“The calm before the storm,” she replied.
He chuckled. “Sí.”
Silent minutes passed, then he revealed, “This is our hidden hideaway. The navies of powerful nations have hunted for this cove and never found it. You’re privileged to be one of the few people to know our secret, Heidi Jakobsen.”
Her heart thudded in her ears, drowning out the distant chirping of cicadas. Now, he’d have no choice but to kill her.
He put his arm around her shoulders when she shivered. “Don’t worry. After tonight, I’ll never return here.”
Puzzled, she pulled away and peered into the mismatched eyes glinting in the moonlight. “Why not?”
“We are done with our life of crime,querida,” he replied. “The men are ashore in the cave now, dividing up our hidden treasure. On the morrow, we sail back to Puerto Rico, scuttle theJuanaand go our separate ways. I hope to find a place where I can be Maximiliano Aguero again, and not worry about the price on my head.”
Take me with you.
“Where will you go?” she asked.
“Florida, perhaps,” he replied. “Or further north, maybe all the way to Upper Canada, although I’ve heard the cold can freeze a man’s b...er...bones.”
She’d known bitterness when the amiable Torsten turned into a man she didn’t recognize, a brute she feared. In different circumstances, she’d have succumbed easily to Maximiliano’s charms. There was an alchemy between them, but she recognized the wistfulness in his voice. He knew as well as she did that he would be hunted like an animal until he was captured and executed.
She leaned into him, resigned to take what little comfort and warmth she could while she had the chance. She no longer worried about what might he might do with her. They were alone aboard a ship and he could have murdered her before this and easily disposed of her body. Maximiliano Aguero was no bloodthirsty pirate and she wondered what had driven him to a life of crime. “I hope you find your haven,” she said.
* * *
A haven, he thought.If things were different I could find shelter and solace in this woman’s arms.
He shook his head to rid his brain of such notions. Uncertainty about the future was making him fanciful, although the future had been precarious for a long while. He woke up every morning wondering if this was the day of his capture. There’d be no happy ending for him—unless his plans succeeded. “Can you find your way to the cabin?” he asked.
“Won’t you escort me back?” she protested, forcing him to double his resolve not to take her to his bed. She clearly didn’t want to spend the night alone, but the hesitancy in her voice proved she was no coy siren. She was a respectable woman and he was determined to respect her. For him, the difficult life of a fugitive lay ahead.
“I’ll keep watch on deck. Goodnight.”
“Godnat,” she replied, sounding disappointed when he deliberately turned away to look at the moon shimmering on the water. It was a night for lovers, but if he was to return to the life of a gentleman…
He gripped the railing as her footsteps receded, fighting down the urge to follow. Was he fooling himself to think Maximiliano Aguero, descendant of a centuries-old noble line, could rise from the ashes of the pirate Lázaro?
He stood watch for hours, listening to the laughter of his crew drifting over the water. The more they drank, the louder the merriment became, until it gradually ceased. He sat at the base of the mast and dozed.
* * *
Heidi returned to the cabin and retrieved the nightgown after rummaging about in her bag. The air outside might be cooler, but the tiny cabin was hot and stuffy. She’d avoided disrobing in front of Torsten since his descent into depravity, but found herself wishing Maximiliano was watching as she stripped off her garments. She chided herself inwardly. Her husband was right—she had gained weight. The pirate would laugh himself silly if he saw her naked. Yet, she stood with her body bared for long minutes, heart beating wildly, listening for his footfall.
Finally deciding she was losing her mind, she yanked the nightgown over her head and stood on tiptoe to snuff out the candle in the lantern hanging from the beam. She climbed into the bunk and inhaled the pirate’s masculine scent on the pillow.
She tossed and turned. For a long while, the sounds of men making merry drifted to her ears across the water. She wondered if the captain was up on deck, or if he’d gone to celebrate with his crew.
Would he come down to his cabin if he was on board?
Part of her wanted him to come, yet she feared she might faint dead away if he did.
Where would he sleep since she was in his bunk?
He’d spoken of scuttling the ship. She couldn’t imagine how such a thing was accomplished, but it was certain to be a dangerous undertaking.
He might leave her aboard the sinking ship if she became a burden he didn’t know how to be rid of.
It came to her gradually during the long night that the weather must have changed. TheJuanarode uneasily at anchor. A howling wind whistled through cracks and crevices, timbers creaked.