Vengeance (The Pirate Series)

by Bec Botefuhr

  “Hello little brother.” I croak.

  Mack stands and brings Eli over. “Say hello to your sister.”

  I nurse Eli and he dribbles all over my lap. I love him, even though it hurts like hell, I love him.

  “Where is Jax?”

  “Gone home to freshen up and get Lilly. He is in a foul mood this morning.”

  I snort. “I bet he is.”

  I punch in Jax’s number and send off a text.

  How’s Lilly?

  Good. I won’t be long.

  Did I wake you?

  No.

  Are you ok?

  I don’t know. How are you feeling?

  Ok.

  Do you want me to bring you some food?

  Please, it’s awful here.

  Alright, I’ll be about an hour.

  Thanks Jax.

  XX.

  I tuck my phone away and stare up at Mack and Sam.

  “You can go, Jax will be here soon.”

  “Are you sure love?”

  “Yeah, I am going to ring mom anyway.”

  Mack nods. “Say hi for us.”

  “I will. Thanks Daddy. Thanks Sam.”

  They both hug me before leaving. I open my phone and ring my mother explaining what happened. She is quiet for a long moment.

  “Oh baby, you do know how to get yourself into sticky situations.”

  “Yeah, I know. How are things there?”

  She pauses. “Not too bad, a little tense.”

  “Is everything ok?”

  “Well Steffan has taken a mistress, so it’s tense.”

  “HE WHAT?”

  “It’s how it works love, you know that.”

  “No mom, it’s not. It’s wrong.”

  “I am fine.”

  “Mom, come and visit. Please?”

  I am sure she will say no, but when she pauses, I realize she is thinking about it.

  “You know, I will think about it. I miss my grandbaby.”

  “Well, you’re always welcome.”

  “Thank you honey. Take care won’t you?”

  “I will mom, I should go. I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  I hang up and pull out a magazine. An hour later Jax arrives, he has Lilly by his side. She bounds through the door and onto the bed, hugging me tightly.

  “Hi baby.”

  “Mommy, I was scared.”

  “I am ok, just a little sick.”

  I look over at Jax, and he just doesn’t look happy. He leans over and smacks a quick kiss to my cheek. He hands me a bag with food then sits on a nearby chair. Ok, something is seriously up. As if she can read my mind, Layla walks in. She sees me and rushes over, hugging me tightly.

  “Ok Jade, you silly girl, look at your face.”

  “Listen, I love you to death Layla and I want to see you, but can you take Lilly for a moment?”

  Layla looks at Jax, and then nods sympathetically.

  “Hey Lilz, want to go and find a vending machine?”

  “Yeah!”

  They walk out, and I turn to Jax.

  “Jax what’s wrong?”

  “Nothin.”

  “Come on…I know that’s a lie.”

  He stands and tosses Lilly’s bag across the room.

  “This is what’s wrong! I am a pirate and here I am with a God Damned bag on my shoulder, wiping snotty noses and sitting in a hospital with my wife who has recently lost my baby and gotten herself beaten up. This is not the life I thought I was going to have.”

  I feel like he has punched me. “You…said you were done with being a pirate.”

  “I thought I was but…Ben is still hanging around, and here I am doing this!”

  He throws his hands in the air and glares at the roof. Oh, crap.

  “I…you never said anything…I thought you were happy.”

  “I love my kids, I love you but Jade. …I am a God Damned pirate. A pirate. It’s all I have ever been.”

  “You were living on the island happily!”

  “Because I was going out on my ship, I was on the ocean! Here…I have nothing. You work, I don’t and even if I do, it’s not right.”

  “Well what do you want?” I cry, hurt.

  “I want to keep part of me alive. This isn’t me.”

  “God Dammit, you chose us, you chased us. If this isn’t what you wanted, you should have gone!”

  I feel so hurt, he is saying he is bored, unhappy and wants his old life back.

  “Stop thinking of yourself. I love you, and my kids, I would never lose that, but I love my ship, my crew and my life.”

  “You have kids now Jax, you can’t live that life.”

  “Why not?” He yells. “Why not?”

  “It’s dangerous!”

  “Not when it’s just me and the ocean. Lilly doesn’t have to be with me out there, and I rarely get to see Aiden.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “I am saying I need to go back to my ship. I can’t just give it up.”

  “And what if you die? Then what?” I shriek.

  “I have managed this long.”

  “You are going to kill and steal…how the hell is that a good way to bring up your kids?”

  “They don’t need to know!”

  “And what about me, when your out at sea for months at a time?”

  “If we lived on the island, we wouldn’t have to be apart that long.”

  “And what will you have me do there Jax? WELL?”

  He curses at the roof.

  “You brought that house, you set us up here. If you didn’t want it, you shouldn’t have.”

  “I was trying to do the right thing.”

  “You know what fine, if you want to go back to being a pirate go. I am not going to stop you, but I certainly will not wait for you.”

  He glares at me. “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “It means exactly what it sounds like.”

  “So you would rather not have me at all, then to miss out on a few months here and there?”

  Ok that is stupid. “I don’t want to be without you Jax.”

  He softens a little. “It will be no different to me working Jade, I will go out for two months two or three times a year, and I will make us money, live that life and come back.”

  “And what if you turn the way you used to? Screwing around and becoming hard again. You’re good now Jax, you were so hard back then.”

  “I know what I want Jade, I want my family, but I want that too. I don’t plan on having any women on my ship nor do I plan to stop. I have a lot of loose ends out there, I need to tie them.”

  “I don’t…I…what if you die?” I put my head in my hands.

  He sits beside me, stroking my leg. “I won’t die.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  “I am immortal now Jade, it’s unlikely.”

  Oh yeah, I forgot. “Well what about the Lilly, she won’t understand.”

  “It won’t be long, dads go away for work all the time.”

  Damn man has a point. “And us?”

  “I will talk with you all the time, I will be with you eighty percent of the year baby.”

  “I am alone…unprotected.”

  “I will have protection with you at all times.”

  “Right, a few members of the crew following me everywhere. It’s not a life Jax.”

  “Then go to the island.”

  “No, I don’t want to right now. I am not ready to just stop living.”

  “You can live over there.”

  “Jax, it can’t be all your way. If you go, then you go but I don’t have to.”

  “Fine but I don’t want you working at that bar.”

  “Fine.” I snap.

  He takes my face in his hands. “You’re my girl Jade, I won’t ever leave you behind again but I need this. I need it.”

  “I know you do.” I whisper.

  “I will come home to you.”

  “Whe
n will you go again?”

  “I want to head out next week. I need to track Ben and his movements.”

  “How long?” I whisper.

  “A month?”

  I close my eyes, don’t cry. You married a pirate, you knew this was part of his life. “Ok.”

  “You ok?”

  “I will get used to it Jax. I married you, knowing what you are…I just…a month or two without you will be so hard.”

  “Tell me about it.”

  “Who will I make love with?”

  He grins. “I will ring you all the time. Maybe send you some pictures.”

  I giggle and he pulls me into his arms. “I love you darlin, trust that ok?”

  “Ok.”

  “I am going to leave Jack and three of my crew behind this time. Just while Ben is around.”

  “Ok.”

  “You won’t fall for him while I am gone, will you?”

  I grin up at him. “Scared pirate?”

  He smiles down at me. “Maybe.”

  “I have eyes only for you. If sexting it is for a month then so be it.”

  He chuckles and kisses me, for a long, hard moment. “I like sexting.”

  I giggle again. “Me too.”

  “I’ll miss you, my little fighter.”

  “How did the other girl pull up?”

  He grins. “I taught you well, good left hook you got there.”

  “Well, I did learn from the best.”

  He gives me a wicked smile. “When can you come home?”

  “Tomorrow I think. Jax, you won’t leave until we can…I mean…”

  “Till we can fuck again?”

  “I was going to say make sweet sweet love…”

  He laughs. “Or that.”

  “I want to make sure…before you go that we…”

  “I will make sure of it.” He grins, kissing my earlobe.

  I giggle and pull back, my face becomes serious. “Jax, I can understand why you slept with Bella back then, I hate it but I get it. We weren’t together. I want you to promise me though, that it never happened again?”

  “Never.”

  “And there are no more secrets? Because I am tired of lies, fighting and betrayal.”

  “I have none, I swear to God mate.”

  “Me either.”

  “You forgive me?”

  “I love you Jax, and you have been there for me when no one else wanted to be, so yes, I forgive you. And I will love Aiden just as much as you, if you want him in our home.”

  Emotion washes over his face. “You are amazing Jade, really you are. I don’t believe I will see a lot of Aiden though, Bella was in town so she brought him over but she doesn’t live here. I imagine my relationship will be quite sour with her and my son. I hope when all this crap with Ben is over though, that I can go and see him and maybe fix it.”

  “We will do everything we can Jax, to make sure you see your son.”

  He strokes my cheek. “You should hate me. It can’t be easy accepting another woman’s child.”

  “Maybe not, but he is also your child and Lilly’s brother. He deserves to be apart of this.”

  “Thank you, I mean it, thank you.”

  “He is a cute kid and Bella seems happy with her life.”

  “I don’t think she would dare glance at me after your little comment.”

  I snort. “Yeah well, she better not. I can trust you Jax, because part of me knows deep down that you love me.”

  “You are my heart, always have been. I was honestly trying to protect you, after RJ I didn’t know how to tell you I had a son.”

  “Well, it is done now. No more lies, please Jax?”

  “I swear, no more.”

  “Good, then kiss me.”

  He grins and leans over, then begins trailing a kiss down my neck when Layla walks back in.

  “Good to see you two have made up.”

  Jax grins and steps back. “What can I say? She knows me too well.”

  “That I do Mr Watts, that I do.”

  CHAPTER 7

  Jax is preparing to leave two weeks later; he has waited for me to recover before he goes. I am not happy about it still, but part of me knows it just has to be done. My mother is coming up for a month to stay with me, and I have all our family here, so I know I will be fine. I will just miss him so badly. I am not a fan of being alone. I look down at the suitcase I am packing; I have one of his shirts in my hand. I sigh. I fold the shirt and pack it in. The door opens, and Jax walks in.

  “Hey you, what you doing?”

  “Packing your clothes.”

  He smiles warmly. “Good little wife you are.”

  “I guess so.”

  He sits beside me on the bed. “It’s going to be ok.”

  “I’ll miss you so much.”

  “I know baby, me too.”

  “I hate to be without you.” I whisper, fighting back emotion.

  “It won’t be long.”

  I curl up in his lap on the bed, and rest my head against his warm chest.

  “Did you ever think you would get married and do all this Jax?”

  “Nah.”

  “Are you happy you did?”

  “Yeah, I have it all now. I am a pirate, a dad and a husband.”

  “You are great at the first two.”

  “Hey!”

  “Bit sucky on the husband part. Too old and craggy.”

  He rolls on top of me, pinning my arms above my head. “I can show you old and craggy.”

  I giggle, and he tickles me until we are both in fits of laughter. God how I will miss him.

  “I gotta go work on my ship, stop distracting me.” He murmurs, pressing a kiss to my lips.

  “Don’t you want me Jax?”

  He stiffens a little. “Yeah…of course.”

  “Then why haven’t we…had sex?”

  He winces. “I…don’t know. I have to go.”

  He stands and is out the door before I can answer; well now that was weird. I pout to myself a while, then come up with a plan, the man is NOT leaving without having one off with me, I will make sure of it. I dig through my cupboard until I find one sexy, lacy little teddy. Oh yes. I dress it, let my hair down and pretty myself up.

  I wrap a long trench coat around me and walk out of the house and down to the ship. When I get in, I can’t find Jax. He must be down below. I walk down to the bottom, and see him tinkering with some boat part. He is lying down with it jacked up above his head. Damn. He is in only jeans and has grease smudged over him. Jax is a sexy pirate, but boy does he make one hell of a mechanic too.

  “Hey.” I say, with a definite purr in my voice.

  He doesn’t come out. “Hey mate.”

  I clear my throat, nothing. I drop the trench coat, nothing. He won’t move.

  “Jax, can we talk?”

  “Yeah shoot.”

  “Jax!” I snap, and he finally rolls out.

  When he sits up, he drops the spanner in his hand and hisses.

  “Fuck.”

  “I thought…” I purr. “You would like a going away present.”

  He leans back on his elbows and gives me a hooded expression. “Oh yeah?”

  “Yeah, and considering you run every time I look at you, I am going to make it painful.”

  “Baby, I wasn’t…”

  “Painful.” I cut in.

  I look around the room and spot his stereo, my heart is thumping.

  “Don’t move.” I say firmly, then walk over and flick on a song, a slow, sexy song.

  “Jesus.” He moans when I turn and begin swaying my hips.

  “Don’t…move.” I whisper, as I trail my fingers up my stomach.

  “Kind of hard.” He pants.

  “I want to see what it does to you Jax, I want you to touch yourself.”

  His eyes widen, oh yes, Mr Watts looks shocked.

  “What?”

  “Do it, or I walk out.”

  I walk to the door and flick
the lock, making sure no one can come in. My eyes travel over my husband on the floor, and all I can think is fuck. He is beautiful. He is panting and looking at me with such desire it nearly burns. His chest is heaving, his washboard abs are contracting.

  “Jax, touch yourself.”

  “I…”

  “Now.” I demand.

  “Mate…you are killing me. I don’t want you to see me…”

  “Come?” I cut in.

  “Give a man some dignity.”

  “Touch, or I leave. Let me help you out.”

  I sway my hips again, but this time I slide my hands over my breasts. Jax groans from the floor and his hand flinches, come on pirate, come on. I pinch my own nipple and moan; he does too.

  “Now Jax.”

  His hand slithers over his jeans and he undoes the top button. My heart kicks up a notch; this is erotic, so beautifully erotic. When he slides his hand in his jeans, I nearly pass out. The feeling is so sensual, so overwhelming. I am going to watch him make himself feel good, and that…oh that…is sexy. When he releases himself and wraps his hand around his erection, I whimper.

  “Show me.” I say in a sultry voice.

  He moves his hand and moans; I close my eyes as my body trembles. This is beyond hot. I slowly begin moving again, and not once do I take my eyes off his. He moves his hand slowly, his mouth opens slightly, and his eyes become hooded. His breathing is deepening, becoming shallow and fast. I touch my breast, and then slowly begin removing the teddy.

  “Fuck.” He pants.

  I drop the slinky material to the floor and run my hands over my front. He moans again and his hand moves faster. Oh yes. I put my fingers in my panties and begin a slow, seductive flick of my hips. Slowly, I slide them down until I am standing naked in front of him. He lets out a feral hiss and his hand moves even faster. I slowly move back up to stand, and then get an idea, I am squatting, and with a deep breath, I open my legs.

  “Bloody…fuck.” Jax roars as he releases all over his own hand.

  Oh…my…God. I am panting and watching him closely as he falls back against the wall. His head slants back and his chest is heaving with deep pants. I stand and slide my bottom up on a nearby bench. We aren’t done. His eyes rise to see me sitting on his work bench. He pulls himself to his feet and slowly walks over, flicking his own pleasure off his hand.

  When he reaches me, he slides his finger into my mouth, and I moan. We have never behaved so badly before, and I love it. He grips my hair with his other hand and continues to push his fingers into my mouth. When he is satisfied, he pulls them out and slides them down between my legs, he doesn’t go gently; instead he thrusts his fingers inside me, and I open my mouth and groan.