Free The Whore by Lilli Feisty

looking at you again.”
    She saw the flush creep up Ayla’s pale neck. “You think?”
    Glancing at Adiv, who was checking stock in the infirmary trunk, Bryn grinned. “Um, yeah. I do.”
    “He is kind of…”
    “Hot?”
    Ayla’s cheeks turned red. How strange to see a former prostitute blush. She turned toward Bryn and bit her lip. “He is, isn’t he?”
    “He’s a voyeur, but something tells me he wants to be a bit more participatory when it comes to you.”
    Ayla looked to Adiv, who quickly whipped his gaze off the gorgeous redhead. He went back to sorting hand-cannons.
    “Yeah,” Bryn said. “He is so into you.”
    Xander walked over to the women. “It’s bad luck to have women on a pirate ship.”
    Hawke came over and took his place next to the Captain. Their shadows cast out the orangey light of the sun. Bryn couldn’t wait to get back to the clear sky of their haven.
    “Bad luck to have women on a ship, you say?” Bryn said.
    “Yeah.” Hawke took a seat on a nearby stool. “But you rescued Ayla, killed the captain of Viven’s ship. I’m beginning to wonder if that little idiom is true.”
    Bryn gave him a nonchalant look. “Don’t forget. I bought off the rest of Viven’s crew with my jeweled earbob.”
    “Right,” Hawke said. “Can’t forget that.”
    Bryn tilted her head and grinned. “So. You still think women on a ship are bad luck?”
    Taking her hand in his, Xander squatted next to her. “I suppose we can make an exception.” He kissed the back of her hand. “In fact, I can’t imagine being on this ship without you. Or your new partner-in-crime.”
    Hawke looked at Bryn, and his eyes were dark and serious. “Bryn.” He nodded toward her. “You have my ever-long devotion.”
    “That’s not necessary. I was just saving my friend.”
    “And I am indebted.”
    Bryn lifted herself onto her elbows. “Is that so?”
    He nodded. “Indeed.”
    “Then get us back to the ruins, get our supplies and get us the fuck back to paradise.”
    Xander squeezed Bryn’s hand. “That’s affirmative, woman. And after we leave the ruins, it’s nothing but us, the open seas and…”
    “What?” Bryn asked, searching his eyes.
    “When we reach land, you girls are going to have to remain on the ship. It’s too dangerous for you to be wandering around the ruins.”
    She touched Xander’s arm. “What about Viven? He’ll still be looking for you. He’ll be more angry with you than ever because of what happened at sea. Will you— we —ever be free from his wrath?”
    Xander’s eyes went cold. She felt the muscles of his arm clench beneath her touch. He said, “Don’t worry about Viven.”
    Hawke was staring at Ayla. “We’re going to pay that man a visit. And he won’t be bothering us again. We have things to protect now.”
    A chill raced up Bryn’s back. She was afraid for the men’s safety, but she could see the determination in their eyes. She knew if she was going to choose this life there would be risks, and scary moments. But Xander and Hawke weren’t stupid. If they had a plan to take care of Viven, she would just have to trust them.
    If she were to choose this life, she was going to have to trust them.
    She did.
    Xander took her hand, reassuring her with gentle strokes from the pad of his thumb. “We’ll return from the ruins. Safe and sound. And Viven won’t be bothering us again.” His eyes darkened, and he held her gaze. “And then you know what awaits us?
    “Freedom. There can’t be just one island… I believe there’s an entire new world to be discovered. One with no rules, no castes, no trading yourself for a life of servitude.”
    Bryn’s heart swelled. She knew what he meant. During the weeks they’d been sailing since the incident with Kaz, Xander had made it glaringly obvious the only man who was ever going to touch her again, other than himself, was Hawke. Thanks to these men, she’d never see the walls of a brothel again.
    Bryn was fine with