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He returned his knife to the folds of his cape and sighed. “Believe it or not, it’s for your own good.”
“My own good? Pray tell, how do you figure that?”
“Under the circumstances, I fear I don’t have time to explain it. I have to make sure Barney carries out my orders and that a stubborn man sees reason. So, if you’ll excuse me…” He started for the door.
“Wait!”
He paused and turned back to face her with one arched brow.
“I won’t tell anyone you kidnapped me,” she begged. “Just, please, let me go.”
“Unfortunately, that’s not possible.” He cocked his head to one side and eyed her like a hawk watching a hare. “Now, do I need to gag you before I leave?”
Serenity shook her head. She was quite attached to her tongue and she was determined to keep as much of her freedom as she could. One way or another, she was going to get off this ship, even if she had to jump off and swim back home; sharks and sea monsters be damned.
Two hours later, Serenity sat in the small crevice that Jake had called Barney’s bunk room. Bunk water-closet was more like. She owned hatboxes that were bigger.
She’d been doing her best to free herself, but it was too late.
She had felt the ship leave its moorings and now it rolled across the waves at full speed.
Whatever was she going to do?
You should have screamed anyway,she said to herself in frustration.
Well, had I done that, Jake would have cut my tongue out.
Yes, well, better he cut out your tongue than your father get ahold of you after this.
Closing her eyes, she could just imagine the look on her father’s face.
What had she done? This was not the adventure she had wanted. She had never once dreamed of being trapped in the belly of a ship headed for who knew where.
Oh heaven, this was definitely not a good day for an adventure.
Suddenly she heard steps outside. She held her breath in fear.
The door swung open.
“Barney, I need…” The familiar voice trailed off as her dream pirate looked up from the fob watch he’d been checking. His gaze touched on her, and if she thought he had looked angry that afternoon in her shop, she had certainly underestimated him.
“Barney!” he bellowed with a force that shamed the raging sea.
“Good evening, Captain,” she said in the calmest of voices. She was proud of her poise, given the ridiculousness and horror of her situation.
“What the devil are you doing here?” he asked between clenched teeth.
She twisted her hands that were held in place by the ropes so that he could see them. “I am sitting in a most uncomfortable chair.”
“I can see that,” he said moving forward into the room. He knelt down in front of her chair. “How did you get there?”
Her eyes widened as he pulled out a huge dagger. An image of it plunging into her breast flashed before her eyes as Jake’s words echoed in her ears.
Serenity took a deep breath.
Footsteps thundered down the hallway. “I can explain, Captain,” Barney said as he appeared outside the door.
“You better,” the Sea Wolf said in the most intimidating voice she’d ever heard as he slashed the ropes holding her arms and legs to the chair.
