Page 28 of The Heart of an Earl

“Jules—shit—drop the blade.” Des appeared, jumping onto the floorboards from the stairs and running to them, rage in his voice. “What the hell are you doing to her, Bart? What in the blasted Hades is this?”

Bart’s hands released her, lifting alongside his head. “Just a chat we be havin’, Des. Just a chat and the harpy pulled a blade on me.”

“Shit—drop the dagger, Jules. Drop it.” He jumped to her, his hand grabbing her wrist and pushing it down.

Bart turned from them, a smirk on his face. “Ye see that, Murray, Pad?”

Two of the men that had followed Des down into the ship’s stores looked to Des, then to Bart.

Eyes wide, solemn, both looked like they had just seen something they wished they hadn’t.

“Ye seen it, boys,” Bart said again, the smirk on his face growing wider.

Murray seethed a sigh, shaking his head. “Aye, we seen it.”

“Get the captain, then,” Bart said, flicking his head upward, and he followed the two up the stairs to the main deck.

Her heart still hammering in her chest, Jules looked to Des. “What did they see?”

Des shook his head, his grip on her wrist clenching, sending pain along her bones. So much so, she thought the bones might snap. The dagger dropped from her hand.

Her voice lifting, panicked, she tried to shake her wrist free of his grasp. “What did they just see, Des?”

The line of his jaw had gone rigid and his mouth pulled into a furious line, his eyes avoiding her, his stare on the steep stairs leading up to the main deck. “He was trying to attack you, wasn’t he?”

“Yes, but I know how to protect myself, Des. I didn’t survive on theRed Dragonwithout learning how to wield a blade.”

“Come. We need to get up there—try to intercede.” He stalked across the storage room, dragging her with him.

Up the stairs and ladders, and Des grabbed her wrist the second she stepped foot onto the main deck, tugging her toward the quarterdeck.

Captain Folback was standing before the entrance to the cabins and captain’s quarters, surrounded by Bart and Murray and Pad.

Whatever was going on, it wasn’t good.

The group of them parted as Des and Jules approached.

Des didn’t slow as he approached the group, stalking into the circle and setting himself in front of Captain Folback.

“The bastard was attacking her.” His voice thunder, Des yanked Jules forward to his side, sending her shoulder bumping into Murray.

Captain Folback’s eyes narrowed as he stared at Des. “Attacked or not, ye know the rule. The first rule.”

Jules’s forehead wrinkled. “Rule? What ru—”

Des jerked on her wrist, cutting her words. “She doesn’t know the rule.”

“Then ye should have told her, Des.”

“What rule?” Her voice screeched out the words, refusing to be silenced by Des.

Captain Folback’s gaze swung to her. “I told him to watch ye, ye harpy.” He shook his head. “A shame it is, that hair of yers, that face, that body. A shame.”

Des looked down at her. “A blade goes higher than your waist, and you are overboard. Done on this ship. The first rule.”

Her jaw dropped. “A blade goes…” Her look flew to the captain and then back to Des. “Your waist, my waist—whose waist? That’s ridiculous. How—how am I supposed to protect myself?”

Her feet moved and she started to back up, pulling herself out of the circle. Des yanked her forward, her body slamming into his side.

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