"I don't know why you insist on this, Jack, it's ridiculous," I gasp as he yanks the strings on the corset tighter. I grimace.
He laughs lightly and pulls again. I suck in a sharp breath and grip the wall tighter.
"Ouch, not so tight," I complain.
"No, it really looks better that way," he says and continues to suffocate me. I wonder if this is pay-back for all the times I'd insulted him over the last few years.
"There we go, all done," he says cheerily and claps his hands. I turn around as he steps back to admire his handy work.
"You are never getting me to do anything like this ever again," I fume. He smiles angelically and fixes a piece of my hair which I purposely pull forward again with a hand scrubbed so clean that it still burns. He frowns and reaches out to fix it again. I swat his hand away in annoyance.
"Now, love. You want to starve to death? You want me and my poor crew to go without water or rum?" he winces at the idea. "You like water don't you?"
"Why don't you just steal something?" I suggest.
"Because it's easier this way and a lot more entertaining. Besides, I haven't seen you in a dress in forever, so it's two birds with one stone."
"Am I the bird or the stone?"
He rolls his eyes.
I cross my arms and pout, something I try to avoid doing on a regular basis. "Why don't you just rob some other pirate and come back with all the rum you want and we can get out of this filthy port. And this dress. Could you have gotten it any tighter?"
"Come now love. If you want to take the dress off I'll be here to help you out when you get back," he smirks, "Tortuga isn't so bad once you get to know it. 'Sides, I'm on too many blacklists to wrong any more people over something as trivial as a few shillings."
"You're on my list," I growl and turn for the door of the cabin. I twist the latch sharply and wince as my wrist protests. The night air hits me with a cold slap across the face and I wish I could at least bring my coat. I'm halfway across the deck when I shiver, partly due to the fear and anxiety escalating in my mind with every step.
"Jack, no, I can't do this. I don't care if you want rum. Please don't make me do this," I say in a panicked tone as I turn back for the cabin, but he is right behind me to grab my arms and hold me still.
"You're not going to do anything, just pretend. So, walk straight down that dock," he points down the long stretch of wood. As if I'm that unintelligent and was actually considering heading off the other side of the ship into the water. "Then you keep walking down that nice little dirt path and find this little tavern right around that corner up there. Once they- whoever they is- pay you, take the money and then get more by picking as many pockets as you can. The key is to escape and not give them what they want, savvy?"
"Don't they pay after?" I ask, starting to feel rather uncomfortable in this conversation.
"Act special and demand payment in advance."
"And how do I escape?" I ask, hoping he can't come up with anything, hoping that he'll say 'Never mind" and let me sleep.
"Start walking away and if they grab you slap them and tell them the woman they just paid went the other way. Only say that if they're drunk though, or you might find yourself in a bit of a situation. And I guarantee you will find most of them are."
"I feel like a whore," I shake my head, trying my best to pull up the front of the dress.
"You are," he says flatly. I narrow my eyes, glaring up at him. "But, you aren't really and that's what counts right? Right, so why don't you just follow my directions and bring us back some money. Go on now. I'm getting hungry."
He releases my arms and I stand there for a moment, furious.
Finally I realize I'm hungry too and grudgingly I turn to face the dock.
"I hate you Jack," I huff.
"Have fun love," he says, and gives me a little push in the direction of the ramp.
Thank you for reading :)