AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You don’t like him?”
Of course, I knew Bellamy hated him in the future. But I had no idea he was at odds with him before.
“I respect him as a seaman. And as a result, he’s given me control of this brig. It’s all business. Nothing more.”
“Oh,” I sighed, not knowing what else to say.
Bellamy turned around swiftly, a move I didn’t expect. He walked back toward me, the lanterns on the ship giving his skin a touch of a warmth I’d rarely seen on him. But the light only reached so far, and the rest of him remained cast in shadow. For a moment, he reminded me of a ghost, half of him pulled in by the darkness of the night. But his piercing blue eyes still shone through. “You’re welcome,” he uttered.
I realized I hadn’t acknowledged that he’d saved me—even though he’d actually sabotaged my plan. But I couldn’t let him know that, of course. “Sorry,” I muttered. “Thank you. I’ll be more careful.”
Bellamy held those blue eyes on me like anchors that had taken their hold, and I pushed away the silent urge to say more. It’d be a lie to say I hadn’t thought of him from time to time since the night I broke the curse. But I convinced myself this wasn’t what it felt like. This wasn’t meant to be a chance to tell him things I never got to say. This was just a fluke. And a huge inconvenience to stopping Cordelia.
I turned away, returning my thoughts to Milo and how I could possibly find him. I refused to think he hadn’t survived. He had to be out there somewhere. And I’d brave that dark sea if it meant I could find him. Because I knew I couldn’t stay here.
“You’re cold.” Bellamy’s voice cut like a steel blade through the silence of the night. Keeping my back to him, I looked down, noticing the goosebumps along my arms.
“I’m fine. I’ll dry.”
“No, you can’t stay out here like that. It’ll only get colder.”
“Since when are pirates such gentlemen?”
“Who said I’m gentle?” He grabbed my arm, yanking me forward without hesitation. “I just don’t want a sick body aboard infecting my crew.”
He pulled me behind him toward the cabin door, and I dug my heels into the floor, fighting his grip.
“Let go of me!” I cried, only to provoke a stoic chuckle from him. He stopped, turned to face me, and then scooped me up like I was no more than a child, throwing me over his shoulder as I wriggled to free myself.
“Don’t worry, love. I just need to keep you healthy until we reach port and I can get rid of you. So, you’ll be staying where it’s warm till you’re dry.”
As he swung the cabin door open, he pulled me inside and swiftly released my arm, making me stumble. “Now stay here,” he growled. He locked the door and sauntered to a hanging hammock bed in the corner, pulling a blanket down from it and tossing it in my direction. “Take this and don’t argue.”
I caught the heavy blanket with two hands. The threading woven within was soft like lamb’s wool, and it smelled of sweet spice, rum, and smoke. I yearned to wrap my chilled body in it, but I resisted, eyeing Bellamy cautiously.
He ran his fingers through his damp hair, shaking it to dry, before removing his heavy, soaked coat. I glanced away when I caught sight of his wet tunic clinging to his chest, the shape of his pectoral muscles easily visible. As he began to peel his tunic from his waist and tugged it upward, I failed to stifle a sound that made my discomfort obvious. “Turn around if it bothers you, lass. I’m not sleeping in these wet clothes.”
I searched for words as he continued to undress. The tattoos on his torso and chest held me captive. I felt a strange flutter in my chest when I realized the anatomical heart was there, inked onto his arm, but lacked the two arrows he would add 291 years later. Guilt washed over me as I let my eyes linger a little longer just as he began to undo his belt buckle. Milo was still in the forefront of my mind, and the thought of him was just the encouragement I needed to finally turn around and face the wall.
The sound of pants dropping and the jingling of a belt rattled on the floor. I steadied myself against the gentle ship’s movement, trying to brush away the fact that Bellamy stood fully unclothed just a few feet behind me. My heart pounded and my muscles tightened as the air around me became thick. Without thinking it through, I reached for the door handle right in front of me. Though I’d seen Bellamy lock it, I thought maybe I could somehow get it open.
With an unsuccessful jiggle of the knob, I knew I’d made a foolish choice. Within seconds, a muscular tattooed arm from behind me snatched up my hand, pushing me to the wall, firmly enough to rattle me. I fought the conflicting sensation I felt as Bellamy breathed out against my skin, lingering by my ear. When he lowered his face to mine, I glanced down to see he was only clad in a pair of dry dark burgundy pants.
“Listen to me, love.” The mocking pet name left his lips quickly and abruptly, as though he’d just chewed on something bitter. “Stop flattering yourself. If I wanted to do anything more with you, I would have.”
If he wanted me to act afraid, he would be disappointed. He’d held a sword to my chest before, ready to cut out my heart. And he didn’t do it. I wondered if with that perspective, I knew him better than he knew himself.
“Flatter myself? Take your own advice. I’m not worried about you.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “I just prefer not to sleep in the same room as a filthy jackass.”
Bellamy grinned. “You’re on a pirate ship, my dear. You’re surrounded by jackasses. Welcome aboard.” He looked down, as if he was deciding whether or not to continue. When he spoke again, his voice was softer, more serious, but he still grinned at me as though he found something funny that was unknown to me. “Listen, I have no room in this heart for anything but the sea. And I’m loyal to only her. Now shut up, quit pissing about so much, and put that blanket around you before you catch a fever.”
I eyed him suspiciously as he proceeded back to the trunk chest where the rest of his clothes lay, and pulled a billowy, loose-fitting tunic over his head. I internally chastised myself for the heat rushing to my face as I stood, my back still to the wall, watching the muscles in Bellamy’s back and shoulders flinch as he worked his way into the thin shirt and then casually climbed into his hammock bed.
Secretly, I was glad for the blanket and warm area to stay, but I didn’t want to make Bellamy think I wanted to be here. I slowly sat down, resting my back against the wooden wall behind me and closed my eyes as I wrapped the blanket around me tighter. My damp clothes were uncomfortable, and I yearned to peel them off, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it with Bellamy mere feet from me.
And it was then that the realization sunk in and settled like the wet clothes on my skin. I was really trapped here. In a ship in the literal 18th century, without a clue how to get back. Milo was missing, and my parents would be wondering what happened to me. My friends were trapped here too. All because of me. And Cordelia’s words flashed before my mind as I fought away the unwanted, shameful desire I felt rising in me for the man sleeping across the room.
You’re just as soulless as me.
