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“Aye?” Before I gave it another thought, I reached out and nudged her shoulder. I didn’t push hard, just enough to knock her off balance and force her to put weight on her injured side. Just enough to make my point.
Her jaw clenched and unclenched as she balanced herself, eyes squeezed tightly shut. She managed to hold herself up, barely. The hiss that escaped her lips hit me like a punch to the gut, but it was the fine tremble in her bottom lip that cut to the core of me.
What the devil had gotten into me?
“Never, I—”
Her eyes snapped open with a sheen of furious tears reflecting the yellow glow of the torches behind me. “Fuck you.” Her voice was little more than a whisper, but the hate swirling in it could rival a tornado.
She blinked the tears back and stared me down, issuing me an open challenge. The message was clear. If I didn’t take a step back, she’d make me, no matter how much she hurt herself in the process.
I let a mask of cold detachment fall over my face, hiding the guilt that was ripping me apart inside. Living in this wretched realm truly had turned me into a monster. “William, please escort Never to my quarters. Get her a change of clothes.” I couldn’t meet her fiery gaze when I finished. “She is not to have access to the rest of the ship tonight.”
His bushy eyebrows popped up. “Sir?”
“Lock her in and bring me the key when she’s settled. I’ll have Cook make her something to eat and deliver it in short order.”
He hesitated for a breath, then nodded quickly. “Yes, sir.” He turned to Never, reaching out gentle, concerned hands. “Miss?”
“I need off this ship,” she said, yanking her arm clear of the other man’s reach.
“No, you don’t. We had this same conversation last night, and I will not have it again.” I turned on my heel and walked away, leaving my trusty first mate to handle the furious human. As much as I didn’t envy him the task of dealing with her after the mood I’d put her in, the tug to go back and try to smooth things over was undeniable.
“Is he always this much of a raging dick?” she asked, pitching her voice loud enough for me to hear.
Instead of getting under my skin and pricking my anger the way it should have, that little dig brought a smile to my lips. She still had plenty of fight left in her, and just the fact that she was trying to rile me up meant we were nowhere near done with each other.
31
NEVER
William was kind enough to guide me as I hobbled my way into the asshole of a captain’s quarters, refraining from laying even a gentlemanly hand on me. He then floated about the room like a seasoned butler, choosing clothes and laying them out on the bed before beating a quick, albeit polite, retreat.
“You’re still an asshole!” I doubted Hook could hear me yelling at him through the thick wooden door, but a girl could dream.
It was adorable that either man thought there was a chance in hell I would strip down and wear that backstabbing pirate’s clothes. No and thank you. All I had to do now was ignore the fact that the fabric of the deep blue, pinstripe sleep set looked impossibly soft, while my own clothes still clung to my gritty skin like fleece to sandpaper.
I pounded my fist against the door once for good measure, but immediately sucked a sharp breath through my teeth. Only I would think beating on something like that when I had injured ribs was a good idea.
“Yep, that’s me: Never Darling, genius extraordinaire.”
I limped back toward the bed, not so silently cursing Hook and William and everyone on the ship as I went. Not that the others had done anything to earn my irritation. In truth, Hook was the only one I had a problem with at that moment. You know, if I completely dismissed that tiny little thing where they were all working together to hold me hostage on his ship.
Okay, so, I knew I was being petty. Yes, he could have left me in the water and didn’t. And yeah, he could have tossed me overboard and left me to the sirens if he’d wanted to. Heck, he still could.
Running a finger over the clothes William had so kindly set out for me, I couldn’t think of a single good reason why I was still being so stubborn.
And damn, those fine pajamas really were soft.
My skin itched against my rough, saltwater-soaked clothes. It didn’t make sense to slip into clean clothes when I was fifteen levels of filthy, and Williamhadmentioned the basin was warm.
I hobbled my tired butt over to the tiny door tucked back in the corner and peeked through the cracked opening. A single lantern lit the small space, highlighting an ancient copper tub half-filled with water. Moving carefully, I sat on the edge of the basin and dipped my hand in.
Of all the things in the universe that could make a girl cry, why did a hot bath after a long day have to be a trigger for me?
I blinked back the stupid, girlish tears as I stripped out of my clothes and slipped into the liquid heat. The tub was small, barely big enough for me to stretch my legs out straight while sitting up, but it felt like heaven. The unique warmth quickly got to work loosening the knots in my chest and smoothing over the worries in my head the moment I sank down into it.
Closing my eyes, I bent my legs and slid forward until just my chin and knees were above water. Then I leaned my head back against the smooth copper and finally let the tears fall.
