Chapter 24: Stitches

Thane Drogos

Evelyn was something else.

A woman, who can't swim, has already drowned once, dove overboard to shove the Captain of an attacking vessel into the water. I stared down at her, and she met my gaze, her own wide with realization. She cracked a smile, and I couldn't help but return one.

Desmond clapped me on the shoulder, sheathing his cutlass and offering Evelyn his hand. When he pulled her to her feet, she winced, grabbing her shoulder. Blood ebbed through the white cloth on her shirt.

"Are you alright?" I asked, taking a step forward to look closely at her wound. Without thinking, I pushed her ringlets out of her eyes, seeing the bruise where that fucking Captain struck her. Her soft skin under my fingertips tingled, a zap of something electric coming to life between us again.

It never died. I had just forgotten it.

My lips pulled into a frown when I realized what I was doing. Evelyn's big doe eyes gazed at me, probably wondering what I was thinking. I took