The Devil's Temptress: At World's End || Book 3

XXII. You Won't Be Able To Resist

As it turned out, Jack hadn't taken any path, he hadn't needed to because the second he exited the tavern a hand being placed on his shoulder stopped him.

"Sparrow."

Not now. Really not now. "Leave it mate." Jack's voice was gravelly and spoken towards the floor a he refused to turn around. He was thankful that the hand slipped off of him, but he knew the company hadn't left. "Have you come to gloat?" He plastered on a smile as he crossed his legs and spun around gracefully, taking a sip of rum at the same time.

The interior hallways of the city were dark, enough so that everything was illuminated by flame. The walkways changed from light to dark dramatically, only half of Jack's face was lit up by the torch fixed to the wall, the opposite to Matthew's.

"No." The man sighed before he did anything else, glancing around them awkwardly. "Can we talk alone."

Now Jack got a closer look at the lad, now he was able to study him clearly, Jack had to convince himself a little harder that he was a dirty, cod-faced beast who didn't deserve the girl. He had to use his imagination to believe it was he who towered over Rathbone, and that he wasn't very much the picture of 'Pirate Captain' in his long second hand red navy coat and black bandana, and gold rings encircling one hand.

"I didn't think that would be in my best interest tonight lad." Jack smiled. "Whatever you want to say, you can make it quick."

"I don't have anything to say to you Sparrow, not after all these years." It was Matthew's turn to chuckle as he became accustomed to the darkness surrounding them and looked at the man who he once believed to have ruined his life.

Why was he so special? Had he been different back then? From the stories it didn't sound much like it. So what was it, what was it that she got? What did he give her apart from rum soaked kisses and bad situations to get out of?

"Well then, if you be so kind." Jack licked his lips, narrowing his eyes and playing with the inside of his cheek, as he took a confident step forward. But like he predicted things weren't going to be that easy and Matthew's hand shot out block his path.

"I need you to do something for me Sparrow." The lack of backbone he had always imagined the boy having was soon disproven. His eyes had turned dark and he barely watched Jack out the corner of his vision. "And if your half of the man you claim to be, you'll do it."

Jack's brow shot up, though he was confused he was also absurdly invested in what the lad had to say now. So much so he took a step back rendering is blockade useless and wandered further into the hallways dead end so as to grant his previous wish of privacy.

"What, Matthew, is it you wish of me?" Jack grinned.

"Tomorrow, I want you to tell Nicolette to joint me. On the Bloody Dagger."

"Come again?" Matthew knew he had been clear enough the first time and remained looking at Jack, as silent as the grave, until he finally submitted to believing what he had heard. "Ahhh." Jack started to laugh, just as Matthew had predicted and planned for. "And this is where you offer me some form of bargain so that I become the big baddie, is it?"

"No bargain Jack." Matthew frowned, even as a small part of him started to worry about what price Jack would accept. "No bribe, just a request. A request for you to do the right thing."

"And what, pray tell, makes you think you know what is right for her?"

"I don't, not exactly, but I know what's bad for her." Jack swayed on his feet lightly, his smile disappearing for a single second before he plastered it back on, stronger.

"The last time I saw her, that night I left her at that tavern, the night you came back to Tortuga..." He understood what night so he might as well get the bloody hell on with it. "When she left with you Jack she was the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen. I left her there for barely an hour and you had erased months of both our lives." Jack tilted his head, proud of himself and jut the slightest bit smug, sucking on his cheeks as he shifted his weight and leaned back against a stack of barrels.