Chapter 14
Fourteen
WILLIAM
I’d seen Damon talking to Daisy out of the corner of my eye.
It didn’t bother me anymore. He and Lockhart, especially, had proven a dozen times over that they didn’t agree with assault of that nature.
But when I saw him stiffen and whip his head around, I slowed my pursuit of Henry, heading over to see what was wrong instead.
“Captain?”
He turned to look at me, which moved him just enough for me to notice that Daisy sat alone. My stomach dropped and my veins filled with ice, true fear swamping me until I could barely breathe.
“Where’s Jane?”
His expression spoke volumes, and I took off at a dead run into the belly of the ship without looking back.
There were too many places to hide on this damn ship, and I doubted anyone knew how long it had been since she’d wandered off.
I could hear footsteps thundering behind me, so I skipped past the main areas, heading for the brig.
It was in the deepest part of the ship, and if someone wanted to do something stupid, it’s where I assumed they’d go.
I heard her before I saw her. Her terrified cries were like a stab to the gut, and I pushed myself harder to get to her.
“Please, no! Please!”
“Stop squirmin’!”
I knew that voice. Most of the crew I was friendly with, but the two I’d faced off with before we were taken were still my biggest enemies.
They couldn’t get away with attacking me anymore but that didn’t mean they didn’t try to cause trouble for me whenever they could.
I usually kept an eye on them while I was working to make sure they stayed the hell away from the girls.
I got too comfortable around the crew and let my guard down, and this was what happened.
Stiles had Jane pinned face down on the floor in one of the cells, his breeches already down and his cock out. He was working her skirt up when I got there, and I could see the blind terror in her eyes.
“I’ll fucking kill you!” I bellowed, tackling him off of Jane.
He was taken off guard long enough for me to get the upper hand, and I pinned him with a hand on his throat, throwing punch after punch.
I could only see red, and I wasn’t going to stop until he stopped breathing, but the sound of a hammer being drawn back cut through the white noise in my ears, and when I looked up, I was staring down the barrel of a pistol with my heart in my throat. Stiles hadn’t been alone.
“We’ve been denied this virgin cunt long enough,” Davis snarled. “You ain’t gettin’ in our way.”
“The captain said not to touch them. You’re disobeying orders,” I growled back.
Nothing I said to spare Jane would help.
They didn't give a shit about her future. Davis had Jane by the throat, pulled up against his chest. It wouldn’t be long before the rest of the crew joined us.
I wasn’t the only one who went looking. I just had to keep him distracted long enough for them to get here.
It didn’t matter if I lived. I didn’t want him hurting Jane.
“Captain’s gone soft, thanks to you. We should’ve been passin’ ‘em both around since they set foot on this ship. A real pirate wouldn’t sit on a treat like this and let it pass ‘em by.”
“What the fuck do you think is going to happen when he finds you down here? You think he’s so soft that he’ll let you get away with it?” I hissed. “Let her go. I’ll say it was Stiles alone. Do you really value raping her over your own life?”
For a second, he looked like he was considering it. But then his gaze flicked to Stiles, and a smirk flashed across his face. “I think I’m gonna enjoy makin’ you watch as I take what I’m owed.”
I was so focused on Davis and keeping him from hurting Jane, I didn’t notice Stiles moving. He had a dagger in his hand, and if Damon hadn’t shown up when he did, Stiles would’ve stabbed me in the chest.
“Will! Watch out!”
Time moved in slow motion as my head whipped around to where Stiles was still pinned beneath me.
I barely had enough time to throw myself backwards, and the slice of the dagger cut through my shirt before I could get out of the way.
Stiles scrambled to get to his feet, but I knew better than to let the two of them get the upper hand.
I kicked his knee hard enough to hear something snap, and he let out a scream as he went down again.
I threw myself at him, grappling him for his dagger.
He was tough, and he didn’t back down easily, but he was also injured and he couldn’t do much without the pain stopping him.
I got the dagger free and didn’t even hesitate to use it, stabbing Stiles in the gut.
I bared my teeth, shoving as hard as possible.
He looked shocked, and when I ripped the dagger free, his eyes went wide as saucers.
I left him there to bleed out, stumbling to my feet.
Davis had faced Damon, his pistol pointed at Jane, while I was dealing with Stiles.
Which meant Davis wasn’t paying any attention to me.
“I ain’t lettin’ her go until you get me and Stiles safely off the ship. We ain’t followin’ no soft captains who can’t man up enough to share the loot. You want her alive, you back the fuck off.”
“They’re kids, not loot, you piece of shit,” Damon snarled.
“They’re tight cunts and nothin’ more. I–”
He didn't see me coming. I grabbed the arm holding the pistol and yanked it hard enough to get Jane out of the line of fire before stabbing him in the lower back. He grunted in surprise, and when he looked at me, I saw the fear in his face.
I leaned closer, growling in his ear. “Say hello to Davy Jones.” With a jerk of his arm, I dragged him away from Jane and in front of me, slicing along his neck in one quick movement.
He dropped to his knees, his pistol skittering across the floor, and collapsed face first in a pool of his own blood.
My chest heaved, the dagger still held firmly in my grip.
They were the only two down here, but the adrenaline wouldn’t settle, and I found myself frozen in place, unsure of what to do next.
I killed two people. I’d never even killed an animal for its meat in my lifetime.
Someone else always took that job. But here I was, standing over two bodies, covered in blood, my heartbeat thundering in my ears.
“Will…” Damon’s voice sounded far off, like he was miles away.
I stared down at the two dead at my feet, wondering how the hell I ended up here.
I shouldn’t have taken my eyes off the girls for even a second.
I shouldn’t have let myself get swept away by the freedom the crew gave me. I should’ve protected them better.
“Will. On deck. Now,” Damon ordered.
I gripped the dagger harder, the fire still burning through my veins.
When I lifted my gaze to his, I didn’t fight my scowl.
He was the reason I was so damn comfortable here.
He was seducing me with what I’d always wanted and tearing my focus off of what was important.
I wanted to hurt him for what he dragged me into.
I couldn’t unless I was willing to risk the girls.
I turned to Jane, hoping to offer her a little comfort after her ordeal.
She flinched when I stepped toward her, and it cut straight through my heart.
I froze, unwilling to frighten her any more than she already was.
It was Henry who pulled her out of the cell, for once not focused on himself as he carried his sister out.
I followed behind them on instinct alone, my vision mostly blind.
My hands felt numb. When I stepped out into the sun, I flinched, lifting my hand to shield my eyes.
It felt like we were down there for hours.
Like it should’ve been dark by now. Instead, it was probably only a few minutes.
The sun was still high in the sky, and the reality of what I did was right in front of my damn face as Damon barked out orders to throw the bodies overboard and clean up the mess.
No one spoke to me. No one approached me.
I stood there, clutching the dagger, staring at nothing.
A heavy hand landed on my shoulder. I was still feeling the adrenaline, and I reacted before I could think it through, lashing out with the dagger. Damon caught my wrist before I could hurt him, his grip unyielding. “Give me that before you hurt someone.”
“No.”
I wasn’t giving up my weapon. I didn't know who I could trust anymore. I didn’t care if I never slept again, but I wasn’t going to give up the one thing that I could use to keep them safe.
I wrenched my arm free, shoving past him as I stormed to the girls’ room.
Henry held Jane in his arms, petting her hair as she sobbed.
He looked up when I stood in the doorway, but didn’t say anything to me.
He just dipped his chin once and when I shut the door, he didn’t protest being locked inside.
The reality of how dangerous this was for his sisters was finally sinking in.
I stood guard outside their room for the rest of the day.
The sun beat down on me, and Damon tried to demand I at least go inside and join them to get out of the heat, but I refused.
I didn't want to scare Jane anymore than I already did. I’d stand guard out here until the Davenport children were delivered safely to their father. It was all I could do.