Greyson’s pumping slowed for a moment as he met her eyes. “Walking this earth as long as I have, I’ve seen things most people would only meet in nightmares. You’re strong to dive in and investigate rather than run away.”
Nightmares. She swallowed the lump in her throat and pushed to change the subject. “Let me pump for a minute.”
He straightened and took a step back. She gripped the handle and channeled her nervous energy into saving the ship. “What about you? Did you always want to be a pirate?”
He wiped the sweat from his brow. The veins on his arms were enlarged from the exertion. She wet her lips as another wave of heat gathered low in her belly.
“No.” He crossed his arms, surprising her with his defensive posture.
When he didn’t elaborate, she asked, “So, what did you think you were going to be?”
A muscle jumped in his cheek. “A knight.”
His stern expression told her he wasn’t kidding, and she focused on the pump to keep from smiling. “Wow. How did you go from that to piracy?”
“Family curse, I guess.”
She looked up at him as she switched hands. Her shoulder ached already, but the water level was noticeably lower, just above her ankles now. It was working. “I don’t understand.”
“My grandfather was tried and hanged, twice, for piracy. His fate became mine. There was no redemption for me.” He shrugged, but the shadows in his eyes spoke volumes.
From everything she’d seen of this man since she’d been trapped on this ship, he had the heart of a knight. He protected his friends with his life and had even saved her when she obviously wasn’t part of his crew. He’d promised to help her recover the Tyrfing even though she’d insulted him.
“Bob mentioned something about a rope around your neck.” In the short time she’d known him, Greyson’s lust for life had been contagious. She didn’t want to imagine how close he’d come to having it taken from him.
He cursed under his breath. “The old salt talks too much. Should’ve lost his tongue instead of his eye.”
Seeing the pain in his eyes made her wish she hadn’t asked. She shook her head. “You don’t mean that.”
“Probably not.” He crossed to her and reached for the pump handle. “Let me finish this.”
“Thanks.” She straightened, stretching her back and rolling her shoulders. Searching for a way to change the subject, she asked, “So, what’s your real name?”
He raised a brow. “Greyson. I never change it.”
“What about your family name?”
He focused on the pump. “Kidd.”
Her eyes widened. “Are you Captain Kidd?”
She was no expert of the history of piracy, but Captain Kidd had been one of the few pirate captains she remembered. He was from Scotland, and legends persisted that his treasure was still stashed somewhere, never recovered.
“No. That’d be William, my grandfather.” He met her eyes. “He was executed for piracy. His body hung over the Thames for three years, as an example to other would-be pirates.” He broke eye contact. “I couldn’t escape his legacy. When a ship’s stash of spices and gold went missing, I became the target.”
Her chest tightened, but she’d come this far. “They tried you…”
He nodded. “The noose was already around my neck when I decided I wasn’t ready to die for my grandfather’s sins.”
“You escaped?” She rubbed at the ache in her shoulder.
“Aye.” He finally stopped pumping and straightened up. “I cut down the hangman and then the rope. I ran for the nearest ship. The Sea Dog was weighing anchor, and I gave my oath to Captain Flynn to sail with him.”
The pain in his eyes revealed a younger man, not the jaded immortal pirate. This was a window to a young man who’d had his dreams taken from him and then made the best of the hand he’d been dealt.
She could relate more than she wanted to admit. And there was so much more to him than she’d ever realized.
The ship pitched again, reminding her that the storm outside was still raging and docking in Glasgow was far from a given. If this was her last night on earth, she was going to make it count.
Chapter Ten
He waited for her to make some flippant remark about pirates or maybe pass judgment on him for killing the hangman.
Aura’s eyes searched his. “You didn’t steal the gold.”
“No.” He shook his head. “I didn’t.”
She studied his face and finally whispered, “Had you ever killed a man before?”
His foot splashed in the water as he moved closer to her. The level wasn’t rising. Drake must’ve gotten the leaks plugged. Greyson stopped in front of her, unable to explain the pull to be near her. He’d earned a place on the Sea Dog based on his family reputation and the noose around his neck. Flynn had smuggled him below the deck and sailed away, eager to welcome a descendant of the famed Captain Kidd.
In all this time on earth, he’d never set the record straight about that day with anyone before. He allowed Flynn and the rest of the crew to believe he’d taken the gold.
He’d allowed everyone to mold him into a pirate like his grandfather before him.
He didn’t understand why, but standing before her, he lowered his pirate colors and allowed Aura to see the man underneath. The man who wanted to fight for right, to protect others.
“I’d never taken a life before that day.” With his gaze locked on hers, he shook his head slowly. “But I didn’t want to lose mine, either. Not for a crime I didn’t commit.”
“You were innocent.” There was no condemnation in her voice. “And you defended yourself.” She lifted her hand to caress his cheek, her gaze falling to his mouth and back to his eyes. He’d never wanted to claim a woman’s lips more, but he wouldn’t. Not until she asked.
Even if it meant he’d have blue balls for the rest of eternity.
She wet her lips. “Kiss me,” she whispered.
He blinked, searching her eyes. “I’m too exhausted for your games.”
“No games.” She rested her hand over his heart. “I’m asking. Kiss me?”
He caught her waist, scooping her up as he fused his lips to hers and walked her over to the hull of the ship. All the pent-up emotions she’d unleashed in him fed into the passion burning him from the inside out. He’d never wanted anyone so urgently in his long life.