The Buccaneer(118)

Chapter Thirty-two



Lucian vaulted from the boat into the gently rolling surf near shore. His boots sank in the water nearly to his calves, but he marched on, the water splashing out of his way.

His men followed behind him, each certain that Catherine's captor would not live out the next hour. Every man in the longboat had reached out for the captain when they had watched in horror as Catherine had been tied to the stake.

But Lucian had remained still, deathly still, his only words, "Charles is mine."

His men marched confidently behind him, each prepared to battle to the death for their captain and his lady.

Lucian ignored Charles and his crew, walking right past their startled faces, straight to Catherine. Nothing would stop him from reaching her. Nothing.

He showed no emotion, but his concern for her tender condition tore at his heart and ripped at his soul. She hung on the stake like a worn-out rag doll. Her wet nightdress was plastered to her very pregnant body and her silver hair dripped water along her face. But worst of all he could see and feel her pain and worry. It scarred him much worse than any lash to his back.

One of Charles's hired pirates stepped toward Lucian in an attempt to stop him. Lucian never halted his stride; he threw his fist out, forcibly backhanding the man and breaking his nose.

No one else dared to prevent him from reaching Catherine.

"Angel," he said softly, and with a skillful slice of his cutlass cut the rope that bound her.

"Are you all right?" he asked, her body trembling.

Catherine raised her face and favored him with a weak smile. "My swim tired me out."

He shook his head at her ability to joke about her harsh ordeal. "The baby?" he asked anxiously.

She couldn't alarm him about her labor. His attention to the problem at hand was required. "He's fine."

He kissed her gently, tasting the broken skin along her lower lip. "When I finish killing this bastard, you can tell me how you really feel," he said. "Until then you will sit right here and rest while I send him to hell."

Bones and Jolly flanked her sides after Lucian eased her down to sit on the sand. He took off his shirt and slipped it around Catherine's shoulders, pulling it around her.

"Stay put," he ordered before walking off.

Only when he was a safe distance away from her did she allow herself a small moan against the pain that ripped through her.

Both men looked down at her where she sat crossed-legged and cradling her belly.

"Shhh," she whispered, holding her finger to her lips, warning them that no one was to know of her discomfort.

Both men nodded, too startled to respond any other way.

"So, my dear half-brother, we finally meet," Charles said as Lucian approached him.

Lucian stood a few feet away from him, his eyes quickly assessing his opponent. Charles was inches shorter than him, his frame lean, and a gleam of revenge in his brown eyes. Lucian deemed Charles an opponent not to be underestimated, but one not capable of besting him. Not with the rage that raced through Lucian's blood. "A shame you went through all this trouble, Charles, for nothing."

"Nothing?" Charles asked curiously.

"It appears Elliot wasn't honest with you."

Charles looked at him oddly.

"Lucian laughed wickedly. "I am not your half-brother. And Elliot Darcmoor was not my father."

Charles exploded. "What nonsense do you speak?"

Lucian stalked him slowly, walking in a circle around Charles in steady steps. "A shame your father didn't tell you of my true parentage, but then he probably was too ashamed that he harbored a bastard in his home to relate such a tale."

"You mean the Darcmoor title and lands are mine" he asked greedily.

"Afraid not. I have no intention of forfeiting them, and without proof, everyone assumes that I am Elliot's son. But that should be of no concern to you anyway."

"And why is that?"

"I intend to kill you."

Charles laughed. "Did your whore's swimming show upset you that much?"

Lucian struck out so fast that Charles never saw the blow coming. Blood spewed from the cut on his cheek and he stumbled back onto his bottom.

Charles wiped the blood from his face with his sleeve, and then jumped back to his feet.

Lucian discarded his cutlass and summoned him with a flick of his hands. "Come on, Charles, I'm waiting."

Charles threw his sword to the ground and inched around Lucian. "One other thing you should know."

Lucian stared at him, his hands ready to choke the life from him.

He delivered his news with no remorse. "I helped my father kill your mother. She was in the way of our plans."

Lucian's stomach twisted in a pain so sharp he almost screamed his torment. Instead he said, "I'm going to enjoy killing you."