Chapter 11
Rosetta walked next to Alister as they made their way back to their two crews, which she hoped would become one for a short while.
She had an extra spring in her step, thankful that her plan thus far had worked in her favour.
He shot at me. She peeked at him from under her lashes. He’d almost killed her! The shot had been less than a foot away from her head.
He must have been truly furious I stole his mother’s locket. Her eyes fell to where it already hung around his neck, bouncing against his sternum with each footfall.
He seemed to be deep in thought, and she figured he was mulling over the deal.
She thought he might be interested once he listened to what he could gain from helping her. He’d been too arrogant before, refusing her without letting her explain.
He eventually broke the silence. “What’s the deal if they say nay?”
“You will take us straight to a port where you know I can get new hands, and you will let us go.” She interlocked her fingers behind her back, giving a shrug. “I can find a new ship.”
“You won’t get the Laughing Siren on your own. It’ll take years to acquire a ship that can take it and a sizeable crew that can overrun it.”
“I know,” she answered with a dejected tone. “I had everything I needed when I took your ship.”
Rosetta’s hopes had been dashed, and she didn’t often get her hopes up for this reason.
Silence fell upon them once more.
There was a defined line that seemed to have been drawn in the dirt between their men when they found them. Neither would attack each other, but they all had their weapons raised. They were patiently waiting for them to return to see the results.
“Captain,” multiple men from both crews greeted them in unison.
A giggle fell from her when they both answered in reply. He gave her a strange scowl before turning back to them.
“She’s coming with us. The rest of her crew are staying behind.”
“For now,” she added, to calm her men, who looked concerned.
Then they nodded – they’d known what she’d planned to ask, and now they understood she’d managed to convince him to at least consider it.
Alister nodded his head towards the beach. “Get in the boat.”
“Rosetta,” Naeem started, before flicking something at her.
She caught what he’d tossed her with one hand and noticed Alister watching her palm as she opened it to find a silver coin resting inside. She held it up to the last of the sunlight with two fingers, like she was examining to see if it was real, despite knowing it was.
With a small smile of triumph, she headed towards the rowboat, clunking down the beach to hop inside. Alister and his men followed suit, then began rowing towards his ship.
Alister had his arms folded, sitting on the bench across from her. He tapped his biceps with his head turned, refusing to look at her.
“What was the bet?” His tone was dark, as though she should be worried about her answer.
“That you’re a mamma’s boy.”
She heard someone behind her nearly choke on their own spit as they tried to stifle a laugh. His head shot to the offensive sound with such a deep glare, she thought it might set the man on fire.
“I honestly thought it would take you longer to realise,” she admitted. “Is she dead?”
She figured that was the reason he was so protective of the locket.
“What she is, is none of your fucking business.”
“And here I thought we were getting along.” She sighed, but it didn’t hold any real emotion.
“We are. You’d be dead if we weren’t.”
“You can say that again,” someone rowing the oars said. “We’re all surprised you’re not.”
“That’s because you dogs asked for mercy on her behalf.”
Rosetta slanted her head to the side, her brows furrowing. “They did?”
Alister finally turned his eye towards her but, by the way he looked at her, it seemed he was set in his sour mood. “Aye, seems some of my men took a fancy to you while you were captain.”
She wondered if that was the whole truth. “How’s Kent?”
She noticed the edges of his lips turn up, even though he battled against it. “Getting groped and whistled at.”
“He looks better as a woman than I do.”
“True,” he blatantly lied, that smile of humour growing to full force. “Was about to make him wear your dress before I noticed you’d taken my locket.”
She slapped her knee with glee. “Now that I have to see!”
“Maybe you will,” Alister answered, his tone sounding suspiciously hopeful to her ears, when the side of the boat hit against the ship’s hull.
Metal rectangular-shaped handles were permanently fitted to the side so they could climb up it. She was the first to do so, and she had a feeling Alister was staring at her arse while he climbed behind her.
Alister leaned one of his boots against the railing of the quarterdeck and stood before the people below him. Everyone was topside, since he needed to address them all.
He’d already relayed the offer she had given him, and the kinds of things they’d get in return, if they helped her procure the Laughing Siren.
Now came the vote.
“It’ll be to the majority vote. All those in favour, raise a hand.” Just over three-quarters of his crew raised their hands in the air in agreeance.
“Then I will accept her offer and we will work together. I want some of you to row to shore and pick up her men. The rest of you, make room for them in the cabins below and rearrange yourselves how you see fit.”
There were many sleeping cabins below deck, but they were usually filled with two or three men each.
That area would now be more crowded with the new arrivals.
The rare, obnoxious snorers, sometimes lucky enough to get their own cabins, would surely now be banished to some dank corner of the ship to suffer together.
Once his crew were moving, he lowered his leg and turned to her. Her hands were on her hips, but there was no mistaking the cheerful expression she swore.
“There you have it. I’ll have Pierre and Derek vacate the cabin below, so you may sleep in it.”
She shook her head. “No, don’t make a distinction between me and the men. I’d rather not deal with the backlash.”
“Then where else are you going to sleep?” he asked with a tone of uncertainty. “I won’t be giving you mine, lass.”
She rolled her eyes at him. “Just give me a cabin with Naeem and Mr Smith. I’ll be comfortable sharing with them.”
She’s happy to sleep with men present? Just how comfortable was she with them?
“Fine.” He pointed his index finger at her. “Don’t sleep with the crew while you’re on my ship.”
The way she scrunched up her nose with a strange smirk made him wonder just what the hell kind of thought she’d had to make such a strange face.
“Why not?” She batted her eyelids, her smirk turning into a pout like she was trying to hide her taunt.
It didn’t take a genius to figure it out. She thinks I’d be jealous.
“If you sleep with one of them, you’ll have to sleep with all of them.” He swept his hand out to the side, as if he was referencing a vast number. He also wouldn’t take her again if she did, but he wouldn’t tell her that.
“Excuse me?” She spoke the words with emphasis, her mouth staying open once she was done.
“My men share everything. Food, coin, women.” He brought his hand back but tilted his head forward to be more level with her.
“If you take one of them, they will treat you like every other woman they meet: a prostitute. Unless you want hands grabbing at you constantly, which I have no interest in getting in the middle of, don’t give them a reason to treat you that way. ”
“Then shouldn’t they already be doing it?”
His brow creased in confusion. “Why do you say that?”
From what he’d discovered earlier, she hadn’t bedded any of them. She’d been far too small for that, since she’d taken a while to adjust to him.
“Are you not a part of your own crew?”
He gave a curt laugh. “Aye, but I’m different, and they know that. I can do what I want with you.”
Both her brows raised. “If I let you.”
He was the one to roll his eyes this time, turning away from her to head below deck. “And stay away from Pierre. If he tries, he always manages to succeed. He’s got a way with women. Just a fair warning.”
“What am I supposed to do now?”
He gave a shrug, holding the handrail as he walked down the steps.
“Wait for the rest of my new crew to board. I have shit to do.” He turned his head back with the smuggest grin he reckoned he’d ever worn. “Since I am the captain and all.”
Her scrunched-up nose highlighting her annoyance was delightful to him.
He had to speak with Glen about her helping him in the kitchen, cooking and cleaning. He may not like her encroaching on his area.
He would also choose the most suitable cabin for her, one she wouldn’t have to pass many men to get to.
This better not bite me in the arse.
Even if it did, tomorrow when the sun rose, he’d finally be able to set sail.