She’d run?
Lord. She’d have them shaking in their boots with that threat.
She decided to use an old trick her father liked to employ with her five brothers. She gave the men a menacing look. “If you don’t leave right this instant, you’re going to be very, very sorry.”
The men broke into fits of laughter. “Oh, we’ll be sorry, will we?” the redhead managed between chuckles. “I’d like to see that.”
Ashley frowned. This wasn’t the response her father usually got from her brothers. Had her look not been frightening enough? And now Gold Tooth was moving closer. That was definitely not a good sign. She glanced over her shoulder, sending one last look of appeal to Nick. But he was frowning at the pirates and ignoring her.
If he wasn’t going to help her, the least he could do was to run for aid from one of the local villagers.
If nothing else, she knew the man was good at running away.
“Come on,” Gold Tooth said, moving closer still. “Give me the poker, lass. I doan have time for this.” He swiped a large hand at her, and Ashley squealed and stumbled back. The priest was still lying on the floor, and she stepped on his arm, losing her balance and her grip on the poker. The metal rod clanged on the wooden flooring, and Ashley swayed backward.
The hearth was behind her, and she was acutely aware of the crack of the logs in the fire. The thought of falling near to that fire, of seeing its angry orange flames reach out hungrily for her, sent her into a panic. Anything but the fire. She pinwheeled her arms wildly, her hands grasping desperately to catch hold of something. But her fingers closed on air, and she went back and back, the fire rising up...
In one quick motion, Nick stepped forward, reached out, and caught her arm. He hauled her securely against him, and she didn’t fight. Instead, her gaze landed hard and fast on the hearth, and she was embarrassed to note that it was much farther back than she had imagined. She would not have fallen near it after all.
Nick’s body was large and solid, and without a sense of danger from the fire, she couldn’t help but notice the tingle she felt where his hands touched her and his familiar scent of musk and man. Both sensations had the predictable effect of making heat rush into her belly. And that, of course, had the predictable effect of making her angry.
Traitorous body! Why did it have to keep reminding her that, despite everything, she still wanted him? Tamping her desire down, Ashley struggled free of his embrace and reached for the poker. One of the pirates—the short blond one who’d been standing in the back—grasped it first.
“Oh, no, missy. I think we’d better keep a hold o’ this.”
The redhead was still laughing at her. “Toss the lass here, Captain,” he said. “I want to see how very, very sorry I’ll be.”
“That’s enough,” Nick said.
Ashley blew out a breath and tried not to roll her eyes. That was his big defense? He thought that if he told these bloodthirsty pirates enough they’d actually listen...
Wait a moment.
Did the four men look contrite?
The redhead shrugged sheepishly. “We don’t mean nothing by it, Captain.”
“We’re just having ourselves a bit o’ fun,” the blond said.
“Argh.” That from the whale of a man.
“You’re scaring her,” Nick answered.
Ashley stiffened indignantly. “I am not scared!”
Well, not very scared. But she’d rather face a roaring fire than show any fear to these men. She was no coward.
The redhead held up both his hands. “Sorry for frightening you, lass. We got carried away. Right boys?”
The other pirates nodded earnestly.
Ashley shook her head. “B-but I’m not frightened.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I could have beaten you.”
Beside her, Nick snorted. “Quit while you’re ahead.”
Angry, she rounded on him. “And you!” She pointed her finger at him. “You better explain what’s going on. Why are these men listening to you? Are you”—her eyes widened as the possibilities occurred to her—“are you in league with these pirates?”
Instead of answering, he glanced at the so-called pirates, and Ashley knew right then that her presumption was true. Oh, no. She’d known Nick had a reputation for finding himself in all sorts of trouble. She’d even heard his brother jokingly call him Robin Hood. She hadn’t thought anything of the sobriquet before, but seeing these pirates made her wonder. Had Nick’s foolish escapades escalated beyond an adventurous hobby?
