A Pirate's Heart (St. John Series) (17 page)

Mr. Nubian was too influential for Hawkins’s taste. If he had known that sniveling little whelp, Peter, was working for Mr. Nubian, he would have refused to let him participate in the auction. Upsetting a man like Nubian was not a wise move. He had too many friends in high places who could cause financial and legal issues. He also employed too many from low places who took pleasure in inflicting debilitating injures to those who displeased their employer. His hired thugs would kill their own mothers to keep Mr. Nubian happy.

He took a long sigh. “Yes, we have a deal.”

“Good,” she said as she stood. “I’ll meet you here late tomorrow morning with the information you need.” The men watched Angelica leave.

“Do you think she’ll double-cross us?” Jimmie asked.

“If she does, we’ll take her instead,” Hawkins replied. He scanned the bar making sure no one had heard their conversation and hoping no one close was part of
The Abyss’s
crew.

* * * *

Uveah, Slim and James loaded the cargo from the hull of
The Abyss
into the wagon that the hired man brought over. They hadn’t delivered supplies to Alex’s Nassau estate since before Samuel’s mother was murdered six months ago. The hull was full of Samuel’s mementos from his childhood, the majority of which Alex had purchased for him. Alex had insisted they bring everything of Samuel’s with them when they left Port Royal.

“That’s all, Armster,” Max told the hired man. “Take this wagon to the estate.”

“Yes sir, Mr. Hart,” the old black man replied as he climbed on the wagon. He picked up the reins and gave them a snap. The mule brayed loudly and lurched forward.

Max turned towards
The Abyss
and looked around. Kristina was standing on the deck speaking with Smitty. He watched the old man toss his head back and laugh at something Kristina had said. She teasingly slapped the older man’s arm and laughed herself.

She was still angry with him. He couldn’t blame her. He had said some terrible things to her these past few days, his injury making him more irritable than usual. Anything she did or said did not suit him. The fact that he wanted her to be angry at him irritated the hell out of him as well. At first he was furious at the thought of his marriage to her. Then he changed his mind and decided it would be a good thing. Now he wasn’t so sure. He had nothing to offer her. She wanted a stable life, family, love, and he could not offer any of that to her. After much debate with himself, he had decided to grant her the divorce.

The thought was tearing him apart on the inside. He didn’t know why the notion of divorcing her seemed so appalling. He never wanted to be married and knew she did. But his thoughts kept returning to the big question—what if she was carrying his child?

He proceeded up the gangplank and walked to where she was talking with Smitty. “The wagons are loaded and headed to the estate.”

Smitty nodded his head. Kristina turned her back to Max, refusing to look at him. She hadn’t spoken to him since the encounter with that horrid woman this morning.

“I have rented some horses. They’re ready whenever you are,” Max told Smitty.

Smitty rubbed his weathered cheek. “I don’t care much for ridin’ a horse,” he told the younger man. “Especially since that fiasco in the jungle. Count me out. Unless you can rent me a hack, I’ll stay right here.”

“There aren’t any buggies to be rented now.”

“I’ll stay right here then,” Smitty said. “Besides, I don’t trust these young pups ta watch my home.”

Max turned to Kristina. He placed his hand on Kristina’s shoulder. “Come on.”

“No,” she stated, as she jerked her shoulder away from his touch.

“No? What do you mean no?”

She whirled around to face him. “I mean no. I’m not going with you. I’m going to stay right here.”

The anger began to build in Max. He didn’t like defiance and this woman was constantly defying him. At every turn, she did what she wanted, when she wanted to do it.

“No,” Max replied. “You are my wife and you will do as
I
say. So let’s go, wife.”

“Do not dare try to tell me what to do,” she said, fire sparking from her eyes. “I am
not
part of the crew for you to order about.”

“Wrong on both accounts. You agreed to be the cook, so you are part of the crew. I am the ship’s quartermaster. My word is law, second only to the captain’s. In fact, the ship is under my rule unless we are at battle, then that duty goes to Alex. And, secondly, you are my wife,” he reminded her. “And need I remind you that a wife is to obey her husband.”

A cold cynical laugh came from Kristina. “Oh! I sooo forgot what a wonderful husband you’ve been these past few days. Let me begin,” she stated with mockery in her tone. “Every time I came near you, you would either yell at me or throw something, even if I just looked at you. You’ve been irritable as hell, and just this morning I got to meet your lover, who ever so conveniently pulled me into the water with her. So, please, forgive me if I’m not an obedient wife.”

“Well, being raised a bastard with such wonderful role models has made me the way I am. So if I don’t act the way you expect me to, deal with it,” he growled. He took a step towards her, picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder like a sack of grain.

“Put me down!” she yelled, as she began beating his back with her fists.

He swatted her backside hard with his free hand. “Settle down, unless you want me to drop you going down the gangplank.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Wouldn’t I?”

“Ooooo! I hate you!”

“That’s not what you said the other night,” he whispered as he carried his unhappy wife to the awaiting horses.

The couple had many stares as they proceeded to their mounts, Kris fussing at Max in Spanish the entire way. He would occasionally swat her backside the way a parent does a disobedient child. This in turn would make her yell louder. She was becoming dizzy from hanging upside down on their walk. Her blood was boiling with fury. So she did the only thing she knew that would get him to set her down. She bit him.

“Ummm!” he gritted as he dropped her. She landed with a thud on her side. She quickly scrambled to her feet. “What the hell did you do that for?” he questioned.

She said nothing. She just glared at him with fury in her brown eyes. Turning her back to him, she mounted the sable mare. She dug her heels into the mare’s sides and took off, not knowing which direction to go, but not really caring.

Max growled as he mounted the spotted stallion. The horse reared and snorted loudly, sensing its rider’s fury. Max dug his heels into the animal’s side. A few moments later Max reached her on the rented steed.

She could hear him shout her name, but she didn’t care, she refused to stop for him. She struggled to control the mare. It had been years since she had ridden a horse, but she was not going to let that stop her, her fury egging her on. She lowered her body to the mare in an attempt to go faster.

Maxed watched his wife pulling farther away from him and spurred his horse faster. As he approached the mare, he grabbed the reins, slowing her horse to a stop. Kristina jerked her arm attempting to free the reins from Max’s grip. As she pulled, the free end of the reins swung around, strinking Max’s forearm, causing a small welt to form.

“Let me go!” she yelled at him.

“No,” was his trenchant response. He was angry, but her attack had made him furious. He had killed many a man with less fury in his blood. The look he gave his wife was a warning, but she refused to heed it. Her fiery temper matched his, refusing to back down or allow his fury to frighten her. She reminded him of a quote from Shakespeare’s
A Midsummer Night
’s
Dream: “Oh, when she’s angry, she is keen and shrewd! . . . And though she be little, she is fierce.”

“I’m not afraid of you,” she spat. “So I will remind you again, do not try to intimidate me!”

She raised her hand in an attempt to pull the reins loose from his grasp. He caught her hand and dragged her from her mount to his.

She could sense his fury, but refused to back down. He had hurt her with his actions and words. Her pride refused to let her common sense take over.

“I ought to—”

“What? Kill me?” she interrupted.

“No,” he said coldly. “That would be too easy and you would not learn your lesson.”

“I will never learn any lesson from you! Now let me go!” she demanded as she struggled in an attempt to free herself from his grip.

All her struggles managed to do was to spook the stallion. It reared and sent both occupants crashing to the ground. Max landed on top of Kristina, in between her legs. He watched as his mount ran off.

“Get off me!”

“No, I kind of like you in this position.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Well, this will be the last time you are between my legs, so get off me.” She nearly whispered the last part of her demand.

He stood up and brought her with him. “What is your problem?”

“My problem? I don’t have a problem.”

“Then why in the hell are you so angry at me?”

“I thought I explained that to you earlier.”

Max’s temper was at its end. He didn’t want to hurt this woman in front of him, so he did the only other thing he knew to do when he was furious around a woman. He kissed her. She did not struggle against him, but wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in closer. His grip tightened around her as he felt her reaction to him. His kisses became more passionate. He didn’t know what it was about this feisty beauty in his arms. She could light a fire under him so quickly. He wanted to strangle her one minute and make love to her the next.

He picked her up in his arms and carried her over to a small cove of trees and sat her down, never breaking the kiss. His tongue traced her lips, begging her to open her mouth. She moaned into his mouth and did as his tongue commanded, allowing entrance into her.

She felt his hands travel to her breasts and could feel her nipples become erect, demanding his attention. As if he knew what she wanted, she could feel his flesh on hers as his hand took hold of her breast and began caressing it. She lifted her leg and wrapped it around his body, needing to feel him closer to her. As she responded, his touch became more aggressive.

Her hand traveled the length of his body until it stopped at his manhood and she stroked him over his clothing. She felt him grow hard under her hand and increased the pressure of her touch. She craved him. Craved the feel of him inside her body.

As if reading her mind, she felt him unbutton her trousers and slide them off her body. He pushed her to the ground and discarded his clothing. She could feel the cool grass under her, but didn’t care. She wanted him so badly she ached. In one swift move, he entered her. He met no resistance. She was ready for him.

Her wetness enveloped him, making him want her more. He thrust harder and harder inside of her, his anger making him more aggressive than usual. He kissed her again. She returned his kiss, slightly biting his lip, and sucked his tongue as it entered her mouth. He lifted his head back and gently pulled her hair, causing her neck to become exposed to him. He took his mouth and lightly nipped her neck.

The feel of his rough passion was consuming. She felt his hands on her hips as he rolled over and placed her on top of him. Her passion had overtaken her senses and she moved her hips rapidly. She placed her hands on his chest as she sat up. His hands ushered her movements as she rode him in a purely dominant way. She was in command of his body. She sat up straighter and arched her back, tossing her head back. He watched as her breasts rose up and down as she rapidly moved her hips. They beckoned him and he answered their request, plumping her breasts in his hands, causing her to gasp with pleasure. Her hips moved faster. Reaching up, he pulled her back down to him, taking her nipple into his mouth.

In the next instant, he had rolled her over and her hips jutted upward meeting each of his thrusts with her own. Her hands traveled to his buttocks and ushered him to pump her harder, faster, deeper. She felt his hands on her shoulders pulling her hard against him. Taking his free hand, he pulled her leg up high on his side, allowing her body to absorb all of him. And in an instant she cried out his name as her desire escalated. Her release was explosive. She could feel the wetness pour out of her body, but he did not stop. She watched as his facial expression changed. He closed his eyes and kept moving inside her, thrusting deeper and deeper, as if he was trying to become a part of her. As he reached his climax, she saw it in his eyes. She could feel him spill his seed deep inside her and she arched her back again, as he aroused her to the point that she climaxed a second time.

Both laid in the shaded cove, neither one daring to speak, the animalistic experience of their lovemaking stealing their breath. There was the faint song of a bird off in the distance and the rustle of the palm trees under the warm ocean breeze. Kristina could hear his breathing slow. She still didn’t know what had come over her. She had been so angry at him, yet she wanted him so badly, enough for her to let him take her here, out in the open.