He stood at the railing on the quarterdeck looking out at the rough sea. His mind restless with thoughts and images of the women in his cabin gave an uneasy sensation. What shall become of them if he does not get them quickly somewhere safe?

His jaw clenched more when his mind fell on her. So defiant and wild. He had to fight to keep the smile forming on his lips thinking about how she fiercely fought him trying to protect herself and the other woman.

He closed his eyes for a moment. Trying to vanquish the vision from his mind of what they could have endured when Cuthburt held them captive. The other woman could not have been like that from the start; withdrawn and distant. Mute even. The ever lingering sensation anguished him at the thought of Cuthburt's men raping her. He knew the dog and his men were merciless cads.

Hatred for the man boiled in his veins. He loathed the lying bastard with so much conflict. It was true he raised him but his deceitful way of coming about it infuriated him.

For a brief moment, he considered tossing him overboard to let the elements take them. His jaw clenched and his fists tightened. If not for the fact that he swore to bring him in, In exchange for that bloody pardon and escape from being hanged, he would have cut him down himself long ago.

All of this in any other circumstance would have persuaded him to go along with it. To kill the bastard where he stood. He could have cared less about the pardon and continued his merry way of life at sea plundering and taking over any ship in his path. But he could not. He made a promise long ago that he would end the mutinous life he was living. He had to if he desired a wholesome life out of the water.

Suddenly his thoughts were on her again. And his chest tightened at thought of a beautiful lass such as she waiting for his return. He shook his head and chuckled to himself. Such as she, he doubted any girls in London had her fire.

Although admirable, her courage was dangerous when it came to their situation. She was aboard a ship with men that lacked chivalry and finesse. Men that would not hesitate to strike her or anyone down that poses a threat to them. With a deep breath, he inhaled the fresh sea air; battling the decisions rolling in his head. He needed to carefully watch over her.

*******

In the short expanse of the two days following their heated confrontation, he decided not to be in her presence. He needed to think clearly about what to do with them once they get to Tortuga. Leave her there and let them return her to her family? or hand her over personally to them in England?.

He pondered with the idea coming to no real solution.

His mind was exhausted with the decisions plaguing him.

"Cap'n?" he heard Quinn call to him.

Slowly he turned to face the man that approached him on deck.

He frowned at Quinns perplexed look.

"What is it?"

Lowering his head, Quinn began to fidget.

"I don't know how to go about it Cap'n."

"Speak Quinn, what is it?" Justin waited impatiently for him to speak.

Quinn swallowed hard and lowered his head.

"One of the women has fallen ill Cap'n I fear it be something very bad. I pray it is nothing we will catch."

Justin frowned. "Which one of them?" He asked.

"The one that don't speak," he said. "She is fading fast," he added sadly.

With that, Justin stormed off past him.

It was the last thing he needed, to have a passenger aboard his ship that could potentially wipe them out with disease or sickness.

He went below deck and pushed through the door to his cabin in time to see Bellamy turn away from the woman on the floor. In the corner on the bed, the other sobbed uncontrollably.

"She has perished," he announced in time as Tempest sobbed.

Bounding from the bed, she slouched to the floor and wept over the woman.

"Don't leave me, Nana," she cried out.

They stood back in silence and watched Tempest cry over the woman's body. Seconds passed before Justin gently knelt beside her and observed the woman.

He cursed under his breath as he saw her state. She was lightly emaciated and pale. Her cheeks and eyes sunken in. The poor woman may have not eaten or drunk anything in days following their capture from Cuthburt.....then to his ship.

He looked over at Tempest and gently tried to pull her away. He needed to discard the body immediately. But his attempt at drawing her away was difficult.

As Bellamy and Quinn began gathering up Josephine, Tempest immediately protested in sobs fiercely telling them not to touch her. If it weren't for Justin holding her back, they would not have been able to remove her from the cabin.

On deck, as it was inevitable now the measures he took to hide her from his men, they stood silently by and watched Quinn and Bellamy as they lifted the body of the woman over the railing.

Tempest shouted and fought in Justin's hold and begged him not to do it. She needed a proper burial she cried out. He held her struggling form tight against his side aware of the eyes on them.

His weariness multiplied tenfold slowly building to agitation and suddenly with anger, he whirled her around and harshly shook her.

"She can not stay on the ship, we have to discard the body before rigors sets in," he said.

But Tempest did not want to hear it, she continued to fight. She continued to plead and cry. Mortified she was held in place and watched him nod his head for them to let Josephine go.

With jaws clenched tight, he bore down on her petite form that furiously lashed out at him in rage. He did not doubt it for a second that if he were not holding her she would jump in following the woman.

"You animal!" she cried slamming her fists against his chest.

Roughly he pulled her along. He needed to get her inside his cabin. But it proved difficult as she kicked him in his shin and raked her nails over the fabric of his shirt to get free.

Angrily he tightened his grip on her with a curse before holding her at arm's length and shaking her once more.

"It will be days before we dock at the nearest port. She will fester. Is that what you want? To inter her bloated unrecognizable body?" he shouted shaking her.

His words gripped her heart. Suddenly it was too much for her.

"They killed her," she sobbed weakly.

His eyes softened slightly. Indeed it is what they did. Not directly. But they did. They killed her spirit and she refused to live on with the shame of what they had done to her.

She tried to pull away but he held her fast. She would not let up. She fought for reason, for her freedom. And she fought the overwhelming darkness now threatening to take her. The fight slowly leaving her as she now clung to him and his arms gently wrapped around her as she wept. Then she went limp.

He gently swept her up before she slid to the floor, cradling her in his hold. His gaze lifted immediately to the men that still stood around watching him.

An overbearing sense of possessiveness coursed through his veins as he lowered his gaze down at her again. Petite and helpless but valiant and wildly beautiful she was, he clenched his jaw and shot a warning gaze at them.

"Any of you as so much lay a hand upon her dies an agonizing death. Am I clear?" his voice loud enough echoed across the silent deck.

"Aye Cap'n," In unison, they answered.

He turned away without another word and left for his cabin. His emotions unchecked and wavering, he kicked his door shut and walked her quickly to the bunk, and placed her gently on it. Stepping away he let out a shaky breath and brushed his fingers through his hair.

Her defiance fed his anger but her beauty stirred something deep in him. It confused him.

Hesitant to leave her, he gave her a once over before turning away and leaving the cabin.

It wasn't until he climbed the last step out on the deck that he walked towards the end of the ship and held on to the railing in a tight grip. 

Inhaling and exhaling a shaky breath, he shook his head at his ridiculous thoughts. He was in no position to start having these emotions that churned in his gut for the nameless hellcat laying unconscious in his bed. He shook his head there was no room in his life for a woman. No room for feelings of any kind. He could not. 

He will not.