Vengeance (The Pirate Series) Read online

  “You are a bad little girl. It’s payback time.”

  He grips my hand and puts it on his erection, hard again, very nice. He continues thrusting his fingers inside me, while forcing me to move my hand on him.

  “Come, like you made me come.” He growls into my ear.

  My breathing increases and pleasure shoots through me. I wrap my legs around him and he moves his fingers quicker.

  “Jax…” I mewl.

  “Come.” He hisses.

  I moan again, and he slants his mouth over mine, driving his tongue in and causing me to explode around him. In seconds, before I even have time to process it, he is inside me, hard and fast. I grip his shoulders and he attaches his mouth to my neck and slams me with desperate need.

  “Jax,” I whimper. “Jax.”

  He is cursing and moaning into my ear, my legs are tightly wrapped around him, and my hands are supporting my body on the bench. He slides his mouth down to claim my nipple and bites down on it hard, I come again. He continues driving into me until I have released three times. He is sweating; his bronze skin is glistening. I trace my tongue over his shoulder, tasting the saltiness.

  “You want me to come again?” He growls.

  “Yes,” I pant.

  “How much?”

  “Please, please.”

  He slams so hard the bench creaks, then his muscles bunch, and he roars a release, gripping my hips so hard it stings. When he finally slows, we are both covered in sweat. I can’t breathe properly, let alone talk. His green gaze meets mine, and I force out a weak smile.

  “That. Was. Bad.” He breathes.

  “You shouldn’t run from me.” I pant, leaning my head against the wall.

  “I had plans, a nice evening…wine…roses, but no…you come in here dressed like that and un-man me.”

  “You un-manned yourself.” I grin.

  “There will be revenge for that, hard core revenge.”

  I smile and kiss his hot, sweaty lips. He moans and deepens the kiss until we are deep in passion. I pull back, panting yet again.

  “Stop, there is only so much I can take.” I whisper.

  “I am done for an hour or so…”

  I raise my eyebrows. “An hour or so?”

  He gives me a wolfish grin. “Oh baby, that was just the beginning.”

  CHAPTER 8

  Jax leaves on cue, as he said he would. I sulk for the first two weeks. My mother has been keeping me company and has been a wonderful help with Lilly. She and Mack seem to have so much unseen tension, and they flirt stupidly, it is a harmful message to be sending. Sam hates it, and it has been a very entertaining time for me. I wonder if there are unresolved feelings between my parents? Would Mack take my mother back if he could?

  I found a job through the day working at a veterinary surgery. It has been a good distraction. Jax rings me every night as promised and always keeps me updated on his progress. So far, he has been unable to track Ben. I wonder if he is, in fact, not out on the ocean? I don’t really know, all I know is he is out there, and he will pounce. It’s just when and where. I try not to focus too heavily on it. I know we are relatively safe with Jack and three of the crew members around.

  “How are you today love?” My mother smiles, walking out and snapping me from my thoughts. She sits beside me on the porch swing.

  “Not bad. I was thinking of going into town today?”

  “Sounds very nice.”

  I smile. “How are things with Steffan?”

  She frowns. “I certainly don’t think the man misses me.”

  “And Mack?”

  She shoots me a glare. “Let’s not go there.”

  “Well, I can certainly feel a lot of tension.”

  “He and I have a bond. That is all.”

  “That’s it?”

  “Yes!”

  “Ok.”

  I stand and plod into the kitchen where our house maid, Mr’s Sadie, is preparing lunches. When Lilly is ready, I drive her to school. It is my RDO and so mom and I stop off at the shop and do a touch of shopping. We are laughing and giggling about old times as we are driving home, when I see a cloud of thick, black smoke coming from the direction of our house. We both stop talking.

  “Jade, is that…”

  “My house.”

  I hit the accelerator, and we zoom home. What I see, puts me into shock. My house, my beautiful house, is up in flames. Thick, black smoke fills the sky and red, angry flames tear from the roof. I run quickly towards the mass of firemen trying to get the blaze out. I see Jack and the crew. They are ok, thank God. I glance around, where is the maid?

  “Mr's Sadie?” I cry out.

  Jack rushes over and takes my face in his hands. “Jade, thank heavens, it happened so quickly.”

  “Mr’s Sadie?” I whisper again.

  He shakes his head. “We couldn’t find her in time…”

  I scream and crumble in his arms. He holds me tightly as the panic continues around us. I pull back and look up at him with trembling hands.

  “Who did this?”

  “I don’t know. We heard a loud bang, but figured something just fell. Then one side of the house just went up so quickly. We managed to get out the front door before the explosion hit. Fuel, all around the house. I couldn’t see anyone. I…think it was Ben.”

  “Jack he was trying to kill us. He has to know Jax is away, he is trying to draw us out again.”

  “We need to get to a safe place. ASAP.”

  “I need to call Jax.”

  I slowly pull my phone from the pocket and dial Jax’s number.

  “Hey baby.” He answers.

  “J-J-Jax.”

  “What’s wrong?” He asks, concerned.

  “The house…Jax the house.”

  “What is happening?”

  “It’s gone.”

  “Gone? Jade breathe. What is going on?”

  “On fire, it’s gone.”

  Silence.

  “What?”

  “Blew up. Somebody lit it up.”

  He screams a curse, and I can hear the panic in his voice.

  “Get the fuck outta there Jade.”

  “Mr’s Sadie is dead.” I sob.

  “Put Jack on.”

  “O…ok.”

  I hand the phone to Jack and listen as he speaks with Jax. Going over the details. My mother holds me close as we wait for further instructions. The police officer walks over a moment later.

  “Is this your house mam?”

  “Yes.” I croak.

  “Do you know what happened?”

  I shake my head. “We arrived home to this.”

  “Was anybody here?”

  I can’t dob in the pirates; it will get far too messy. “Just the maid.”

  “Where is she?”

  “Dead.” I whisper.

  “Oh, mam, I am so sorry.”

  I nod weakly.

  “Do you know why anybody would light your house on fire?”

  Of course I bloody do. “No.”

  “We will ask questions later, I am sorry Mr’s Watts.”

  I nod. Jack walks back over and hands me the phone. I take it.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey baby, are you ok?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Jack is taking you to Mack’s house. I don’t think Ben knows your father lives here. I am coming home. I will be a day or two. Don’t go out, stay in.”

  “My house.” I sob.

  “I know baby, we can build another one.”

  “No.”

  “No?”

  “I want to go to the island Jax.”

  He pauses. “We will talk later, just get to your dads and watch my baby.”

  “Ok.”

  “Hang in there, I will be there soon.”

  “Ok.”

  “Love you.”

  “You too.” I whisper, hanging up the phone.

  “Come on angel, we need to go.”

  I look over at
Jack; my eyes hurt. I am not sure if it is from the smoke or the crying, but they are burning. My mother is silent, she just stares at the house, her mouth is slightly open, and her eyes are huge. Jack takes my hand, then hers and leads us to the car. When we are in, he chats with the officers a while before getting in himself.

  “Lilly, where is my daughter?”

  “We are going to get her now, it will be ok.”

  We ride in silence to Lilly’s school. When I see her come out, relief floods me. Thank God. Jack drives us over to Mack’s house, and he comes barreling outside. I fall into his arms, and he soothes me with useless words. My mother is next, and seeing them in each other’s arms is undoubtedly quite odd.

  “Where is Sam, Eli?” I ask.

  “She took him to the doctors, I just called. They are on their way back.”

  “Jax is coming home.”

  “We will have constant watch on the house, with police and the crew. We will work out more details when Jax gets back.”

  “And Mr’s Sadie’s family?” I choke.

  “The police will let them know.”

  I nod weakly, and then walk inside. Mack shows me and my mother to a room, and we fall onto the bed. She finally speaks.

  “I can’t believe it. I didn’t realize this world you lived in was so…deadly.”

  I look over at her. “I married a pirate, what did you expect?”

  “Common sense is what I expected. What about your daughter, she could have been in there!”

  “What are you saying?” I whisper.

  “He is lethal Jade; he is putting you in a deadly world and it is going to kill off someone you love if you aren’t careful. Leave, come home, give her a life.”

  I gape. “Without her father? I love him; I will NEVER love anyone the way I love him. How do you suppose I just get over that?”

  Her eyes flicker to Mack. “You can move on if you have to. Even if you never get over it.”

  “I am not you mother. I am not selfish enough to give up the man I love for a life like yours. Sorry, he is my life. We will move to the island until Ben is sorted, we are safe there but don’t you ever tell me to leave my husband.”

  “You are living a fantasy Jade, and it is going to crumble.” She growls.

  “Grace enough…” Mack warns gently. “Now is not the time.”

  “When is the time Mack? You just think it’s ok for her to run about with pirates?”

  “I know Jax loves her, and I know it is the life she wants. You can’t change that, and neither can I.”

  “She will die, or worse, Lilly will die.”

  “Stop!” I cry. “I mean it mother, stop. It isn’t the Damn time.”

  “When is the right time?” She screams. “When you are dead?”

  “Just because you and Steffan are over, doesn’t mean you can take it out on me. Look where living a nice life over love got you, a husband who is fucking around!!”

  Mack gapes. “Steffan is cheating on you, why didn’t you tell me?”

  “It doesn’t matter Mack. All that matters is my daughter’s safety, which clearly she can’t get.”

  I throw my hands up. “I am done here. I am leaving.”

  “Jade, you can’t leave.” Mack says touching my arm.

  “Don’t touch me daddy, I will leave, and you will never see me again. I did it once, don’t push me.”

  He glares at me, actually glares at me. It stops me in my tracks. Damn, Mack isn’t going to go all father like, is he? He is. He grips my arm and hauls me close.

  “This is your life, if you think I am going to let you out this front door, you are VERY wrong. Now sit down on that bed or I will toss you on there and spank your bad mannered little ass like it should have been spanked when you were a child. Stop your immature, childish nonsense, and don’t threaten me again. You are my daughter, and I have put up with your shit for long enough, treat me like a father or I will stop treating you like a daughter.” He yells, loudly and angrily.

  I blink rapidly. Mack has never spoken to me like this before, never. It shocks me so heavily; I can’t speak. What’s more, my chest is clenching with raw pain. It hurts, his words hurt, but they are what I have needed for so long. Tears thunder down my cheeks and I pull my hand from his grips.

  “I am going to sleep in a different room.” I whisper, and then shove past Mack.

  I walk weakly down the hall, too shocked to move any faster. My father yelled at me? Actually yelled at me. I see Sam as I go past, but she doesn’t say anything, just gives me a sympathetic look. I find another empty room and step in, then shut the door. He yelled at me. I can’t believe it. I lock my door, and then pull out my phone and text Jax. I wish he was here.

  I wish you were here. Mack just yelled at me.

  What the fuck did he yell at you for? I wish I was there too.

  Me and mom were fighting. She thinks I should leave you.

  There is a long, long silence.

  You don’t think that, do you?

  God no, of course not. I know this world is dangerous Jax, but I love you too much to ever want to leave.

  God, don’t scare me like that again.

  You are stuck with me pirate, end of story.

  You better believe it, how are you feeling? Is my baby ok?

  I am ok. Numb. Lilly is fine, thank God.

  I will be home within twelve hours, if all goes well.

  Good, I miss you.

  Yeah darlin, you too.

  Do you think about me much?

  Oh…yeah…

  How much?

  Are we sexting?

  I laugh, and it feels good.

  No, but thanks for making me laugh. I love you.

  God knows I love you too, now get some rest.

  Later Jax.

  Later darlin.

  I am thankful for my pirate in that moment; he makes me smile when all else fails. I sit on the bed, still in deep shock over the loss of my house and Mr’s Sadie. I can’t believe Ben would go to those lengths. What would be next? Whose life would crumble in his path? I don’t realize I am crying until a tear drips onto my phone. I send up a silent prayer for Mr’s Sadie, a life taken too quickly. It wasn’t fair, and guilt swarms me.

  I notice black smears of soot on my clothes, so I decide to have a shower. Loving Mack’s huge house and his shower in every room, I go in and close the door. I sigh in mild relief as the water cascades down my skin. When I am done, I dress in one of Jax’s shirts and a pair of underwear, then walk back out. PJ is sitting on my bed, and I glare at him, how did he get in?

  “How the hell did you get in my room?”

  “Magic princess, now stop glaring at me.”

  “Where is Layla?”

  “At home, don’t worry she is protected.”

  “Why are you here?”

  I sit on the bed beside him, and he smiles over at me. Stupid God.

  “Checking up on my Bestie.”

  “Layla is my Bestie.” I snap.

  “Ouch, way to wound me.”

  I smile a little. “Sorry, I am ok.”

  “No, you’re not.”

  “How would you know?”

  “Your lip just trembled.”

  I look away, but he takes my face and turns it back towards him. The tears flow again and he shakes his head.

  “I know I taught you better, but this time I am going to be nice and let you cry.”

  “I hope you aren’t this mean to Layla.” I hiccup, between sobs.

  “No, of course not. Layla isn’t a sook.”

  I pout and more tears fall.

  “Oh come on now, I was joking.”

  “W-w-whore.”

  “There we go.”

  He takes me into his arms and lies down on the bed, so his body is curled up behind mine. It is rather awkward.

  “I am married PJ.”

  He laughs into my hair. “No shit? You really think I would move in on Jax’s territory? God, even I value my life. I am bein
g a friend, little princess. Let me help. When all else fails, and being strong doesn’t work, sometimes, all one needs is to be held.”

  “I can’t believe you just said that, you do know you sound really gay right now?”

  He laughs. “It’s our little secret.”

  “What, that you are gay?”

  “No, that I can be soft.”

  I snort. “About as soft as a brick wall.”

  “You aren’t crying anymore though, now are you?”

  “Point well-made PJ.”

  “Now, sleep. Jax will be back in the morning, and I will be able to shower furiously and get rid of your essence off my skin. It burns.”

  I laugh, so happy that PJ is the way he is. He makes everything seem…well…less.

  “Careful PJ, I might kiss you.”

  I can’t see it, but I know he is grinning.

  “Go easy little princess, I am too young to die.”

  I kiss the hand that is wrapped around my waist and then fall into a comforted sleep.

  CHAPTER 9

  When I wake, I am alone. I feel relieved though and glad to have friends like the ones I have. I shift and feel stiff and sore. That was to be expected. It is dark out, and I glance at the bedside table to see it is seven pm. Wow, I slept a while. I pull on some shorts and plod out of the room. Lilly is in the lounge, playing with Jack. I smile and kiss her. Then I hug Jack, I haven’t seen a lot of him lately, I miss him.

  “Hi you two, how are you?”

  “Good, daddy is here.”

  My heart thumps. “He is? He said twelve hours.”

  “He wanted to surprise us.” Lilly grins.

  “Where is he?”

  “Outside.” Jack smiles.

  I walk out with quick steps, when I step outside; I see him right away and my heart slams into my chest. He stands, and I am on him in seconds, my legs are around his waist, and I am wailing once more. Seriously, I need to learn better control. He is kissing my cheeks and my lips, and I am gripping his hair and pulling him as close as I can get him. When I pull back, he is looking at me with raw emotion.

  “You are a sight for sore eyes baby, fuck I have missed you.”

  “Take me into that room right now Jax Watts.”

  A throat clears behind me, and I turn my head to see my mother, father, Sam, PJ, Layla and the entire crew all staring at me. Oops. I blush, and Jax laughs.