problem.”
“Pregnant?” Two male voices echoed in surprise.
“Congratulations,” Ben said as he and Trey moved forward to hug Sarah and shake Jordan’s hand. “However, we definitely need a new plan.” Before Sarah could turn on him, Jordan pulled her back into his embrace.
Tee-ani spoke up. “Sarah, you don’t know these people like I do.
If anything goes wrong, you could find yourself trapped and sold into slavery. Do you really want to risk your child’s future? I love you like a sister, and there is no way I want you doing this. Please, please give it more thought.”
Sarah’s anger drained out of her as they watched. She nodded.
Resignation, frustration, and confusion all written very clearly on her face. “Okay, so what now?”
“Simple,” Tee-ani said. “We go back to our original plan. Ben and Trey pose as slave traders. I go as their personal slave, we get G’baena to safety, and we come back here.”
Every eye in the room turned on her and they all shared the same irritated expression, but Tee-ani knew she couldn’t back down. None of the other women on board would be emotionally capable of pretending to be a sex slave and, quite frankly, she wouldn’t want any of them even trying it.
She raised a hand to stop the barrage of words about to escape the men’s mouths.
“Simple fact. I am the only female on board who will be treated with respect by the slavers if things go wrong. All right, maybe not respect,” she added when she saw Trey’s eyes tighten with anger, “but as a doctor, I will be treated better than the other women. I am the only one who has any chance of escaping if we fail.”
52
Rachel Clark
She thought she saw Sarah and Jordan exchange a quick look before he stepped forward and gave Trey and Ben an aggressive order.
“Keep her safe. Bring them both back.”
Far from feeling triumph, Tee-ani watched as the blood drained from both of her lovers’ faces. They both managed to mumble, “Yes, captain,” but she felt fairly sure it was from habit, rather than an actual agreement with his plan.
Trey was closest and grabbed her roughly, looking like he was about to explode, but he pulled her against his chest and held her to him. Ben pressed into her from behind, and for a moment, she stood, feeling them both tremble against her. She wiggled so that she could wrap an arm around each of them and then just let them hold her.
“I’m sorry,” Ben said, his voice hoarse with emotion. “This is our fault. I’m so sorry you got dragged into our mess.”
Their mess? How the hell had they decided that this was their fault?
“Ben,” she said as she pulled away so that she could see both their faces, “this is not yours or Trey’s doing. You had no idea that G’baena’s family would treat her the way they have. It’s their mess, not yours.”
She held up a hand again as Trey tried to speak.
“Let me get one thing very clear. I had every intention of asking Jordan for help to track down as many of the women who’d been forced into slavery as I could find. G’baena would’ve been the first because I actually know where she is.” She started to pace back and forth as her anger ignited. They were still standing there looking like they were dragging her into this, when in actual fact, they were the reason she was safe here and now. She, like so many of the other human females on this ship, owed them her life and her gratitude.
“Regardless of her relationship to you or your relationship with me, I would’ve tried to help her. Are we clear on that? I … need to …
help her.”
Tee-ani’s Pirates
53
Ben recovered first. Trey seemed intent on taking the blame for everything, but Ben obviously realized that this was one argument he and Trey were not going to win. He stepped forward and lifted her into his arms, heading for the hallway without a single word. He kissed her fiercely as he walked her down the passageway and into their cabin.
Trey followed
“Pregnant?” Two male voices echoed in surprise.
“Congratulations,” Ben said as he and Trey moved forward to hug Sarah and shake Jordan’s hand. “However, we definitely need a new plan.” Before Sarah could turn on him, Jordan pulled her back into his embrace.
Tee-ani spoke up. “Sarah, you don’t know these people like I do.
If anything goes wrong, you could find yourself trapped and sold into slavery. Do you really want to risk your child’s future? I love you like a sister, and there is no way I want you doing this. Please, please give it more thought.”
Sarah’s anger drained out of her as they watched. She nodded.
Resignation, frustration, and confusion all written very clearly on her face. “Okay, so what now?”
“Simple,” Tee-ani said. “We go back to our original plan. Ben and Trey pose as slave traders. I go as their personal slave, we get G’baena to safety, and we come back here.”
Every eye in the room turned on her and they all shared the same irritated expression, but Tee-ani knew she couldn’t back down. None of the other women on board would be emotionally capable of pretending to be a sex slave and, quite frankly, she wouldn’t want any of them even trying it.
She raised a hand to stop the barrage of words about to escape the men’s mouths.
“Simple fact. I am the only female on board who will be treated with respect by the slavers if things go wrong. All right, maybe not respect,” she added when she saw Trey’s eyes tighten with anger, “but as a doctor, I will be treated better than the other women. I am the only one who has any chance of escaping if we fail.”
52
Rachel Clark
She thought she saw Sarah and Jordan exchange a quick look before he stepped forward and gave Trey and Ben an aggressive order.
“Keep her safe. Bring them both back.”
Far from feeling triumph, Tee-ani watched as the blood drained from both of her lovers’ faces. They both managed to mumble, “Yes, captain,” but she felt fairly sure it was from habit, rather than an actual agreement with his plan.
Trey was closest and grabbed her roughly, looking like he was about to explode, but he pulled her against his chest and held her to him. Ben pressed into her from behind, and for a moment, she stood, feeling them both tremble against her. She wiggled so that she could wrap an arm around each of them and then just let them hold her.
“I’m sorry,” Ben said, his voice hoarse with emotion. “This is our fault. I’m so sorry you got dragged into our mess.”
Their mess? How the hell had they decided that this was their fault?
“Ben,” she said as she pulled away so that she could see both their faces, “this is not yours or Trey’s doing. You had no idea that G’baena’s family would treat her the way they have. It’s their mess, not yours.”
She held up a hand again as Trey tried to speak.
“Let me get one thing very clear. I had every intention of asking Jordan for help to track down as many of the women who’d been forced into slavery as I could find. G’baena would’ve been the first because I actually know where she is.” She started to pace back and forth as her anger ignited. They were still standing there looking like they were dragging her into this, when in actual fact, they were the reason she was safe here and now. She, like so many of the other human females on this ship, owed them her life and her gratitude.
“Regardless of her relationship to you or your relationship with me, I would’ve tried to help her. Are we clear on that? I … need to …
help her.”
Tee-ani’s Pirates
53
Ben recovered first. Trey seemed intent on taking the blame for everything, but Ben obviously realized that this was one argument he and Trey were not going to win. He stepped forward and lifted her into his arms, heading for the hallway without a single word. He kissed her fiercely as he walked her down the passageway and into their cabin.
Trey followed
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