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A startled cry escaped before the person who hit him stumbled back, tripped over a root, and fell to the ground with a solid thump.
Bemused, Jake dropped his package and knelt down to check on who had accosted him.
“Well, fate be damned,” he laughed as he caught sight of the pale form in a buttery shaft of moonlight. She was dressed as a man, but only a fool could miss her curves, and Jacob Dudley was anything but a fool.
Jake looked up at the bright, star-filled sky. “Thank you, Lord,” he said. “You’ve helped me out once again.”
And surely He had, for she’d knocked herself unconscious in her fall. Aquick check assured him that she still breathed and hadn’t broken the skin of her skull, though from the knot that was forming he could tell she’d have a wretched headache when she awoke.
Now all he had to do was get to Morgan and see to it he sailed before Hayes identified his ship. Easy enough.
His spirit light, Jake hefted Serenity up over one shoulder, grabbed Lorelei’s package, and headed for his concealed horse.
Serenity came awake to a fierce pounding in her temples. Moaning softly, she tried to put her hand to her head only to learn her hands weren’t free. Someone had tied her to a chair! A hard, wooden chair that seemed to be in a small cabin on a ship…
Her blood racing, she remembered running out of the house and into a tree.
Nay,she thought, her body going cold. It had been a man. A huge man.
“Listen to me, old man, we’ve not got enough time for you to argue.”
“But Jake, the captain’ll have me head if he finds her on board. And you know how he is when he gets riled.”
Her vision blurry, she blinked her eyes. The man called Jake came into focus. He was extremely tall, at least six foot five. He wore the humble clothes of a farmer, and his long blond hair had been pulled back into a queue.
However, it was the coldness of his eyes that held her transfixed. They were steely, devoid of emotions, and they were set into a face that would rival her pirate’s for sheer handsomeness.
“Barney, I swear I’ll hang you myself if you don’t give the order to sail.”
“Sail?” Serenity gasped, wincing as more pain sliced through her head. “Sail where?”
The old man stepped around Jake and eyed her curiously. “See now, she’s awake. You can be taking her with you.”
“Barney,” Jake growled, his voice laced with warning.
“All right then, I’ll tell the captain about her and—”
Jake grabbed Barney by the arm and turned him around until they faced each other. “Listen, unless you want Wayward Hayes to hang Morgan, you’ll get this ship out of here while you’re still safe.I’lldeal with the woman, and with Morgan.”
“Fine then, it’s your arse he’ll be skinning.” Barney gave her one last look, then headed out of the tiny cabin.
“Excuse me,” Serenity said, her voice cracking with alarm. “But I really don’t think you’ll be sailing with me on board.”
Jake quirked a smile. “And what do you intend to do about it?”
“Scream?”
His laugh was low and evil. If it were true that the eyes were the window of the soul, then this man didn’t possess one at all. His intense gaze betrayed no emotion whatsoever as he reached beneath his navy cape and pulled out a long, wicked knife. “Try it and I’ll have your tongue.” He fingered the shining blade.
“You wouldn’t dare,” she squeaked, her voice constricted by terror.
“I’ve done worse things in my life.”
And by the light in his eyes, she could see he spoke honestly. Dear Lord, how could this man have so little regard for human decency?
For the very tongue she loved so well!
“Why have you taken me?” she asked.
