Page 23 of The Pirate and His Siren

“Yes.”

I turn back to my crew, waving my arm in a wide arc. “We can’t be fighting amongst ourselves. Otherwise, the system breaks down. We can’t have that now, can we?”

“No, Captain,” came the chorus.

“Therefore, we can’t be harboring ill intent toward each other. Can we, men?”

“No, Captain.”

“So, what say you, men? What do we do to someone who wishes ill upon one of our own?”

“Punish him!”

“Then who here votes we throw him overboard?”

There is a resounding chorus of ayes. The crew truly accepts Luarna as one of their own, and my chest expands to its fullest at witnessing this.

Good.

The thing is, I also have my crew’s unwavering loyalty. Well, most of them.

“Aye, then throw him overboard.”

“No plank?” Marver cries, fighting to free himself from Arkur’s and Roberts’ grip on his forearms.

“We throw out the trash, do we not, Mr. Marver? We can’t let it remain on the ship to fester and rot, can we? Therefore, we throw you overboard.”

I turn away as the splash of his body hits the water. My eyes light up when I spot Luarna standing in our cabin’s doorway, and my cock begins to rise.

She nods stiffly and moves inside.

I follow, filled with eagerness, already stripping off my coat. But when I step inside the cabin, Luarna isn’t lazing back on the bed waiting for me to ravish her. She’s standing at the end of it, her shoulders hunched and her arms around her waist.

I stop unlacing my breeches. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

She lifts her head, sadness in her dark eyes. “I heard what he said out there.”

“He was an idiot. Of course, I’m not under your spell.”

“It’s not just that.” She grabs the front of my shirt. “What if it is a spell fromVelade ia cietra? We mated together on that day. What if the magic of that day compelled us into thinking this thing between us is love?”

I groan, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Are you still going on about that shit? We’re in love because we’ve spent every fucking day and night together the past fucking sevenweeks. You would’ve jumped ship long before if you didn’t love me. I’m not the easiest man to get along with.” I reach for her, but she backs away.

“No, I can’t be in love. Sirens don’t believe in love.”

“That’s some bullshit, and you know it.” I pat my chest and wave my hands at her. “What you and I have, Luarna, is real.”

“You can’t possibly believe that.”

“Aye, I do. I know what’s in my heart.”

“But it’s impossible for a siren to fall in love.”

Fuck, I can see I’m not convincing her.

I must try something else.

“Then I propose a deal to you.”

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