A Flawed Jewel (A Marsden Romance Book 1) Read online

  He walked away from the captain’s slumbering body to make his way below deck. He had a lady to locate so he could properly kidnap her. This was the fun part about being a pirate. A huge smile formed on his lips making his eyes crinkle at the corners. Miss Carlyle would be the best prize he had ever plundered from a ship.

  He couldn’t wait to make her acquaintance.

  The rest of the ship’s occupants would be left tied up securely below the ship’s deck, while the captain would remain tied to the ship’s mast. It would depend on their will to survive if they managed to stay alive once the pirate ship left them to their own devises. If they were creative enough, one of them would come up with a way to free themselves and gain control of the ship. It would take some time for them to accomplish that task and would give Thor plenty of time to put some distance between them.

  Chapter Three

  She paced back and forth from one end of the cabin to the other. The quarters she shared with Tully were small so she didn’t have much room to do it, but she couldn’t stop herself. She twisted her fingers together in frustration, debating what could possibly be done. Pieretta stopped walking and wiped her hands on her skirt to remove the dampness building there. She continued her futile trek between the two bare walls of the tiny room. The cannons had stopped firing, and it was eerily quiet. Tully had passed out from fear hours ago, rendering her useless. Pieretta wondered if she should venture out to see what had happened. She feared the ship’s crew was already dead. Pirates were surely all over the ship by now.

  A loud racket shook the walls of her cabin. She jumped when her door crashed open. The doorframe swallowed up by a man, his body filling almost every inch of the opening.

  She swallowed the lump building inside of her parched throat. She had never been intimidated by a man before, but his demeanor was imposing. His whole body was nothing but muscle. He walked into the cabin and approached Pieretta. Once he was inside, she got an even better look at him. The more she saw of him, the more she wanted to escape. The pirate was perhaps the largest man Pieretta had ever laid eyes on.

  And he seemed solely focused on her...

  As the pirate moved around the cabin, she saw that black clothing covered every inch of his body. His pants were tight over his thighs. The man’s shirt hung loose and flowed over his chest. It was open at the navel, revealing a small trail of hair. His immense stature towered over her small frame.

  He was so—huge.

  The pirate had to be at least six feet tall. His dark black hair was pulled back with a leather tie. A light dusting of stubble covered his face and added to his appeal. He was terrifyingly gorgeous. The pirate was the type of man that made you want to simultaneously run from and toward. He was by far the most handsome man she had ever seen.

  How scary is it the only man I had ever been attracted to was a damn pirate?

  Once he stepped into the light from her small lantern, she was able to get a better look at all of his features. His cobalt eyes narrowed into tiny slits with a purpose she could only guess.

  Pieretta scrambled back towards the bunk in an attempt to get away from him. In her haste, she tripped over the dress Tully had been working on earlier and fell onto the bed face first. He stalked toward her and pulled her to her feet.

  Pieretta looked up at him and saw a smirk forming at the corner of his mouth. One side was upturned in a lazy half smile. Her meager attempts at getting away were thwarted by the stupid dress Tully had carelessly left laying on the floor.

  Even if I managed to get away from him where would I go?

  They were on a ship in the middle of the ocean. She resigned herself to being at this pirate’s mercy, at least for the time being.

  “Ah, I have found a fine jewel to add to my treasure.” He pulled her firmly into his tight embrace.

  A musky smell tinged with a hint of sandalwood and chocolate filled her senses.

  Delicious...

  “What?” Pieretta dumbly replied.

  How am I going to survive when looking at him makes me brainless?

  “What is your name, girl?”

  Should I tell him my name? Why does it matter to him what it is? Pieretta didn’t know much about pirates, but the little she was aware of told her they didn’t care about the people they attacked. Her name shouldn’t matter to him. Still locked in his arms, Pieretta was forced to tilt her head back to stare up at him. The look in his eyes told her all she needed to know. It was best to just answer his questions and pray for mercy.

  With great reluctance, she told him her name. “Pia.”

  “Ah, Pia, you’re coming with me.” He yanked her toward the door.

  “No, I don’t think so—I think I would rather stay here,” she replied.

  She really didn’t want to go with the pirate. If she had the choice, she would rather stay on the ship and die with the rest of its inhabitants. Pirates were not known for their mercy or for treating prisoners well. A female prisoner would suffer a fate worse than death.

  Pieretta was horrified, and she did her best to fight her way out of his arms in an attempt to escape. She thrashed and pulled with all her might—only to have him laugh at her.

  “The captain was right.”

  “About what?” She asked, stupidly. What else could she say?

  “You’re a feisty one. We’re going to have a spot of fun.” A cocky half smile filled his face. “Don’t fight me. I promise you won’t regret it.”

  Oh Lord. She started to pull again—harder this time. She had to do something—anything to escape.

  Her efforts were futile as his grasp was so tight she could barely breathe. She squirmed in his arms with one last insufficient attempt to get away from him. She raised her small fists and pounded them with all of her might against his hard chest.

  What is he going to do with me? I can’t escape him. Where would I go?

  Pieretta was at his mercy, on board a ship under his control in the middle of the ocean. She hadn’t even told him her real name and had no idea why she did that. On further reflection, maybe she did know why. She had always hated her name, and Pia rolled off the tongue and sounded prettier than Pieretta. She decided right there from that moment on she would be Pia to everyone, including herself.

  His amusement became evident as a rolling chuckle bubbled from between his full lips as he watched her struggle within the confines of his arms. It was the kind of laugh that rumbled through your soul. Once it started, Pia felt it all over her body, making her shiver with a need she didn’t understand. She wanted to rub herself against him. Pia was suddenly aware of where she was. That little compulsion terrified her more than anything she had ever encountered. She needed to get away from him before she did something she would truly regret.

  “Please don’t take me with you,” Pia begged again.

  He stared down at her, disbelief clouding his eyes. “So you would rather die along with everyone else?” he asked her.

  Pia felt the lump in her throat forming again. He wouldn’t kill me, would he? Well if she was going to die, she would do her best to remain as brave as possible. There was no reason to give the man any enjoyment from her death. She wouldn’t cry—would remain strong to the very end.

  With a nod she said, “Yes, I think it would probably be better than whatever you have in store for me.”

  The pirate freed her long enough to grab her wrist and drag behind him. “Well it’s good for you that I don’t take orders, I give them. Come along, Pia. You’re much more valuable to me alive than dead.” He shook his head and frowned. “Lucky for you, my plans involve you still breathing, or I might have indulged your childish whims.”

  Good Lord, has the pirate captain claimed me as part of his treasure? If only there was some way to flee. She tried to pull away again, but he just laughed. Her attempt at escape had barely caused him to move an inch. Pia was doomed.

  “You’re a real bastard, aren’t you?”

  “I assure you, my father married my mothe
r, and I’m legitimate.” His amusement spread across his face as his lips curled into a smug smile.

  Did he have to be so frustrating? He continued to chuckle at her attempts to pull out of his grasp. Pia had to restrain herself from using her free hand to slap him, for fear of what he might do to her if she gave in to the desire. He treated her like a bug that was easily ended with one stomp of his heavy boot. Perhaps the problem was the pirate could kill her without giving a second thought to what ending her life might mean. With her arm still firmly within his grasp, he continued to drag Pia along as they made their way topside.

  “You know what I meant,” Pia shouted.

  “I don’t read minds, and I don’t assume to know what you mean.”

  Pia snorted. “How do people bear to be around your arrogance?”

  “As long as they follow my orders, I don’t care what they bear.”

  Her mind raced...the visual images almost made her fall over. What would this man look like bare? Pia had the sudden urge to fan her face with her free hand to alleviate the hot blush forming across her cheeks.

  The sun hung low on the horizon, and she realized that she had been below deck for several hours. Tully had been passed out on the bunk for at least half of the—Wait a minute, what were they going to do with Tully? She should at least make an effort to save her. Tully had been her nurse since she was born. She may be bossy, but Pia would never wish her dead.

  “I can’t leave my maid. It isn’t proper for me to travel alone.”

  “I could care less about your maid. My plans do not include carrying around any extra baggage. Your companion will remain here in your cabin.”

  Pia was at a loss for words. She opened and closed her mouth several times before she was able to convey her shock at his causal dismissal. “You mean you’re going to leave her here to die? That’s deplorable. You’re a wicked man, and I hate you.”

  The damned pirate ignored her as they continued their journey across the deck. He made his way to what could only be part of his crew. The group consisted of some men Pia had never seen before. She was familiar with most of the crew on the ship from her daily walks on deck, and she didn’t recognize one person standing before her. That could only mean one thing; these were the pirates who attacked her grandpere’s ship.

  The pirate captain approached an older man with snow white hair and dark brown eyes. “Bosun Cornelius, take this treasure to our ship. Put her in a secure spot so I can deal with her later. Pia and I have much to discuss.”

  “Aye aye, Captain,” he said, as he took over the captain’s grip on Pia’s arm. There were several red marks forming on her already sore wrist. The bosun yanked her across the plank connecting the ships. Pia looked up at the sky and saw the red flag flying above her.

  How can they live like this, taking the lives of the innocent? She could still see them plundering the ship, taking all the valuables. She wondered what they would do when they were done. The ship was badly damaged. Would they sink it?

  “Where are you taking me?” Pia demanded.

  The bosun acted like he didn’t hear a word she said. Pia stomped her foot in frustration. She was strong and capable, and she would survive. The pirate could do his worst. She knew something he did not. She had a will stronger than most people, and she was a force to be reckoned with.

  Cornelius marched her below deck, shoved her in a cabin, and then locked the door. Pia looked around the room. It appeared to be well kept. It was interesting to see the pirates were not slobs and took care of their belongings. The space was cramped, but it was not nearly as small as the cabin she had previously inhabited. The room held a large bunk and table. There was a trunk pushed up against the wall near the bed. Everything was bolted down to ensure it wouldn’t move. The room was decorated in bland colors, everything a muted brown. Even the bedding was dark brown. As she finished surveying the room, she had a realization. Pia was in a room surrounded entirely by things the shades of dirt. Staring at everything in the place, it occurred to her she was probably in the pirate captain’s cabin.

  ***

  Thor supervised as the rest of the crew plundered all of the bounty the ship had to offer. The cargo from Comte Dubois’s ship would bring in a good price. It was just another reason Thor was happy with the results from attacking the ship. That ship had been fully stocked with Dubois goods. There were crates full of rum, brandy, and several bolts of silk. It was a double win for him. He now had the comte’s precious granddaughter and his cargo.

  Thor had made sure every crew member had been breathing before they sailed away. Enough food remained in their galley to ensure they didn’t starve. That is, if they managed to get themselves untied. He left the maid passed out in the cabin where he’d found Pia. If she was brave enough, she would free the crew members so they could continue their voyage to France.

  Anything that could be used aboard the pirate ship had been taken. As a token of good will, Thor made sure his crew retrieved Pia’s trunks. He wouldn’t give any of them to her right away. He would make her earn the contents. He was going to enjoy every aspect of it too. Thor had already thought of several ways she could receive some of the things encased within her many trunks.

  Thor walked on deck and sought out his bosun. He located Corny near the quarterdeck where he was issuing orders to some of the crew. “Make sure these cases of liquor are stored in the ship’s cargo hold. Take the food to the galley and give it to cook. We will be eating well for the next couple of weeks.” The crew members quickly marched off to move the cargo to the areas he had designated.

  Corny turned at Thor’s approach. “Captain, I was just making sure the bounty was secured,” he said.

  “Good. Corny, is everything where it needs to be?” he asked.

  “Aye, Captain. We are ready to set sail as soon as you give the order.”

  “And my personal treasure?”

  “She is in your cabin, as you ordered Captain.”

  “Very well, tell Jamieson to set sail. Those tasked with cargo organization can finish that as we sail. Have all hands on deck to open the sails and hoist the anchor. I will be in my cabin. I do not want to be disturbed unless it is a dire emergency.”

  “Aye aye, Captain.”

  Thor turned and made his way to his cabin. It was time to get better acquainted with his precious jewel. She truly was beautiful. The lovely woman only had one flaw, her irritating and evil grandpere. It wouldn’t be long before Thor erased that flaw from existence. The only way to ensure the man paid for his crimes was to take away the one thing he valued more than money, his granddaughter.

  Chapter Four

  The cabin walls were beginning to close in on Pia, suffocating her with the knowledge that she had no clue what she ought to do. It had been several hours since the pirate’s bosun had shoved her in the cabin, and she was slowly going insane. She was both uneasy and excited at the prospect of facing him again. Did he really murder everyone on board grandpere’s ship? If so, why would he spare me and kill everyone else?

  The pirate was a devastatingly handsome man, but his arrogance knew no bounds. Against her better judgment, she found herself attracted to him. Pia chewed on her bottom lip, concerned about what his plans were for her. She couldn’t let that attraction be her undoing. She knew it was unnatural to feel the way she did, because he was clearly an evil man.

  From what little she knew about him he didn’t think twice about murder. Her body reacted to him of its own accord. Pia’s heart beat faster and her face flushed with heat when she was near him. If she had met him in any other way, she would have seriously reconsidered her no marriage policy. He was the only man who had ever made her think it might be worthwhile to sell herself on the marriage mart.

  Yeah, like a pirate would marry anyone. She snorted at the silly idea.

  More likely he would plunder every inch of the woman’s depths, leaving her well satisfied and alone for the rest of her life.

  Well, now that’s an idea.
>
  She could not have those kinds of thoughts. She was a virgin and a lady. Women of her station did not consider gifting their virginity to pirates.

  No matter how delectable they smelled or how utterly gorgeous they were.

  He was immoral and diabolical, giving her the impression he was capable of almost any vice known to man. Pia couldn’t help wondering why he took her aboard his ship. There was something he wasn’t telling her, and her mission was to discover that reason. The first order of business would be to gain more information and ascertain why the pirate kidnapped her.

  Pia roamed aimlessly around the room growing more frustrated at the lack of things to do. The room was stifling, and she was starting to feel claustrophobic from being confined for so long . She was not used to such idle musings and desperately needed something to occupy her time. Pia wished she had access to her trunks. She had lots of books, and it would be spectacular if she could get her hands on one of her treasured tomes.

  It was very easy for her to get lost in books because she thirsted for knowledge. Her current book involved her favorite mythological characters: Thor, Loki, and Balder. Pia found Thor’s hammer, Mjölnir, the most fascinating part of Norse mythology. It was rumored to be able to crush anything and could only be wielded by Thor himself. She could read about Thor for hours.

  Pia desperately needed something to do and wished—again—she at least had some reading material to help pass the time. Even if there was some sewing, at least it would occupy her mind. Normally sewing would have caused her to want to poke her eyes out. Taking the sewing needle and blinding herself would have been preferable to sitting for hours and pulling it through some cloth. Sewing or cross-stitching was such sleep inducing work. In the meantime, she was bored out of her mind with absolutely nothing to occupy her time while she was locked inside the cabin.

  She refused to give in to her frustrations or worry over something she had no control over. Surely there had to be a way to convince the pirate captain to release her unharmed. Her grandpere was wealthy—she was wealthy—between the two of them they could surely buy her way out of this predicament.