risk she took. He and Caleb went to get the answers concerning Whitney and Diamond.
Her gaze darted to Brian’s continued struggle to get free of the rope tying him to the Raven. His need for revenge proved too strong and put them all in danger. Dan ordered Rogan’s brother gagged and tied until this was over. Corin felt terrible having to do more harm to the man, but she feared he would get himself, and possibly all of them, killed. “Revenge, how I detest that word.”
Dan and Jess walked the rail side watching for their return. They figured the time to get ashore and to the plantation and back again would have them returning by dawn. No one could sleep; Corin craved the blessed darkness of sleep, but not that night. She still ached all over. Once all the men were busy with the plans, she did go down to the bow, remembering the medicine kit in her duffle bag.
The ointment did ease the cuts on her breasts and lip. “Damn that man.” On one hand, she prayed he wasn’t dead; on the other, she knew he got all he had coming to him. What he did to her was unforgivable. The memories refused to stay buried and felt raw and nasty.
As she leaned against the mast and looked out over the water, she smiled over the evidence of the child. “You will be tough like your parents, boy or girl… what a handful you will be. Rogan, you best have a damn good reason for not being with me and your growing child.”
“Not as good as I should, my Cat.”
She spun about and nearly screamed at the man standing behind her. Corin didn’t give him time to move… she jumped into his open arms. Her lips rained kisses over his face until his finally captured her, and she held onto him, refusing to let go.
Rogan’s heart swelled with love for the woman in his arms. Her legs were wrapped around him and her arms captured his neck and head. He never wanted her to leave his embrace as he twirled them in a circle, kissing and hugging each other.
Neither of them cared who might be watching; time had no relevance. If Dan hadn’t finally come and interrupted them, they might never have stopped.
Corin refused to let Rogan put her down, though she smiled against his ear when he didn’t try to. She whispered to her husband, “You best talk to him, my love.”
“Yes, Dan.” Rogan couldn’t help but kiss her sweet lips again.
“How far behind you are the boys?”
“They should be coming very soon.” Rogan’s hands moved over her back, almost as if he needed to verify she was in his arms. “We met up about half-way from the plantation.”
“What of Diamond?”
“His ship set sail this morning. I am not sure where he is headed. I just caught the sails, but he isn’t heading for his island.” Rogan held up his hand to Dan, knowing he needed to speak to him. “Corin?”
She bit his earlobe, knowing what was coming. Her legs released their hold about his waist. She wondered if he heard her speaking to the child. She pushed back in his arms as he slowly lowered her before him. Once her feet touched the deck, she took his hand and placed it over her lower stomach. “Our child is growing fast, Rogan.”
He dropped to his knees before her and placed his head against her stomach as his arms wrapped about her. “You have the bravest mother alive, sweet child.”
Her fingers buried themselves in his hair, glorying in the reality of touching him. His lips found her bare skin beneath his shirt and kissed her until she swayed with wanting. The large hands on her hips stilled them both from continuing.
Rogan looked into her lovely eyes and wished all the danger and trouble were over. “I swear I won’t leave you anymore, Corin.”
Her head cocked to the side, and there was no mistake in the anger filling her gaze upon him. “And what of Diamond? Stearns? And yes, Billings?”
“They mean nothing. If they are a threat, I will extinguish them to protect my family. I was a fool, Corin, and I swear that revenge is no longer in my soul.”
Ever so slowly the fire in her gaze softened and filled with the love he feared he’d lost. “I love you, my cat.”
“And I you, my pirate husband.”
As he rose, his gaze took in the evidence of her ordeal. Jacob filled Rogan in on all the details. He tried not to dwell on it not wanting to upset her.
“We need to finish this, Corin.”
“I know.” She took his hand and turned with him to face the pacing Dan.
“Jacob said Whitney is alive and not too bad off.” His grip on Corin’s hand tightened over the trembling he felt. “The man has told everyone that a robber attacked him and made off with Mistress Wells.”
“That no good creep!” Corin nearly growled over the man’s audacity.
Rogan could see he missed a lot more than he knew.
Dan stepped forward. “So, no one is looking for Corin?”
“Oh, they are looking, but for her body and the robber.” Rogan pulled Corin to his side to calm her down. “Stearns called the authorities to search.”
She looked up at Rogan. “What of Diamond?”
“From what I learned on the docks, he is furious over losing something he felt he owned.” His arm tightened around her. Feeling the weakness that just speaking of the man brought to her nearly defeated his control. “I am so sorry, Corin.”
“I know, Rogan.” She smiled as best she could. “I guess he is still looking for me.”
“We will know soon enough. I contacted the English authorities about the pirate Diamond and his island. They were very interested, and thanked me for the map to his island stronghold.”
Her hand came to rest on his chest. Her fears couldn’t be silenced. “But was that wise, Rogan?”
“I am no longer the Dragon, Corin. In fact, that pirate died in a spoiled raid off the coast of Charlotte Amalie.” Rogan never released her astonished gaze. “I received the letter from Grandmere telling me about Brian, and what you were doing.”
Corin released her breath, knowing Dragon was no longer in their lives. Rogan tried to hide the fury he held over the news. She heard an angry growl coming from Brian, and touched Rogan’s arm to let him know.
Rogan patted her hand. “Give me a moment with him, Corin?”
“Yes, of course.”
They all moved away to give the brothers some privacy. But when the voices rose, she turned to see Rogan put the gag back in Brian’s mouth. She waited for her husband to rejoin her.
“He needs to cool off.”
“Maybe once we are away from here, he will settle down a bit, Rogan.”
When he finally looked at her, his smile looked sad. “I see now how I was. I swear I will never be that man again.”
“I know, Rogan. I would love you either way.”
It was nearly dawn before Caleb and Jacob returned to the Raven. They immediately set sail for New Orleans. Jacob had taken the time to visit the docks. There he heard that Diamond sailed for New Orleans.
Corin didn’t have enough strength left to tell Rogan all that happened. She let Dan take over as she leaned into Rogan’s shoulder, closing her eyes over the pure joy of having him beside her once again.
Rogan raised his finger to his lips to silence Dan and Jacob. Corin’s head finally fell to his chest. The deep breaths of sleep didn’t change as he picked her up to take her to the cabin. Once inside, he settled her into the bunk, needing to pry her grip from his shirt sleeve.
His lips rested on her forehead for a long time before he found the strength to pull back and leave her. Rogan wished he could ease in beside her, but the men waiting for him wouldn’t allow that luxury.
He leaned down and whispered into her ear. “I am not leaving you, Corin. I’m just going on deck to speak with Dan. If you need me, call out… I’ll come right away.”
He caught the slight smile on her lips, making him wonder if she heard him. That she finally slept eased the pain in his heart for his wife. The cuts and bruises were too ugly and dark for anyone to miss. He flexed his fist as he backed quietly out of the door.
Rogan took a second to inhale the cool morning air and settle his anger. He promised Corin that revenge would never enter his heart again, and right now he wished he hadn’t made the vow.
Dan and Jacob gave the man the space he needed. They both figured out what he struggled with because of Corin.
When Rogan finally pushed himself off the rail to rejoin the men, he gathered a firm control of his emotions. The rage inside extended to his brother. He still couldn’t believe the man misjudged Corin the way Brian had. Rogan felt relieved to see his brother still slept. Someone released his bonds, but he doubted if Brian even knew he could move if he wanted.