The bright morning sun found them standing on the deck of his ship as his men finished shackling and binding the wrists of his new prisoners.

Justin had just boarded his ship after heavy hand-to-hand combat with Cuthburt. Finally subduing and imprisoning him as well.

"Are you alright there?" Quinn approached wearily knowing deep down he failed his captain in letting his guard down and letting him get taken by Cuthburt.

With a brisk nod, Justin brushed off the hard feelings. He knew he was more at fault.

"What are you going to do with them?" Quinn asked stepping to his side.

"On Tortuga, we are handing them over along with Cuthburt as planned to gain our pardon as promised from Coronel Armstrong," he said staring ahead.

"And what if it is a trap?" he asked.

Justin shook his head. He had their word that all of his transgressions would be forgiven if he handed over Samuel Cuthburt, so he agreed.

"He cannot afford to betray me, I have important information that he needs. His honesty depends on it," Justin turned to look at him.

Shortly they were joined by Bellamy his second in command.

"And what of the two women we brought onboard?" Bellamy asked.

"What of them?" A prickliness settled on Justin's neck at the mention of them.

"You and I both know they are not safe on this ship," he said staring at Justin.

It was true. It has been months since his men have had female companionship. To have them on this ship would be very dangerous. But they were in the middle of nowhere. The voyage towards Tortuga will take days if not months depending on the weather.

Taking a deep breath Justin clenched his jaw and turned to look at the men that walked about. Many of them joined his crew as a safe haven running from the guillotine at port for their wrong deeds. True cutthroats and vile as they come. He could not deprive them of their carnal need to be with a woman when they dock at different ports. But the women he held below as he could tell were not the same. He could not let them harm the two women on this ship.

"Then they stay in my quarters until I can get them to England," he turned to look at Bellamy.

"I see they have not gotten wind of their presence here on the ship. And I want it to stay that way," he warned them both. Slowly but surely the men nodded their heads.

"See to it that they get something to eat but with discretion, Quinn," he ordered.

With a quick nod, Quinn left.

Justin turned away and began to bark out orders to begin their voyage back walking across the deck. His thoughts were somber and distracted over her.

Where had they come from? Where were they heading? What ship did Cuthburt take them from?

There was something about her. He remembered her look of defiance as Cuthburt roughly held her.

She had to be something of worth maybe he can use it to his advantage when the time came.

Hopelessness and despair overwhelmed her as she sat in a crumpled heap on the floor in tears frightened, soul-deep.

She was lost- entirely lost and doomed.

She was finally free from one pirate only to end up in the hands of another. Mayhap he was more ruthless than the first. Regardless, she was trapped-now a prisoner once more.

She slowly looked over to Josephine and more tears fell. Her nana's demise was more evident now than ever as the poor woman rocked back and forth mumbling softly to herself.

She crawled to her and knelt before her and reached for her. Josephine flinched and pulled away. Tempest let out a sob. The full extent of their fate was visible in her Josephine's tormented lost gaze and it was only a matter of time before the same thing happens to her. They will find their end being tortured then murdered.

She lowered her head then and thought of her mother, then her father.

"I pray they never find out what we have been through," she whispered in tears.

A soft click from the door in the distance pulled her head around to see a stout older man enter with a tray and placed it quickly on a nearby table. He did not look threatening. She slowly stood on shaky legs and watched him.

"Sir? Please help us," she began to beg praying he would take pity on her and protect her from the Captain.

He gave her a saddened look before turning away and walking out the door. Locking it again.

She sank once more to her knees in tears sobbing to exhaustion. Suddenly an overwhelming sense of desperation made her stand on her trembling legs. She rubbed away her tears and glanced frantically around the cabin.

She would not go down without a fight.

She looked around the opulent quarters of the Pirates cabin filled with luxury. Such a place was bound to hold weapons of defense. Her defense.

She walked the large expanse of the cabin in hope of finding something that she can use. She walked to a table in the far corner littered with what looked like maps. Hope began to swell in her chest as her gaze landed on a jeweled dagger laying above them.

With a shaky breath, she reached slowly for the sharp blade and studied the lethal weapon.

It was perfect.

********

The waiting and pacing slowly began to peel away her courage as it felt like forever since she had been placed in the cabin waiting to finally face the pirate she stupidly freed.

Mentally she was scarcely prepared. She never had to fight for her life.

Her mind heavily played the scenario of her attack. How she was going to plunge the dagger through his deceitful heart? But then the sinking feeling of getting past his men clouded her thoughts with worry.

After thinking long and carefully of her next approach to escaping, she was startled as the door to the cabin jerked open and the pirate captain entered and closed it behind him.

Abruptly he stood still with a watchful gaze as she faced him a few feet away then hesitantly with shaking fingers she extended the dagger and pointed it at him.

His imposing figure loomed near the door until he stood to his full height.

Her good sense told her to take a step back. Maybe two as his massive form stepped forward and his now simmering gaze chipped slowly away at her bravery.

Quickly with determined steps he lunged forward and caught her wrist in a hurtful grip that made her whimper and involuntarily drop the dagger to the floor.

He pulled her close binding her hand behind her back in his large hand while the other gripped her chin. Dark pools of blue pierced down at her in anger.

"A bit of a little warning, lass. Don't point a dagger at me unless you mean to use it," he tightened his grip as she struggled to get free.

Fear welled up in her that she could barely swallow past the lump forming in her throat or help the tears in her eyes that were threatening to fall. She will not be bested. She will not.

She struggled more and with her free hand, she pummeled his chest before he grabbed that hand as well and pinned it behind her back.

In a harsh vice grip, he squeezed her wrist tighter until her tears fell from the pain. He roughly caught her hair to subdue her. But she would not let up.

"Let me go!" she hissed.

He held her even tighter until they were nose to nose, then he warned her.

"Unless you wish to share a cell below deck with Cuthburt, I suggest you calm yourself, hellcat," he glared down at her. Fear gripped her with his words then suddenly she stood still in his hold.

"You are fortunate to be alive. He had no intentions of sparing your life. Yet I have and this is how you repay me?" his lips thinned.

"And I suppose I owe you my gratitude. By willingly being your prisoner?" she angrily retorted.

His jaw clenched. His gaze hardened.

"No, your gratitude will be for me not giving in to the urge of laying you across my knee and spanking you within an inch of your life," he growled heatedly between clenched teeth.

She swallowed hard holding her tongue. He saw the trepidation floating over her tears in her gaze of following his words with an angry retort. But she stayed silent.

Then he let her loose and she stumbled back.

His gaze left hers and landed on the woman that sat in the corner. His chest tightened at what they must have endured in Cuthburts hold.

His gaze landed on her once more. Without another word, he turned on his heels and left.

Outside the cabin, he leaned against the door trying to calm himself.

The muffled sounds of her sobs gripped his heart. Guilt coiled within him of his harshness towards her.

She was terrified and it was logical for her to lash out and defend herself.

Her actions were justified. His... were not.

With a curse, he pulled away from the door after locking it. He needed a strong drink to overcome all of this.

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