Wrong Kind of Paradise (23 page)

done and much of my business is there,
mon ami
.” He shrugged. “So you see why I am having difficulty

with giving up this quest of mine. You have sunk my best ship, killed most of my men, and managed to

keep the girl safe through all of this. I...have nothing to show for this misery.”

Bruno leapt from his position by the door but Blac put out a hand, preventing Bruno from attacking

Jacques. “Tell me what you want?”

Jacques shrugged and crossed his arms. “You see, that is the problem. There is civil war brewing

in England, so my smuggled arms deals are higher than they’ve ever been. Unless you can provide me

with enough money to last me a lifetime, then we have no deal.”

“Indeed,” Blac said. “Then I guess we have nothing more to discuss. Bruno, escort the good captain

back to the hold.”

The captain stood, shoving past Blac on his way to the door. A brief look passed between the

captain and Angel. Within seconds, a dagger appeared in his hand as he leapt for Angel.

The sound of metal scraping metal broke the silence, and in unison, three swords found their mark.

The good captain looked like a voodoo doll stuck with pins from all three sides.

The captain smiled at Angel before he collapsed to the floor. Blac removed his weapon, his

attention moved from Bruno to Angel. She hadn’t looked up yet. Determination scowled on her face as she

removed her own sword.

Then her features faltered with wide eyes as if she couldn’t believe that had just happened.

Those wide, sea-green eyes found Blac. Her lip trembled. He sheathed his sword as hers clanged to

the floor, and he opened his arms. He caught her up and instructed Bruno, “Dump the fodder overboard.

He’ll make a good meal for the sharks.”

Bruno nodded tersely, removing and sheathing his sword. He dragged the limp body out the door.

Angel buried her head into Blac’s shoulder and quivered under the force of her tears. He gathered

her close and kissed the top of her head. “It’s over,” he whispered.

She leaned back. “But it’s not. Someone wants me dead, and we still don’t know who it is. The

lieutenant is young, but the man who hired the captain is old, so it can’t be him. So who could it be? And

how will we know it’s him if we run into him?”

His jaw tightened. “It doesn’t matter, Angel. You’re safe here.” Both of his hands seized her cheeks

and drew her forward with a deep kiss. She surrendered and opened to him. “With me.”

She nodded. “I’ve always been safe with you.”

He deepened the kiss and drew her flush against his body. Heat invaded every pore of his body and

sent his head spinning. How she managed to send him over the edge every time, he would never know.

But she did.

I’ve loved her for many years now
.

It has just changed into something deeper.

He smoothed a lock of hair from her face and kissed his way across her cheek to the tiny hollow

below her ear. She groaned and arched toward him. The sound sent an unexpected spread of gooseflesh

up his arms. He wanted her in his arms for the rest of his life, and whatever chance he’d had to turn her

away was long gone.

He backed her up against the edge of the bunk and they toppled to the mattress together. His lips

sought her chin and licked a path across her jaw line to her ear. She shivered in his arms and he pressed

as much of his body against her as he could manage. He loved the feel of her; her smooth skin, silky hair,

and the warmth of her body beckoned him to wring every gasp of pleasure from her delicious lips as he

could muster.

“My Angel,” he whispered. “Mine.”

He captured her lips in soul-searing kiss and he spoke the truth. His Angel. And he would never

again deny this.

She drew back and looked at him, and her innocent blue eyes sparkled under the dim light of lamps.

Her hands cupped his cheeks and brought his face closer. Her lips brushed his, softly. Tenderly.

It was her way of saying it was about time. He grinned and deepened the kiss. His tongue swept into

her mouth with the urgency of an all-out gale as he settled between her legs. She arched against him and

fever ravaged his senses. He wanted to keep this gentle and tender, to show her how much he cared for

her. But she drove him wild so easily.

Her little claws dug into the muscles of his shoulders and he answered her demands by rubbing his

hardness against the soft flesh between her thighs. She moaned. He kissed down her neck, and his hands

ripped open the ties of her white shirt, exposing her breasts to his view. He groaned.

“Beautiful.”

Both of her hands plunged into his hair and urged him forward. He needed no other prompting. His

mouth captured her nipple. He sucked, licked, and teased the aroused flesh until she was panting beneath

him.

His hands ran the length of her body and around to cup her buttocks. He lifted her to grind his

erection against her and her soft gasp accompanied the slight quiver of pleasure. It amazed him how just

touching her brought him to this intense state of arousal. If she only knew what kind of power she held

over him, he’d be in real trouble.

She could probably ask for the moon right now, and he’d pluck it from the sky.

He sat back, removed her boots and tugged her pants down. Tossing the garment aside, he settled

back atop her, grinding his heated flesh against her.

The slight brush of her hands as they ran down his chest brought a shudder out of him. The thin

fabric ripped under her tug and her palms flattened against his chest. Raw desire coursed through him.

Those wonderful little hands of hers slid down to his waistband and he sucked in a breath. She

slipped her hand inside the gap and wrapped her fingers around his flesh. He closed his eyes and lowered

his head to her forehead. He shuddered.

Those nimble fingers opened his breeches and had him in hand before he could take his next breath.

The warmth of her palm made him pulse in her hand. She squeezed and he gasped.

She slid her palm up and then slowly back down. He was lost. A seductive little chuckle

accompanied her actions and he opened his eyes to peer down into her triumphant expression.

“Enjoy your power, mistress, for you won’t have it for long. I intend to take it back and fill you with

my flesh.”

~*~

Angel chuckled and continued to stroke him. She bit her lip and teased him. “Do you not enjoy it?”

“Yes,” he gasped out. “Too much.”

She pumped harder and minutes later he flipped her over atop him. He captured her hips and

dragged her up his body until she straddled his face. She gasped. “What are doi—”

His tongue slipped between the folds and she gasped, her head dropped to lie on her shoulders.

“Oh, Blac,” she whispered. Her hands plunged into his hair and she fought the urge to grind against his

mouth. He licked her flesh and teased the budding knot until she panted.

One of his hands joined the foray and teased the little nub while his tongue plunged inside her,

making her cry out. How could this man be so adept at driving her wild?

She writhed against him. The pleasure was so intense she wasn’t sure she could control herself. He

held her firmly as she tried to wriggle away from such a powerful stimulation.

He flipped them over onto the bunk and rose over her like an Adonis in the flesh. Slipping between

her thighs, he drove home, and Angel arched off the bed. She crested before the first thrust was

completed, and the second had her climbing that threshold once more. Angel panted and wrapped her legs

around his waist. Her blood thrummed through her veins. He clasped her hands above her head and

pounded into her. Joined in heart, hand, and body, they peaked together as they stared into each other’s

eyes.

A final, heaving shudder shook him and he collapsed atop her. She wrapped him up and dropped a

kiss on his sweaty brow. Every tremor of his body made found an echo in hers. She slid a hand into his

hair, pulling the dampened strands from his face. Their eyes locked and a message they each recognized

was relayed in that one look.

“I love you,” he whispered, surprising her with his admission.

Warmth blossomed in her chest and tears of joy burned her eyes. How long had she waited to hear

those words? A soft smile played about her lips. “About time, Captain.”

Seventeen

Dusk had fallen and the harbor lights floated across the surface of the ocean like glowing lily pads.

Ships bobbed atop the water, arranged in neat little rows along the piers edge. With only the single

entrance to Port Royal, escape plans would have to be carefully thought out.

The Serpent’s Revenge glided across the waves like a dancer in the night and docked just as the last

rays of the sun disappeared. Beyond the beaches, rolling hills covered by thick vegetation looked over the

shoulder of the harbor.

Jamaica was a curious little island, full of mystery, secrets, and hidden treasures. The original

inhabitants called Tainos Indians called it “Xaymaca,” meaning “land of wood and water.” The British,

however, named it “the jewel of the British crown.”And it certainly was just that. Beautiful beyond

compare, with water so clear the brilliant coral on the ocean’s bottom shone through.

Angel loved everything about the Caribbean and couldn’t imagine home being anywhere else in the

world.

A nervous tension settled on the deck of the ship as Blac ensured that every member of the crew

was prepared and ready to disembark at a moment’s notice. He nodded to Bruno and reached for Angel’s

arm to guide her down the boardwalk.

Their boots pounded against the wood planks. The only other sounds were the crickets song and the

gentle lap of waves against the hulls.

“We’re going to stay at an inn and send a messenger to the lieutenant. Once we receive an answer,

we can discuss a more detailed strategy.”

Bruno, Rigo, and Harry joined them on their walk. Angel lowered the hood of her cloak a little and

peered at Blac from under the material. His eyes darted from the left to the right. The man was ever-

cautious. Her stomach gave a nervous flutter and she attempted to calm her nerves. They were risking a

lot coming to an English port to negotiate the release of her father and the commander.

Blac glanced down at her. “You’re going to stay in the room, Angel, while I send off the message.”

“Oh, no I’m not.”

“Don’t argue with me over this.”

“I refuse to stay in a room by myself, Blac,” Angel said and came to a standstill in the middle of the

wharves. “Not after the attacks. I was lucky the first two times to get away. The third time may not end in

my favor.”

Blac paused on the cobblestone road to look at her. He seemed to consider her words. “All right,”

he replied. “You can go — but only because I want to keep an eye on you myself.”

She sighed in relief. Fear wasn’t the only reason she wanted to be involved, but he didn’t need to

know that.

He pointed a finger in her general direction. “But we do this my way and you’re to keep your mouth

shut. No matter what you hear. Understood?”

She nodded.

They split from the other three and he ordered them to get two rooms. Angel followed close to Blac

down High street toward the Black Dog. Belatedly, she realized this was where she’d blundered in her

original plan. Blac had informants and allies all over this city. Though she wasn’t sure she would change

anything now.

They entered the Black Dog. “Keep your head ducked,” he whispered as they headed toward the

back of the establishment. “We don’t need to get arrested before we make the trade.”

She nodded.

Blac sat with his back to the wall, and she settled into the chair next to him. She attempted to slow

the beating of her heart by taking deeper breaths, but the haze of smoke inside the tavern made it difficult

to breathe.

The clink of glass and metal split the soft drone of voices inside the overheated pub. A very tall

blonde barmaid sauntered up and winked at Blac. Angel kept her mouth closed from sheer shock at the

hussy’s impudence and turned to Blac. He looked uncomfortable under her stare and Angel realized this

woman must be one of the women who’d graced his bed. Heat plunged through her veins and an emotion

she couldn’t name gripped her heart in a vise.

“Capi’tan Barclay, tis good to see you again. Have you come back to make good on yer promise to

me,
mon ami
?”

Promise? What promise?

Angel sat forward as if hanging on his every word.

Blac’s grin appeared sheepish. “No, I’m sorry, Jezel. Not this time.” His eyes cut a quick glance in

Angel’s direction. “It would appear I’m currently off the eligible market.”

Jezel gave a pretty pout. “Zhat is too bad. I was looking forward to another night in your arms. I

know you enjoyed it as much as I did.”

Blac gave a nervous laugh.

Angel’s dagger thunked into the wood planks next to Jezel’s hand and startled the woman. “Two