“You shouldn’t be here,” he said. “You should be in London with your mother and sister, or wherever you truly belong.” 

She squared her shoulders in defense. “I had to leave. If you believe anything, believe that.”

He speared her with a glance. “I have trouble doing so, knowing you lied to me.”

Christina said nothing.

With a disgruntled nod, he swung his gaze to her. “Stowing away isn’t without consequence.”

She swallowed in apprehension. “Can we discuss what—”

“No.” His single syllable cut her short. “I make the rules and mete out the punishments.”

Autocratic and implacable, just like her grandfather. And although her elder was more given to fits of shouting, Christina found the Black Dragon’s hushed threats more powerful.

He raised his brown fingers to the top button of his shirt. Her gaze riveted on the captain in terrified fascination, she watched as he unfastened that and the other three below it, one by one, baring a wide expanse of satin bronze muscle.

Christina backed away until her back collided with a wall. “Dear God, your plan is to ravish me.”

The captain cast her a sidelong glance, brow arched above his mask. “Ravish?” He mulled over the word, then added, “No. I have no intention of touching you.”

Surprise lashed her. “You don’t?”

His deep stare lasted an endless moment. “I learned my mistake the first time.”

Even though she sensed an insult somewhere in his comment, Christina let out a sigh of relief as the captain doffed his vest. “I—I’m pleased to hear that.”

The captain peeled his shirt up his torso, exposing the sculpted width of his chest. Christina couldn’t stop the hungry slide of her gaze as he revealed his golden body. He slid the garment down the hard ridges of his arms, and images of clinging arms and impassioned kisses arose in her mind. She shifted uncomfortably.

“I don’t suppose you enjoyed your two days in the hold?”

Ripping her gaze from his bare torso, she shivered at the memory of the rodents and the thick darkness. “Heavens, no. Terrible place!”

He crossed the room and opened the door. “Hancock!”

Within moments, the small man appeared, his mouth twitching with amusement. “Aye, Cap’n?”

“See that Lillianne has all the blankets, food and water she needs.”

“Aye, Cap’n.”

“And see that they’re put down in the hold she emerged from. She’s going to spend more time down there.”

The moment he shut the door, Christina whirled on him.  “What?  You cannot mean that!”

“I do,” he assured before he looked away.

The thought of being trapped in that perdition again sent Christina into a panic.  “I beg of you, do not make me spend another night with your rats.  Please.”

Hands braced on his hips, he shot her a questioning stare.  “Are you saying you would rather spend the night with me?”