Chapter 5 #2
Old anxieties simmered in Henri’s gut. He clenched his hand into a fist, and fought down the urge to step in and set the record straight. If he did that it would just make it look like David was right.
“We can escape,” David said fervently. “These deviants have to make land sometime, then we can go home.”
“Davy stop! I-I can’t. I’ll talk to the captain and see if he’ll release you, but I’m not leaving. I’m sorry.”
Bittersweet relief flooded him. Robin was staying, but he hadn’t told David about Henri. And Henri couldn’t stand to listen anymore. He stepped through the doorway and their conversation fell silent.
The unfamiliar press of the plug up Rowan’s ass made him acutely aware of his body.
It was not painful, nor necessarily unpleasant, yet with every step he took, his hole clenched and moved around the little silver bulb.
With every sidelong glance the crew cast him, he became more and more convinced that each and every one of them knew.
Damn Yves for convincing him to agree to this when he was still cock-dumb in the afterglow of ill-advised sex.
It was difficult enough going about his day knowing what awaited him when he and Yves were finally alone again, but on top of that, every time the plug so much as brushed more sensitive areas, he had to start deep breathing to stop himself from getting hard in front of the whole crew.
The fact that he was wearing a skirt instead of pants, and had been too fucked-out to remember to put his underwear back on, didn’t help either.
Blessedly, Yves came to find him after what seemed like forever but was probably only an hour. Rowan allowed himself a moment to feel relieved before he got the urge to wipe that self-satisfied smirk right off Yves’s beautiful lips.
“What do you want?”
Yves quirked an amused eyebrow at him. “Is that any way to greet your beloved husband?”
“It is when he’s a fucking menace to my sanity.”
Yves leaned close, one hand on Rowan’s waist. “How are you enjoying my gift, darling? Is staying open and wet for me turning you on?”
“No,” Rowan gritted out. Fighting down yet another boner as the simple sensation of Yves’s hand on his waist sent his nerves into overdrive.
“Pity. Perhaps I’ll have to hold off ravishing you till you really want it.”
What a devious bastard he was, and Rowan loved him for it.
Rowan inhaled deeply through his nose and exhaled through his mouth, trying to steady himself as his overeager cock tried to twitch to life again.
“Did you just come to tease me? I have work to do.”
“I would love nothing more than to tease you until you beg for mercy, but no, we must discuss the future of our little fleet. John and Logan are waiting in the Sweet Lettie’s captain’s quarters.”
The very room where Rowan had so recently been fucked into near oblivion.
Yves really wasn’t making this easy on him.
Rowan hoped John wouldn’t notice the mess they’d made of his new desk, and that Rowan’s underwear had somehow gotten kicked somewhere John wouldn’t find it.
Though knowing John, he was already planning some subtle way to exact revenge on them.
Rowan remembered suddenly that he was meant to be annoyed at Yves for not only taking the risk of revealing their true relationship to outsiders—thereby necessitating that they keep the sailors as captive crew members—but also that he’d sprung this whole plan on Rowan and John without even discussing it with them first.
“Yes we do need to talk about ‘our little fleet,’” Rowan agreed. If Yves heard the annoyance in Rowan’s voice he didn’t show it. He simply walked away, and Rowan followed.
Rowan hadn’t gotten a good look at the room earlier, distracted as he was by being slammed against the door, then bent over the desk.
Now his eye swept the room quickly, taking in the cabinets, the desk, the small table where John and Logan conversed quietly, and beyond a bank of cabinets and columns hung with sheer curtains, the bedchamber.
His face heated as he saw the desk was now tidy.
How much evidence of their lovemaking had they left behind?
Or had John simply chalked up the scattered papers to the battle?
All hopes were dashed when he approached the table and John stared at him sternly.
“You owe me a new map of the Sunrise Sea,” John said. “There are two distinctly ass-cheek shaped smears on mine. I can’t imagine where they came from.”
Rowan’s face heated further, and Logan hid a chuckle behind his wooden hand.
“Ah…Sorry.”
“Consider it done.” Yves interrupted Rowan’s embarrassed stutter.
“Now, to the matter at hand.” He took a seat on one of the four wooden chairs, adjusting his coat hem so it fell in pretty folds behind him.
Rowan lowered himself gingerly into the other free chair, trying not to jostle the plug and failing.
He clenched his teeth as lightning shot up his spine.
Logan raised his eyebrows but said nothing.
He, of all people, would never suspect what Rowan was currently experiencing.
He’d probably ask Rowan later if he’d pulled a muscle or something.
Yves sat in a relaxed posture, but Rowan suspected he was keenly aware of every little flinch or hitched breath.
“Congratulations are in order, Captain,” Logan said to John.
The corner of John’s lip twitched. “Thank you. Though I can’t say I expected it.
” His intense gaze moved to Yves. “Care to explain yourself?” John had never been overly respectful of Yves when he was the first mate, but now that they were on equal footing as captains, he seemed to be enjoying himself.
“I thought it was about time you were rewarded for your loyal service,” Yves said calmly. “And we’re in a good financial position to expand the fleet.”
John raised his eyebrows. “Oh? Am I still under your command?”
“No, equal partners in the endeavor of pirating. Run your ship and your season how you like, but if you want to keep Illusion as a safe haven, you share profit equitably. The three of us make decisions together in regard to Illusion.”
Rowan’s annoyance spiked. Yves should’ve discussed this with him first. He wasn’t opposed to John captaining his own ship by any means.
John was as fair and competent as he was brutal.
He’d be a fine pirate captain. Rowan just resented Yves making such a big decision without him.
How long had he been planning this? Certainly since the last time they’d seen each other, when he’d asked Rowan to bring him the Sweet Lettie.
He could’ve told Rowan then, could’ve even told him when they were alone in this room, but he’d waited to announce it in front of the entire crew instead.
“Fair enough,” John said. He glanced at Rowan. “Are you amenable to this? You seem like a bee flew up your ass.”
Yves snorted, and Rowan blushed. “I have no objections,” Rowan answered simply. It wasn’t the decision itself Rowan didn’t like, it was the secrecy.
“I accept your terms, then. I’ll return to Illusion at the end of the season, and share my newfound riches with you sorry sods.”
“Excellent.” Yves clapped once. “Now onto the next matter, choosing a new name for your ship and appointing a first mate.”
John’s eyes flicked to Logan and held his gaze. Logan shook his head subtly. “I’ll choose Gael as my first mate, if he agrees,” John said when their gaze broke.
“He wouldn’t leave Fox behind,” Rowan said.
“I’ll take that troublemaker too, if they’re a package deal.” John’s voice was stern as always, but Rowan didn’t miss the slight edge of amusement in it. Not even stoic John Hakon was immune to Fox’s charms.
“Rowan? They’re your crew. What do you think?” Yves asked.
A slight thread of anxiety crept through Rowan’s chest. Gael was his friend and a valuable crew member. And Fox was…so much more than that. He was practically family. Rowan’s heart ached at the thought of losing them.
“If they agree to it, they’re free to go.
” As much as he would miss Fox’s lighthearted antics and Gael’s strong, quiet presence, he wouldn’t hinder them if this was what they chose.
Rowan hadn’t missed the fact that Logan was clearly John’s first choice and had turned him down without a second thought.
At least his oldest friend would stay by his side.
“I’ll fetch him.” Logan got up and padded to the door, where he caught a passing crew member and sent them after Gael.