“What exactly do you think you’re doing?” she demanded.

The figure turned around and she gasped. The man from the dock. He grinned and shrugged. “I believe this is called stealing, love.” He grasped her jewelry box from the mantle and tucked it into his large coat.

“Not my things you won’t.” She surged toward him and swung. Instead of connecting with his face, like she’d planned, she bounced her fist off his shoulder. Drat. Her defensive move hadn’t stopped him. Instead, he laughed, which infuriated her more. “Put those down and leave my room. Who do you think you are? You’re not entitled to my things.”

“Darling, I don’t want your jewelry.” He placed the box back on the mantle. “I came here for something else. You.”

Killian Thomas watched the minx squirm. He’d knocked her for a loop by admitting the truth. Her dark eyebrows knotted as she glared at him.

“Why would you be here for me?” She gripped the front of her coat. “I’m not anyone important.”

“I suppose you’re going to tell me I’m wasting my time.” He stalked toward her, capturing her in his arms and pinning her between his body and the wall. “Sarah, love, I’m a pirate and I’ve come to collect my booty.”

“Me?” she squeaked.

“There aren’t any other eligible, beautiful women on board.” He shouldn’t have let that slip—never tell the person you’re kidnapping that you’re attracted to them. He turned her around in his arms and clamped one hand over her mouth. “I bet your father would pay a hefty price to get you back, wouldn’t he?”

She nodded and dug her teeth into his finger. Ah, the minx wanted to play dirty. He hauled her tight to his body, pressing his growing erection into her backside. “This isn’t the time for games. You and I are going to go outside where my ship is waiting. My men have overtaken the crew of this ship. If you scream, I’ll whip your ass. Understand me?”

She froze again, but allowed him to move her forward. He hated to threaten her with something he’d never do—intentionally hurt a woman—but desperate times called for desperate measures. Killian slipped one arm around her waist, keeping her close.

“Say anything and I’ll lock you in my quarters.” Killian moved his hand, but kept her firmly in his grasp. He nodded to Andrews, his first mate. “We’ve got our cargo. Let’s move.”

Gunfire rang out around him as he muscled Sarah onto his small boat. She wobbled a couple of times on the narrow gangplank between the ships, but unlike most of his crew, she managed. She fought him, sending the smaller boat teetering.

“Hold still or I’ll use manacles on you,” Killian snapped. He turned his attention to his cohort. “Go.”

Andrews furiously rowed the life boat away from the massive yacht. He cackled a few times as they pulled away.  Thankfully, Sarah stopped thrashing.

“You can’t take her,” one of the men screamed from the luxury ship. “Pirates!”

“What will you do about it?” Killian volleyed back. “You’ll storm my ship? Not a chance. Andrews, full speed ahead.” He thrust Sarah to the floor until they were out of range of the bullets. Once they reached his stolen yacht, he snatched her from the soggy planks of the smaller boat. He didn’t give her time to think as he dragged her to the backside of the ship. From the moment he spotted her on the docks a month before, he knew he needed Sarah. She made his heart sing in ways he thought impossible.

“These are my quarters.” He opened the door to his private rooms. “Wait here.”

“But I didn’t say anything,” she protested. Some of the pins had fallen from her hair and two dark chocolate colored tendrils slipped over her shoulders. To other men, she might have looked disheveled. In his eyes, she embodied beauty, strength and fire.

“Very true, but your crew wishes me dead. I’d rather you lived as well.”

“They wouldn’t want me dead if you’d stayed on your boat and left me alone.” She attempted to tuck her hair back into the messy bun.

“Love, I’m wanted in many places for many things. None of those heists mattered compared to having you.”

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