The Pirate and the Feisty Maid-- Part One—At His Hand (4 page)

“You can either cut me down and tell me you’ll not
go, or you can take me with you. Those are your options.”

The corners of his mouth curled in a sly smile. “It
wouldna seem like ye’re in much of a position to be handing out
ultimatums, my love.”

She knew it was the truth of the matter, yet she did
not care. “I swear, Ronan, I’ll not speak to you again.” Angry as
she was, the thought had her tears spilling over despite her best
attempt to keep them at bay.

“Och, love. Dinna cry.” Seeing she was truly upset,
his smile disappeared as he reached up and unhooked the rope,
before undoing her wrists. “Molly… there’s naught to be done for
it. I’m sorry.”

“So am I.” With one final look and a shake of her
head, she walked out the room and out the door, into the night.

***

Molly easily got lost in the crowded streets, her
hurt and anger mingling to make her absolutely miserable.
Heartbroken, it felt as if she weren’t truly anchored to her body,
her face numb and her head spinning. She got bumped and jostled by
the growing evening crowds as she wandered aimlessly, her thoughts
refusing to settle on anything but Ronan’s departure.

Though she wanted nothing more than for Ronan to come
after her and comfort her in his arms, she knew it wouldn’t resolve
anything. Not that her solution would yield better results.

She wandered into the alehouse on the far end of
town, hoping to find a small measure of distraction and oblivion.
It wasn’t the pub she normally frequented, but that suited her just
fine, since there was a good chance Ronan would eventually go
looking for her and knew all her normal haunts. It was a rougher
crowd than she was used to, but in the mood she was in, she didn’t
care.

Heading straight for the bar, she could feel the
men’s eyes shift in her direction, watching her progress through
the room. Ignoring them, she slid a coin across the marred wood
surface to the publican and then climbed onto a stool. “Whisky.” He
poured her a glass, and nearly as quick, she emptied it, the liquid
like molten gold burning its way down her throat. Another coin was
sent across. “I’ll take the bottle.”

The publican’s eyebrows perked in question, but he
gave her the bottle and watched as she poured herself another.
“’Tis your coin, aye? But do you think it a wise idea?”

She threw back her drink, giving her head a shake as
the drink set her insides on fire. “What do you care?”

“Listen, lass, you’re far too pretty to end up piss
drunk and alone in a place like this. It’s dangerous for you to be
here on your own. They’re a bunch of pirates and criminals.” He was
right about the men assembled, and likely the reason she didn’t
frequent this pub in Ronan’s absence.

She looked at the publican as if for the first time.
He was a handsome man and well-muscled, with honey-streaked brown
hair, kind amber eyes the color of rum and a smile that would make
a lass weak in the knees. Still young, she’d guess him to be in his
mid-twenties, and about her age, unlike Ronan who was three and
thirty, far more a man than a boy.

Swallowing her misery, she managed a smile, thinking
she may have found a way to help forget her sorrows. “They may be
criminals and pirates, but I have you to protect me. What’s your
name, pet?”

“William.” He took her hand and brought it to his
lips, her heart picking up an extra beat when he touched her, his
hands just a little rough from work, though he was nothing but
gentle. “And it’d be my honor to keep you safe. What’s your name,
darling?”

“It’s Molly. Will you drink with me?” She found
herself taking an immediate liking to him, for there was something
sweet about him, a kindness in his eyes that gave her the
impression that the man before her would hold nothing back when he
fell in love, giving them his all, heart and soul.

William put another glass on the bar and she filled
them both, happy for his company, a small glimmer of light on a
dark and hopeless night. When he smiled at her, she was happy to
see his eyes light up from within. “Molly, eh? As for drinking with
you, I don’t think I’d have it in me to refuse you anything,
lass.”

Molly drained her glass, and then reached across the
bar and pulled William in close, nuzzling him before brushing her
lips against his. Their kiss deepened, her lips hard on his as his
mouth parted and their tongues explored, the taste of whisky still
strong, burning the back of her throat. He tangled his hands in her
hair and pulled her closer, stealing her breath, kissing her until
everything around them faded to grey.

How she managed to put some distance between them,
she knew not, for he’d had a far greater effect on her than she’d
anticipated. And yet, despite her flirtations with William, she
still could not keep Ronan from invading her thoughts, her heart
only aching all the more for him. Her body might react to William’s
touch, and he seemed incredibly nice, but she was still Ronan’s,
heart and soul.

William pursed his lips in a frown, his brow drawn
close as he took her in. “Are you all right, Molly?”

“Aye. I’m fine, love.” Yet she wasn’t. Not when she
couldn’t forget Ronan or that he’d be leaving her in mere days. She
poured them another drink, hoping it would dull her senses and kill
her heartache.

Tears threatened once more, making her eyes sting.
She threw back her drink, ignoring the molten heat as it trailed
over the lump in her throat to her belly, and then spun in her
stool to look out at the crowd, lest William notice just how upset
she was. Seeking further distraction, she scanned the room and
found a game of cards going. Perfect.

Forcing a smile on her face, she glanced over her
shoulder at William. “I trust you’ll not be going anywhere?” Then
before he could answer her, she twined her hand in his shirt and
pulled him close for another kiss as he cupped her face, kissing
her until he left her breathless, her heartbeat tripping over
itself. His lips lingered on hers a moment more, and she couldn’t
help but nuzzle him before pulling away and wandering over to join
the game.

She waited for the hand being played to end and then
pulled up a seat, ignoring the raised eyebrows of the men sitting
at the table. “Deal me in, if you would.”

“You sure?” The man across from her gathered the
cards, though his grey eyes were on her, a curious smile on his
weathered and scarred face.

“Wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t. Deal the cards, love.”
She leaned forward, elbows on the table, holding his gaze without a
problem. “Or do I have you worried?” Given the mood she was in, she
didn’t really care if she won or lost her hand—though luck tended
to favor her.

“Nae, darling. Not worried one bit, and I’d rather
look at your pretty face than these ugly mugs.” He tilted his head
to the other men at the table.

In the end, her head was not in the game, her
thoughts running back to Ronan. To what would happen between them.
She played and drank, losing some, winning most, her head starting
to spin.

And then she felt a hand on her shoulder.

She closed her eyes and her breath deepened as she
resisted the urge to lean up against his arm. She need not look to
see who it was, for she would always know his touch.

*End of Sample—The Pirate and the Feisty Maid, Part
Two – Her New Lover, is now available for purchase.*

Chapter One

“But you only just got back.” Molly couldn’t believe
Ronan would be leaving her again, his words like a punch to the
gut. In just a week’s time, he’d be returning to sea, despite
having just returned home after a six-month absence. Her temper
sparked, and she made no move to hide it—nor could she hide the
tears that shimmered and stung her eyes as she struggled to hold
them back.

“Molly, ye ken I’d not be going if I didn’t need to,
but we’re far enough into the season that I’ve no choice if I’m to
make the voyage there before the weather turns.” He took another
pull from his ale when the full meaning of his words hit her.

“So you don’t mean to return until next season?” This
time, his words were like a knife to the heart. She was numb with
disbelief, not wanting to believe what he was saying.

“It’ll be too dangerous to try and return. I’ll
winter in the Indies before heading back. But this opportunity
willna present itself again. I’d not leave ye otherwise.”

His blue eyes held hers, so she found herself unable
to look away. “Then take me with you. Please, don’t leave me here,
Ronan. I cannot manage without you for such a length of time when
I’ll barely have ye back a week before you depart once more. And
you promised me—you promised to not ever leave me longer than a
single season.”

He’d given her his word—as long as they were
together, he’d promised to love her and keep her safe. He’d
promised to never leave her longer than a season, vowing to always
return to her for the winter, fully aware of the difficulties she’d
had as a child, after losing her father to the sea.

Having grown up around sailors and pirates all her
life, she refused to be just another abandoned woman, never seeing
her man and waiting months or years for his return—if he ever did
make it back. Women and children left to fend for themselves any
way they were able. Well, she’d not join their ranks—especially not
after she’d so narrowly escaped that fate.

“Och, love. Do ye not think I’d rather be here with
ye? And I ken that I gave ye my word, but I must go, and ‘tis too
dangerous for ye to come along. Besides, ye’ll have Ilsa to keep ye
company while I’m away.”

She pounded her fist on the table, her fork jumping
off her plate with a clatter, absolutely furious with him—and hurt.
How could he do this to her, especially when he knew how she
worried about him? Especially when he’d given her his word?

Ronan had only just returned to her, and now he’d be
leaving her behind to worry once again. Not counting the few days
they’d have together before his departure, he’d be gone a year and
a quarter once all was said and done—far more than the season he’d
promised.

She couldn’t bear it, and her fear and anger got the
best of her. “I curse the day I laid eyes on you, Ronan.”

She pushed her chair back and headed for the door,
but he was out of his seat and at her side, pulling her into his
embrace before she could make her escape. She struggled to get
free, but her efforts were futile, his strong arm around her waist
like a vise, the nearness of him too much, upset as she was.

“Sweet Molly, ye ken ye dinna mean that.” She was not
fooled by the sweetness in his voice, for they both knew she was
being bold. Yet with her temper up, she didn’t care of the
consequences.

She held his gaze, her own fierce, for this was no
longer a game. “If you leave me here alone, I’ll mean every word of
it. Is it not enough that you’re usually gone from March until
October? I’ve never once complained, Ronan, but you’ll be gone well
over a year, what with you only having returned, and I cannot bear
it. And for what?”

“It’s just the one time, lass.”

“It’s never just the once, though is it? What’s so
important, it’d have you breaking your promise? Do we not already
have everything we need?” Molly knew Ronan had enough for them to
live well. Did he really need more?

“Och, lass. I could lose it all and still be the
richest man if I had ye at my side.” His words melted away some of
her anger, so that when he kissed her with a teasing brush of his
lips, her stomach clenched and her heart raced. She couldn’t help
but lean into him, her need to keep him close extinguishing her
anger, only to replace it with desperation. “I love ye Molly.”

“Then I’m begging you—if you’ll not stay, then take
me with you. I promise not to get in your way. Please, Ronan. I
cannot face the winter without you. I’ll do nothing but worry until
you return, and I swear it’ll be enough to do me in.”

“Molly… I canna have ye stuck on a ship for months
with those men. Criminals, the whole lot of them.” He ran a
roughened finger down her cheek. “I couldna guarantee yer
safety—nor mine—if I stood in their way. With yer beauty, they’d
knife me for sure if it meant a chance to be with ye.”

She fisted handfuls of his shirt, and leaned her
forehead against his chest, taking a deep breath to try and calm
herself. “Then they need not know. I’ll happily stay in your cabin
for the entirety of the voyage. You could sneak me onto the ship
before the crew boarded.”

But already he was shaking his head no, making her
heart shatter. “We’ll be at sea for months, and ye ken how small my
cabin is. Ye’d not survive it, love. But the winter will be over
before long and I’ll be back to ye in no time at all.”

“Please—”

“
Molly
. There’s nothing to be done for it.”
His voice was stern, but with her temper now back, she struggled to
get free of his grasp, infuriating her further when his lips
twitched into a smile. “Surely ye’ve not already forgotten what
happens when ye disobey me.”

His hand went down and squeezed her sore arse, her
hips jumping against him, his cock now hard. But this time, she was
in no mood. “Let go of me, Ronan.”

Her fists pounded on his chest to no avail, as he
lifted her off her feet and carried her out of the room and to
their sleeping chamber. Her kicks and punches could have been
landing on a stone wall for all the good they did.

Her eyes went wide and her efforts doubled when Ronan
grabbed a length of silk cording from the bedside table. As a sea
captain, he knew his knots, and there’d be no hope of getting free
if he bound her. Yet her curses refused to turn into pleas.

“Damn you, Ronan.” Already, he had the cord knotted
snug around her wrists, hauling her arms over her head to string
her to the metal hook mounted on the thick wooden beam. Still
cursing, she hung there writhing like a worm on a hook, her efforts
utterly useless.