I crawled intoFinn’s bed, suddenly very aware of how tired my body was. I hadignored my hangover and exhausted myself all morning. Not tomention the emotional exhaustion Henry caused me. His sudden burstsof anger and mood swings were beginning to make me dizzy and I wastired of trying so hard not to make him upset.
Suddenly, mygoal of changing his mind about killing The Cobhams seemedimpossible. I laid there, not sleeping, for a while, just baskingin the silence when a knock came at the door and I wiped my face oftears.
“It’sopen,” I called, thinking it was probably Finn. But I was wrong,and my eyes narrowed. “What do youwant?”
Henry stoodhalf in, half out of the room, his face hung in shame. “May I comein?”
I mulled itover, letting him stew for a moment. Then I sat up in bed. “Yes, ifyou can promise to be civilized.”
He took in adeep breath and entered the room, shutting the door behind him. Mychest tightened, and I curled my knees up to it. He noted myactions and I could see the ping of regret he felt. It didn’texcuse it, though. My arms stung like crazy where his fingerssurely left bruises.
Henry took acareful step forward, one hand behind his back. “I don’t want youto be afraid of me,” he started.
“Well,you have a messed-up way of showing it,” I replied.
“Iknow,” he agreed, “I have my… demons. And I need to learn to facethem. But it makes me weak, angry. I’m the captain of my ship, I’mresponsible and in control of my men.” He paused and took anotherstep forward. “But you…”
“Youcan’t control me?”
Henry grinned,but it didn’t hide the sadness in his black eyes. “On thecontrary,” he replied, “It is you who controls me.”
My body beganto relax, and I let go of my knees. Henry sat on the edge of thebed, careful to keep his distance.
“Youturned everything upside down the second you came aboard. I lockedmyself in my quarters for days, stewing in a fit of wine and rage.I thought you to be some sort of ghost, or demon, come to tortureme. Everything I had buried, inside, and in the damned chest, cameflooding back and I was a little boy again.”
My shoulderssank with pity for the damaged man before me. “Because I lookedlike her.”
“Yes,”Henry replied. “At first, I thought you were her when the mendragged your body across the deck. I was ready to kill you. Ineeded to before the poison of Maria’s memory spread too far. Butthen, I snuck down to where you’d been locked up, where you slept,and I saw your face.”
“Whatmade you change your mind?”
“I toldmyself, once I’d escaped The Burning Ghost, that I’d never takeanother life if I could help it.”
“ButAlfred…”
“Alfreddeserved to meet my pistol,” Henry spat, “I never spoke a word tothe crew, but he was once part of Maria’s men. He confirmed as muchwith his last words.”
My brainscrambled to remember the partial phrase he spoke that day. “Mayyou all be met with the flame of The Burning Ghost and–”
“Neverrise from the ashes,” Henry finished. “It was Maria’s parting wordseach time she’d raid and burn a vessel. I don’t understand how Inever knew or saw him during my time there.”
I tried toremember all the painful words I’d read in Henry’s journal, toconsider all the horrible things he’d been through. This was abroken man who’d shut the door to his past, leaving it undealtwith. No one could help him get over the trauma because he wouldn’tlet anyone open the door. But I’d accidentally busted through it,and I then realized that I could be the one to help him.
My hand slidacross the blanket toward him, entwining my fingers with his. Hestared down at our touching hands and then, to my surprise, broughtthem up to his lips where he placed a gentle kiss across myfingers. My heart sprang to life and my empty stomach tightened.Maybe embracing my temporary adventure could also include a littlebit of romance, as long as I didn’t get too attached. It seemedunavoidable at that point.
“I’lltake regret to my grave over hurting you, Dianna,” he spoke, “I’mso very sorry. Can you ever forgive me?”
I wantedto, I truly did. But my brain wouldn’t connect with my mouth and Ijust sat there, silent and staring at the leather-clad pirate who sat on my bed.Then he pulled the present I’d gotten him out from behind his backand smiled.
“Wheredid you get this?” he asked me.
“Itraded for it in the marketplace.”
His headtipped back, and he took a deep breath, eyes closed. “I’d thoughtyou were gone. I’d no idea what that would mean until I thought itactually happened. I went mad at the idea. That you’d make love tome like that, and then… leave. I felt betrayed and enraged. Gus andFinn’s attempts to reel me back were futile as I stormed thestreets looking for you.” He took his hand back and leaned forwardto rub his tired face. “And here you were, trading your own scarcebelongings to get this gift for me. I’m truly the devil they say Iam.”
Even though Iknew I shouldn’t feel bad for him, my heart ached for the man. Toanyone else, his actions would seem unforgivable. But not to me. Iknew his secrets and I knew his past, the same as if I were part ofit.
And, in a way,I was. I crawled toward him and slipped my hand through hisgorgeous blonde hair. The look of surprise on his face quicklymelted into a fiery yearning and he grabbed me by the waist,lifting my body with ease and setting me on his lap where his warmbreath caressed my neck. I grabbed at his coat’s leather collar,peeling it away as he shrugged out of it.
“You’renot the devil, Henry,” I told him.
Cupping mycheek, his thumb smoothed the width of my lower lip as he stared atit. “I’ve wanted to take this beautiful mouth the moment I heardyour voice spill across it.”
I leaned inand planted a slow, gentle kiss, letting him taste me. I could feelhis manhood beneath my
