Pirate's Ransom

Chapter 4

A warm sensation flooded through her for a moment. Heat seeped into her arm and she sighed. Home. She must be home. The thought made her happy and a small smile moved to her lips. Then the bed beneath her lurched. Her eyes flung open to meet the forest green ones of the man gripping her arm. God, she thought. How could she still be on the ship?

"Unhand me this instant!" She demanded, snapping awake fully. Her bones were weary from the hard floor but she wouldn't complain. There were far worse ways to be held captive. The Pirate Captain's hand gripped her arm tightly as she tried to pull away. His full lips were parted softly but his eyebrows were drawn together in a fierce expression. The conflicting emotions on his face were unsettling to say the least. Her stomach clenched, whether from nerves or hunger she couldn't be certain.

"Who did this to you?"

"Did what?" She snapped, rubbing her eyes with her free hand as she twisted in his grip to sit upright.

"This purple mark on your arm. Did Jack touch you?" The last part was spoken furiously.

"Jack?" She questioned and eyed her arm. There was a purple handprint marking her too-pale skin.

"The man who came into the cabin last night, after you chose not to lock the door." He paused. "Stupid girl."

"How dare you call me stupid! You know nothing about me!" He voice had raised beyond ladylike. Though she feared his wrath, she would not take him calling her names. Her honor was something she would fight for. The worst he could do would be to hit her and possibly murder her. Rape was always an option for him but she would claw his eyes out before he ever got the chance.

She saw the faintest curl of his lips before they snapped downward into a grimace. "You are a fool. You could have been attacked. You apparently were attacked."

"The only attack came from you, Captain. You," she breathed, "are the one who attacked my father and took me from my home. They won't stop until they find me. I am all my father has. I am his legacy." Despite her anger, her throat tightened at the thought of her father spending much of his resources to get her back. He was just too sick to have to deal with all of this. If he died before she was returned home, she would kill this pirate herself.

"You're father has something of mine that he refused to give back. So I took something of his. Until he is willing to trade, there is no hope for you."

Anger bubbled up inside of her. Only some unseen force kept her from slapping him across his face. "Let me go!" She shouted at him as she yanked her arm. He tightened his grip below the bruise but didn't hurt her. Finally on a solid tug he let go but she slammed the back of her head into the wooden wall behind her.

He stood, towering over her petite frame and stomped over to the door. "Jack!" He roared making her ears quiver. She hadn't heard a man shout in many years. Not since her mother had died and her father a cursed God. The memory of that day hit her hard and she pulled her knees up to her chest.

When Jack entered, the Captain grabbed his dingy shirt and slammed him against the wall. She felt the vibration against her back. "You bruised her."

"Wh-what? Cap, I didn't touch her."

A snarl came from the Captain and she watched as he slammed the man against the wall again. The crisp white tunic he was wearing was rolled up his forearms and the powerful muscles held there were bunched, straining. He looked like he might actually do Jack some damage.

The man he had called Jack, the one who had entered the room the night before, caught her gaze and pleaded with her. Sweat trickled down his greasy forehead and he mumbled.