Chapter Twenty-Two

Drake tucked his cell back into his jeans. Agent Bale was getting a warrant for Ashley, so Drake was going to keep Heather far from her sister’s reach until Ashley was safely behind bars. Colton and the crew were on board to set sail. No big surprise. They usually jumped at any chance to get back out on the water.

Sailing the Sea Dog took a lot of work, so he appreciated his crew jumping into action to help him with his double-edged plan. Drake wasn’t sure it would cheer Heather up, but he had to try, and at least she’d be safe out on the open sea.

Heather sat across the room on the sofa. She’d been staring at her laptop for the past half hour. Discovering her twin sister had deceived her, pretending to be her closest friend Queenie, had left her withdrawn and quiet. Strangely, it made him nervous.

This wasn’t about him. He knew that. It didn’t stop his heart from clenching at the distance growing between them. The last time he’d been in love, he’d lost. Losing Heather wasn’t something he even wanted to contemplate.

He’d been trying to give her space to sort everything out. Hell, until today she’d been defending Ashley. Still, he couldn’t sit back and watch her withdraw even more. He wanted to help, hence the plan.

Drake wandered over and settled beside her. “I think we need to get out of this house, love.”

“It’s still light out.” She glanced at the window and back to his face. “I’d have to cover up from the sun.”

“Cover all you like.” He shrugged and grinned, hoping to persuade her. “Let’s get some fresh air and watch the sunset.”

She rested her hand on his thigh. “Maybe we should wait until the sun is already set.”

He placed his hand over hers. “There’s no better way to watch the sun go down than on the open ocean.”

Her eyes widened. “You want to go sailing? Now?”

“Aye.” He searched her eyes. “Your sister won’t be able to find us in the middle of the sea. Bale told me he’s getting a warrant to arrest her. We’ll be far from here while he does. We can relax.” He kissed her forehead, praying she’d say yes. “Colton’s getting our skeleton crew together, and One-Eyed Bob is already loading up the galley to make us dinner at sea.” He squeezed her hands. “Say yes.”

The corners of her beautiful mouth started to curve up into a smile that banished some of the worry festering in his gut. “Yes.” She leaned in to kiss his cheek. “I’ll go get dressed.”

When she came back downstairs, a sleek black leather glove covered her hand as it slid along the banister, and her long purple skirt dragged on each step behind her. She wore black lace-up boots, a long-sleeved rose-colored shirt, and her silver hair was braided down over her shoulder. And on her head, a large brimmed black straw hat kept her face under its shadow.

Even with every inch of her body covered, she was still the sexiest woman he’d ever seen. There was no one else on earth like her, and she wanted to spend time with him. When had he gotten so damned lucky?

She held up a pair of dark glasses. “I’m ready.”

He stood and took her other gloved hand. “Let’s get to the Sea Dog.”

She nodded and followed him to the truck. He helped her inside and studied her face, wishing he could see her eyes behind the dark glasses. “Everything is going to be all right, love. We’ll stop Ashley.”

Heather set her jaw. “I know.”

“Then what’s bothering you?”

“It’s just a lot to process.” She pressed her lips together and then forced a smile. “I’ll be fine. I just need some time.”

His gut twisted as he shut the door and moved to the driver’s side. She was building a wall between them. He couldn’t see it with his eyes; his heart sensed it. And he had no idea why.

Grinding his teeth, he started the engine. Once they got out on the water, he’d make things right again. Walls could be torn down.

…

Drake’s truck vibrated, rattling her teeth as they drove along the Savannah River toward the dock. She glanced at his hands gripping the steering wheel, remembering the way he’d held her the night before. The way he’d looked at her like she was the only woman in the world. She rolled her eyes at herself and stared out the passenger window.

This was a mistake. She shouldn’t have agreed to go sailing with him. Every moment she spent with Drake made the thought of leaving him more unbearable. Even during the silence of the drive, his scent intoxicated her.

She couldn’t ignore the fact that if they stayed on this course, he’d have another death to mourn. She could save him from that. Maybe he’d find someone else more willing to drink from that cup. Okay, imagining those hands holding another woman made her want to scream.

She closed her eyes and took a slow breath. Right now she needed to focus on stopping her sister. Once they had the figurehead, and Ashley couldn’t attack anyone else, she’d muster her will and explain to Drake that because she loved him, she couldn’t stomach the thought of him watching her die. She couldn’t hurt him. Not like that.

He parked the truck and killed the engine. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

No. But for tonight, she would be. For him.

“Yeah.” She forced a smile. “Sorry I’ve been so quiet.”

He took her hand as they approached the Sea Dog. Their fingers laced together like they’d been a couple for years. Lifetimes.

Colton met them at the gangplank. “Welcome aboard.”

“Thanks, mate.” Drake turned to steady Heather as she stepped off the gangplank and onto the deck.

“Thank you.” She looked up at Colton. “I’m not much of a sailor, but can I help with anything?”

He grinned. “As I understand, this is your first time sailing.”

She chuckled, shooting a glare at Drake from behind her dark glasses. “You outed me?”

Colton shook his head. “You’re our guest tonight.” He gripped Drake’s shoulder. “We are going to need to borrow our ship’s carpenter to get out to sea. It takes every hand to sail this gorgeous wench.”

“I won’t be long, love.” Drake chuckled and kissed her forehead. “Remember Keegan? He’s behind the wheel. I’ll meet you there after we drop the sails.”

Heather nodded and stepped back out of the way while Colton started shouting commands. A generator roared, coming to life as the capstan turned, lifting the anchor from the bottom of the riverbed.

Drake and Greyson bumped fists and rushed to the rope lines, climbing them like they were a steady ladder instead of a bouncing death trap. Drake’s shirt clung to his chiseled frame like a second skin, accentuating every strain of heaving his body weight higher up the mast. It would’ve been a huge turn-on if she wasn’t so worried he might fall.

“No worries, lass.” Colton nudged her shoulder. “Even if he fell, he’d be healed before you could call a doctor.”

God. For a moment, she had forgotten all about the Grail and immortality. She nodded, her attention still focused on Drake. “Thanks for the reminder. How often do they fall?”

“They don’t.” Colton shook his head. “Before we plundered the Holy Grail, falling from the mast was a death sentence. You learn to grip the ropes like your life depends on it.”

Drake straddled the beam at the top of the sail as the Sea Dog slowly moved away from the dock.

“Anchor’s clear!” someone shouted behind her.

Colton tipped his head back and yelled to the men on the masts. “Make sail!”

Drake scooted along a beam a few stories above the deck, untying the bindings. He looked across at Greyson and nodded, then at the same time they dropped the main sail. The heavy black canvas plummeted down with a snap before it caught the wind. The ship lurched forward, groaning as she gained speed.

Heather walked across the deck to where Keegan stood behind the wheel, unable to watch Drake make his way back down the lines. Immortal or not, surely it would hurt if he fell. Either way, she couldn’t turn off the worry for his safety, so she’d do the best to distract herself.

Keegan glanced her way with a crooked smile. “Good to see you again, lass.”

“Thanks. And thanks for sailing the ship on such short notice.”

“Any excuse to put wind in our sails.” He winked. “We’re pirates, remember?”

She grinned, sneaking a peek up at Drake again. “Oh, I remember.”

It didn’t escape her notice that none of Drake’s crew gave her appearance a second look. Maybe after being alive for over two hundred years, nothing surprised them anymore, or maybe as pirates and outcasts, they understood her better than she ever imagined.

“Good to see our carpenter smiling again.” Keegan pointed over at Drake. “Since we lost the original Sea Dog, we…lost him, too.”

She looked over at Keegan. “Did Char drink from the cup? She’s your girlfriend, right?”

“My fiancée. And yeah. She took a swallow.” He raised a curious brow. “Why do you ask?”

Heather shrugged. “Just wondering, I guess. It must be tough for you and your crew to ever have long-term relationships. Mortality gets in the way, right?”

Keegan adjusted his grip on the wheel, his gaze locked on the horizon. “Can’t speak for the whole crew, but a few of us have found love.”

“I don’t want to live forever.” She tipped her chin up, Drake coming in and out of focus as she blinked back unwelcome tears forming in her eyes. “I also don’t want to hurt him.” She turned to Keegan again. “Eventually, I’m going to break his heart. The only question is when.”

A muscle jumped in his cheek while his eyes remained on the horizon. “If you’re looking for relationship advice, I’m the wrong pirate. Until Char, one-night stands were my specialty. Not much of a relationship counselor. You should talk to the cook. One-Eyed Bob loves meddling where he’s got no business. You’ll make his night.”

Heather chuckled. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Drake dropped onto the deck and headed straight toward her. “My mate Keegan kept his hands on the wheel, right?”

“Fuck off, Drake. You sent her over here,” the pilot teased.

“That I did.” Drake slid his arm around her waist. “I want to show you something.”

Being near him, even in silence, inspired a peace and acceptance in her soul that she’d never known. How could she be contemplating walking through life alone again?

He led her to the bow of the ship and positioned her in front of him, his hands gripping the railing on either side. The wind stung her cheeks, filling her lungs with salty air as the ship cut through the calm waters. Ahead of them, the heavens painted the sky in purples and pinks and reds. Breathtaking.

His lips brushed her ear as he whispered, “Thank you for sailing with me. I built most of this ship with my own two hands, but this is the first time I’ve ever had someone to share it with.”

She leaned back in to his chest. “You have your whole crew.”

He wrapped one arm around her waist, his big hand resting protectively over her belly. “That’s not what I mean. My crew is all the family I have left, but I’ve shared more of myself with you in the past few weeks than I have with them in over two hundred years.”

His confession lodged in her heart, making it ache. She focused all her attention on the unfolding sunset. If she turned around now, lost herself in his eyes, she’d never be able to protect him.

“What’s wrong, love?” The warmth of his breath sent a ripple of desire through her body. Keeping her distance was impossible.

She stared down at the water. “My father used to love fishing.” She blinked, wondering where the memory had come from. She frowned, following the thread. “I could never go. Too much sun.”

Drake’s voice vibrated in his chest behind her. “What happened to your parents?”

“My dad drowned. He took Ashley out on a fishing trip in his Boston Whaler. A storm blew in and my sister fell overboard. Dad dove in to save her. She made it back into the boat. He never surfaced again. The Coast Guard found Ashley. After a few days they gave up searching for my dad.” She cleared her throat, forcing the words to come. “My mom never really recovered from that. We lost her about six months later. Heart attack.”

The words rang hollow to her ears. Just facts. Her emotions were no longer raw, but they never went away. She still missed them. Maybe you never stopped.

She turned around, searching his eyes. “I wish I could explain this. I still have moments when I ache to reach out and hug them. There are days when I’d give anything to be able to pick up a phone and hear their voices. They’re not lost, though, not really. They’re in the stars. They’re everywhere. Pure energy.” The thought brought a bittersweet smile to her lips. “And every time I think of them, they’re right here with me.” She reached up to caress Drake’s cheek. “That’s why I can’t drink from your cup. There’s so much more than this life we’re experiencing right now, and I want to see it someday.”

“Do you talk to them, like you do for your clients?”

Heather nodded. “I’ve communicated with my mom and my grandmother.”

“Not your father?”

She shook her head. “Sometimes I feel his energy. I’m not sure why he doesn’t speak to me. When I was younger, I used to push and ask spirit guides to help with the connection. All I got was… It sounds crazy.”

He chuckled, the sparkle in his eyes warming her all over. “Crazier than an immortal pirate?”

“Okay, fine.” She rolled her eyes. “All I see is a big ship. I don’t know if it’s his version of heaven or what. He’s on this ship and he can hear me, but he can’t respond.”

Drake’s expression darkened. “Lots of sea legends are whispered about souls lost at sea being trapped on the Flying Dutchman.”

She’d never thought about it. “My dad was on the executive board of a bank. He wasn’t a sailor. At best, he was a weekend angler.”

“If he died at sea, Davy Jones could have captured his soul to work on his crew.”

The idea of her father in his suit, with a tie and matching pocket square, working on a mythical ship as a crewmember didn’t compute. It couldn’t be true.

Drake held her a little tighter. “There are tales of making deals with Davy Jones. Maybe your father traded his soul to save your sister.”

Now that was something she could see her father doing. She struggled to find her voice. “I suppose that’s possible.”

“Raise the colors, mates!” Colton shouted behind them.

Greyson and John headed for a wooden cabinet and opened the lid. Greyson turned around, frowning. “Did you move the flag, quartermaster?”

“No.” Colton shook his head, crossing to the others.

Drake craned to see over his shoulder.

Colton stepped back. “It’s gone.” He slammed the bin shut. “Fucking tourists. Bunch of damn thieves.”

“Was the flag an antique?” Heather asked.

“We all are, love.” Drake pulled his hair back from his forehead, exposing the scar over his right eye. “Maybe Flynn took it to get it cleaned or mended or something.”

Colton cursed under his breath. “Doesn’t matter right now.”

His dark expression as he stomped away said otherwise.

Drake took her hand, walking her back toward the galley. “Bob’s been cooking us a candlelight dinner.”

As she followed him to the other end of the ship, goose bumps rose on her arms. Out of the corner of her eye, spirits gathered, crawling over the railings of the Sea Dog and stalking across the deck. She tugged Drake’s hand, opening her mouth to warn him, when the banshee’s shriek dropped her to her knees.