Page 35

Thirty-Five

I dressed in the seafoam green gown with a scooped neckline and tiny pearls sewn in the bodice. With Ace’s help, we cinched my corset so tight my breasts spilled out the top. Phase one of my plan should catch an eye or, I hoped, hundreds of eyes. I twisted my hair into an updo. My lack of M.A.C. Brave Red lipstick and my stilettos left me a bit nervous.

Ace sat in the chair behind me. “You look fantastic, doll. All fresh-faced. The blushing bride.”

“Thanks, Ace.” I turned to look at him. “I’m sorry you have to be the one to sneak aboard Vane’s ship with Caiyan. It’s only that they won’t suspect you missing the wedding.”

“No worries. Sneaky is my middle name.”

I paused. I had no idea what Ace’s middle name was. We’d been friends and coworkers for a while now, but I hadn’t a clue. “What is your middle name?”

“That is a secret I’ll only share after a day at the spa and several cocktails.”

“Deal.” A pedicure sounded like heaven. “When you find the chest, only take the coins. Don’t toss over any trinkets that Vane might recognize.”

“Quit worrying. You go. Enjoy the moment. You never know, faking it may be your only trip down the aisle.”

I groaned. I’d done way too much “faking,” as Ace put it. Fake engagement, fake healer, fake seer, and now about to be a fake bride. But Ace’s tone held envy. “Do I hear a touch of wanting in those words?”

Ace’s gaze dropped to his hands, and he fumbled with his coat sleeve.

“Ace, are you and Marvin having problems?”

“I dream of wedding bells too, hon. It’s just that Marvin isn’t ready to have the big white wedding. He’s too busy planning them for other couples to take our relationship to the next level. I thought he would have asked by now. I’ve given plenty of hints. I shared my Pinterest wedding board with him. I left a ring designer’s card in his car. I picked out my dress. I’d look great in a Christian Siriano.”

“You would indeed.”

“And being here, flirting with Black Bard. Maybe it’s not Marvin. Maybe it’s me. Maybe I’m not ready for a committed relationship. When I think of marriage, it feels sort of like jumping overboard.”

I wrapped my arms around him and squeezed. “If Marvin isn’t your Prince Charming, be patient. My Mamma Bea always told me it takes time for the oranges to ripen on the tree. If you rush them, you end up with a bitter fruit.”

Ace threw his head back and laughed. “Your Mamma Bea is wise. I may need to ripen a little longer.” Ace stood. “Now, get your butt out onto the bow and fake marry the boy. That dress alone will cause enough distraction for me to break your Scot out of jail and steal the gold.”

I snickered. “The ceremony is on the aft, not the bow, and Caiyan will wait by the head for you to swim to Vane’s ship.”

Ace shuddered. “Why do we have to jump in by the head? With the large amounts of rum I’ve been pumping into these guys, I’ll be lucky if they don’t piss on me.”

“The ladder before the bowsprit is the easiest to lower down into the water without making a big splash.”

“Look who knows all the fancy ship words.” Ace smiled, then his face grew serious. He grabbed my shoulders. “Promise me, hon, if this thing goes south, you jump home. Don’t wait for any of us. It’s not worth it.”

Caiyan had asked for the same promise, and I couldn’t give it to him. “It won’t.”

* * *

We were halfway through the ceremony. Everything had gone as planned. Max explained to the crew of the Ranger that I wanted a handfasting ceremony the night before the men were occupied with their treasure hunt. He asked Charles Vane, as the ultimate authority at sea, to perform the handfasting ceremony. Mortas and Rackham acted as groomsmen—a special request from Captain Smith.

All the players watched me walk down the aisle on the arm of Shrug, who blushed pink when I asked him to give me away. Rowan stood next to Max. He wore a nice suit coat and had his hair slicked back and tied in a tail.

Before Ace left to meet Caiyan, he added the sleeping potion to the port wine. The crews of both ships had their fill of liquor from the Sea Storm ’s hold, causing a lot of cheering and rabble-rousing. Vane fidgeted uncomfortably while he read from the Bible.

Max surprised me with a silk ribbon that belonged to his mother. He handed the ribbon to Vane, who tied it around our hands. The ceremony and the butterflies in my stomach felt very real. I couldn’t wait until Ace appeared. A signal the treasure was ready to be discovered.

At the end, Max kissed me gently on the lips. A roar erupted from the now sloppy crew. Max accepted a hug from Rowan, who caught my eye over Max’s shoulder. He was concerned Ace hadn’t returned, too.

Mortas leaned in. “I’d like to know what you’re plotting in that devious mind of yours by marrying the boy.”

“I’ll bet.”

“I’ll take your bet and raise the stakes.”

What the hell was he talking about? And where was Ace? The ceremony was over. From the corner of my eye, I spotted Ace on the fo’c’sle. He gave me a thumbs-up, followed by a sly smile. Phase two of our mission was complete.

I breathed easier as Mortas raised his hands to calm the excited crowd. “Now for the bedding.”

“What are you talking about?” I snarled through clenched teeth.

“Calling your bet.” Mortas sent me a smug smile.

“Isn’t it customary to watch the captain’s first bedding?” Mortas asked Rowan. “We must ensure the captain is legally married by establishing the consummation of the marriage since you are only handfasted due to the lack of a priest.”

Max’s face flushed, and I caught a glimpse of what I assumed was fear. My gut clenched with the same unpleasant emotion, then twisted into pure hatred for the asshat brigand.

Mortas addressed the crowd. “Captain Smith inherits the Sea Storm if he’s legally married, correct?”

Heads bobbed across the sea of suntanned faces.

“The only way to secure a handfasting ceremony is by consummation.”

More head bobbing and few lewd “here, heres.”

“The crew has the right of confirmation before God’s eyes and mine.” Vane lifted a bottle of rum, drank long and fast, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and raised his empty bottle to the sky. Cheers followed.

I sent Mortas an evil glare.

He shrugged, then bent to kiss my cheek. “Welcome to the family.”

I jerked away. He turned toward Max. “I’d like to speak to you after, well, after you enjoy yourself.”

My heart squeezed, and little pinpricks of pain poked at my chest. I was not bedding Max in front of an entire ship’s crew.

Shrug stood atop the gunnery chest. “Pri’vcy is needed to make the bairns. Ye’ll give Captain Smith his leave to secure his seed.”

Jeez. I know Shrug was trying to help, but there would be no seeding the soil, tonight or ever.

Max held up his hand. “I’ll no have my crew watch. Rowan will act as witness. My bride and I shall retire to my chamber.”

This was followed by hissing and booing. And a bellow of, “show ’er what’s what.”

Rowan saved the day. “I assure you, Max will perform his duties by dawn. In the meantime, I’ve opened the casks of port.” The crew’s attention was drawn to the center of the ship, where three sizable casks were being hauled up from the storage.

“That was close,” I whispered as Max whisked me off to his cabin.

“I’ll always protect ye.” Max placed a hand on the curve of my back and escorted me over the threshold of his cabin.

In some ways, Max held a maturity beyond his years. I wasn’t sure how he would adapt to living in present time, but at least he might live to see his thirties. He wasn’t mean or selfish, and that would get him killed here. Rowan knew Max lacked that dark space one had to go to when they killed another, for their own gain or just for pleasure. I had a feeling Rowan stayed to protect him. If Max became a pirate, Rowan knew he would either die or acquire these heinous traits.

“They’ll be passed out within the hour. Vane’s already too drunk to notice his chest is missing some coin.” Max chuckled as he removed his jacket.

He placed a bundle in front of me. “A gift for my bride.” He winked at me. Inside was a soft leather pouch containing a beautiful knife. “’Tis a sgian-dubh.”

“Thank you.” It was similar to the one Caiyan carried when we were in our present time.

“If somehow I dinnae return with ye, I want ye to think of me.” He donned that crooked smile he had when he teased Rowan. “If’n ye can carry it home with ye.”

I didn’t know what to say. My eyes went misty, so I avoided his gaze by sliding the knife back into the pouch. I wanted to promise he’d go with me, but it was a promise I wasn’t sure I could keep.

A double knock sounded on the door. I stiffened at the prospect it would be another pirate wanting a peek at my conjugal performance.

Max placed a hand on my shoulder. “’Tis Rowan.”

He moved to unlock the door, allowing the giant to enter the room.

“Yer manservant has returned, and Captain Kirk is in the brig. ’Tis interesting how he manages to open and close the locks withoot a key.”

“It’s his gift.”

Rowan gave a grunt that sounded more ruminative than irritated.

“Most of us have special gifts.”

“What ’tis yers?” Max’s eye danced with inquisition.

“I can read emotions.” They looked uncertain at this. I moved to take Max’s hand. “I can feel what your heart wants.”

“What does it want?”

I closed my eyes and allowed Max’s emotions to flow into me. Surprise at my gift. Worry about my safety. Fear of losing Rowan. Anticipation for what was to happen tomorrow and, in his future, but he wasn’t scared of Vane.

“I sense your bravery. You’re not afraid of Vane. You’re worried about me being so close to drunk, vicious men. You’re excited to experience a new world but afraid of leaving Rowan behind.” His eyes saucered, and he looked down at his hand in mine. “’Tis amazing.”

I got a swift jolt of anxiety over sharing a room with me. I paused, trying to identify the emotion. It was fear but also an embarrassment over something silly. He glanced at the chamber pot. “You fear using the chamber pot in front of me.”

Rowan erupted in a deep, throaty laugh.

Max jerked his hand away.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to embarrass you. Don’t worry. I won’t look.”

Max laughed along with Rowan.

Rowan lifted the bottle of port he held and uncorked it. “I brought one bottle to share. ’Tis the last in our stock and no damaged with the sleeping potion.”

Great. I could use a drink. My inner voice did some deep breathing exercises. I agreed. The wedding had been stressful. Maybe Ace was right about jumping into marriage. Perhaps I wasn’t ready to marry Caiyan.

Rowan raised the bottle in a toast. “To killing the bundletail calf.” He drank and passed it to Max. I really did need to have a conversation about those lyrics.