Damned (5 page)

“Jez.” The other pirate says in a gruff voice, snapping me out of my moment with Jack.

“Aren’t you meant to be in parades or something like that, what are you in here hanging around this ball of trouble for?” Rusty grins and Jax
punches
his arm playfully.

“He likes me, what can I say?”

“I bet he does. Be careful, he is a rat bag.”

“Don’t worry, he knows where I stand.” I
smile
at Jax
,
and he winks at me.

“She’ll give in eventually.”

“Unlikely.” I say, folding my arms but keeping my grin.

“Aren’t you all bound and gagged girl?” Rusty laughs. “I didn’t think you would be allowed to rut with pirates.”

“Oh I assure you, I do
no
t plan on rutting with him. The pirate part’s not so bad though. I have nothing interesting in my life
;
it
i
s good to see something different.”

“Looks like you got a challenge on your hands Cap.”

“Do I what.” Jax smirks.

I blush and look away.

“You look like you have rolled in the dirt
,
angel.” Jack says, surprising me with his kind words.

“I…kind of slid through a lot of shrubs to get here.”

“Do you have a shower I can borrow….and….err….a shirt?” I ask Jax, flushing. God I look awful, my clothes really are
dirt
y.

“Sure do.”

“So why are you hiding love?” Rusty asks,
obvious
ly not concerned with how I look.

“Oh, I am just
tired
of living the same old life. Any girl that wishes to be a princess is
idiotic
if you ask me.”

Jack and Jez laugh.

“Not all fluffy clouds and cake?”

“Not at all.” I mutter. “But who cares about that, tell me about your life. That
i
s so much more interesting.”

Rusty smiles, the
n
plods into the kitchen
.
He pulls out some eggs, bread and cheese.

“Are you hungry, lass?”

“Sure.”

“Looks like I am going to have to fight for your company.” Jax mutters to himself as he
disappears into the room, to pick me a shirt.

I sit and
gaz
e in awe as Rusty begins telling me about his life as a pirate.

“So…there are like treasures and real things like that?”

“Sure are lass, we don’t sail out there for nothing.”

“I would say it
i
s crazy, but I know that magical things certainly are
no
t crazy.”

“And what about the nasty magical things?” Jax asks, walking back in the room.

“Like what?”

“Monsters.”

“I
guess,
well
,
yeah I
think
there are.”

“You believe in the unreal girl?”

“I do.” I nod.

“Why?”

“Long story.”

I look at Jack who is staring at me, does he know what I am?

“Anyway,
will
you teach me to shoot?” I say, changing the subject.

Jax laughs, giving me a wicked grin. “What you wanna learn that for?”

“Fun.”

“Well I am sure we can
arrang
e something. Now stop torturing my men and shower yourself.”

I frown. “They don’t mind, do you boys?”

“Not at all lass, come and talk to us anytime.”

I give Jax a
‘
so there’ look and walk off into the shower. I feel good
,
and for the first time in a long time, I am
happy
, warm even. I shower and change, letting my hair down and running my fingers through it so it will look half-decent. I pull on the shirt Jax gave me and then
put
on the shorts I was wearing under my horrid
,
ugly knee length skirt. My mother would have an absolute fit if she saw me right now. I join the men at the table and look down at the plate Rusty slides towards
me. French toast.

“Wow, this looks great.”

“Probably nothing on what you
a
re used to.” He murmurs
,
but I can see his proud smile.

“I doubt that. All that fancy stuff is
no
t as good as it sounds.”

“Do you eat fish eggs?” Jez asks, wrinkling his nose.

“You mean caviar? Hell on, but most royals do. I
,
however
,
am rebellious
.
I eat steak.” I grin.

Jax is staring at me with a warm, friendly grin. Does he like that I get along with his crew?

Jax puts a
fork full of food in his mouth, I watch his jaw move; he has a nice jaw
.

“I can’t imagine you being rebellious?”

“Well, in my world I am. I doubt I would be in yours.” I flush.

“I think you
a
re very cool.” Jack smiles.

“Well thank you, I like to think so.”

“None of that prissy talk or behavior. You
a
re certainly not what I would
imagin
e a princess to be like, plus you
a
re real pretty too
;
not fake.” Rusty says between mouthfuls.

“Well thanks. You’r
e not smelly, dirty and fat as
I would expect.”

They all laugh now and I suddenly realize, I do
no
t want to go back. I eat the rest of my food and then promptly clean up. The men leave after another hour or so
,
and I miss them when they go. The bar opens for lunch
;
Jax begins preparing everything.

“Wanna help?”

“Serve?”

“Sure why not.”

“Ok.”

He shows me all the different alcohol and how to serve it. We spend the afternoon laughing and chatting with each other and the customers. I love feeling normal, like nothing matters. I like feeling close to some
one and I love
being able to chat
and
feel
the connection I feel with Jax. I could
undoubted
ly fall for some
one
like him, hard and fast.

I walk out back when the lunch crowd leaves
,
and we only have few customers for the afternoon. I know I have to go back,
even though I do
no
t  want to
. I walk into Jax’s room, glancing around bef
ore pulling off his
shi
rt and sliding my own back on
. I sit on the bed, about to pull on my skirt when I hear the door open. Jax steps in, his eyes linger over my
bare legs
and then meet mine.

“You’re leaving?”

“I have to.” I whisper, blushing.

He steps forward. “I had a good day, did you?”

I nod, swallowing. “I like those men, from
your
crew.”

“And they liked you, which is rare. They do
no
t converse with ladies often.”

“Thanks, for having me here today.”

He says nothing, he just
meets my eyes and steps forward;
dropping to his knees in front of me. I begin feeling nervous, anxious.

“What are you doing?” I whisper.

“I am going to kiss you.”

He doesn’t let me answer, he just reaches up, takes my head in his hands and pulls me forward. At first contact, I
immediate
ly melt inside. His lips are hot, wet and so damned tasty. He moves them over mine with perfection. I gasp as he drives his tongue into
my mouth
;
t
he feeling is overwhelming but certainly not unpleasant. I fall into the kiss, taking his shoulders in my hands and pulling him closer. Moans slide
from my mouth
as he drags his lips down my neck.

“We have to stop…” I
hesitate
.

He pulls
away
quick
ly, presses one l
ast kiss to my lips and stands.

“And that
i
s just the beginning of how I can make you feel, think about that.”

“I should
no
t have done that. I should go.”

I pull on my clothes, mumble an
apology and rush out of the room
. I am ashamed of myself, I hardly know the man and I have just let him kiss me. Like I am easy. I run to the gate and hurry back to the castle, my cheeks flaming with embarrassment. I run straight into my mother and yelp.

“Jade where have you been, gosh, what happened to your clothes?”

I fell off my horse
;
I was just coming back to get changed.

“Oh dear are you hurt?”

“What does it matter to you or father?” I hiss angrily.

“Love, I wanted to apologize for what your father did.”

“I am sorry to, for
ever thinking you two cared more about me then yourselves.”

“We love you,
it i
s why we are lining up
your
future this way. Would you rather be on the streets with nothing?”

“It sounds a damn sight better than this.”

She gapes at me. “You are too selfish, I
did not
bring you up like this.”

“No mother, you brought me up with everything
,
but you never stopped and wondered if I wanted any of it.”

“That makes no sense. All girls want what you have, you ungrateful child.”

I shake my head. “Goodnight.”

“Jade!” She yells
,
but I simply ignore her with a flick of my hand and shut my bedroom door.

I slide out of my clothes and fall into bed
;
my life is torn. I have a
guy
t
hat drives me crazy but refuses
ever
to
give me what I want
,
and a family that wants me to marry and reproduce as though I am a mouse. I sigh and
wiggle
further into the warm comforter, my phone buzzes.

Are you feeling good now, darlin?

Yes, thank you.

I am here, anytime, if you want more.

I have told you, I am not sure that’s wise. I am
prett
y sure I would be hung.

It’s your body gorgeous, it’s one thing you do get a say so in.

I ponder that a moment
;
he is right. It is the one thing that’s mine. I tremble.

Thanks, I had a good time…with everything.

So it wasn’t so bad for a first kiss?

It am fairy sure, it doesn’t get better. I am going to bed now, thanks again for today.

Later, baby girl.

Night pirate.

I smile a
nd shove my phone under my pillow
. He makes me feel good in a way nobody ever has
,
and
deep down, even after a mere few days, I know that I am falling way
too fast for the pirate that is
Jax Watt
s.

CHAPTER 3

The next day I spend the morning at a town parade, waving a smiling like a showpiece. It keeps my parents off my back for the most part. I sneak over to the bar that afternoon; my parents are away for the night so it is all mine. I do not have to worry much about James because he is off with Celeste; he would not miss the opportunity to take his little mistress all night. When I enter the bar, I notice all the pirates playing a game of poker.

“Well hello girly.” Rusty greets me with a smile.

“Hey little angel.” Jack grins.

I feel a hand grip my arm; I am twirled
around and crushed into a firm, hard chest. Jax brings his lips down over mine, momentarily shocking me.

“Hello to you too.” I blush.

He kisses me again. “How you doin baby girl?”

“Just brilliant now.” I melt inside, baby girl, seriously?

We turn and the whole crew is staring; wide eyed at Jax’s greeting. I am guessing it is not something he does often.