Free The Pirate Prince by Michelle M. Pillow

stern and serious. Mei glanced up and nodded once. Relief curled inside of her at his words. She sensed he told the truth and felt as if a weight of stress and fear was lifted off her stomach. The devil-may-care attitude had faded from his expression only to quickly return.
     
    “Where are the other women?” she asked, turning back to her food. If he didn’t want it there’d just be more for her. Let him have his disgusting ESC rations. Jarek shared a look with Evan and laughed.
     
     
    “You find kidnapping us amusing,chûnrén? ”
    “Ah,fea , you break my heart. At least get to know me first before you think me foolish.” Jarek winked.
    Mei paled. He understood her. “I know all I want to know about you, captain.
    And my name is Mei.”
    “Mei,” Jarek repeated softly, a strange look on his face as he looked at her. If she didn’t know better she would’ve thought he was enamored of her. “So, Mei, are those women friends of yours?”
    “Yes,” she lied. “And I want to assure their safety. I demand you let me see them.”
    “Demand?” He laughed, shaking his head in amusement. “Mei, you remember Dev don’t you?”
    The big red guy came out from behind the door as if he’d been standing guard all along. Mei shivered. She’d thought of running and was glad she’d decided against it. Dev lifted his jaw. He was undoubtedly their most fearsome warrior.
    “He’s going to keep an eye on you,” Jarek said, motioning to Evan to follow.
    Giving his cocky grin, he whispered to her. “Be good,fea . Don’t get into any trouble.”
    Mei made a face at the captain. Jarek grinned and the look shot through her like lightening. Just wonderful. Now her body was moist as well as aroused. It took all her effort not to wiggle in frustration. The last thing she needed was to have burning desires for her arrogant captor.
    “Dev,” Jarek said, as he and Evan stepped out, “you know what to do with her if she misbehaves.”
    Dev nodded once. Mei shivered, wondering just what that punishment would be.
    She quickly turned back to cooking, doing her best to ignore her giant bodyguard as she silently cursed the pirate captain.
     
    * * * *
     
    Jarek strode from the dining hall. He couldn’t help the grin that spread over his face. That woman was entertaining, he’d give her that—so easy to tease. There was just something about her, something that made him want to trust her even as he knew she was lying to him. There was a subtle change in her smell when she lied, like when she had said she was a cook. The fragrance was faint, but he was so in tune with her that he had caught it easily.
    When they were down the corridor, far away from hearing distance, Evan said,
    “You did well taking her off guard by insulting her cooking. It was the first clear read I got from her. She is very disciplined. I can’t tell if it’s because she suspects me reading her, or if she is always so guarded. I can barely even feel fear.”
    “Maybe she doesn’t fear us,” Jarek said.
    “Perhaps.” Evan stopped walking and glanced back. “She has no problem lying to us though.”
    “Claiming to know Viktor and Lucien,” Jarek answered, knowing that was what Evan was speaking of. There was no way Mei knew the two men. She was bluffing.
    “Yes. And about being a chef. Was her food that bad?” “No,” Jarek chuckled. “It was actually quite good. It was all I could do to keep my stomach from growling for more.”
    Evan smiled.
    “But, that woman is no chef. I’d bet my life on it. I could smell her lie when she said it, same as when she said she knew Vik and Lucien.” Jarek sighed. “She’s nobility, or at least has some sort of elected power. That man she was with was probably a brother or husband.”
    “You’re certain?”
    “Oh yeah. She has that attitude about her. Servants don’t demand, don’t look at people the way she does. That kind of thing is bred into a person. She’s too regal in her movements.”
    “I