Scottish Devil (Brethren of Stone 1)

Eliza had a fleeting moment of panic. What had he seen? Heard? But then she decided she’d live through blazing cannonballs first and worry about her father after. Besides, in this moment, she just couldn’t worry about being forced to marry Stone. Even as she stepped through the door, she wanted to run back into his arms and stay there. Possibly forever.

Looking over her shoulder, she gave him one last glance. He stood tall and strong looking unconcerned as another cannonball arched over the bow. Then, as if on cue, a giant blast ripped through the air as Stone’s Throw sent a volley of her own.

Eliza covered her mouth to keep from screaming. Despite hearing the order she hadn’t been ready for the noise.

Her father pulled her into the cabin and slammed the door shut. Eliza covered her ears with her hands as she sank to the floor.

Stone shouted orders, and the men scurried across the deck. Smoke filled the air and, despite the window and door being closed, permeated the cabin. She wasn’t sure when it happened but at some point tears began streaming down her face.

Suddenly the door banged open again and Eliza swallowed a scream. But it was Stone, filling the doorway, looking larger than life.

Struggling to rise in her skirts, he took the single step to where she sat and had her up in his arms in a second. “We’ve taken one ship out, but the other is headed directly for us. I want you hidden below deck in case we’re boarded.”

“Boarded?” she squeaked. “I want to be with you.” She had never meant the words more. His tenderness in this time healed her heart. Now if they could just live through the day.

He paused for a moment, and then he dropped his forehead to hers. “I wish I could stay wit’ ye. But I’ve got to keep all these men alive and the ones trapped in the harbor besides.”

She gave a tiny nod of understanding. He was right, of course. He was the lord and the protector of these people and, in the end, she respected that he took his job seriously.

Stepping out of his arms, she pushed open the door, and started toward the hatch to access the decks below when a ship came up on their port side.

In seconds, grappling hooks sailed over the rail and as Stone swung her out of his arms, back toward her father, men began pouring over the side of the boat.

“Look lively,” Stone roared and unsheathed a sword that he’d strapped to his back at the same time he pulled a pistol from his belt. “We’re under attack.”

Stone was a man feared under any circumstance. But as he bellowed again, several pirates took a step back. Without hesitation he charged toward them. Several of his men fell in line behind him.

With a mighty swing, he slashed his sword toward the pirates and several jumped from the deck to avoid the swing. He roared again and more still retreated back the way they had come. He was the fiercest man she’d ever met and yet, she’d never felt safer.

But she couldn’t see anymore as her father tugged her to the hatch and pulled her down and out of the fray. She wanted to protest, to watch Stone, but as she gave a final glance backward, he was looking back at her. “Hide,” he yelled, then rushed into a group of pirates with a mighty swing of his blade.

Chapter Nine

The next few hours passed with heart-wrenching slowness. Her father had delivered her to hide in the larder and then had joined the fight.

Crouched behind several barrels, Eliza heard the clang of clashing of swords, the pops of firing pistols, and the cries of death.

She was glad that she’d done as Stone asked. Hearing the battle was difficult enough.

Stone’s voice had filtered down to her several times and each time, she breathed a sigh of relief but the more time passed when she didn’t hear it, the more frightened she would become. The noise had mostly died off, but Eliza couldn’t be certain what was happening.

Finally the door to the larder opened and she crouched lower, her breath stopping.

“Eliza,” Stone called. “Come out, love. It’s over.”

Standing, he stood in the doorway looking dirty, bloody, and absolutely wonderful. “Stone,” she cried, trying to skirt around the barrels.

He stepped closer and reached out his arms, lifting her over several barrels until she was pressed against his chest with his arms wrapped about her.

She wound hers about his neck and looked up to him. “I was so worried for you.”

“And I, you,” he said before he captured her lips with his.

She had forgotten to hold herself apart from him. Forgotten that he might be the enemy, the type of man who oppressed the people rather than protected them, or that he’d strong-arm her like her father so often did. Because he’d saved her, yet again, and he was slowly filling all the gaps in her spirit. The places that had broken when her mother had passed.

She kissed him back with everything she had.

His heart was pounding against her own and she could hardly catch her breath. “Eliza,” he growled out.