Page 12 of The Pirate's Daughter

She nodded and lifted her body against his because that felt good. The next moment though, Devin rocked forward hard and Mia felt like she split in two. The scream ripped from her throat and tears burned her eyes. Devin rocked back and then forward again and Mia knew she had to get away or he’d killher.

“Stop,” she screamed, pushing at him. “Stop, stop. Captain,” she sobbed, “please stop.” But even as she was begging for him to end the suffering, it seemed to ease on itsown.

“I can’t stop, Mia,” Devin ground out. “It’ll be all right, holdon.”

She felt him slip one arm behind her shoulders and another around her waist lifting her so his thrusts came more angled and each one worked to wash away enough of the pain that it became part of the pleasure. She no longer felt torn in two; She felt full, stretched but able to feel every inch of his hard shaft as he worked it along her walls. The friction gave her no reprieve from the heat the movements caused and she knew what a lit fuse must feel as it burned down to the powder stores that would ignite and explode. “Come Mia, I know you can.Come.”

She didn’t know what he meant, but in that moment she’d felt that one heartbeat between the end of the fuse and the ignition. The sensation forced a second scream from her lips, washing over her like the surf in a hurricane along the shore. And it didn’t end with a single powerful feeling. Devin continued moving and each thrust took Mia more fully into the headwind. She cried out again, clenched down on his shaft, hoping to still him that she might gasp a breath only to feel him tighten his hold, go stiff and then groan loudly. A wet heat flooded her and one more time the waves of pleasure nearly drownedher.

Devin collapsed on top her and the feel of his weight was strangely comforting. She felt anchored even in the wild tides which a moment ago tossed her like a paper ship. His ragged breath and sweat drenched skin felt more real and solid than the bunk beneath her. His arms around her tightened as if securing her more firmly to him. Between her legs she felt his shaft jerk and the pleasure was tinged with a bit of that pain she’d first felt. He shifted, pulled back a bit and Mia whimpered and hissed as her body seemed not to want to give uphis.

“Steady, Mia. Hold steady.” He slid back a little more and like that Mia was left feeling utterly empty and barren. Sliding his arms free, he hoisted himself up off her, arched his neck back, inhaled and then slowly exhaled before looking down at her. He lifted his body a bit more then looked down between them. One hand took hold of her thigh and pulled it wider. With a groan he dropped her leg and rolled to the side. “Are you allright?”

Mia nodded. It hadn’t killed her as she feared. And the longer it went on the more she’d enjoyed it. He dropped an arm over her shoulders, but lifted his hand and brushed at the few tears dripping from the corners of her eyes. He curled his fingers and his knuckles brushed down her cheek. “I… I didn’t expect it to be like that,” she finally said reaching to wipe away a few stray hairs from herface.

Devin lifted up and bending his elbow rested his head in his palm. “I didn’t either,” he chuckled. “If I’d thought for a second you were untried, I’d have been more considerate.” He chuckled again and with a deep breath fell to hisback.

“More considerate?” Mia echoed and let her mind sort out what he said. “Wait,” she played his words again. “Wait.” Turning her head to look at him she shifted her body farther away.Untried? If he’d thought for a second she was… “You didn’t think I was… Did you think I was…” Neptune save her, he did. She sat up abruptly and moved to the edge of thebunk.

“Mia,” he called reaching forher.

“You took me for some whore? Some some harlot? A strumpet?” His expression said it all and Mia felt her jawdrop.

“Mia,” he called again sitting up more himself and again reaching forher.

Shame. It was the only word Mia could find to describe what washed over her next. Shame, utter humiliation and a rising tide of hurt so deep it surpassed the physical hurt she’d just endured. Why would anyone think her so base? Think her so dirty and ill-raised? How could anyone think her papa would allow her to be so misused as he claimed those poor women were? He was a good man, and he’d raised a good daughter. Everyone said so.Everyone. The sob rose up, but Mia swallowed it back down. Swinging her legs from the bunk shestood.

“Mia, come back here,” Devin said, tiredness in his tone. “Come back.” His fingers brushed her arm and Mia felt nausea rising. “Mia, you can’t blameme.”

Oh yes, she could. Jerking out of reach she turned, glared at him, and snarled, “Rot in hell.” Spinning back, she snatched her shift from the floor and raced from thecabin.

“Mia.” She heard him call as she found a second berth to hide in. That it was made to serve a captain’s mate made it perfect and even as his footsteps grew louder, Mia shut the door and slammed the bolt home. She pushed back against the far wall, moving so the net bunk that stretched across was between her and the door. “Mia?” He was right outside the room. She shoved her shift into her mouth to keep him from hearing her, but a second later the latch at the door rattled and she knew he’d found her. “Mia, come out, please. Let’stalk.”

“Go away. I hate you. I hope you fall overboard. I hope you get eaten by a squid. I hate you. Go away,” she screamed and then unable to hold back anymore gave in to the tears of shame and hurt. Something hit the door hard, making her jump and push farther back. But a moment later the sound of his footsteps retreated. Mia closed her eyes and willed away all of her feelings. She was never going to be the same. Who’d want her now? “Papa, oh Papa.” If only he’d not told her husband’s didn’t hurt women. If only he’d not lied. If only the smell of Devin on her skin didn’t keep her aching. If only so many, manythings.

Chapter 7

“Captain?”

Devin looked up to see Mr. Quiggly at the door. Setting aside his pen, he closed the pages of his personal log. He’d have thought looking up would be enough to tell the man to speak, but Quiggly was looking back over his shoulder. Undoubtedly wondering about the noise coming from the smallberth.

Mia still hadn’t shown herself, not that he blamed her. He couldn’t recall a time in his entire life he’d been such a complete ass. What made him say what he’d said he didn’t know. He’d like to blame it on the effects of their lovemaking. It hadn’t been so long since he’d been with a woman that he’d think it was need that made it feel that good. No, it was something about Mia, the way she responded, the way she touched him, made little gasping sounds, cried out so freely when she found her pleasure. He’d never felt the ability to master a woman’s body like Mia allowed. But he knew that probably had more to do with her innocence than anything. She had not one clue about what she was doing, or what he was doing and so she simply let him steer her through. It would have been perfect too, because even after he breached her hull so violently, it had been easy to salvage the pleasure forher.

If he’d but kept his mouth shut, or even given praise, she’d have remained in his bed and probably allowed a second romp. But his surprise hadn’t ended when he felt the resistance give way. In fact, until he’d seen the blood on her thigh, he’d hoped perhaps she’d somehow faked thedeflowering.

Having thought the entire time Mia was a well-practiced concubine, he’d not given any thought beyond having a woman who would be an easy, willing tumble. Mia only encouraged his hope they’d have that kind of relationship with her behavior. He very well could have a wife who didn’t come to his bed wearing six layers of clothes and wanting every light put out. Sex when only the necessary parts touched was horrible. The ladies in his social class were a bit more upper than some and until last night he’d believed above his wife. Now though, when he put together her education, her manners and comportment, her rather rich trousseau which perhaps wasn’t all pirate’s plunder, and her innocence it might be he who was below her. She may have been raised by pirates, but she was as much a lady as he’dencountered.

She was also a brat, spoiled and willful, but not mean or vindictive. At least not that he’d seen yesterday. Damn. She’d barely been set free of this cabin and now she was barricaded in an even smaller one and no amount of pleading convinced her to come out. He’d tried most of the night, as the hard rocking of the ship would’ve made sleep impossible, until the sound of her crying faded away and he guessed she’d fallen asleep. He could hear her moving about now and so could Mr. Quiggly. Devin cleared his throat and drew the man’s attention back tohim.

Quiggly gave him a questioning look and pointed back over his shoulder. Devin only shook his head. There wasn’t any way to explain and he didn’t owe the man an explanation, at least he hoped not. But then the man scanned the room, and when his eyes landed on the bed his brows shot up. “Did you have a reason for coming here, Mr.Quiggly?”

“Aye, Captain,” the man said and took a moment to regain his bearing. “We’re coming round to that cove you set course for this morning, no more than an hour. What would youhave?”

He’d have Mia there to direct where to drop anchor, but he didn’t think she’d do more than spit at him at the moment. “Tell Mr. Archer to drop rope and bring us in slow. Mrs. Winthrop assured it was deep all the wayin.”

“Aye, Captain,” man said, thenturned.

“Mr. Quiggly,” Devin called and watched the man turn back. “If you happen by him could you send Mr. Hong to me?” Maybe Mr. Hong could get Mia to come out and listen tohim.

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