Torcadillos and splinters...

With unexpected agility he laid her on the bed and pulled away. He was so close… He moved her from behind, settling her body next to hers as he placed his hard, pulsing member between her thighs, taking care not to penetrate her. Her hands caressed her again more intimately as she moved with ardor. It was a temptation.

-I think I managed to change your opinion about kisses, honey. - Richard provoked.

-You know I don't think so yet! Richard!

- I prefer to be called Rick, my sweet. The hoarse whisper was followed by a groan again.

-I don't think so, Richard!

-Which is? Everyone in the family calls me Rick.

-Well, I'm not everybody, captain.

He rolled his eyes. How much confusion in life a simple name could create, right?

-I think I preferred Richard. It even looks good. - he was arming himself with patience.

stubborn girl. The world ending and she... Damn it... Okay, she even had her reasons... But it was just a goddamn name. That wasn't why you created a gale, was it? It was such a small detail amidst the full coas of the Armada defending itself under Muir's attack, wasn't it?

- Cassie...

-You can call me Cassandra.

-Seriously, all this confusion because of a damn name?

-You bet it is, captain! I won't compromise your virtue, but I never turn down a challenge either, my lord. I believe you will agree with me that I have some experience in the matter.

Sleep took a while to come that night appreciating the young woman asleep in bed. Richard rolled over on the hard floor cursing. Women! You never knew when they were going to create trouble. There was the matter of her reputation, Gaia's losses and all. There was Philip who tormented them with various schemes to separate them... And the most ironic of all... Had Mayra managed to do better than everyone else? It was the greatest irony of all.

And Richard believed that the end of the world would be for the girl to discover his child as a baby. He growled angrily.

Cassie and the baby slept under the covers. He remembered the biggest disaster of his life...

Blood Pirate's gaze was murderous. He clenched his fists close to his body, holding back a curse. Jackie shivers with rage.

It was supposed to be another day, like any other. Or maybe better! She was once again doing lucrative business with the Gypsies. The goods obtained from smuggling were profitable. She hadn't been able to hide her surprise to find Adam and Michael recovering in the village.

They were old friends. The friendship dates back to a long time when they were still children making a fuss in the Scarlet lands to the dismay of William and Rory Morgan. But fate had taken different paths. Jacke had no family to inherit land or secure a promising future. Piracy had immediately attracted him to William's horror when he learned that the boy was starting to get involved in smuggling exotic spices. He'd grown up in Will's care with Faith. Kassuim was the little sister he never had.

Naturally as Morgan's friend and confidant he had heard countless times the comments and stories about the girl who had managed to save his friend's life. Also, confidant. Jacke knew Morgan perhaps better than anyone. He knew that after discovering Katie's betrayal, his friend had become disillusioned. Since then he had been in a torrid affair with a beautiful courtesan. Richard had tried hard to hide the details.

Jacke cursed on the edge of rage, fighting the urge to punch Philip. It had to be a joke! Did he really have to tell Cassie the whole damn story? Couldn't he have let Rick explain everything?

- So you found the girl? He crunched every word.

He couldn't believe Cassie had been so foolish as to stand alone with gunmen to save his life. Even worse. He was having a hard time assimilating that the girl he'd watched grow up was now a woman. God! The girl had spent a month alone in Rick's company. Her reputation would be ruined.

He might be suspicious. He got tired of watching how the girl always avoided the captain of the Black Coral. He should have noticed. He was burning with rage. The Coral captain was always trying to find ways to get close to Cassie despite all her refusals.

- But of course I found it. Told you I was, man. He was never going to let that little beauty get away. - Rick was serious. - I'm not the type to leave a woman with a ruined reputation and besides...

-I'm not your wife, Captain Richard Morgan.

Rick looked at her seriously.

-Let's just stay in Richard for now. And then try to sort out my goddamn nickname mess.

Richard's words were annoyed as he picked up the bottle of wine and poured it into the mug. Michael was perhaps the only one who noticed that Jacke was shivering.

-What happened, Jackie? - the boy asked curiously.

-And the supposed girl, where is she? - the pirate managed to ask. - Did you tell her about the child? Did you tell her you're a father?

Michael chuckled with laughter.

-Oh, where do you think? He managed to keep the girl for almost two weeks in his cabin without anyone suspecting so she wouldn't know anything, can you believe it?

God! What was going through Cassie's mind? Jackie shook his head angrily.

-What about Mayra? - wanted to know possessed. "Have you ever bothered to tell your lover that you weren't a man of libertine habits?" Anger finally broke all boundaries.

Before Rock could wait, a clenched fist landed on his chin and he staggered in surprise.

-What the hell, Jackie! He grunted, massaging his sore chin.

Jackie took a deep breath as he raised his other arm again and stormed forward, knocking over chairs and everything around him.

- This time I won't be silent with your damn extravagances! - the pirate assured angrily.

Richard rolled his eyes in confusion.

-What the hell are you talking about?-He asked, taking a deep breath and clenching his fist as he delivered an unexpected blow defending himself.

Jackie took a deep breath.

"What son?" Cassie asked tensely.

-You bastard! – he yelled drawing attention around the gypsies. - It won't hurt the girl. Or ruin her reputation. I kill you! - assured advancing.

-Jackie? - She couldn't hide her astonishment and approached helping the man to get up shaky.

-Oh, princess! - He looked at the girl, shuddering as he grabbed her arm without any ceremony. - You'll explain the damn details to me so I can finish this bastard. You this time come with me to the Unicorn. I'll put guards to take care of you. But what the hell are you doing around here alone?

-What son?

Cassie looked at him with open-jawed surprise. Jackie was always kind. I couldn't imagine the stepbrother like that. The questions ran over each other.

There was commotion and loud voices all around.

-You're in trouble. Can you tell me who you're fighting with? Cassie faced him with hard eyes as she placed her hands on her hips.

-With me! A loud, thick voice hissed furiously. – Can you explain to me what you are doing here?

Cassie glanced back in shock. Was it Will? She let her eyes stray from him in irritation as she took a close look at her injured brother's face.

-Did you hit him? she asked in amazement. – You hurt him! She looked at her husband in astonishment. -Why did it?

-Don't mess with it, girl! - Jackie mulled every word as he stood up and pulled his sister behind him, putting himself on the defensive. "It's a subject for men to discuss.

Her gaze went from her husband to her brother in exasperation. The two faced each other with frank hostility. They had always been friends. She couldn't understand why. She placed herself between the two with determination to prevent one from attacking the other.

- Cassie, get out of the way. She heard what Jackie said. It's a matter for men! - Richard agreed angrily.

-Men!? They'll end up killing themselves that way. Does anyone want to explain what happened? is my life. Don't you dare talk like I don't exist.

-Don't you dare yell at the girl! - Jackie roared. - You're a wretch...

- It wasn't me who started it! - Richard countered. - She will drive me crazy because of the stubbornness of a name.

Michael's gaze was amused at Cassie's distress in helping to separate the two men. Kassuim struggled to push his brother back without much success.

-Jackie please...

He glared at her as he rolled his eyes and stared at her.

-Man, that's not what you're thinking. I didn't tell you the rest of the story... I can explain...

Michael smiled even more amused. Cassie's astonishment was absolute.

-She told him about ... - She couldn't finish the sentence staring at Richard with appraising eyes.

-You bet! -Jacke replied before his friend had the chance and grabbed Cassie by her arm forcing her to face him. - Of all the foolish things you've ever done girl...- Jackie took a deep breath. Her unhappy green eyes showed hurt. - I never said anything to Will. You knew William didn't want you around Morgan. He had agreed to keep his distance. But suddenly you've decided to spend a month alone with him, Cassie! What the hell! It was one thing when you were just a kid. I always thought it was just an unfortunate teenage crush. I can't believe what you did! The man is a libertine!

Cassie was speechless. Jackie's reaction could prepare her for Will's anger. Jackie never had harsh words for her or lack of patience. She was kind to her every wish. Seeing her brother so furious lecturing her made her shut up unhappily, swallowing hard.

Richard watched the scene between the brothers silently. Teenage crush? The satisfaction of male pride was soon forgotten. Hell! How had he never noticed that girl before? If the girl liked him even before that ambush, it would have been natural for Willian to offer her to him in marriage and not Katie.

Why would Will want the girl to stay away from him?

-Jackie, can you hear me for a moment? -Rick spoke looking for calm. He was very aware of the woman's unhappiness at the pirate's frustrated outburst.

Jackie faced him still angrily.

-I'm warning you. Won't make the girl suffer! You won't be hanging around having fun and now with the baby...- Jackie muttered silently.

Morgan cursed furiously.

-Mayra!? – Cassie asked livid. All the color seemed to have drained from her face.

Jackie looked stunned as he looked at his bleak sister.

-My dear, it wasn't that… - Jackie hurried to correct the lack of caution.

-Do you have an affair with Mayra? Is she your lover? Cassie struggled to speak. - Was it true then that Richard... - Do you have a child with her?

-Can you let me speak first? Is it hard to let me talk? - Rick exploded at the limit of patience. This was not at all how he had expected to tell the whole story.

He stopped not knowing what to say. He didn't mean to lie. For years he had an affair with Mayra. Ever since Katie… he shook his head. Since the ambush he hadn't looked for the gypsy anymore. The bright green eyes showed that she wasn't going to believe it. Everything had changed for him since then.

-Honey, I can explain… - He was now choosing his words very carefully. - Mayra and I...

Jackie sighed heavily as he placed his hands on his sister's shoulders cursing himself.

-They are lovers. – she completed. – Naturally, I had already heard comments. I just didn't think…" Cassie took a deep breath, clutching her pride. She wanted to cry. She had been a complete fool. - Jackie, you think I want to go back to the Unicorn now if you don't mind.

Jackie mumbled endless curses. She could kill Morgan for her sister's helpless way.

-Not going back to Unicorn. – Richard was serious when speaking in front of a frowning pirate. "Your sister will come back with me to camp and we'll talk. She is my wife.

-I'm not going back with you! - She protested, averting her face without looking at him. - I don't want to talk to you!

Hell, Cassie. I can explain.

-Oh, you're really going to come back with me, young lady. I think she forgot to mention to her furious brother that she's married to me. You will stay by your husband's side. - Morgan cursed. I was going to have to find an excellent explanation to get around it. "Besides, you're pregnant with my child, young lady." Rick shuddered with possession.

Jackie went back to sighing heavily.

-Married!? Are you married and forgot to tell you the little detail, girl? The pirate shook his head in disbelief. What the hell, Richard Morgan! - Jacke grumbled again. – You are the alpha of the pack. I should have introduced Cassie at a ceremony. There are traditions!

Richard's mouth tightened into a hard line. He tried to approach the woman and she recoiled stiffly. I was really going to have to find an excellent explanation. She wasn't looking at him. Mayra's unfortunate provocations weren't going to help. She had to explain to the girl that she had nothing more to do with the gypsy. All that mattered at the moment was to ensure that she would come back with him.

-I know it. – He agreed guilty. "Only it doesn't change the facts. Cassie is my woman, she has my mark. She won't go with you to the Unicorn. We're just working out the details of the ceremony.

Cassie revolted at that. His wife? Ah, the wretch had a mistress! Everyone knew! She was definitely not that heartless brute's wife. No way. Her eyes gleamed like emeralds as she faced him.

-You are not my husband! she-she assured furiously. "Try to take care of your damn mistress! - She screamed hurt as she ran away and Michael's eyes met his brother's.

Richard could scream. He needed to make sure the girl didn't go far. Maybe let the anger subside so he could explain it all. He massaged his sore chin as he scratched his stubble.

- Hell, Jackie. You really got me into trouble! - he sighed with dismay. - She is dead! She died! She is my son. Did you expect me to abandon you?

Jackie nodded guiltily. His sister's suffering face made him curse.

-Then try to fix all your confusion. - he demanded categorically. –

Morgan ran his hands through his taut hair.

- I haven't seen Mayra for a few months. Since her sister ran away. Or she should correct. Ever since Thalagar decided to take her against her will.

Jacke looked at him in disbelief. Hell, Cassie was still just a kid.

-What the hell, Richard. You took advantage of a child.

Morgan frowned at the accusation.

-She's not a child anymore. It's been a long time. She should have told me. That whole damn marriage to Katie… What the hell, Jacke. If Will knew his daughter was in love with me why didn't she offer the girl to marry him?

He couldn't understand his uncle's reason. It was a clan-wide honor for the father who had his daughter chosen as the alpha's mate. No woman would have refused. She wouldn't have refused. It filled him with satisfaction. Yet Kassuim had never approached him before. He hadn't been swayed by the advantages the position would bring her, or be seduced by riches and jewels. He'd saved her life without even telling who he was.

-I have no idea why. I know the girl always liked you. – Jacke said regretfully. "I don't want you to hurt her. No more than I already did....

He didn't say anything, staring at his brother. He watched silently as Sara brought the baby swaddled and protected by the blankets. Silent, Cassie just picked up the child and sighed, swallowing her pride.

She had no practice with children.

-Come on, I'll help you. It's good that you're getting the practice...

- Well, still no marriage, mr. Richard Morgan. have had enough fun. Who laughed the most? You or Philip?