Page 17 of Paid to the Pirate

My face burned.How long had he been listening?

“You’re vile,” I spat. Turning to Conks, I lied haughtily, “Thank you, but I don’t need anything to help. I’m not in any discomfort at all.”

Colt, the smug bastard, laughed. “Perhaps you don’t need to relieve yourself either?” He laughed harder at the panic rimming my eyes. Without turning to Conks, he said, “You heard the lady. She doesn’t need your tonic. Leave us and take it with you when you go.”

Colt watched me carefully, but I wouldn’t allow him to see my disappointment. My backside smarted. I wanted that tonic. Once alone, I grasped the bars of the cell and fixed Colt with my angriest stare.

“You are truly vile,” I swore.

“So you’ve said,” Colt replied. Pacing, he mused, “I’ll make you a deal. Tell me what happened that night and I’ll release you. I’ll give you the privacy you require to… take care of your needs.”

I looked away.I’d rather soil myself than give up my plans that easily.

I heard Colt make a strange noise, between a sigh and a huff, before turning to leave.

“Wait!” I cried. “Please. Don’t.”

He stopped. My whole body ran hot with shame.

“Please. I have to… please don’t make me. Here. Like this.”

“What will you give me in return?” he asked.

I chewed my lip. “What do you want?”

“I want you to answer my questions.”

Dammit.I couldn’t do that convincingly; I was sure I’d trip up. Colt turned away again, as if to resume walking.

Maybe I could negotiate?

“Alright,” I said, before he could disappear and leave me desperate. “One.”

Chapter 12

Colt

Why did you kill Maurice? Where is the Crimson Eye? What happened to the gold?

Pertinent questions to ask. Instead, like an utter fool, I demanded, “What were you thinking when you saw me in the tavern?Us,”I corrected, gruffly. “Saw me and the crew?”

Surprised as much as I was by the question, Charlotte blinked her wide, hazel eyes, then narrowed them, suspicious.

The question threw her. Fine. Good. Yes, that was my clever intention all along.

“Thinking?” she repeated. “I was… um… frightened?”

“Obvious,” I dismissed, though it wasn’t. For all I knew, feigning fear was a part of her plan. Maybe she wanted to get caught, to get back onto my ship for some reason. Except this was no longer the same ship… so maybe she wanted to speak with someone in my crew? Maybe she had worked with one of the men and was secretly coordinating… I shook my head. It didn’t make any sense. None of this made sense. Coordinating what, after two years?

“I was,” Charlotte searched the brig, as if the answer lay somewhere around her, “surprised to see you.”

Again, it came out like a question. I frowned.

“You agreed to tell the truth for one question. Not to play the lady act. What exactly was going through that pretty little head of yours when you walked blithely into the tavern? Why not hide? Did you think to shock me?”

“I – yes.” Charlotte lifted her chin. “I thought you’d be stunned to see me, but I didn’t count on being stunned by you. You’ve changed.”

I searched her face for the lie. I had cut my long hair. Allowed the stubble on my face to grow without scraping it for several days.

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