Page 59

S unlight melts through the stained-glass windows, spilling across the floor of Grayson’s room. The subtle lull of the ship rocking side to side keeps my eyelids feeling heavy as I snuggle my backside against Grayson’s front.

Warm breath tickles the back of my neck from his moan as he wraps his arms tighter around me, nuzzling his nose against my hair.

Giving in, I let my eyes flutter closed and take in the moment.

It might be the last peaceful one we have for a while, given what the day ahead holds.

We should be close to breaching the edge of Dead Man’s Passage by now.

Soon we will have the treasure in hand, or one more clue leading us to it.

Either way, things are about to change. Again.

But I cast any thoughts of that away and instead set my focus on the feeling of being in Grayson’s arms.

Last night, my body had entered into a different realm from the pleasure Grayson wrought from me. Shifting my legs a little, I can still feel the delicious soreness at the apex of my thighs. That sensitive spot flares to life as heat pools deep inside me.

I’ve never known such pleasure. Not as I have with him .

Not that I’m inexperienced. I’ve certainly had my fair share of bed partners. But with Grayson . . . everything is different.

After our first joining in the water, we climbed the ladder and found ourselves christening every inch of his chambers with our affections for one another. By the end of it, Grayson had to carry me to bed, for my limbs were a molten mess and I could hardly keep my eyes open.

But I’d do it all over again.

Wiggling my bottom against him, a smile pulls at my lips when I’m met with his morning erection.

“Good morning to you too, Little Pearl.” Grayson’s voice is gruff and wanting as his hand dips over the side of my hip and digs in, tugging me closer.

Shifting, I turn my head to look at him and somehow every moment I have gazed upon him before is insignificant compared to the way he looks right now.

His long black hair is tussled from the saltwater we swam in last night, making his normally wavy strands a little more curly.

As he traces small circles over my hip with his fingers, a slow, lazy smile greets me.

But it’s unlike any other smile I’ve seen from him.

He looks . . . young. Unworried. Happy .

It makes my heart flip in my chest and tears sting the backs of my eyes.

“Why do you call me that? Little Pearl?” The words come out strangled with emotion.

Grayson’s chest moves against me as he inhales deeply, then lets out a long sigh. He kisses me on the tip of my nose before settling himself back against the pillow.

“Your heart is soft and the light you shine into this cruel world is bright and pure. From the second I saw you, I knew you were the good that I’ve fought so hard to protect. You were willing to sacrifice yourself in the name of your friend, even after her passing.

“And just like a pearl, your strength has been forged in darkness. But despite where you have come from, despite the trials you’ve endured, you choose grit and perseverance.” His fingers continue to move over the edge of my hip, dipping a little lower every now and then.

“But how could you know those things about me before you knew who I truly was?”

Grayson smiles again and my chest tightens. “I’ve told you before, I’ve searched for?—”

A loud knock at the door makes me jolt and Grayson chuckles. “It’s just Tommy,” he says, peering toward the door at the opposite end of the room. “We’ll finish this conversation later,” he adds, nipping the bottom of my earlobe with his teeth.

Heat trails down the side of my neck, shooting straight for that spot between my legs. “Or we could just finish it right now.” I toss the duvet off my bare body as he rises. His cock twitches when he looks down at me, putting on a show with my fingers diving below my belly button.

Grayson’s lip curls up with a low growl as his eyes dart toward the windows. He snatches the duvet and throws it on top of me and I laugh. “Cover up, Rowenya. Unless you want blood to be spilled on the deck of my ship on your behalf.”

Sitting up against the pillows, I scoff. “Don’t bring me into your petty possessiveness. If you spill blood, that’s your choice. I’m just laying here in a bed that’s far too empty for my liking.”

I stick my bottom lip out and flutter my lashes at him.

Grayson’s face is bright as he chuckles, then lowers himself to the edge of the bed.

“You’re a wicked little thing.” He kisses the top of my hair before rising again and walks over to one of the wingback chairs in the corner to retrieve his pants.

“You’re the one who’s left me in this bed all alone.” Tucking the duvet under my arms, I cross them over my chest. “I think most would say it is you who is wicked.”

“That mouth is going to be the death of me, I’m sure of it.” He shoots me a smirk as he laces the front of his pants—not that the fabric does anything to hide his erection.

“That’s not what you were saying last night,” I toss back.

Grayson just stares at me and I shrug, feeling the edges of my lips tilt upward.

Bowing his head, he murmurs something under his breath that’s too quiet for me to hear. Then, he strides toward the door. But before he makes it halfway, he stops and turns toward me again and points. “Keep yourself covered.”

“Aye-aye . . . sir .” Grayson’s eyes darken, and I know he was hoping I’d say the one word I’ve refused to utter, despite all that has transpired between us.

He shakes his head and I giggle.

“Good morning, Tommy,” he says, finally opening the door.

“Good morning, Captain,” I hear Tommy reply, and Grayson steals a withering glance at me over his shoulder, which only makes me laugh harder.

The door blocks Tommy’s body from my view, but I can tell from the sound of his voice that he’s nervous speaking to Grayson.

I make a mental note to tell Tommy that he doesn’t need to cower in Grayson’s presence just because he’s the captain.

Grayson will respect him a lot more if he stands tall in who he is.

“We’ve made it as far as we can go without your guidance. Zaos requests your help on the quarterdeck.”

“Wonderful, tell him I’ll be right there.”

“Aye, Captain.”

Grayson shuts the door and walks back to the chair where his tunic, bandolier, and weapons belt are draped across the back.

“Wonderful?” I get out of the bed and reach for my clothes that I discarded onto the floor last night.

Grayson’s face shifts into that mask of stone and my heart breaks a little as I witness the passing of that beautiful, playful smile he donned just a few moments ago.

“That’s hardly the word I would use to describe the news he gave you.” I poke my head through the hole of my tunic and tuck it into my pants.

Grayson’s voice is haggard and low as he says, “There’s no reason for me to evoke panic in my men. They need to keep a good head on their shoulders for what we are about to face.”

I sigh. “I know you’re right. I just hate to see the way you pretend in front of them. You’re afraid.” I lift the corset over my head and walk to him. Turning around, I give him my back and he gently starts tugging on the laces.

He’s quiet for a moment as he works his way down the corset. The tender swipe of his fingertips against my back has me wanting to lock the door so no one else can disturb us when I strip him bare.

Treasure be damned.

“I’m not scared for myself. I’m scared for them. For you .” A whisper of rubbing fabric cuts through the room as he ties the bottom laces. Then his hands move up the sides of my arms. Up and up until he traces the bare skin of my decolletage.

Turning in his arms, I wrap my own around his waist and tilt my head back to look at him. “Everything is going to be fine. You just need to have a little faith.”

“Mmmm,” he grumbles. “If only having faith would ensure we have a successful journey across Dead Man’s Passage.”

Rolling my eyes, I retreat towards the door.

“Where are you going?” he asks, standing where I left him, gawking at me.

“You have a crew of men out there waiting for their captain to guide them through this perilous trek. Just like you said, they need to know everything will be okay. But so do you. Which is why I’m not going to stand here and allow you to pout. Let’s go up there and get this done.”

Grayson huffs a breath then smiles. “You’re right,” he finally says, striding toward me.

Stopping with my hand on the doorknob, I smirk up at him. “Hmm, say that again. I liked the sound of it.”

He smacks my backside with his open palm and I squeal. Then he dips his head low and whispers into my ear, “You’re right.”

The winds have picked up since last night and they’re not exactly in our favor.

Grayson, Zaos, and I peer across the ship to the stone isles protruding from the ocean’s surface just ahead of us.

“If these winds pick up anymore, we’re not going to be able to steer her well enough to avoid the rocks,” Zaos says, bringing the spyglass to his right eye.

“Remember, it’s not just the stone you see cresting the surface that we have to worry about.

It reaches out beneath the surface, much like a mountain you see on land.

The top is the narrowest point.” Grayson points to the right where there’s a cluster of the isles set closer together than the ones on the left.

“We need to avoid the right side as much as possible. We’ll run her aground if we get too close. ”

“You ran the path with your helmsman, right?” I ask, suddenly feeling all the bravado I had earlier, before we left Grayson’s room, leave my body.

The idea that we might sink our own ship and subsequently maroon ourselves on these abandoned islands—with enemies hot on our trail, for that matter—is a formidable one that I’ve avoided thinking about until now.

He places his hand at the small of my back. “Yes,” he says, but his voice is neutral, making it hard to discern his level of confidence.