Saved By The Pirate (Book One)

45. Anne's Sake

Daniel's face softened. "Anything, Anne. We can discuss anything. Anything you please."

I looked him right in the eye. "Alright, then. Why did you kidnap me? I'm sure there were better options than this." My voice was just as tight, powerful, and demanding. I wanted the squeeze the whole truth out of him, and that meant meaning business.

"I will admit that taking you was not what I intended to do. I think you know me well enough to know that I'm not that malicious to think that first, but I couldn't have asked you, knowing what you would say. Taking you was the only way I could show you what you don't know - that you're in love with me."

I stood straighter in my seat. "Then why take me away from my country? Could you have taken me somewhere else?"

He mirrored my actions. "I have several reasons. One is that I had planned to go there anyway. I wanted to observe what it was like on the other side of the world. For a short time, of course."

Just like Christopher, I noticed, remembering about the man Christopher said he killed in America. Then I realized, America, captain of the British Army. I thought it was some fun play on words when he said he was the captain, but what were the chances of Christopher and Daniel both going to America?

Either they were coincidences, or Christopher kept track of his brother.

That would mean that Christopher was lying to me. But that was after he asked what I thought of him. Was Christopher testing me? That 'precious object' that that said man stole was that locket, so did he use it in a lie only to know what I thought of him?

"Another reason is that thief," he sneered, saying the word like it was something lower than being called a rat. "can not come and find us."

I felt my stomach turn. Christopher couldn't find me. Daniel didn't put his name on that paper he sent me, and even if he did, there was no way Christopher could locate it or me because it was between the pages of a book, and it didn't say anything where I was.

"Also, because America just so happens to be the land of great opportunity, it is a great start to grow on our relationship, don't you think?"

"I think a lot, Daniel, and now I think that you completely lost your ever-loving mind," I said, my voice getting louder. "Did you ever stop and think about what I might feel? You don't even realize it, Daniel, but you're no better than the rest of the men in this world. You don't think how me, a woman feels before you go off and do something that could change her life."

Daniel furrowed her brows. "Of course, I thought about how you might feel. If I didn't, I wouldn't have committed myself to this, would I? I did this all for you, Anne, every last thing. I intend to marry you, Anne, out of love. When you walk down the aisle, when we land on shore, you will see how much I love you and how much I know you love me."

He sighed heavily. "I know you may not see it now, but you will, Anne, you will. I can guarantee you that."

How? How could he guarantee me that, when I was already in love with his brother?

I brushed off his declaration of love and turned it into a question. "When did you know?" He tilted his head.

"When did you know you know you loved me?"

He smiled, finally happy I said something he wanted. "Since you first asked me about my book."

***

Christopher (Last night)

Christopher took a carriage to the docks where he knew he would find his loyal first mate. It was that same dock where he had his ship and the same dock that had Daniel's, he hoped.