Read Online The Rogue's Surrender (The Nelson's Tea Series Book 3) by Katherine Bone - Free Book Online

time.”
    His body grew taut as a bowstring. “Never underestimate a man like me.”
    “You cannot be as cruel and despicable as Delgado, señor .”
    He stared at her for an indistinguishable amount of time. “Wise as you are beautiful, eh?”
    Beautiful? Her hand began to shake. Stupid pride. She eased her finger off the trigger. She’d meant only to scare him. Firing the gun on a ship loaded with ammunition was ill-advised.
    “And might I add — dangerous. Put the gun down. You won’t need it.”
    She raised her chin in challenge then lowered the gun. “How can I trust you are not here to administer revenge?” God only knew whether or not he blamed her for being captured by Delgado.
    “You cannot.”
    Straight to the point. Honest. She admired that about him. “What have you done with Capitán Vasquez?”
    “Your brother has been dealt with, Señorita Vasquez.”
    She gasped. He did know who she was. “How do you know my name? That Capitán Vasquez is my brother? And what exactly does ‘he has been dealt with’ mean?” She raised her weapon again. “Or do I have to shoot out your other eye to discover the truth?”
    He immediately rose, looming above her like a leaning tower. She took a step back. Dios Mio, he is devilishly handsome.
    She shook the pistol. Had Seaton dispatched her brother in some form or another, preventing him from returning to her? Had Eddie been injured defending his ship? Her brother’s stubborn nature could very well have caused a murderous altercation.
    Rage — and a dash of fear — flowed through her veins now. “I demand you tell me what you’ve done with my brother.”
    Ignoring her, he moved cautiously, hands held high, to a small bookshelf positioned in the bulkhead, secured with latticed glass. “I’m disappointed.”
    Seaton stood with his right side away from her, which seemed ridiculous because he couldn’t see what she was doing by providing her his blind side. But neither could she see what he intended to do with his right side concealed. Was this a test?
    He turned to face her, his expression set in stone. No hint of sympathy existed. “One must listen carefully to what one is told.”
    Her hand began to shake as she continued to aim the pistol at him. “I will not be talked down to like a child.”
    He reached for the knob on the glass-lined case set into the bulkhead, moving strangely slow. He grabbed a decanter and poured himself a liberal amount of brandy as if everything in Eddie’s cabin belonged to him. Which, of course, it did. La Mota … the Priory , had been his ship. And now it was his again.
    “Very well.” He turned his back. “If you must know, Capitán Vasquez will not be returning anytime soon.”
    “Returning? I do not understand.”
    He spun back around to face her. His rapier glance stole her breath. “Do you know why I am here?”
    She knew many things, but this man’s presence aboard La Mota forced her to face one of her deepest fears. Had Seaton returned to make her pay for not meeting him that dreadful day he was captured?
    He raised the tumbler to his lips, and then tilted his head back, downing the amber liquid in one swallow.
    Something inside her snapped. “Are you here to exact revenge?” She quickly positioned herself behind Eddie’s desk, using it as a barrier between them. “If so, stay back.”
    He moved toward her.
    Her heart pounded against her ribs as Seaton charged the desk, easily vaulting it to land beside her.
    “We’ve gotten off to a dreadful start. If you’ll allow me to explain—”
    She aimed the gun at his mid-section.
    He had the pistol out of her hand before she could blink then carefully set it aside. “You have nothing to fear from me, Señorita Vasquez.”
    “I’m going to ask you one more time. How do you know my name?” She hated their reversal of roles. Normally, she did the interrogating.
    “In future, I advise you to remember it’s unwise to fire a gun on board a fully-loaded