They all raise their brows, and then look at each other.

“Aren’t you a prisoner? We don’t dance with prisoners, so to speak,” the oldest of the group says.

“Hendrix and I have a deal. Besides, he invited me here tonight.”

They raise their brows.

“Truth,” I nod. “Now, who is going to give me a rum?”

They look at each other again, and then one of them thrusts a bottle of rum at me. The liquid sloshes over the mouth of the bottle and the smell burns the hairs in my nose. Jesus, what is in this?

“Sure you can handle it, lassie?”

I grin, and put my lips to the bottle, tilting my head back and taking a swig. It burns the entire way down, and the urge to cough is overwhelming, but I won’t allow myself to show that. The liquid hits my stomach, and shit, it’s lethal. I hand the bottle back, wink at the pirates, and then grab a stool and join them.

“So, tell me what your names are?” I say, crossing my legs.

They give me odd expressions, before shrugging and answering me.

“Jock,” says the first one, with long grey hair, a blue bandana and more piercings than any man his age should have. He has them in his nose, his lips, his eyes, hell, even his eyebrow.

“GG,” the second one says. He’s the youngest, and has salt and pepper hair, a body full of tattoos and eyes so green they stand out in his old, worn-out brown skin.

“Lenny,” the third says. He’s the kindest looking of the three, with big brown eyes, wavy grey and brown hair, and a beard that nearly touches his chest.

“I’m Indigo, but you can call me Indi, or Lassie, or Poppet, or whatever the hell you want.”

They grin.

I broke the ice.

“You want another?” Lenny says, thrusting the bottle of rum at me.

My stomach twists in rejection of the idea, but I take it anyway, swallowing another lethal dose. Oh. Ew. Two sips later, and my head is spinning. The percentage in this rum is strong.

“So, what were you doin’ on the yacht out in the ocean anyway?” GG asks, lighting a cigarette.

“I was going to the United Kingdom. It caught fire, and we drifted. What were you pirates doing in those waters?”

“We just stocked up, we had to pass through. It’s dangerous waters, and we usually have to be quick. Picking you up was a risk,” Jock says.

“Well, lucky for you it ended well.” I wink.

“You’re a firecracker, ain’t ya, Indi girl?” GG says, smirking.

“I can be. Now, tell me, are you for real pirates?”

They all raise their brows.

“Seriously,” I slur a little. “I mean, I thought pirates were fictional.”

GG chuckles. “There ain’t nothin’ fictional about us, Indi girl.”

“Okay, so…is there like some big story behind it? Your papa’s granddaddy was a pirate…it’s in your blood…”

They all shake their heads.

“Ain’t no different to a motorcycle club on the land. We’re like them, but ocean-style.”

“The rebels of the ocean.” I grin.

Jock laughs. “Exactly. We just do our business out here. Less laws.”

“Smart thinking, ninety-nine.”

GG snorts, and hands me the bottle of rum again. I take it, swallowing it far easier this time around.

“How long have you been with Hendrix, then?” I say, leaning back and feeling myself sway.

“Ten years, maybe more,” GG says.

“That’s a long time. You are all older than him. Isn’t that weird?”

“Hendrix started his own crew, and he gave us all freedom by taking us on. We all have our own problems, our own secrets, and he lets us escape them. Young or not, he gave us something we couldn’t find on the shore.”

They make a valid point.

“So, do you, like, talk pirate?”

GG raises his brows. “No, love.”

“Well that’s no fun. I think I need to introduce that to ye scallywags.”

They all burst out laughing.

“I see you decided to join in like I suggested,” comes a husky, sexy voice from behind me. Oh damn.

I turn and grin up at Hendrix. “Aye cap’n, I took ye advice and joined in this party.”

He raises his brows. “Seriously?”

“Arrrr, seriously.”

GG laughs so hard he snorts, and that gets Jock going.

Hendrix raises his brows at me, and oh, he’s so gorgeous standing there, looking down at me. His dark hair is all ruffled, and I want to put my fingers in it and tug, I want to hear him growl. He’s so damned yummy; it’s rude to be that perfect.

“Have you been drinking?”

“Arrrrr, I have had a clap of thunder or two with these scallywags. And they haven’t yet drawn their cutthroats and sent me down to Davy Jones’ locker.”

Hendrix’s lips twitch, and my heart swells. Maybe Jess is right. Maybe there is a chance of changing his mind. Jock is laughing so hard he falls off the back of his chair, and it smashes loudly onto the ground. I watch as another group of pirates come into the room, the group that bothered me up on deck. They stare over at me, then at the men laughing, and their expressions seem to soften. Drake notices me, and I watch his eyes light up. I wave to him like a crazy lunatic.

“Hey Drake!”

Hendrix turns and stares at Drake, then turns back to me.

“I’m guessing dinner will be a good thing. You’ve had far too much to drink.”