Chapter 8

Justin was furious. Bastard! So there were only depraved people in the aristocracy!

He went downstairs at full speed. Brennan was nowhere in sight. He was really starting to worry.

Logan, dressed as a pure-bred gentleman, approached him.

-We have lost sight of the Duke.

-I will take charge of finding him. Take Jeff and Bob with you and go upstairs.

The Governor's jewel is under the bed.

He then gave an evil grin:

-There is also a waste in the closet of the room. Reduce it to pulp! I want it to come crawling out of this room!

Logan had never seen him so furious. He wondered what the guy had done to him.

In any case, it was not good to attack the captain.

-I'll go right away.

He made a sign to his companions who followed him upstairs.

But where was Brennan? There were so many people in disguise that he was unable to spot him.

Yet he was taller than the average man. He hoped that William had been luckier than him.

Suddenly he saw him. Next to the stairs. He didn't draw attention to himself and stayed a few steps behind him throughout the evening.

His men formed a guard around them and protected them against any outside intrusion.

Fortunately, Brennan himself was busy watching the governor and did not notice anything.

The evening was ending. So he decided to go home.

Brennan was safe for now, and it would be unfortunate if he found out he had gone to the governor's party when he had been told not to.

So he nodded to one of his men and slipped away.

At the entrance of the building, he found William.

-Did you find him? the latter asked.

-Yes. It seems that Red Flam will not show up tonight, we can go.

William sighed with relief:

-So much the better! I would not have liked to find myself face to face with this famous pirate.

-Me neither! Justin smiled.

I couldn't get close to him. Yet it was the perfect opportunity to kill him. That idiot Duke didn't even realize that men were forming a circle around him and ensuring his protection.

Certainly the same ones who prevented my men from killing him in the forest.

Who are they?

In any case, impossible to get past them. They have already pushed back several drunks so that no one would notice. And this less than nothing who follows him like his shadow, he seems to know them.

I have to liquidate him as soon as possible. I was so close to the goal! After getting rid of his idiot brother, I only had to kill him to finally achieve my goal.

But it's only a postponement.

I've been waiting for three years. Your time will come soon Hargrove...

When Brennan got home, he found Justin asleep in his bed.

He really thought he was an idiot! He closed the door behind him and went to bed.

His evening at the governor's had ended in failure. Red Flam hadn't shown up.

He thought about Justin's case but everything was getting confused in his head and he didn't believe in coincidences.

That night, three years ago, a document had been stolen and a count had been murdered in the room next to his.

He had never asked himself any questions because it had nothing to do with him. The count was known to be unfaithful and it had been assumed that he had been killed by a jealous husband.

However, William had pointed out to him that he had been very lucky because he was sleeping next door anyway.

As for the Justin affair, William had told him when he questioned him the next morning that he would never have sent him a man for his pleasure. Besides, he had laughed about it.

Was it Justin who had killed that Count? Had he realized he had gone to the wrong room and gone to finish the job? He couldn't believe it and yet...

Everything indicated that Justin was not what he claimed to be.

He reappeared in his life when his brother had also been murdered, manipulating him to stay close to him, but for what purpose?

Was he waiting for the right moment to kill him too?

Was he in cahoots with Red Flam or was he perhaps acting under the latter's threat?

And yet, he burned with desire for him.

On a small island in the Caribbean, Black Thornwood, owner of the largest fleet of merchant ships in England, was talking to his uncle:

-Have you heard from Justin? I've been stuck on this island for a month and I miss England.

-What do you find on this island where it rains all the time when here you can sunbathe all year round?

-This is my home, Uncle Jack and my men are beginning to hear the call of the sea.

-Son, the other one upstairs hasn't recovered yet and there's no way I'm staying here alone with him! If you leave, you're taking him with you.

-The last time I went to see him, he threw a vase at my head! To me! The greatest pirate who has scoured the seas!

-I remind you that you are retired, Uncle Jack. In addition, you called him a poor wimp incapable of defending himself alone.

Uncle Jack laughed out loud:

-He has guts, this little one! I just wanted him to move a little! There is nothing wrong with that.

Black rolled his eyes.

Jack grunted and leaning on his cane, sat down in a rocking chair.

He had no need of it, but ever since a lady had pointed out to him that he looked like a great gentleman, he had never parted with it.

He liked to be called the gentleman pirate.

His uncle had always been a rich eccentric and when he and Justin had discovered as children that he was in fact one of the most feared pirates in the Pacific, they had been overjoyed.

They loved sailing and their uncle had taught them everything.

If their parents were still alive, their lives would certainly have taken a different direction but he had no regrets and neither did Justin.

So do you have any news of my brother?

-He narrowly escaped an attempted murder. The Duke of Hargrove is also well targeted.

For the moment, they don't know who is behind all this but Justin and his men are protecting him.

Uncle Jack then looked up at the stairs and shouted:

-I'm telling you son! He's a wimp like his brother!

-Who are you calling a wimp, old man!

Aaron was holding his sides and was at the top of the stairs.

When Black saw him, he ran up the stairs four at a time and picked him up.

"You're in no shape to get up."

And he took him back to his room, gently laying him down on his bed.

"I'm not a child, Black! And I feel much better!"

Black's gaze following the lines of his body, flared up but when it landed on Aaron's face, it was impenetrable again:

-I remind you that you narrowly escaped death so thank the heavens that you are still alive and rest.

As he left the room, Aaron lay back down. He was in love with this impossible man but it was hopeless.