Page 2 of A Captain So Callous and Cruel

CHAPTER 2

Hali

The wind whips around me as I walk up the gangway, my eyes taking in the details of the ship and the angry sea it floats on.

The notorious ship’s name is the Trident, and there’s a bad omen that surrounds it. Faded black letters across the bow tell me this ship has been used for many sails, weathered many storms, yet it sets a shiver through me, noticing the black shadow hovering above the surface of the water, whipping around the monstrous ship.

I hold in a shaky breath as I follow the others onto a deck and into a line along the gunwale. My head dips downward, eyes cast to my feet as the rest of us board. Although I suspect the men and women boarding the Trident are no longer looked at as people, since we fetched a rather decent price.

Nausea roils in my stomach as I think about the disgusting building I snuck into after following the ship’s trail to the Isle of Morda—which is no easy feat.

I exhaled a shaky breath as I peered into the room from the darkened corner I hid in. I made it just in time to watch the chief mates of every ship docked come and make their selections, stocking their vessels with whores and prisoners to do the jobs not even their crew want to tend to.

The moment I saw Captain Erickson’s second-in-command step forward to make his selections, I emerged from the shadows, pulling the scarf from my hair to reveal the vivid hue beneath it.

As expected, his eyes almost immediately drifted to me, and as I averted eye contact to imitate a sign of respect, I began to hear the whispers around me as I caught the attention of others.

“Who is she?”

“Where did she come from?”

A bittersweet smile pulled at my lips, knowing I was one step closer to ridding another Erickson from this world.

“I’ll take that one. The redhead.” The chief mate had a deeper voice than I imagined him to, and he was much closer than he was a moment ago.

Someone moved behind me and pushed into my back, attaching a note to me indicating I’d been sold.

Now, the same shoes I recognize from the flesh-house stand before me.

“This is the one I told you about, Captain.” His deep voice has a level of smugness to it.

“Look at me, whore.” Another deep baritone voice commands, and without hesitation, my eyes flit upward, instantly locking with a man I’ve only heard about. A man who has haunted my nightmares.

Biting my tongue, I force myself to stay quiet, even if it burns my very soul.

He’s ruggedly handsome, his dark eyes mystical with swirls of auburn, and a fresh dusting of facial hair covering his sharp jawline. He stands tall, his frame well built and muscular, poorly hidden beneath a pressed blouse.

It maddens me how attractive he is. Someone so evil shouldn’t have the Goddess-given gift of being easy on the eyes.

Captain Erickson’s eyes rake down my body. Everywhere he looks, my skin burns like hot coals pressed against it. Reaching up, he grasps my chin between his thumb and finger, tilting my head from side to side to get a better look.

Anger seethes within, and so badly I want to rip away from his hold. Yet, I feel the familiar surge of desire ignite low in my belly. His gaze is like a separate touch altogether, warming me in places I didn’t expect. It only serves to enrage me further.

“Not like the others you typically purchase,” he muses as he releases me, his voice low and curious.

Swept by another flicker of desire, I bite my tongue harder, and the metallic tang of blood stings my taste buds.

“I thought you might fancy this one,” the man from the flesh market, Kalis, says jubilantly. “She looks much…cleaner…than the rest.”

“Yes. Almost like she doesn’t belong,” Captain Erickson replies, never taking his eyes off me.

My heart lunges into my throat at his words, fearing that the ruse may be up sooner than I imagined.

Still, I remain calm as they talk about me like I’m not there.

Captain Erickson’s eyes narrow slightly, raking down my body once more. When they meet mine again, he nods once as though silently answering his own question before he says it. “You will join me tonight for dinner. Someone will fetch you when it’s time.”

He doesn’t wait for a response. Why would he? The man didn’t even ask for my name. In his eyes, he owns me like he owns the ship that is my new prison, and that’s all there is to it. He rips his gaze from mine and walks away, ignoring the rest of the men and women he’s summoned to this ship.

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