Master of Seduction (25 page)

Jack scowled at his son. What the devil had gotten into him? “Keep your voice down, pup. And no, I’m not just sleeping with her.”

“That’s what it looked like on board the ship.”

“Well, we’re not on board the ship and everything’s different now.”

“Oh,” Kit said. “That’s too bad then.”

“Why?”

“Because I think she loves you.”

W
hat on earth had made Kit think she loved him? That thought churned in Jack’s mind as he bathed himself.

Kesi and Alice had taken Lorelei below to eat while he made himself a little more presentable.

Over and over he thought about various moments he’d spent with Lorelei. Could Kit have seen something he missed?

Sure, they enjoyed each other’s company. Lorelei even seemed to like their verbal sparring.

But love?

What would Lorelei’s love look like? Could it be the way she leaned a little closer to him when he spoke to her? Or was it the way a certain fire seemed to light her eyes when they were together?

It’s lust, you fool. Don’t kid yourself
.

What did Kit know. He was only a boy. A pup. And here he was, a grown man obsessing over the words of a child.

Aye, you’re a fool to ever believe a woman like that could ever care for a man like you
.

L
orelei sat at one of the tables with Kesi, Alice, Mavis, Kit, and Sarah while they sipped tea and sampled some of Regina’s biscuits. They’d ordered food for her and a tray to be taken upstairs to Jack.

“We’ve been terribly worried about the two of you,” Mavis said as she stirred cream into her tea.

Alice passed the sugar bowl over to Mavis. “Especially after we found Ernie and there was no sign of either of you.”

“You found Ernie?” Lorelei asked, delighted he had somehow survived.

“Aye,” Mavis said, swallowing her sip of tea. “He was hurt and cussing like a bandit, but he survived.”

Regina brought the food to their table. She sneered at Lorelei before looking over to Alice. “I’m surprised to see you break bread with the likes of her. I thought you hated these rich snobs as much as me.”

“Now, Gina,” Alice said. “Don’t be mean. Lorelei is quite nice once you get to know her.”

Regina raked her with a withering stare. “I’ll just be glad when she’s out of here. She’s ruining my atmosphere and stinking up the place.”

Remembering Jack’s words about Regina and the poison, Lorelei pushed her plate away as the bitter woman stalked away from them.

“Why does she hate me so?” she asked Alice.

“Jealous harpy.” Alice set her cup aside. “She’s been after Jack for years, but he’s never so much as given her the time of day.”

Mavis patted Lorelei’s arm. “She also likes to pretend she’s the by-blow of this rich English earl, so any time she spies a real lady, she gets nasty.”

Kesi motioned to Lorelei’s discarded plate. “Go on and eat, Lorelei. Gina knows better than to hurt ya, child. Jack would have her head and she well knows it.”

Lorelei had barely taken a bite when a rough group of sailors came in.

“Oh, heaven,” Alice gasped. “It’s Gory Galbraith. There’ll be nothing but trouble from this.”

Lorelei wiped her mouth with her napkin. “Who is he?”

“The meanest-spirited pirate who ever drew breath,” Kit answered. “He makes Blackbeard look like a saint.”

“I think we best be going,” Alice suggested. “I’ll take your bread, Lorelei. You get the bowl and we’ll go upstairs to my room.”

“Wait,” Mavis whispered to them. “He’s seen us. Don’t move and maybe he’ll leave is alone.”

Only it wasn’t to be.

The four men came straight to their table. “Well, well, what have we here?” the one who appeared to be the leader said.

“Looks like a bunch of doves, Captain.”

“That it does,” Galbraith concurred.

One of the pirates leaned over Alice and took a rude sniff. “They don’t look like no soiled doves, neither. And they don’t smell of sex or sweat. I think we have some real ladies here, Captain.”

“You must be wrong, Leo,” Galbraith said. “Gina wouldn’t let no ladies into her place.”

“They’re ladies, all right,” Kit said. “And if you mess with them, you’ll have me to deal with.”

The captain straightened and narrowed his beady stare on Kit. “What did you say, insect?”

Kit rose slowly from his chair. “I said for you to leave them alone.”

“Kit, sit down,” Mavis snapped. “You’re going to get hurt.”

“That’s right, pup,” the Captain said. “You better listen to the old crone. I make my meals off of little rats like you.”

Unwilling to stand by and see her friends abused, Lorelei spoke up. “Insect, pup, or rat. It certainly seems to me that you don’t know what he is, so maybe you should leave him alone.”

The captain turned his attention to her.

Gracious, Lorelei, you should have kept your mouth shut! Why not just call him a smelly rhinoceros wart while you’re at it
?

“Did you say something to me?” Galbraith asked.

“No,” Lorelei said with a gulp.

He wiggled his finger in his ear as if cleaning it. “Funny, I could have sworn I heard you speak.”

Maybe it’s the dirt clogging those nasty things you call ears
.

Lorelei bit her lips closed to keep from saying it aloud.

The captain turned Kit’s chair over, dumping the boy onto the floor. “Oops,” he said. “Looks like you need to find yourself a new chair.”

His three men laughed.

That was it. Caution aside, she wasn’t about to let these men pick on a boy and do nothing about it. “And maybe you need to find yourself some new manners.”

The captain snaked out his arm to her and grabbed her wrist. “Maybe I ought to teach
you
some manners.”

“Let me go.” Lorelei tried to pull out of his grip, but it was no use.

The other women sat at the table, unsure what to do while Kit fled the room.

“Ach now,” the captain said. “Why don’t you come over here and make it up to me with a kiss?”

“Forgive me,” Lorelei snapped as she tried again to wrest her arm from his grip. Her entire arm burned. “I really don’t need a purgative at present.”

His grip tightened even more. Against her protests, he pulled her into his lap. Struggling against him, she shrieked her outrage.

Just as his fetid breath fell against her lips, she was freed.

Lorelei jumped back and saw Jack holding the captain’s head back in his fist while he balanced the blade of his dagger against Galbraith’s bearded neck.

The man’s eyes hardened. “Well now, Jack Rhys. How is it you got past my men?”

Jack didn’t seem to hear him. Instead of answering, he pulled the dagger from the captain’s throat, lifted it up and started to plunge it straight into his chest.

A scream caught in Lorelei’s throat.

An instant before Jack made contact with the captain’s chest, Jack turned the blade aside and sliced air with it. “If you ever lay hands on what’s mine again, as God is my witness I’ll lay you down dead.”

Jack jerked the chair out from under the captain, spilling the man to the floor. “Go on, get out of here and don’t turn around until you’re on your own ship headed out to sea.”

Cursing, the captain shot to his feet. “I’ll kill you for this.”

Jack stiffened. “Then go ahead and try.”

It was then the captain looked around and saw his men lying unconscious on the floor. The color faded from his face.

Kesi, Alice, and Mavis dumped their cups’ contents into the faces of the slumbering pirates. They sputtered awake.

By Galbraith’s face, Lorelei could see his desire to say something more, but he thought better of it. Gathering his men, he left.

Her entire body trembling, she breathed deep in relief.

Jack caught her up against him. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

Before she could answer, Mavis, Kesi, and Alice spoke at once.

“You were wonderful, Lorelei.”

“Did you hear what she said?”

“I thought Jack was going to kill him!”

Jack ignored their words and continued to look at her. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. Really.” She hugged him close. “Thank you for coming.”

His laugh reverberated through her. “Oh, my little Lorelei, polite unto the end.”

Kit jumped into the middle of the women, and began relaying the story of how Jack had rendered the pirates unconscious.

Jack kissed her lightly on the forehead, then addressed the group. “I think Lorelei’s had enough excitement for the day.”

“I know I have,” Mavis said. “You two go on up. I know you’re tired.” She put her hands on Kit’s shoulders. “I’ll see to this one.”

Jack took Lorelei by the hand and led her upstairs. Without a second thought, she followed, and it wasn’t until they were alone in the room that she finally spoke. “Would you have really killed him?”

His eyes had the cold, deadly gleam to them that marked his sincerity. “For touching you, absolutely.”

“Why?” she asked, wanting to hear his reasons for spilling a man’s blood for her. Could she possibly mean something to him after all?

“Because I…” His voice trailed off and he looked about the room like a cornered fox surrounded by snapping hounds.

“You?”

“I…”

She giggled. “For an eloquent man, Captain Rhys, you seem to be stymied for an answer.”

And then he was there, standing in front of her, pulling her against him. His lips covered hers and the kiss he gave was one of desperation and power. It took her breath away.

He moved from her lips and trailed kisses over her cheeks and throat.

“Lorelei,” he murmured in her ear as he unbuttoned the back of her gown. Her dress fell to the floor. He ran his hand over her chest, raising chills along her body. “I don’t want any other man to ever touch you.”

“Neither do I,” she said as she unlaced his shirt, then pulled it off over his head.

She arched her back as he deftly opened her corset, then slid it to the floor. Her chemise and stockings soon followed. She expected him to carry her to the bed. Instead, he picked her up and placed her on the long narrow table. “What are you doing?” She gasped.

A wicked smile curved his lips as he peeled his breeches off. “I’m going to feast on you.”

He climbed up on the table beside her. Just above her head, his food tray was set out, still untouched. Jack reached his hand out to scoop the cream off of a slice of pie.

“Jack?”

He smeared the cream over her breasts and down her belly. Before she could say another word, he dipped his head and began licking the cream from her body. Writhing in pleasure, she ran her hands through his hair. Over and over his tongue stroked her, fanning the flames of her desire until she thought she’d scream from it.

Biting her lip, Lorelei reached for the chocolate part of the pie and spread it over his neck and shoulders, then set about feasting from him. Jack’s moan reverberated through her.

And when he pulled her against him and seized her lips, she could stand no more of the sweet torture.

“Now, Jack,” she begged as she reached down and took him in her hand. She guided his swollen shaft toward her.

He laughed low in his throat. “That’s what I love most about you. You always know what you want.”

And then he slid into her. Lorelei moaned in blissful satisfaction as he buried himself deep.

Lifting her hips, she urged him on, whispering to him as he stroked the bittersweet need of her body.

“Faster,” she urged, her body spinning out of control.

He obliged, and she felt as if she were on the precipice of some great mountain, about to fall off. Her ecstasy built, stoked by his body.

Lorelei dug her nails into his back as her body erupted and she groaned with wondrous release. Jack moved faster for a few seconds longer, increasing her pleasure all the more.

And then she felt him shudder. For the first time, he didn’t pull himself out of her as his own release came.

Instead, he buried himself deep inside her and called out her name.

Lorelei lay perfectly still as the full implication hit her. He hadn’t pulled out.

Her breathing heavy, she brushed the hair away from the nape of his neck. “Jack, why did you—”

“God and his saints help me for it,” he panted. “But for once I wanted to know what it felt like to give a part of myself to someone.”

Tears stung her eyes.

Immediately, Jack slid out of her. “What did I do? Did I hurt you?”

“No,” she said as the tears flowed down her temples. “You didn’t hurt me, you silly pirate. You just made me happy.”

He brushed the tears away with his fingertips. “You are a strange woman.”

“I’d have to be to put up with you.”

Jack picked her up and moved her from the table to the bed. They spent the rest of the day and night there, exploring each other. It wasn’t until the wee hours of the morning that they were disturbed by a sudden knock on the door.

Jack cracked the door open to see Morgan on the other side.

Morgan didn’t bother greeting him. His words were clipped and emotionless. “Wallingford’s coming. I barely beat him here.”

J
ack felt as if he’d been punched in the gut. Wallingford. It figured. Of all the cursed timing.

“Does Ben know?” he asked Morgan.

“I sent Tarik up to tell him.”

Jack nodded. “How much time before Wallingford arrives?”

“An hour, maybe. He has three warships with him.”

Jack ground his teeth together. “And I have none.”

“You have mine.”

“No, Morgan. I appreciate it, but I wanted to make my stand against him and so I shall. I’ve involved you in this too deeply already and I know how hard you’re trying to leave piracy behind. The best thing you can do is to hide yourself until all this is over.”

Jack paused and looked back over to the bed where Lorelei still slept. “Just promise me one thing.”

“Anything.”

“If I die, see to it my wealth is distributed evenly between Kit and Lorelei.”

“But Jack—”

“Just promise me, Morgan.”

“All right. I promise.”

Not feeling a damn bit better, Jack said, “Now you better go hide your ship. If Wallingford recognizes it, he’ll skin your hide as well.”

“I already thought of that. I had my crew take it to the other side of the island out of sight.”

Jack gave a half-hearted laugh. “I taught you well.”

“Yes, you did.” Morgan took a step back. “I plan to be there when you face him.”

“I would rather you not.”

“I know. But you need a reliable second there and I’m not some craven beast who would send you out alone.”

Morgan’s loyalty had never failed to amaze him. He’d never understood it, but for once, he was grateful for Morgan’s sense of honor. “Just stay out of my way.”

“All right. I will.” Morgan headed off down the hallway.

Jack closed the door and leaned his forehead against it. There was no use in wishing for what could have been. He knew that. This was the course he had chosen and now it was his time to rendezvous with destiny.

Walking over to the bed, he watched the early dawn light play against the creamy softness of Lorelei’s bare body. Even now he could taste the salt of her skin on his tongue, feel her hands playing against his back.

Their time together had been so brief. And it was the best part of his life. If he had to die, then he wanted it to be now, with the memory of her still fresh in his mind. The last thing Jack wanted was to go grow old alone while trying to hang onto her memory and the few wondrous days they’d spent together.

This tiny woman lying in his bed had changed him forever.

Pulling the covers over her, he went to dress and wait for the inevitable.

L
orelei came awake to the sunlight streaming in through the window, and to the smell of freshly cooked ham. Savoring the warm aroma, she opened her eyes to see Jack standing in front of the windows, staring out at the sea.

As if he sensed her sudden alertness, he turned his head and looked directly at her. “Good morning,” he said with a hint of ill-humor in his voice.

What on earth had caused him to be so grumpy first thing on such a beautiful day?

To her, this day was glorious and she couldn’t wait to spend it with Jack. In fact, she’d thought of another picture she wanted to paint of him and she couldn’t wait to get started. Especially since her earlier one had gone down on board his ship.

“Good morning,” she repeated. “What were you thinking of? Returning to sea?”

Jack leaned with one arm against the side of the window as he continued scanning the scenery. He drew a deep breath before he answered. “No. I was wondering how long it’s going to take Wallingford before he comes ashore.”

“What?” she gasped, bolting out of bed.

Had she heard him correctly?

Draping a sheet around her, she rushed to the window. Out in the harbor were three English ships. She knew the admiral’s as soon as her gaze touched on the crisply polished sloop which had all canons prepped and aiming straight at the island. None of the islanders were about and all the shutters in town had been pulled tightly closed. Everything looked deserted, no doubt in expectation of the ensuing battle.

Lorelei wanted to run. She didn’t want to go home. Not now and certainly not like this.

“What are we going to do, Jack?”

The reconciled look on his face terrified her even more than the three ships prepared to blow them all to kingdom come. Dear heaven, he was going to go through with his mad plan after all.

He spoke and confirmed her thoughts. “You are to dress and eat your breakfast while I wait on Ben. Then I shall go down there and meet them.”

Horror filled her. “You can’t.”

“I have to.”

Closing her eyes, she prayed for an answer to keep him from this madness. Did she mean so little to him that he was now prepared to end his life over some insane need for vengeance? “Please don’t do this,” she begged, trying to reach that part of him she knew did care for her.

“Would you have me run, then?”

“Yes,” she said, hoping to sway him to common sense. “You and I could run away and find someplace where—”

He stopped her words by pressing his finger to her lips. “Remember what happened to your grandfather? Remember what your grandmother’s last words to him were? ‘If you had fought like a man, you wouldn’t die like a dog.’”

Anger coiled through her. “That’s a myth penned by a man who wanted to portray my grandmother as a monster. My grandmother’s last words to Calico Jack were that she loved him more than anything else on this earth. That she would always love him and that she had no regrets for the time they’d spent together.”

Jack’s gaze softened. “If she were anything like you, then I don’t doubt that. However, it doesn’t change anything. I may have been many things in my life, but I’ve never been a coward.”

Oh, how she wanted to beat him senseless for his stupidity! Lorelei’s gaze darkened.

“Fine then,” she snapped. “Go kill yourself. But don’t expect me to watch.”

“I don’t.” He turned around and headed out the door.

Lorelei slung the sheet to the floor in a mighty rage. How dare he behave this way! Just who did he think he was, seducing her, making her love him, and then throwing his life away?

“Well, I won’t let you, Jack Rhys. Do you hear me?” she said to the room as she retrieved her garments from the floor. “I’m not going to stand by and watch you die like my grandmother had to do with her Jack. I won’t let it happen this time. At least not without a fight.”

Ignoring her breakfast, she started dressing.

M
organ met Jack just outside the inn with Ben by his side. The street was completely deserted as the ocean breeze whipped through town, stirring up tangles of dust.

“Wallingford has agreed to your terms,” Morgan said as Jack paused by his side. “He’s picking five men to come ashore and take Lorelei while he faces you on the beach. He’s chosen swords for the confrontation.”

Jack didn’t look at Morgan; instead, his attention was fastened in the direction of the harbor as if he could see Wallingford already on shore. “I knew he would.” He indicated Morgan’s sword, which was hung against his hip. “May I?”

“Sure,” Morgan said as he unfastened the buckle, then handed it over to Jack. “Just make sure you kill the bastard with it.”

Jack strapped the sword to his hips. “That’s what I intend to do.”

Ben cleared his throat before he spoke. “I certainly hope you know what you’re doing, Jack. You know if you fail, I won’t be able to offer you a pardon.”

“I’m well aware of that fact.”

Ben’s jaw tightened and he looked at Jack as if seeing him for the last time.

Ignoring the dire look, Jack led them toward the small harbor, his mind set and his heart heavy. In spite of his best intentions, his thoughts drifted back to Lorelei and the way she’d looked lying in bed this morning, with her hair tossed about the covers and her bare skin against the sheets.

Out of his entire life, he had but one regret.

And Lorelei was it.

Jack ground his teeth together. He mustn’t think of her. Mustn’t let his feelings intrude on this match, or else he was definitely as dead as Ben predicted. His only hope for victory was his ability to control his emotions.

Deadening himself, he walked across the beach. The water lapped up against the short wooden pier that jetted out into the lagoon. The beach was a natural harbor and ships would anchor a little ways off while their crews rowed ashore.

This morning, there were four boats on the horizon. One a merchant ship that had come in yesterday, and the three British warships that stood like skeletal guardians of doom in the morning light. Even from this distance, Jack could see the activity of the crew as they launched the ship’s boats which would bring his most hated enemy into his grasp.

One of Ben’s assistants was waiting for them. The thirty-year-old was dressed in a crisp brown suit that almost matched Ben’s. “They should be here shortly,” he told them.

Jack nodded and watched as the Englishmen climbed aboard the small boat and rowed toward the beach. It took very little effort to make out Wallingford and Justin. Especially Justin, who kept standing up in the boat and leaning forward as if wanting to jump out and swim ashore. Any other time, it might have been comical the way the man popped to his feet, only to have his father snap an order for him to sit down.

Jack tightened his grip on the hilt of Morgan’s sword in expectation. With any luck all this would be ended before Lorelei finished dressing, and before Kit woke up to find himself an orphan.

As soon as the boat was close enough for the men to wade ashore, Justin leapt from it.

“You bastard!” Justin roared as he stomped through the waves and unsheathed his sword. He held his polished sword above his head, cursing with every step.

As soon as he reached the beach, he charged Jack.

Unsheathing his own sword, Jack deflected Justin’s blow, his body cold and numb, and once again under his firm control. “My fight’s not with you.”

“Oh yes, it is.”

Jack parried two more thrusts. “Don’t make me kill you, boy.”

Justin’s face turned bright red. “You’re not man enough to kill me, you craven thief.”

“Ouch,” Jack mocked. “What a vicious insult.”

He shoved Justin away from him and looked to Wallingford, who watched them with pinched, worried features. It had been a long time since Jack had seen the man. He wore his uniform with the same pompous, self-righteous, stiff spine that had marked Wallingford and all his deeds.

“Is this how you fight, old man?” Jack asked him. “You send a boy out to die in your place?”

Wallingford said nothing as Justin lunged for him again. Anger taking a firm root in him, Jack sidestepped the thrust and brought his sword down hard across Justin’s blade.

The boy staggered back from the ferocity of the blow and Jack seized the moment to shove him backward with his hand. Justin stumbled, turned slightly, then fell to the ground, landing on his stomach. His sword landed almost three feet away from his outstretched hand.

Kill him
!

Jack hesitated, and in that moment of his laxity, Justin scrambled across the sand and retrieved his sword.

Once more, he faced Jack.

Now Justin’s face bore a mask of terror and fear that consumed him as he realized fully that Jack was the master and he just a mere pupil.

Everyone on the beach now knew the outcome. It was only a matter of time before Jack ended this and took the boy’s life.

They fought for several minutes more, but there was no longer any contest. Justin lacked stamina and skill. Sweat poured down the younger man’s face, making lines in the white powder covering his cheeks.

“Nay!”

The horrified plea tore through Jack like a blast of shrapnel. He looked over to see Lorelei being held back from their fight. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she struggled against Morgan and demanded he let her go.

“Please stop this, please!” Her anguished cries shredded what little soul Jack still possessed.

A part of me will love him forever
, her voice whispered in his mind.

And in that instant Jack knew he couldn’t kill what Lorelei loved. No matter the consequences.

Letting go the sword in his fist, Jack watched as it arched up and landed blade down in the sand.

The look on Justin’s astonished face would have been laughable had Jack not just consigned himself to the gallows.

Breathing heavy and sweating profusely, Justin angled his sword at Jack’s throat. “On your knees, pig.”

Jack gave a subtle shake of his head as he crossed his arms over his chest. “I bow before no man. If you’re going to kill me, then you’ll do it while I stand.”

“Please, Justin, don’t hurt him.”

They both turned stunned faces to Lorelei.

Morgan let her go and she rushed toward them.

“What did you say?” Justin asked as she came to a halt between them.

Lorelei wiped the tears from her face. “It’s not him,” she said, grabbing Justin’s hand and lowering the blade from Jack’s neck. “That’s not Black Jack Rhys.”

Wallingford joined them. In all his stiff formality, he surveyed Lorelei. “What are you saying, child?”

Lorelei looked at Jack and swallowed. She took several deep breaths and composed herself before she spoke again. “Black Jack Rhys is dead and this…this man saved me from him.”

“Lorelei,” Justin said in warning.

She turned to face Justin. A silent plea was etched on her face as she addressed her fiancé. “Remember that night in the tavern? You asked me to identify Black Jack. I named him then, don’t you think I would do so now if this man were really him?”

A muscle began to tick in Justin’s jaw and Jack waited for him to denounce her as a liar.

Wallingford lifted his monocle up to study Jack in detail. After a pregnant pause, the admiral turned back to Lorelei. “Then who is he?” he demanded.

“Ja-jac…Jacob,” she stuttered as she tried to come up with something. “Jacob Dudley.”

Jack lifted a brow at the horrendous name she’d chosen. Granted, it was on the cusp, but couldn’t she have come up with something better than that?