“Oh God,” I whisper, rubbing my arms furiously.

“I might have done many things wrong in my time, Indigo, but I would never rape a woman, nor would I ever force her to be something she didn’t want to be.”

“That girl on your ship…she’s…one of them, isn’t she?”

“Yes, I picked her up three days ago from Mexico. I’m returning her home. She’s extremely damaged. She’s been without her family for three years.”

Oh God, the poor thing. I couldn’t imagine how it would feel to be so alone, so scared, and mostly, so broken. I stare at the sand, trying to process everything. I honestly don’t know how I feel. My father, he’s all I have left, but he’s also the enemy. I can’t choose between the two, and I know a truce won’t ever happen. I have to pick one, and I already know which one that will be. I need that one the most, no matter how much letting the other go will kill me.

“I love him, you know?” I say, lifting my head to meet his gaze.

“Hendrix?”

“Yes.”

“He loves you too, I can see it.”

“So you know…you know I choose him. I can’t have a relationship with both of you, you’re sworn enemies, and even if you can call a truce and leave each other alone, it’s never going to be something that I can easily hop between.”

“I know,” he rasps. “I just…I just wanted to see you again, Indi. I wanted you to know that I love you, no matter what happened.”

Tears slide down my cheeks, and I look away. “I love you too, Daddy. But I can’t be in your life.”

He makes a pained sound, and reaches out, gripping my hand. I let him take it. My heart aches, because I know it’s a decision I had to make, yet it doesn’t make it any easier.

“Maybe one day…this will all be over, and we can see each other again.”

“I’d like that,” I rasp.

“I love you, Indi. Promise me you’ll never forget that.”

“I promise.”

“Remember what I told you, always try to find the good in the bad, princess.”

“I will,” I choke.

“And…I hope one day you can forgive me.”

He gets to his feet and leans down, gripping the sides of my face and pressing his lips to my head. I close my eyes, holding back my sobs. When he pulls away, his eyes are glassy with emotion. He lets his gaze search my face once more before he turns and walks away.

When he’s a few meters down the beach, I yell out to him. He stops and turns. I can’t let him go without knowing no matter what, I forgive him. I get to my feet and I rush over, throwing my arms around him.

He makes a strangled sound, and wraps his big arms around me, holding me close. We stand like that for a long time, just hanging onto this moment. I lift my head from his chest and I look up at him. “I forgive you, Daddy.”

I know those words heal something inside of him.

And surprisingly, they heal something inside of me, too. All these years, I have been searching for who I am. I’ve been thrown through homes, and been in relationships that were less than desirable, but I survived. I found someone who taught me something about myself, and somehow allowed me to put my heart back together. Not only that, but he allowed me to have this moment with my dad. They say everything happens for a reason, and I have finally realized that even though sometimes we don’t know what that reason is, there’s always one.

Maybe this will turn out just fine after all.

A pirate style happily ever after!

“Baby,” Hendrix murmurs, running his fingers down the inside of my thigh. “Stop teasin’ me.”

“I’m not teasing you, it’s right there for you, pirate,” I grin.

“My point exactly, it’s a damn tease.”

I laugh softly as he runs his hand up and cups my pussy, using his palm to rub against it. “So damned sweet here.”

“Best you make good use of it then, before it’s not so sweet anymore.”

“You’ll always be sweet.”

“Does that mean there’s an always, pirate?” I murmur.

“Oh, didn’t I tell you? You ain’t goin’ anywhere.”

“I never planned to, not while you’re giving me this kind of service anyway.”

He chuckles, and kisses a small path up my belly until he reaches my breasts. He slides his tongue out and makes little circles around my nipple. I whimper, and drop my head into the pillow. He moves up after gently caressing each breast, and finds my lips. He kisses me with need, sweeping his tongue into my mouth and stroking mine with it. His hands are all over me, touching, grasping, stroking. I writhe beneath him, lifting my legs and tucking them around his waist. He grinds his hips into mine using that gentle thrusting motion that has everything coming alive.

We’re just about to strip down when we hear an ear-piercing scream.

We both stop what we’re doing, and bolt upright. It sounds like Jess. We leap off the bed and straighten our clothes before rushing out the door. By the time we’re above deck, the screaming seems to have gotten further away.

I see a ship as soon as we step out. It’s a newer ship, and it’s a little smaller than Hendrix’s, but it’s definitely a pirate ship. We both rush toward the side, not seeing anyone for a moment, and then a tall man in a dark hood steps out, and he’s holding Jess with a knife to her throat.