Page 15 of Kidnapped by the Pirate
“Aye. Create the Sea Hawk’s reputation.”
“Mmm. When Bainbridge became governor of that new colony, I thought about paying him a visit. Fantasized.”
He gripped the rail, conjuring the vision of his hands around Walter Bainbridge’s throat, the whoreson’s skin violently red, eyes bulging, tongue lolling as Hawk choked the life from him. Or perhaps he’d run him through on his sword, or tie him up and—
“Yet we’ve stayed away. Why?”
Taking a long breath, Hawk banished the images of Bainbridge’s demise. “I expected you to ask long before this.”
Snell cut him a glance and smirked. “You think I haven’t learned that you’ll do a thing when you’re good and ready, and not a moment before?”
Hawk had to smile. “Fair point. The last thing I wanted was to make a martyr of the man. That’s what would have happened if we’d stormed into the new colony and strung him up. It would be another mark against the evil pirates, and he our innocent victim. They’d probably erect a fucking statue in his image. No. I couldn’t abide it. I knew the time would come for revenge, and that I’d recognize it. Sure enough. Here we are.”
“And in the meantime, we hear Bainbridge has lost the confidence of the Crown in his mishandling of affairs on Primrose Isle. That we took his son at all will be another blow.”
“Yes. Rumor has it his time in power will end soon. I imagine the future of the colony itself is in question. England doesn’t want to send good money after bad.”
“Why the fuck would they? Not with such prosperity elsewhere in the New World.”
Hawk’s blood stirred at the promise of finally having his revenge. “Bainbridge will be desperate to preserve what he can of his reputation and not appear weakened. The money is the least he owes us after destroying our livelihood with a stroke of his quill. And when I kill him now, few will mourn and no one will canonize him.”
“That whoreson underestimated us before. Not likely to do it again. Not sure if that’s a good thing or bad.”
“Neither am I. We must take care.”
“Will the son be any trouble?”
Hawk shook his head dismissively. “He’s a nothing little man. Sniveling coward like his father.” To be fair, Bainbridge seemed willing to do anything to protect his sister, but that was a low bar in assessing a man’s worth. “He won’t be a problem.”
Snell whistled softly. “Just think if we can pull this off.”
Hawk spread his hands wide over the railing, watching sunlight gleam on the waves, unfamiliar hopefulness flowing through him. “Perhaps it will be the Sea Hawk’s final operation.”
“Pardon?” Half-laughing, Snell stared at him with brow furrowed. “What nonsense is this?”
Resisting the urge to shift from foot to foot under the scrutiny, Hawk kept his gaze on the sea. “With this ransom, I would leave you and the men in good stead. You could be captain when I’m gone.”
Snell snorted. “I’m a damn good quartermaster because I know how to keep the men happy enough to stay in line. Captains must plan battles and the like, be mysterious and forbidding. Not my area of expertise. Besides, you won’t be going anywhere.”
His stomach twisted. “I won’t?”
“I’ve seen this before. This restlessness. It’ll pass. You’d never be able to leave when it comes down to it. I mean, what the fuck would you do with yourself?”
He shrugged, cheeks hot. “Fish. Farm a little. No more fighting.”
Snell laughed heartily. “You’d be bored in a day! The grass may seem greener and all that, but can you really fathom such a life?” He clapped Hawk’s shoulder, smile fading. “Besides, the sea doesn’t give up her servants so easily. You know there’s only one way out for us. So we should enjoy ourselves in the meantime.”
A sickening sensation washed through Hawk, his limbs weighted with it, a cannonball in his gut. He croaked, “Aye.”
Snell sighed. “After these loggerheads get their act together.” He shouted behind him, “Peters, are you fucking deaf? What did I just tell you this morning?”
Hawk smiled obligingly as Snell gave him another clap on the shoulder and went about his business. Gazing out into the vast nothing, Hawk still couldn’t help but imagine what could lie beyond.
A little house, a hearth and warm tea in the mornings, an honest day’s work ahead of him. A full night’s sleep in a proper bed, ground that wasn’t forever shifting beneath him.
Perhaps even a man to warm that bed, to live by his side in comfort.
He laughed harshly to himself. Nonsense indeed. Men who lived by the sword didn’t enjoy peaceful retirements. He didn’t deserve it, and regardless, Snell was surely right—it wouldn’t suit him in the least.
A life at sea was what he’d craved as long as he could remember, so why would he want to give it up? Especially now that he was a pirate captain with more power than he’d ever imagined.
