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“That one dropped from death.”

“Not his adopted son.” She cackled, wiggling her barely there eyebrows. “Wow, that man knew what to do with his tongue. And his sword.”

“Wait.” Katrina whipped around, her mouth parting. A smile grew on my face, knowing her schooling on my ship as a kid was telling her exactly who this woman was. “Are you… are you Ching Shih? One of the most famous women pirates in the world?”

“Shhh.” I winked at Kat. “We don’t use that name anymore.Thatwoman died a long time ago.”

“Retired!” Tsai cranked the wheel. “Though I thought when you said I’d be surrounded by men all the time, there’d be a lot more sex.”

“Oh my gods… I knew it!” Katrina stared at Tsai in disbelief as the old woman steered the ship away from the coast, turning us out to the open sea with grace and swiftness. “But why change it to Tsai’s name?”

“Because he had me screaming it out so much.” She hooted. “His father was an asshole, but Tsai… now I really enjoyed him. You know he died while I was having sex with him. Just couldn’t handle it. Rode him too hard.” Tsai’s white eyes stared up at the sky like she could still read the stars, dictating the exact direction we needed to go. “Thought I’d honor him.”

“I can’t believe this,” Kat muttered to me. “She’s a legend.”

“So are you, Kitten.” I brushed my shoulder into her, drawing her attention to me. “And if I die, I hope to go out with you riding me too.” Her eyes flickered with heat, telling me I might get my wish later. I turned to her, the breeze blowing her hair, the sunset glowing over her face. “Until then, you ready for more adventures? Make our own legends? The tales of Puss in Boots and the Silver Tongue Devil.”

Her hands slid up my face. “I want forever with us pirating and sailing all over the world.”

“Okay to make a stop in Seattle first?” I drew her closer, wrapping my arms around her waist.

She smiled, her head turning to the coastline, the last bit of light reflecting off the buildings. But I knew where her thoughts were, the pain of what she left behind here.

“We will come back for it.” I nuzzled into her. “Someday we will get theRevengeback.” I knew what the ship meant, the loss of her crew, their betrayal. “Until then, I hope you will make this your home, Co-Captain.”

“Things will get interesting.”

“How we like it.” I tipped my head into hers.

“I see a lot of fights ahead.”

“Guess we’ll have to battle it out in bed.”

“You know I’ll win.”

“I told you I was in charge there.” I knew she would probably win in there too. There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for her, though I would put up a fight just to see her get riled up.

“If we are to do this, we have to change the name.” She nodded up at the Jolly Roger.

“What were you thinking?” Swallowing, knots wound up my gut. That had always been my moniker. My signature.

A seductive smile turned up her lips as they brushed up against mine hungrily.

“Puss and the Pirate.”

“Sold.” My mouth claimed hers, the ocean air wrapping around us. Her lips tasted of salt, sea, and home.

“Please, watch over my girl.”Rotty’s voice replayed in my head.

It might not be the way he imagined, but I would keep a very close watch over her until I was no longer of this earth. And I would make sure she was always safe, happy, and loved.

And thoroughly fucked. Multiple times a day.

What can I say… Yo ho… It’s the pirate’s life for me.

Epilogue

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