Page 55 of Stilettos & Secrets on the 7 Seas

I whipped my head around and sent him an angry, arched brow.

His face wrinkled in a forced smile. “I am, I mean, we are.”

The guy’s eyebrows shot up under his cap. “Don’t reckon you’ll be part of any of those crews. They don’t take women. And iffn’ they do, the sea ’tis no place for a lady.”

I leaned back in my chair and crossed my arms. “But I have something to offer.”

He stared directly at my chest and frowned. I wasn’t sure if I should be offended or thankful the high-necked dress concealed my breasts. Compared to the plump, melon-chested seductresses flitting about the tavern, I didn’t advertise any goodies, making me less of a target for a drunken deckhand.

“Nay. Me mates can get that on land. They didnae take it on the ship with them. ’Tis bad luck.”

“Not that.” I windshield-wipered my finger at him like a disciplining schoolteacher. “I’m a healer. I’m looking for a ship that needs a doctor.”

I felt Ace straighten beside me. I hadn’t told him of my plan because I didn’t want him to talk me out of it.

The guy scratched the scrawny beard covering his pockmarked cheeks. “There’s been word the cap’n ofSea Stormhad a bout of ill after the attack.”

Bingo. I sent Ace a small, smug smile.

“Mayhaps his quartermaster’ll take you aboard, but only until he breaks masts. If’n you could heal his captain.” The man eyed my platter of food, and I handed it over. He stuffed a slice of meat in his mouth and washed it down with the ale.

“IsSea Stormin the harbor?”

“Aye, but—” The man turned at a sudden commotion at a nearby table. One man was accusing the other of cheating him at checkers. The men circled each other. One held a knife and took a few air jabs at his opponent.

“Ye stole me bag of coin, ye salty son of a biscuit eater!” knife jabber shouted. “Ye was bettin’ wit’ me own coin.”

His rival held a club. I realized he’d broken off the leg of a chair. He swatted the air at the man. “I took not a thing from yer stinkin’ corpse.”

“Perhaps we should go.” Ace tucked the leather pouch filled with coins back into his jacket. I assumed this was the money the two men fought over.

I stepped toward the exit as fists began flying from more than the two men. Ace caught a right hook to his jaw and joined the ridiculousness. The brawl escalated. Push came to shove, and I got caught in the vortex.

A man missed his mark and rammed into me. I fell backward, closing my eyes and waiting for the hard floor to knock the air out of me. But it never happened. Instead, I was scooped up by muscular arms and held close to a broad chest.

I opened my eyes and looked into crystal blue eyes, the pupil ringed in gold.

He didn’t speak but righted me on my feet.

“Thank you.” I began, but he ignored me and shoved his way into the fighting. He towered above them. His dark hair, streaked with a touch of sun, swung at his shoulders as he pulled men apart like grapes plucked from the vine and tossed in the dirt.

As soon as the men realized this surefooted Aquaman stood in their midst, they cowered toward the walls.

“My crew willnae be part of yer squabble.” He glared at the men. Coin was tossed on the table, and some fled the tavern. Others stayed stiff against the walls until this giant of Nassau left the room with one of the men from the checkers battle in tow.

“Hon, did you see that side of beef?” Ace rubbed his reddening jaw.

“He caught me.”

“He’s wit’ theSea Storm.” The man we had spoken to earlier had hid under the stairwell, nursing his drink. He nodded toward a stocky man with unruly red hair and a thick red beard speaking to the proprietor. “That’s his boatswain there, taking care of the damage. You’ll be needn’ ta see him aboot the healin’.”

I pulled Ace out of the tavern. “Where are we going, love?”

“I’m waiting on the boat—whatever. I need to get on that ship.”

“This is a bad idea.”

A parrot landed on Ace’s hat and squawked, “Bad idea.”

---