Page 95 of Paid to the Pirate

I had no way to obtain poisons aboard the ship, but I did have access to the food stores.

First, I needed to figure out where Colt hid the Crimson Eye. I was sure it was in his cabin, and he never left anyone alone in his quarters.

Except he had allowed me to sleep there. Once.

Butterflies flew wildly about my stomach as the idea took hold.

I needed Colt to punish me as he’d done the first time. It was only when he’d belted me that he kept me in his cabin through the night. If he did it again, I’d be able to feign sleep and search for the Crimson Eye while Colt slumbered.

God, I hated the belt. It was awful. But it was my only way out.

Summoning my courage one evening, I found Captain Colt dining with the crew and resolved to provoke him that night… before cold fear claimed my heart, solidly freezing both that organ and my legs, which now seemed barely able to move forward at the sight of Colt’s broad back alone.

I needed rum, perhaps, and lots of it.

I noticed my hands shook as I lifted the pitcher and poured myself a cup. Time moved at unnatural speeds as I downed it. I had no stomach for the meal before me; the scent of the chicken made me ill.

“Eat,” Colt ordered, making me jump. I looked over to find his dark eyes scrutinizing me. Had he noticed that while I drank, I’d neglected to temper the alcohol with any food?

My heart pounded as I sneered my reply.

“No.”

“I said eat,” Colt repeated, firmer this time.

“And I said no. Have you so much seaweed between your ears that you cannot hear? Perhaps that is why you cannot lead well, either. Too much flotsam and jetsam clogging your brain.”

Everyone around us fell silent at my insolence. Colt’s eyes darkened. But he held his temper.

“This is the last time I’m going to repeat myself, Charlie,” Colt warned. “Youwilleat. Now I’d choose your next words very carefully. I don’t know what’s gotten into you tonight.”

The rum made me do what I did next.

“Well, it isn’t cock, yet I’m on a ship full of men. Perhaps next time we dock I can visit the taverns whilst the rest of the crew visit the brothels. That way we can all return to the ship more satisfied than when we left it.”

I’d needed to raise the stakes and somehow, I’d known that threat would rile Colt more than jabs at his ability to command. Rage flamed behind those dark eyes and my resolve nearly melted to nothingness. But before Colt could act, I stood, captivating the men at the table who all stared in rapt silence, watching the battle between the captain and me unfold.

“Perhaps I should go fuck myself, instead. Perhapsyoushould go fuckyourself.”

I grabbed the pitcher of rum.

“Or perhaps you should fuck right off this ship and die, like a murderer such as yourself deserves.”

I tossed the rum in his face.

The time between Colt slamming his hand on the table and grabbing me was seemingly non-existent. One second I was safe, the next, I was being dragged below deck by the man who frightened me most in the world. When we reached his cabin, Colt slammed the door behind us and loomed in front of it, a tower of menace blocking any escape.

“I can see your punishments aren’t making an impression on you,” he declared. “So we’ll remove the obstacles to learning. After all, you’ve made it very clear what a woman you are, haven’t you? No small, childish spanking will be effective.”

My heart skipped a beat.I’d asked for this,I reminded myself.

Yet my body’s natural response was to fight.

You’re just making it look real,I reasoned.

Colt lunged and I didn’t have time to escape before we both tumbled to the floor. He made quick work of untying my breeches despite my pummeling fists. When he tucked his fingers into the waist to yank them down, the only thing I could do was flip over to protect my modesty. But my act of protection required the use of my arms and made it easier for him to tug, as well as gave access to the preferred target. The next moment, my breeches were bunched around my knees, locking them, and Colt had a clear view of my rear. He yanked me up and tossed me over his ample lap while I shrieked. The stupid breeches nearly immobilized my legs and Colt’s strong hands immobilized my back.

Everything had happened so fast that I was surprised by the sudden stillness above me. I stilled in response.What was Colt doing? Staring?

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