Page 49 of Take No Prisoners
"You sound jealous." Niall sat down on the dock and leaned back on his arms so he could glare up at Olivia. "You were the first one to push me toward him!"
"She's not jealous of us." Efren finally thought he understood his first mate's dilemma. "I've never particularly enjoyed having you as my first mate."
Her scowl deepened.
"You've been the most competent person aboard my ship for the last fifteen years. You are a bone spur in my heel, always reminding me what needs to be done." He didn't think her glare could get any deeper, but he could barely see the whites of her eyes. "Our ship wouldn't function without you. If that doesn't sound like a glowing performance review to you, perhaps you would be better on your own ship. That's the best you'll get from me."
She snorted. "I prefer your typical asshole response over your glowing reviews any day." Her gaze softened, but her lips remained in a stubborn line. "I will stay aboardStarlight Specteruntil you or the elders ask me to leave."
Efren sucked in a breath to hide his smile. "I'll let them know you prefer to stay."
"Thank you." She saluted him with a quick nod of her head and marched up the stairs to the boarding house.
"What was that all about?" Niall asked as he struggled to his feet.
"I thought she hated me and wanted off the ship." Efren chuckled at his misunderstanding. "Now that we've come to an agreement, I have another stop to make."
They walked to a small shed next door, where one of Martiz's nephews, a young man about Niall's age with long dark hair lounged with his bare legs up on a desk and a book over his face, hiding all but his stubbled chin. He snapped to attention when Efren knocked on the door, and the book fell into his lap.
"Who-at ... Efren. Good to see you."
"Is that three-room still for sale not far from my house?"
The man nodded.
"I'm buying it. The gold should be in the onshore coffers by now." They had a group chest for goods, but Efren took a cut of everything he delivered as Captain. "Deliver the deed to Olivia Nesbith at the boarding house next door, first thing tomorrow."
"Yes, Sir."
When they were back on the path, Niall stopped him with a hand on his elbow. "Do you really think buying her a house is going to make her feel better?"
"I never bought Vadim a house." Efren laughed. "If I had, perhaps he would have stayed."
Niall blinked at him. "Are you going to buy me a house?"
"Only if you don't want to live with me."
Niall captured Efren's arm with both hands and slid them to his wrist, entwining their fingers together. "You'll never get rid of me."
Efren continued down the path toward his house. No one had ever taken such liberties to touch him in public before. Thanks to naval decorum, they hadn't dared. Fortunately, Niall had never been in Embertide's navy, and Efren had no desire to shove him away. His cheeks burned as he realized he liked the young man's attention.
"You may wish you had more room."
For the first time, Efren wished he'd spent more of his cut of the loot on himself. He wondered what Niall would think of him once he saw how he lived on land.
∞∞∞
Niall
Efren's house loomed above them as they walked through the door. Niall's eyes were so bleary from walking toward the setting sun and from yawning that he tripped over the threshold and crashed into Efren's back in the entryway. The house had an entryway! Niall had never seen anything like it, but the tour would be lost on him now. Stairs led to the second floor on their left, and Efren led him up.
Niall hadn't let go of Efren's hand since he'd mentioned moving in with him. Now, Efren's grip kept him on his feet up the tricky steps.
"I don't have the guest room ready for you," Efren said. "I can sleep on the floor, if you'd prefer."
"We established our sleeping arrangements on the ship," Niall said to the blurry Efren-shaped shadow standing at the head of the stairs and pulling him upward. "Why would we change them now?"
Efren chuckled and pulled him in for a kiss when he reached the top of the stairs. "I'm trying to be a good host. If you decide you'd rather board with the other weavers at the barracks tomorrow, I will pay for your room."
