The Pirate's Jewel (27 page)

Nolan shifted slightly. He continued his relaxed facade
but was ready to spring at any moment. “He treated me like his slave.”

Jack shrugged. “Yeah? My own father treated me worse than
that. Sold me to a merchant when I was barely old enough to buckle me shoes.”
He took another long swallow of grog. “I still think I see old Bellamy sometimes.”

Wayland stared into his cup. “You’ve probably started to
see things. They say that’s what happens when the rum starts to kill you.”

Jack lifted his cup in a toast. “Well, if anyone should know,
it’d be you.”

Wayland’s scathing rebuttal was lost as Nolan drifted away
from the conversation. The word would be out soon enough that he was on the
account. The tightrope he had been walking since the mutiny had snapped, and
instead of hurling to earth, Nolan felt he had caught the wind and finally
would be able to soar. His loyalties had not changed. He still believed in
freedom, for his country and himself. He had killed Bellamy because he had to.
He would kill again in the coming months, but this time for a just cause, not
money. No longer would he let his father’s sense of morality stand in the way of
what he wanted or needed. That included his relationship with his wife. Pirates
plundered. Nolan closed his eyes and imagined his next visit with Jewel.

He heard her voice, followed by a muffled scream. He opened
his eyes, jerking away from the wall. Hearing her shriek in terror was not part
of his fantasy. “Keep an eye on them,” he called to Wayland as he rushed from
the galley.

He leaped up the steps leading to the deck. Night had
settled in a thick black blanket. He listened but didn’t hear any more noise.
The scream had come from up above; he was sure of it. “Parker,” Nolan called
out.

“Over here. He has Jewel,” the lieutenant yelled from the
stern.

Nolan ran while drawing his sword. He spotted Jewel pushed
up against the railing. A man he didn’t recognize stood beside her, not much
bigger than Jewel but holding her tightly. In a few more steps, Nolan saw the
glint of the knife against her throat. He slowed to a more cautious approach.

Parker held a pistol trained on the couple.

The man tightened his grip on Jewel at Nolan’s approach.
Her sharp intake of breath sounded in Nolan’s ears like a cannon blast. A dark
trickle of blood slid down her white neck.

“Back off, mates, or I’ll slit her throat. That’s a promise.”
The sailor scooted sideways with Jewel. Parker followed with the barrel of his
pistol.

“Mr. Tyrell, put that away,” Nolan ordered, his voice surprisingly
calm. He put his own sword away.

Parker grudgingly lowered the pistol, but his stance warned
he was primed to pounce empty-handed—which didn’t do anything to relax the man
who held Jewel.

Nolan moved forward with slow, careful steps. He heard
footsteps coming up behind him, but he didn’t turn around. Someone carried a
lantern. When the ring of light reached Jewel, the fear it illuminated on her
face tore at Nolan’s ability to be rational. The man holding her was going to
die for this.

“What the hell are you doing, Marcus?” called Handsome
Jack.

“She’s mine, Jack. I won’t be sharing her. Tell them to
back off unless they want to see her slit in two,” said the pirate holding
Jewel.

Nolan sensed Jewel searching out his gaze, but he avoided
glancing at her directly. He didn’t want to take his eyes off her captor for a
minute. After only one glimpse at her face, Nolan knew that if he focused on the
terror clouding her eyes, he wouldn’t be able to do what he must.

Handsome Jack stepped beside Nolan, his hands raised in
surrender. “Did you get the map at least?”

Wayland pointed at Jack accusingly. “You bloody bastard.
That’s what you wanted the whole time.”

“I-I forgot about the map,” called Jewel’s captor. Nolan
recognized the first signs of panic. It made the man more dangerous, but it
also weakened his resolve.

Jack turned to Nolan. “I got a deal that will make everyone
happy. We’ll trade the map for the girl.”

Nolan had already committed a crucial mistake by showing
these bastards the slightest consideration. He wouldn’t repeat it. “I told you,
I don’t gamble.”

“I ain’t giving up this girl. They’ll kill me if I do,
Jack. That dark-haired one’s got cold eyes.”

Jack smiled. The effect was frightening. “It won’t be a
gamble, just a fair trade between friends. We’ll give you back your lady
friend, and you give us your grandpa’s map. I know you got it. Don’t think a
dried-up old buzzard like Wayland would be with you for any other reason.”

Nolan returned Jack’s smile. “No deals. But I’ll make you
a promise, Casper. If you don’t get your crewman to release the girl, I’ll
slaughter every member of your crew. Starting with you.”

Jack nodded, and then bent to retrieve something from his boot.
Nolan reached for his sword. The other man stopped and winked. With slow,
careful movements, he pulled a thin dagger from a slit in his boots—apparently a
hiding place Nolan’s crew hadn’t been thorough enough to find. Nolan held his
breath, and then nodded. “I know you’re a man of your word, Nolan, so I guess that
leaves me no…
choice
.”

Jack swiveled on the balls of his feet and flung his knife
at the pirate who held Jewel. A howl of pain tore from his throat as Marcus clutched
a handle that quivered from his left eye. Jewel stumbled forward. Her captor
fell to his knees, his screams worse for their horror and pleas for help.

Nolan reached for Jewel and yanked her against him. She trembled
in his arms, so he pressed her tighter. He kissed the top of her head and
whispered soothing words in her ear, despite the onlookers who would surely
note his weakness. “Glad you haven’t lost your aim, Jack,” he said when he was
able to find his voice. Even his best efforts didn’t stop the telling emotion
from making his words raspy.

Handsome Jack massaged a wrist. “Well, maybe a little. I
was aiming for his throat.”

Jewel pushed out of Nolan’s embrace. “You knew! You knew
he was going to do that. Why didn’t you just give him the map?” she gasped.

Nolan tried to pull her back into his arms. “Calm down,
sweetheart. You’re safe now.” He needed to hold her to calm his own racing
heart. He had seen Jack throw before, even lost a small fortune in betting against
his accuracy. Letting Jack take down his own crewmember had caused Nolan to
risk more than Jewel’s life. He’d risked his own. If he had made a mistake and
Jewel died, it would have killed him.

She struggled against him, but he held on to her arm, keeping
her from bolting.

Wayland slapped Jack on the back, saying to Jewel, “Don’t
fret, chit. A knife in the eye did the trick as well as a cut to the neck.
’Course, it might not be fatal.”

Jack walked to his crewman. “This one will be.”

Marcus rolled on the deck. “Jack, Jack. Where are you? Am
I going to die, Jack?”

Jack signaled to Wayland. “Help me with him, will ya?”

Wayland knelt beside the injured man and looked at Jack.
“You want me to take the knife out?”

“Nah. I’m afraid the eye will come with it.” He glanced at
Wayland.

“No offense, but I can’t stomach that. Just help me pick
him up.” He put his hands under Marcus’s shoulder and tilted him up.

“Jack. Are you there, Jack? Am I going to die, Jack?”

“Afraid so, Marcus.” Jack reached behind him and removed a
larger dagger from the lining of his jacket. Nolan was going to have a talk
with his crew about search procedures as soon as possible. Jack dragged the knife
across Marcus’s neck, silencing his cries. “Let’s toss him. Ready? One, two,
three.” He and Wayland lifted Marcus’s lifeless form and tossed him over the
side. After a few seconds, a splash broke the silence.

Jewel turned her face into Nolan’s chest, sobbing. Nolan
stroked her hair. Night disguised the blood spilled on the deck. The large pool
appeared as harmless as water. To spare Jewel, he’d have a crewman scrub it away
before morning. Nolan felt nothing but cold satisfaction at the grisly scene.

Jack turned back to Nolan. “Are we settled?”

“Settled? I think not. You try to steal from me while I
was feeding your mangy crew?” Nolan held Jewel tighter. He shouldn’t let the
other man see how much she meant to him, but he couldn’t let her go. Thinking how
close he’d come to losing her sped his heart to an unsteady beat. “We are far
from settled, Jack.”

Jewel wrenched free. “Is this all you care about? Your
precious map. I was almost killed! Why didn’t you just let them kill me?”

Jack spoke up. “Because he would a killed me, too. Messing
with a man’s woman is a serious offense.”

Jewel turned to Jack. “I’m not his ‘woman.’ I’m his—”

Nolan grabbed her arm and jerked, hard. “Quiet. You’ve
caused enough trouble for one night.” His grip tightened until he could feel
the bone beneath her skin. He didn’t doubt he was bruising her.

Jack wanted the map, not unlike a hundred other pirates
who knew of Captain Kent’s legend. Bellamy’s fierce reputation had kept the
treasure hunters at bay while he lived. Nolan’s growing reputation would have
to do the same. Having his Achilles’ heel exposed was a risk he couldn’t take.
It was fine if they thought he was smitten with his latest whore. He didn’t
want word to spread that he had a deeper, more permanent bond with the woman on
his ship.

Jewel closed her mouth, but the look she gave him told him
how much he’d hurt her. He shoved her behind him, keeping a tight grip on her
wrist.

“You’re in luck, Jack. You saved my woman’s life, and
seeing as she’s a fresh piece, I’m quite grateful. So I’m going to let you
live.”

Jack smiled. “I knew you was a good lad.”

Nolan returned his smile. “You and your crew can take
refuge in your longboats while we burn your ship to the waterline.”

“Come on, Nolan. Let me make you another deal.”

“No, deals, Jack. I’m giving you your life. That’s more
than you deserve.”

Jack shrugged. “Could we have a little libation for our
journey? It’s a long way to shore.”

“All you want.” Jack smiled.

“Ah, you are a good lad, Nolan.”

“But that’s not the message I want you to give to the Brethren.
Make it clear that Nolan Kent is following in his grandfather’s footsteps.
Anyone else who has any ideas about getting the map won’t get off as lucky as you.”

Jack bowed. “My pleasure, Captain Kent.”

Nolan grinned, satisfied that it held enough of the
sinister to convince anyone he was a bloodthirsty villain. “Parker, set them in
the water and clear out anything of value from their ship.”

As Jack and his crew were herded onto the rope ladder,
Nolan let Jewel yank her wrist free of his grasp. “Why didn’t you tell that man
I’m your wife?”

Nolan shrugged. “Because you’re not.”

Jewel stepped back as if he had threatened her with his
fist. “You lied to me? That wedding wasn’t legal? You just planned to use me to
get what you wanted!”

Nolan raked his fingers through his hair. He snagged the
forgotten gold earring. He would keep it. It suited his change of plans. “We
both know I haven’t gotten what I want. But that’s going to change.”

Jewel backed away from him, eyeing him warily. “You have
your precious map. What else could you want?”

Nolan grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him. “You. In
reality as well as in name.”

He bent his knees, forcing Jewel over his shoulder.

She braced her hands on his back and lifted her upper body,
trying to force him to put her down. “I-I won’t be treated like this.”

Nolan didn’t release her, even when she started to kick.
“It’s your choice, sweetheart. You’re not my wife yet, but you will be. We can
do it the easy way or the hard way, but by daybreak this marriage will be
consummated.”

Jewel backed into the farthest corner of the cabin the moment
Nolan set her on her feet. He had risked her life for his precious map. She
wouldn’t just docilely bend to his will now that he had the whim to toss up her
skirts. With his hair wild, dark stubble covering his chin, and a gold hoop
glinting wickedly against his tanned neck, the Nolan she knew had disappeared.
She should be terrified, but her heart raced and traitorous desire tightened
her belly.

Nolan leaned against the bolted door, watching. “Come
here.”

Jewel shook her head. “Who are you?”

Nolan grinned. His teeth looked white and ferocious against
the black of his beard. “I’m the man you want. I’m the man you’ve wanted since
we first met.” He spread his arms wide. “And I’m all yours.”

He stalked toward her. The intensity in his blue eyes affected
her with the same physical sensation of a finger drawn down her spine. He
hadn’t looked at her like that since before their wedding. “I was only a child
when we first met.”

He yanked his loose shirt over his head, and then dropped
it to the floor. “A little girl with dreamy eyes. You wanted someone to rescue
you, and I did.”

Jewel scoffed and put her hands on her hips. The flood of
ire eased her desire, which was battling for control. “Hardly. I wanted to
escape being forced to marry a man I didn’t love.”

She wished she could take back her words the moment they
left her lips. Oh, yes, she had escaped one unpleasant fate only to land in an
ironically opposite predicament. Instead of living a life with someone she didn’t
love, she’d be forever pining over a man who didn’t love her. Jewel raised her
chin, not wanting Nolan to witness the shadows that must have danced across her
gaze at her own thoughts. “And you certainly didn’t rescue me. I had to sneak
on your ship, in case you’ve forgotten.”

Nolan stopped when they were toe to toe. Jewel held her
breath, afraid he would touch her and even more afraid that he wouldn’t. The
stare he leveled on her certainly didn’t hint at indifference. Though Jewel had
come to understand that lust and love were entirely two different things, at
the moment it didn’t seem to matter. The pull of Nolan’s heated gaze weakened
her knees to the consistency of warmed honey.