Page 38 of A Pirate of Her Own

“Sometimes.”

He gave her a knowing stare. “What brought you to our company?”

“Stupidity mostly.”

He cocked a brow.

Serenity was reluctant to share her dreams with this man. But something in his patient expression encouraged her to trust him not to laugh at her. “May I be honest with you, Ushakii?”

“Only fair. I was honest with you.”

“I want to be a great writer,” she said, her voice heavy with her desire. “I want people everywhere to know my name and long after I die, I want people to read what I have left behind.”

“But you are a woman. It is not for you to want such things.”

He had mocked after all. “Yes, I am a woman. But I want so much more.”

His smile widened. “Like Lou, you are.”

“Lou?”

He nodded up the rigging to the young man Serenity had seen earlier. “Lou came to sea for adventure, too. He didn’t want to be a farmer like his father and brother. He wanted adventure and danger. But he is young. I think one day he will realize the sea hasn’t as much to offer as a place on the earth that you can own yourself. Raising sails is not nearly as satisfying as watching a harvest grow.”

What an odd view for a sailor,she thought. “If you feel that way, then why do you sail?”

“I have no reason to leave the sea. This ship is my home, these men my brothers. Unlike Lou, I have no other family.”

Serenity picked up her pencil and began taking more notes. “How is it you came to sail onTriton’s Revenge?”

Anger flickered through his eyes, stunning her with its intensity. She hated that she had dredged up such an unpleasant memory for him.

“I was being beaten in Cairo by a slaver,” he said, his voice filled with hatred. “The captain stopped him and bought me.”

“You’re his slave then?”

He shook his head. “Nay, the captain set me free. He said no man should be forced to serve another, said I could do whatever I wanted.”

“Why didn’t you go home?”

He sighed and looked out over the sea as if he were looking back into the past. “My village was destroyed by an enemy tribe. I had no home to return to.”

“I’m sorry, Ushakii.” She placed a hand on his arm.

He covered her hand with his and lightly stroked the backs of her fingers in a gentle caress. “Don’t feel for me,majana. Things are good here. Fate has given me this life and I vowed long ago not to dwell on things I could not change, but to focus on making my life the best it can be. I am happy to sail with the captain and see many things.”

She smiled. “I know exactly what you mean.”

Morgan looked over Jake’s shoulder and stopped midsentence when he saw Serenity talking to Ushakii.

Jake turned and followed the line of his stare.

“Well, I’ll be,” Jake said with a low whistle. “I didn’t think Ushakii talked to anyone.”

“He doesn’t.”

“Well, Drake,” Jake said, his voice laced with murder. “You better start worrying. If your woman can get more than yes or no out of Ushakii, she can get information out of anyone.”

Exchanging serious frowns, they turned in unison to see Kit joining them on deck. And each one knew the other’s thoughts as well as his own.

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