at him, but he ignored her outrage and turned to call to one of his men.
“Come on, Olivia. Don’t worry. I’ll be with you the entire time,” Madelaine said as Olivia stood up on shaky legs.
“No, you won’t,” Captain Angel replied evenly.
The sailor approached and nodded at the order to put Olivia into the last longboat.
“No!” both women shouted at once. Madelaine stepped in front of Olivia, but Angel easily pulled her aside and the sailor dragged the petite brunette away.
“You’re not going to be difficult, are you, Madelaine?”
“Yes, I am, Captain Angel. I’m not going without her.”
“Be damned, but you are!”
Madelaine started to fight him like a wildcat. She clawed, kicked and bit whatever part of him she could reach. He was using little force to subdue her, and she was manic in her determination to resist. Somehow she was able to pull away from him, and she backed into the railing, holding him off with a dagger firmly in her grasp.
“I underestimated you, Madelaine. Who would have thought a gently bred lady would know how to fight like a street urchin?” he said a bit suspiciously. “Now, where did you get that?”
“I…I took it from the cabin.”
“You little thief,” he accused dryly.
“I will not be leaving here without a fight—unless you agree to bring Olivia with us.”
Captain Angel sighed. “Your loyalty to your servant is unheard of, Madelaine. I wonder if you would give the same to the love of your life.”
“Of course I would,” she answered after a brief hesitation. But in truth, she couldn’t imagine loving a man enough to sacrifice a crumb of stale bread to ease his hunger.
“Hugh would be glad to hear it,” he said mockingly. “Well, then. I’m ready to strike a deal with you.” He moved closer, until the dagger was a breath away from his chest. She lifted the dagger higher, her hand shaking. Before she had another second to think about how far she would go, he took the weapon from her with little effort. “We’ll discuss your punishment for this later. For now, I’m more interested in that deal.”
She was backed against the railing. There was nowhere for her to retreat. His body was so close her breasts pressed lightly against the hard muscles of his solid chest. She could barely breathe with him so near.
“What do you want?” she asked, peering around his large frame. She could just make out Olivia struggling against the man who held her on the opposite side of the ship.
“I’ll let your maid come with us…”
She blew out the breath she’d been holding, which was a mistake. Her breasts brushed his chest and she felt the most unexpected spark of pleasure course through her body.
“…if you agree to spend one full night in my bed.”
She gasped, completely taken aback. Though she shouldn’t have been so surprised. What did she expect? Gentlemen who entertained in fancy parlors and took ladies on chaperoned walks in gardens lived only in books. The only men she’d known were her father’s unscrupulous cronies.
And Geoffrey Townsend.
And now this pirate.
She gathered her courage and tipped her head up to look him squarely in the eye. “As long as you’re not there.”
He chuckled. “Oh, no, I’ll be there as well. It wouldn’t be nearly as much fun your way.”
“Go to hell, pirate.”
“Is your answer no, then?”
She glared at him.
“Put her in!” he ordered over his shoulder.
“No!” Madelaine shouted, shoving against his braced elbows. She cried out in frustration when he didn’t budge. The man was like a stone wall, covered in muscle and warm, tanned skin.
“Have you reconsidered?” he asked, holding up a hand to stop the sailor.
Madelaine hesitated, looking between Captain Angel and Olivia. He straightened and stood in front of her, his confident, arrogant smirk tempting her to deny him to the ends of the earth. But Olivia’s frightened, pale features called out to her. She had put her friend in this position, thinking only to protect her, and it had backfired.
“Madelaine, we can’t stand here all day. The ship is burning and taking on water at the same time, or haven’t you noticed? I don’t like to get my boots wet.”
“Don’t tease me! This isn’t funny. What you are asking of me—how could you?”
“You should be grateful that I’m asking for what I want and not simply taking.”
“Madelaine!” Olivia cried as the fire crept ever closer.
She was losing this battle and she could see the arrogant man knew it. “They should call you ‘Devil.’ It’s much more fitting.”
“Do we have an agreement?”
She bit her lower lip hard. A moment passed. Then she crossed her arms and nodded stiffly.
“Not good enough. I need to hear you say it. All of it.”
She gritted her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut, but the vision of Olivia stranded on one of the tiny islands nearby with a hundred or so sailors from the Oxford burned into her brain. She took a steadying breath.
“Yes, I agree…to spend one night with you.”
“Where?” he asked, his brow rising in expectation.
“In your bed,” she hissed.
“Bring the maid!” he shouted to the sailor. He then swept Madelaine up in his arms and hoisted her over the railing and onto the smaller vessel alongside.
Chapter Seven
Madelaine shook the handle of the door for the hundredth time. The pirate had unceremoniously dumped her on the bunk, locked her in and she hadn’t heard a word since. That had been at least an hour ago—an hour during which she had searched the cabin top to bottom for a weapon. The flintlock pistol hung heavy in her pocket. There was no powder, but she didn’t know how to load the weapon, anyway. She prayed that her bluff would be enough to convince the pirate to leave her alone.
What had become of Olivia? Had she really been brought on board?
A key turned in the lock and seconds later the pirate’s broad frame filled the doorway. She retreated, practically diving behind a tall wingback chair facing the portholes.
“Don’t tell me my little hellcat has lost her courage,” he said mockingly.
He took off his black coat and gloves, and tossed them on another chair.
“Where is Olivia?”
“Who?”
Madelaine’s heart dropped like a stone, and she suddenly felt ill. Why had she believed for a second this man would keep his word? Reaching into her pocket, she drew out the gun and leveled it at his chest.
“Where is she?” Her demand sounded shrill even to her own ears.
“You are a bloodthirsty little minx, aren’t you? I should have tied you to the bed, but I thought that would prove too tempting a distraction.”
“You lecherous bastard!”
“There’s that language again. Wherever did Hugh find a jewel like you, Madelaine?”
“If she’s not on this ship—”
“You’ll what? Shoot me? Come on, then, shoot,” he said, spreading his arms