Justin's hands shook as he read the paper.

The announcement of the up-and-coming masquerade ball that he read prior.....

Forgotten.

Now what held his attention was a copy of the bans posted on the town Church's bulletin; brought to him by Quinn.

A marriage announcement as plain as day, stood out with a date that had long passed.

Tempest had married Haines.

Justin's initial shock now blurred into something beyond anger. A large black cloud took over his senses.

It was impossible.

It could not be true.

But then again the evidence lay before him.

"Where the hell is she?" the tone in his voice worried Bellamy. Like the Calm before a storm, it was ominous and dark. His two first mates exchanged glances but said nothing.

"Tell me... NOW!" His voice boomed off the cabin walls.

"She remains in her mother's home, Capt'n," Bellamy answered.

Her mother. His fists tightened. A mixture of clammy panic and hate coiled through him with the thought of her mother's hand in all of this.

He had to sit down. If he didn't sit, his wobbly legs would collapse under him.

"How could she do this?" Justin whispered, stricken with heartache. Bellamy exchanged a saddened look with Quinn as they silently stood by.

"Why?" His voice was tight with emotional strain holding back the urge to shout. He leaned forward bracing himself against the table. Pain plunges through his heart like the cold blade of a cutlass and leaves him wheezing for breath.

Betrayal.

She betrayed him in the foulest way. His body goes numb. Suddenly darkness falls across everything around him. The future with her that he had dreamt of. Gone.

"Cap'n?" Quinn called to him.

But he stood there lost in a fog of pain.

"I know this may be hard to stomach Cap'n..." Bellamy began.

Justin said nothing.

"Maybe t'is best if we leave..."

"Leave?" Justin's scoff followed by a humorless laugh stopped him.

"Why would we leave?" Justin turned slightly to face them. Whatever Quinn was about to say froze in his throat as Justin's eyes suddenly held a cold soulless stare.

"There is no reason for staying here now, Cap'n," Bellamy urged stepping forward.

"Of course there is," Justin's eyes darkened more as his mouth contorted furiously.

Bellamy gasped.

Swiftly, he looked away from their wary eyes; filled with pity and sadness. His gaze hot and red with rage brushed over the announcement of the evening's masquerade ball. The dull roaring in his ears gradually settled as his bitter cravings of vengeance turned sweet. He lifted the paper then and turned to look at Bellamy; pressing it to his first Mates chest.

He stepped closer.

"I want answers for her betrayal," he clenched his teeth.

With shaky hands Bellamy caught it. His gaze shot to Justin. "And I mean to have them and my revenge in the process."

Justin turned then and slumped to his chair; reaching for the glass and Decanter on his desk, he started drinking. He did not even notice that Bellamy and Quinn had left him alone.

Some hours had passed that he had drunk heavily trying to dispel the painful memory of ever crossing paths with her. But no matter how much he tried, images of her enveloped him. Those blue-green eyes of hers mocked him.

'She played him for fool.' he chuckled to himself. He pours the last of his rum noticing it is all gone. He stands staggering. The power within him to simply go on, drains from his body slowly to his feet, leaks through the floorboard beneath him like blood and with it, his soul, his heart, and his love.

The reality of her betrayal coats his throat and heats his stomach just like the last drops of the rum from his glass. Fury reddens his sight.

With a sudden force, he gets up and throws his glass against the wall. He seethes with rage and slams his fist on the table just before wiping everything on it to the floor.

His trust in her blinded him. For as much as he tried to deny it, it did. He fell for her innocence, she lured him in with those beguiling eyes and beautiful face.

How could he, the Black Scourge of the Sea be weakened by such a sweet and deceiving little siren?

His jaw clenched.

Then it all clicked into place.

She was her mother's daughter.

Beautiful. Conniving...... Evil.

Although his revenge on her mother was set in place, his with Tempest will be a personal matter.

He will be certain of it....

Hey everyone finally another update.

🎉🎉🎉

So a little heads up. I want to apologize for latest post ever. Forgive me. But as you know, I work from home. I have to make a living and as much as I would love to sit around and right all day and update, I dont have that luxury😥.

Its why I have urged my readers to like and 'share'...the more shares. The more reads. The better for me.

And MORE updates and future banging stories. (Got 4 more coming🎉)

So any whoooo...