Page 22 of Stalking Wendy Darling

He threw his hands up and strode away before we could say anything else. Joanna and I glanced at each other for a long moment… and burst into laughter.

I had my sister back, I had a ship at my command, and we were approaching a cove full of gold.

Today was going to be a good day.

Chapter Fourteen

HOOK

SOMEWHERE IN THE OCEAN

“You know, sir,” Vea said, leaning against the back of the bigger but still shitty boat we’d commandeered from the last island we passed through, “this could be considered stalking.”

“I can’t stalk my own ship,” I dismissed, tying off a sail with a familiar manoeuvre and dropping onto the bench beside her. “She’s mine.”

Vea snorted loudly. “The ship or the captain?”

“Iam the captain,” I snapped, my temperature skyrocketing. My hand twitched, wanting to curl into a fist. Word had spread about the Banshee being under new management. Wendy wasn’t subtle or secretive about it. She was reckless and running wild, and she was going to get my beloved ship blown to pieces if she wasn’t a little more fuckingcareful.

“Of course you are, sir,” Vea agreed, patting my arm, making no effort to hide her amusement.

“I should have fucking drowned you,” I grumbled under my breath, watching the ocean rock around us, a gentle buoying that usually lowered my blood pressure.

“Too late for that, sir,” she laughed. “You’re too attached to me now.”

I gave no warning of my intentions. My expression didn’t shift. I didn’t let my muscles bunch. I simply shoved Vea’s shoulder and sent her spluttering into the sea.

To give her credit, Vea was good for one thing. Drowning her always amused me.

I scanned the ocean ahead, picking out the distant shadows of familiar islands. As predicted, Wendy had set course for the Cracked Shark and the gold it promised. Unlike the crew under my command, impetuous Wendy wouldn’t take a few crates and leave the rest for the future. Greed would overwhelm her, and she’d sink the Banshee with the weight of treasure.

Well, she’d try. With my new, shitty ship I lurked in her shadow. I’d take Wendy down before she could touch a single gold coin. The thought was immensely satisfying, but quickly spiralled out of control until in my fantasy she was going down on me, her eyes streaming while she begged for air I would deny.

“Fuck.” I adjusted my dick in my new leather pants, expelling a hard breath as I got back to my feet, adjusting our course by millimetres.

I moved just in time, like god was watching over me. Vea flopped back onto deck with a scream of rage, spraying the seat where I’d just sat with water.

“I hate you,” she snarled, her voice roughened by salt water. “I’m going to piss in your favourite hat while you sleep.”

“Then I’ll simply never sleep,” I laughed and held out a hand to help her up. She gripped my hand so tightly it was a clear attempt to rearrange my bones. “And this isn’t my favourite hat.”

It was just a woollen thing I’d bought on the last island. It had no style, no flair. But not to worry. I was closing in on my favourite hat right this moment.

“You’ve got that psychopathic, stalkery look in your eye again, sir,” Vea remarked, shimmying up the corset of her soaked dress so she didn’t spill out of it. “Thinking about your girl again?”

“Yes.”

I didn’t clarify if I meant the Banshee or Wendy.

Chapter Fifteen

WENDY

THE CRACKED SHARK

It felt good to walk down from my formidable ship onto the beach of a cove full of gold. It feltdamngood. I drew in a slow breath of fresh sea air, a smile stealing across my face. My first treasure hunt as a pirate captain.1

Joanna bumped her shoulder against mine, her grin matching the one on my face. “I believe first dibs on treasure goes to you, captain.”

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