Chapter 28: Broken Hearts Are Dry

The coin in his fingers sparkles as the sunlight filters through the window, catching Eleanor's attention and distracting her from her work.

She sighs heavily, hoping it will be enough for him to get the message.

But of course it isn't.

So the blonde looks up with an angry scowl, finding the pirate watching her, a smirk tugging at his lips.

"Is there something you need?" He asks, clearly enjoying this, and she scoffs.

"Yes. I need you to stop playing with that stupid coin."

"Why?"

"It's fucking annoying, and I can't concentrate." She lies. It doesn't let her concentrate, yes, but not because she finds it annoying.

It drives her crazy, every time she sees him with that coin, doing that thing, these skilled fingers moving so easily.

She presses her thighs together and the bastard gets up, walking around the desk, her heart skipping a beat when he stops inches from her chair.

"You're lying."

She gets to her feet with an incredulous look in her eyes, trying to push him away. "You're impossible. Get out. You're keeping me from making any progress today."

He refuses to move. Instead, he pushes her against the desk, his hands coming to rest on its surface on either sides of her body, effectively trapping her.

"What the fuck? Get out, I need to take care of this stuff-"

"And I think you need to relax." He cuts her off, leaning closer, satisfied when she doesn't try to resist further.

The blonde glances down at his lips, chest heaving. And he finally closes the small distance between them, kissing her while she slowly moves her hands to his hair.

He pushes her against the desk again, this time helping her sit on the edge of it and stepping between her thighs, hands leaving her waist to lift her skirts to her knees.

As the air hits the now exposed skin of her legs, she breaks the kiss, looking around briefly with wide eyes before meeting his intense gaze again.

"What if-"

"Shh." He cuts her off, moving his lips to her neck while his hands on her lower back pulled her closer.

Her eyes fall closed while he kisses his way to her collarbones, reaching the buttons on the front of her blouse. A curse leaves her lips when he opens the first one using his teeth, heat traveling through her body, her hands tightening in his hair.

He soon has all the buttons undone, one warm hand finding her right breast and squeezing it firmly. A gasp escapes her and she opens her eyes, glancing over her shoulder at the big double doors behind them.

His teeth tug at her earlobe, that grave voice speaking in her ear.

"You locked them. Relax."

His voice should definitely be illegal.

Her whole body feels as if it's on fire and she nods slightly before kissing him again, knowing full well that she wouldn't be able to push him away at this point.

Her legs wrap around his hips, urging him impossibly closer and he brings his hands to her thighs, pulling her skirts even higher until her legs are completely exposed.

He breaks their kiss, satisfied to see her so breathless before giving her a half smirk, his hand traveling down her stomach.

"You said it was annoying you, seeing me with the coin... Maybe because you wanted my fingers somewhere else?"

Her eyes fall closed and she gasps sharply when his hand reaches its destination, two fingers easily slipping inside her and repeating the movements from earlier.

Her worries about someone seeing them like this are slowly being forgotten, the pirate biting at the skin of her neck before bringing his lips to her ear while she tries her best not to make too much noise. Mr. Scott was right outside the door.

"That's it. Now every damn time you see me playing with the coin, you will remember this. Remember this feeling. Remember what I'm doing to you here, in your father's desk."

His fingers pick up their pace with each sentence and she has to drop her head to his shoulder before biting his neck to keep herself from moaning too loud.

But then the bastard pulls away, his fingers still inside her, and she watches in delight, anticipation and horror as he drops to his knees, giving her a smirk before burying his face between her thighs, that talented tongue intensifying her pleasure.

The blonde tries covering her mouth with one hand and for a while it works, she's able to keep herself from making too much noise, but as he doubles his efforts, determined to make her lose control, the hand covering her mouth quickly drops to his hair.

She throws her head back, any thoughts about Mr. Scott hearing anything flying out the window as nonsense tumbled from her lips.

"Charles..."

So close.

So fucking close.

"Charles!" Eleanor gasps sharply, shooting up in bed.

Her brain is foggy with confusion as she looks around her room with a frown, trying hard to catch her breath and calm her racing heart.

It takes her a few seconds to understand that she had been just dreaming.

Dreaming about a wonderful afternoon at the tavern. It may have gotten her into big trouble with Mr. Scott, but it was worth it.

So worth it.

Tears burn in her eyes as she remembers that day. The dream had been so clear, with all the details, and she could still feel his touch...

Why did she have to wake up so soon? It hadn't been her alarm clock, it's Saturday and she was allowing herself to sleep in today.

Her eyes settle on her phone and she realizes that she had received a text.

There. That's what woke her up. And anger spreads in her chest when she reads the message Rogers had sent her.

"I was wondering if my possible future bride would want to join me for dinner tonight? There's much we need to talk about."

She clenches her jaw, turning the phone off before laying back down.

The first nice dream she had in weeks, a perfect, perfect dream... and that idiot had to ruin everything.

"I hate you so fucking much, Woodes." Eleanor says quietly to the darkness of the room, desire still flowing through her veins, her skin covered in goosebumps.

Even in dreams, Charles has that effect on her. And it's so damn frustrating.

Knowing she wouldn't be able to get any more sleep now, the blonde heads to her bathroom, surprised to see how flushed her face still is, her heart beating wildly.

With a groan, she undresses and steps into the shower. It feels like her body is longing for his touch, desperate, like she's some sort of crackhead in rehab.

But she knows deep down, that that this is an addiction she will never be free from.

She couldn't do it in her past life, after his death.

And she sure as hell won't be able to do it in this life either.


Charles stares at the computer screen while he and Jack did some research, trying to learn as much as they possibly could about the Somali pirates.

But as hard as they looked, the men were unable to find anything that could lead them to Teach.

Charles rubs his forehead, sighing heavily, and Jack shakes his head before glancing at his leader.

"You know who would probably be able to help us with this?" He asks, catching the criminal's attention before continuing. "Mary. I remember her saying something about how she saw these guys before. Maybe we could try to reach her somehow?"

Charles shakes his head. "That woman disappeared in the world, Jack. You know that. It's been years. I have no idea what happened to her, or if she's even still alive."

"Still. Maybe it would also, uh, be good for you."

Jack moves away slightly when his leader throws him a sharp look, anger flickering in his eyes. "And what the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"You know, she was the closest thing you ever had to a serious relationship, besides Eleanor of course. Maybe if we found her, she could help us with Teach, and also help distract you from Miss Guthrie."

He clenches his jaw, his eyes filling with warning.

"Don't ever do this again. Don't ever imply that Eleanor can be replaced."

"I wasn't-" He runs a hand through his hair, exasperated, knowing it was useless trying to argue with Charles.

Especially about that.

"All I'm saying is... Maybe we should try and track Mary down. I feel like she may be our best shot at finding Teach. Perhaps our only chance."

"Good luck with that. Assuming she's even still alive, Mary clearly doesn't want to be found. You may be trying to achieve something impossible here."

His accomplice smirks at him. "Have you forgotten? Nothing is impossible for Jack Rackham."


A smile plays on Eleanor's lips as she watches her father figure from the couch. Scott is staring out the window with a scowl, tapping his fingers against the wall impatiently.

"So this is my karma." He finally says and she can't help but chuckle.

"I know you don't like this... But think about Madi. She really wants this to work."

The man finally turns around to face her, taking a step closer to the couch.

"I just wish she had found someone better for-" His words are cut off when the front door opens and the blonde gets up, walking to him and touching his arm while he stares at the entrance to the living room.

"Be nice." Eleanor says with a raised eyebrow and he rolls his eyes, just as his daughter appears, holding hands with the blue eyed con man.

There's an awkward silence for a moment, and then Madi finally clears her throat.

"This is not how I expected to 'introduce' someone to my father." Her attempt at making the atmosphere lighter fails miserably and Eleanor grimaces, throwing her an encouraging look.

John forces a smile, taking a step forward and not averting his eyes from Scott's. "It's uh... Good to see that you're alive. And that you were able to be with your daughter this time. I can already see that this had a huge, wonderful impact on her. She's different now."

His eyes briefly settle on Eleanor, and she doesn't fail to recognize the disgust that flickers in the light blue orbs, but John doesn't say anything.

He knows it probably wouldn't be a good idea to antagonize her right now, when he's trying to make a good impression for the man who loves her as his daughter.

A slight frown comes to her face while she watches the con man.

Maybe there's a chance you'll be able to help me with finding Flint?

She will definitely need to ask him if he has any clue as to the man's whereabouts. It doesn't hurt to try.

But later.

She won't disrespect this moment. It's too important for Madi.

Speaking of her, Eleanor doesn't think she's ever seen her so nervous.

She's biting her lip, her posture stiff, and when she meets her eyes, there's a message clear in them.

Thank you for being here and helping to keep my father calm.

The blonde nods softly, just as Mr. Scott sighs beside her. "I don't really like the idea of my little girl with a con man. But she's smart, and I trust that she knows what she's doing. Just let me warn you, Silver. If you hurt her in any way, things will get really, really ugly for you." He says in a stern voice and John nods.

"I won't do anything to hurt her. Never. I have no hidden motives here, all I want is to be with Madi again. That's all. I want to make your daughter happy, be a part of this family. And I just hope you'll be okay with that, because..." He glances at Madi, a loving smile tugging at his lips. "...I'm not going anywhere."

Mr. Scott nods, watching the couple closely. Briefly, an image comes to Eleanor's mind as she smiles softly.

Her father and Charles getting along, talking. In peace. Sharing simple conversations, without any signs of hostility.

For a second she allows herself to think about that impossible scenario, and how much she wishes it could happen.

But she's soon brought back to reality as Madi laughs happily, John dropping a kiss to the top of her head, both clearly relieved that this awkward moment was over.

Her smile falters as she watches the scene.

They look so happy together.

How she wishes things could be like this for her and Vane too.

And it could have been like this. If there were no betrayals, no violence, no hurtful words.

It hurts to think about this.

With a soft sigh, she walks out the front door of the house, sitting down on the front steps and watching the sunset.

A few minutes later, the door opens behind her, and she smiles weakly when Mr. Scott sits down by her side.

"It wasn't so bad, was it?" She asks and he sighs heavily, shaking his head.

"I was able to raise Madi in this life. I saw her first steps, her first words, took her to her first day of school. I was there to chase away every bad dream, to treat her bruised knees. I saw her grow up right before my eyes every day, and I am so grateful for that. And now, suddenly... I realize just how much she's grown." He finally looks over at her, a bittersweet look in his eyes. "My little girl... My two little girls are grown women now. And I have no idea how this happened so fast. Can you explain that to me, Eleanor? Where are the two stubborn girls who loved to play pranks on me?" He asks with a frown and the blonde smiles softly.

"We grew up. Because we had you to watch over us. And we are so fucking lucky for that."

Silence stretches for a few minutes, and she simply knows there's something he wants to ask her.

"Just go ahead and ask whatever you want to know."

He rubs his forehead with a sigh. "I know you are... having some trouble with handling the recovered memories, and I hate it that you're keeping me at arm's length when it comes to it. I wish you would just let me help you. Your mother and I are worried sick about you, Eleanor."

"You don't have to be. I'm coping just fine."

"Then why did Max call me the other day to tell me you've been screaming out for Vane in your sleep, crying and having nightmares every night?"

She looks over at him immediately with a scowl. She knew full well that this was happening. Max slept at the mansion twice after their memories were recovered and during both times, she woke Eleanor up in the middle of the night, eyes filled with concern, to tell her she had been screaming the Captain's name desperately in her sleep.

Of course, the blonde only wiped her tears away and ignored her friend's worried looks, laying back down and pretending to sleep.

"Why did she tell you that?"

"Because just like me, Caroline and Madi, she is worried about you and your well being. As well as your... safety."

"My safety." Eleanor says with a scoff, shaking her head. "You guys don't have to worry about that. I promise. Yes, Vane is really angry at me, of course, but I assure you, he will not do anything to harm me-"

"I'm not talking about Captain Vane." Mr. Scott cuts her off, watching her closely with a haunted look in his eyes. "I'm talking about Rogers."

She frowns at him, not averting her eyes for a second. "What about him?"

"Madi told me everything that happened three centuries ago. I think you should stay away from that man, Eleanor."

She sighs, glancing down at her phone. "I'm just trying to... handle this the best way I can. Woodes helps me. He truly does. I got close to him before my death, as you must know, and he... I just need something familiar, you know? Right now, this is the best path I see for me. With him, and my father... The Company. It gives me some peace of mind."

"You're lying." He says with a shake of his head. "You feel that this is wrong. After everything that happened in this life before our memories came back... It caused you to question what is right for you. Who deserves your loyalty. And now that we remember everything, I think you realized that the answer to these questions is not the one you wanted, is it?" He pauses when her phone lights up, a text from Rogers appearing at the screen.

Mr. Scott clenches his jaw at the phone before continuing.

"Richard failed you, again. And that man you thought you loved... You see it now, that he's no good for you. You know that if you choose this path, you will be unhappy for the rest of your life. And you have no idea how to deal with that, do you? You try to cling to this illusion, that your father will treat you differently if you marry Rogers, you think the three of you will build something together, manage that Company and be one perfect, happy family. That's all you wanted three centuries ago. And now you see what you believe is a chance to have it all. However... at the same time you think about everything that happened, all the lessons you learned in this life. And there's something that tells you you're following the wrong path. It's killing you, isn't it?"

She stays silent, trying hard to fight away the tears that gather in her eyes and refusing to look at Mr. Scott.

When the sun finally sets, Eleanor gets up with a sigh, glancing back at him as he does the same.

"I have to go get ready. I have... plans tonight." She says, sounding like a child who was caught doing something wrong, and his eyes fill with alarm.

"What plans?"

"I will go out for dinner. With Rogers."

Mr. Scott closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before looking at her face again. "Take the knife I gave you, alright? Please."

"I don't think it's necessary. But if it makes you feel better, then I will."

He walks with her to the red Porsche, watching with a heavy heart as his little girl gets on the driver's seat and sends an audio message to Rogers, saying that their dinner plans were still on.

She lets the phone drop to the passenger seat, looking up at him with apologetic eyes. "I'm sorry if this makes you worried. But I just need to do what I feel it's best for me."

Mr. Scott sighs heavily, a brief scowl coming to his face before he shakes his head, speaking in a tired voice. "I never thought I would say this, but... I wish you were with Vane."

Me too.

She averts her eyes, starting the car. "Vane's in the past. I need to think about the future."

"As much as I hated to see you with that damn butcher... at least I knew that he would move mountains and seas to keep you safe. Unlike that idiot, who put you in danger's way and caused your end."

She thinks about his words for a second before forcing a smile and closing the door, watching him through the rolled down window as he takes a step back.

"Sorry to disappoint you." Is all she says before rolling the window up and driving away, leaving an extremely concerned Mr. Scott behind.

He watches the red Porsche until it gets out of sight, sighing heavily.

"What I wouldn't give to make you and Madi little again. Things were so much easier."


Later that night, Eleanor tries her best to ignore the uncomfortable feeling of the tight dress she had chosen. The expensive fabric rubbing against her skin was driving her crazy, and the blonde was starting to regret her choice of wearing high heels too.

She's tired as the result of not sleeping well for weeks, and the extra effort of walking in heels is not what she needed right now.

Plus, the makeup on her skin is fucking annoying. She hates having to be careful not to smudge her lipstick and mascara.

Rogers doesn't seem to notice her discomfort at all, going on and on about a weekend he was planning. He wants to take the Eurydice, his yacht, out into the ocean, have a party on it. And of course, he expects her to come.

Why not? Maybe it will be fun. She could drag Abigail with her. The girl would surely like that.

As they approach the door to the fancy restaurant, she sees an African-American family walking from the opposite direction. It's a family of five. Two young children, a boy and a girl, walking beside their parents. The woman has a sleeping newborn baby in his arms, and as they get closer, Eleanor can see it's another boy. The father has his arm around his wife's shoulders, staring down at the baby lovingly.

The blonde smiles at the sight. A clearly happy, perfect family.

Just as they reach the door to the restaurant, the boy accidentally touches Rogers' arm with his shoulder as the family walks past them, and she notices the way he brushes the spot, clenching his jaw and glancing back at the children over his shoulder.

"Pests."

She frowns, looking up at his face. "Don't you like kids? I thought you did, you were holding Theodore back at that party."

"Oh, I do like children, don't get me wrong. But you see, Theodore is like us."

Her chest fills with disgust as she realizes what he means.

"You mean Theodore is white."

"Exactly. Don't be offended, Eleanor. I know your best friend has dark skin, as well as that security man you're so fond of. And I don't mean to sound like a racist, but you have to admit it. We're superior."

She clenches her jaw, looking at his face. "Superior how? They were the ones who had to endure centuries of slavery, in case you don't remember."

He shrugs. "I know, and it was awful, but that's just the way the world works, my lady. The weak suffer. The strong thrive."

She wants to punch him in the face so hard. "They are not weak. If anything, they are the strongest people in history."

"I disagree. But let's not argue over something so stupid. We have a pleasant dinner ahead of us." He flashes her a charming smile and she has to fight hard against the urge of leaving, taking a deep breath and walking inside the restaurant with him.


She's not sure if it's the wine, the boring conversation, the sleepless nights, or a mix of it all. But Eleanor is having trouble keeping her eyes open.

Thankfully, they are just about to leave, and after paying for their dinner, Rogers frowns when he meets her eyes.

"You're pretty exhausted, aren't you, darling? What's wrong?"

She nods with a sigh. "Insomnia. It's awful."

"Well, at least you look like you'll fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow tonight." He says with a smile and she forces herself to smile back, watching as he gets up from the table.

If only he knew. It's not falling asleep that's the problem. It's what comes after that.

The sight of the man she loves dying right before her eyes.

Trying hard to banish Charles from her mind, she accepts Rogers' arm and he helps her to her feet, making no move to let go of her as they walk out the door. The blonde doesn't try to pull her arm away from him either.

She's too tired to fight anyway, and it's getting a little cold.

They walk in silence to his silver Range Rover and he opens the passenger door for her, smiling softly as she sits down before shrugging off his suit jacket and putting it around her shoulders.

The drive back to the mansion is silent at first, her eyelids feeling heavier with each passing second before he speaks, the sudden sound of his voice causing her to jump slightly.

"It will take us a while to reach the mansion. You can doze off if you want, alright? You're barely keeping your eyes open, my lady." He says, glancing over at her and she nods silently, leaning her head against the window and closing her tired eyes.

His suit jacket is still safely around her shoulders, keeping her warm, and she takes a deep breath, the scent of his expensive cologne invading her senses.

It feels strange.

It just feels so fucking weird. Feeling sleep overcome her while breathing in his scent instead of Charles'.

"This isn't right." Is her last thought before she dozes off.

Rogers glances at her every now and again with a soft smile, enjoying the sight of the blonde sleeping in his car, with his suit jacket around her shoulders.

He won.

"I knew I'd be able to tame you sooner or later. And what a challenge that was." The man thinks, chuckling softly to himself before turning his attention back to driving.


By the time they finally reach the mansion, Eleanor is already in a deep sleep and Rogers gets out of the car before opening the door to the passenger's seat.

He slowly, carefully gathers her sleeping form in his arms, an adorable soft scowl coming to her face as she opens her eyes a little to stare up at his face.

"It's okay. I got you. Just close your eyes. I'll carry you to your room."

For a second it looks like she will try to fight. But then the blonde simply nods, closing her eyes with a sigh and wrapping her arms around his neck.

Rogers slowly makes his way inside the mansion and up the grand staircase, her calm breathing telling him she's already asleep again.

Easily walking through the dark corridors, he stops at the door to Richard's office. The man looks up from behind his desk, frowning slightly as if not believing what he was seeing. Rogers smirks at him.

"Permission to carry your daughter back to the safety of her room, Sir?"

Richard smiles brightly, getting up from his chair and walking to the door.

"I have no idea how in the world you are managing to achieve this, Woodes, but just keep doing whatever it is that you're doing." He says in a hushed voice, dropping a kiss to his daughter's head before clapping the man's back.

"I'm going to take sleeping beauty to bed, and then I'll stop here on my way back, alright?" he asks and the older man nods, a satisfied smile still on his lips while he makes his way back to his desk.


When Rogers finally makes it to her room, stepping inside and closing the door behind him, Eleanor stirs slightly in his arms, opening her eyes with a soft frown.

"Here we are, my lady." He says with a smile, setting her on the bed.

She looks around for a second before nodding and getting up.

"Do you want me to go get your nightwear for you?"

She starts to nod, gesturing towards the bathroom with her head, but then stopping herself when she remembers Charles' shirt hanging on the other side of the door.

"I'll do it myself. I need to clean my face anyway." The blonde says, making her way to the bathroom and glancing back at him over her shoulder. "Just a minute, alright?"

He nods with a smile and she takes off his suit jacket, handing it to him before locking herself in the bathroom.

Taking a deep breath, the blonde touches Charles' shirt with a sigh, wishing she could wear it right now. But Rogers can't see it.

So she undresses, enjoying the feeling of her soft satin nightgown replacing the uncomfortable dress before proceeding to clean the makeup from her face, brush her hair and teeth.

Once done, Eleanor hesitates when she brings her hand to the doorknob, glancing down at the revealing nightgown.

Its always drove Charles crazy to see her with it. Whenever he came here and saw her wearing it, she didn't even have time to breathe before he was on her, kissing her until she couldn't think of anything else but him.

A shiver goes down Eleanor's spine and she shakes her head to clear her thoughts.

She doesn't really want Rogers to see her like this. So the blonde reaches for her bathrobe, putting it on and successfully covering her exposed skin before making her way out of the bathroom.

Silence reigns as she lays down in bed, letting Rogers pull the blanket over her body while he sat down on the edge of the mattress.

"I had fun." She lies, looking up at his face in the faint light from the bedside table lamp. "Thank you for carrying me back here."

He nods with a brief chuckle. "It's no problem, Eleanor." His hand caresses hers for a moment. "I'm glad you're starting to open up to me. Thank you for that."

She watches his face for a moment, bringing one hand up to touch his left cheek. The scar wasn't there anymore. He didn't have it in this life.

She sighs, still touching his cheek as he watched her in silence.

"Would you like to... stay here with me tonight?" She finally asks, and he's taken aback at the question, raising his eyebrows at her.

"Believe me, my lady, there's nothing I want more. But I promised your father I would talk to him at his office before leaving, and I also have some... stuff to take care of with someone. So it will have to wait until some other time." He says with a weak smile and she nods, trying to ignore the relief spreading in her chest.

How is she supposed to try this thing with Rogers, if her traitorous body simply refuses to cooperate?

But she's never been the kind of person who gives up easily.

Propping herself up on one elbow, Eleanor moves the hand on his cheek to the back of his neck, leaning in to close the distance between them.

He responds to her kiss immediately, caressing her arm with one hand while the other ran through her blonde curls.

It's slow, and calm.

It's nice, she tries to tell herself.

And there's no sign of that unbridled passion and desire and heat she loved so much from every kiss she shared with Charles.

No matter how brief, every time the criminal - Pirate - kissed her, it was there. That highly addicting thing she just couldn't forget.

With Rogers, there's no sign of it.

It just feels empty.

It feels like a lie.

"Can't you see that you're lying to yourself?" Max's voice echoes in her mind and she tries hard to ignore the tears burning in her eyes.

He smiles softly, brushing her hair behind her ear when he pulls away.

They watch each other for a moment before he lifts his eyes to her balcony's door, a frown immediately coming to his face.

Her blood runs cold. What was he seeing?

Charles?

But then he shakes his head, getting up to walk towards the glass door, and Eleanor's eyes follow him.

"You shouldn't leave it unlocked like this, Eleanor. Someone could come inside during the night.

Little does he know, that's exactly what she wanted.

Ever since the memories came back a few weeks ago, she's been leaving the door unlocked, part of her still clinging to the hope that Charles would come in the middle of the night, lay down beside her and wrap his arms around her.

Sometimes she even dreams it's happening, only to open her eyes to an empty bed and break into tears.

And right now, as she watches Rogers lock the door and close the thick curtains, it just feels as another blow to her hope.

Vane won't show up here. Never again.


He doesn't want to believe it.

He really, really doesn't.

But it's right there before his eyes, and Charles clenches his jaw hard while he watches Eleanor's balcony through the binoculars.

There he is.

The fucking governor, locking the glass door and glancing over his shoulder to say something to her. She's probably laying in bed waiting for that idiot, and all the criminal wants to do is go there and kill Rogers right before Eleanor's eyes.

His hand tightens on the knife hidden beneath his leather jacket.

He wants her to see his blood. He wants to dig the sharp blade into the governor's guts, let them spill out on the carpet of her room while she screamed at him to stop.

And afterwards, he wants to see the fear and the pain in her eyes. He wants to press the bloody knife to her face, to smear the blood of her beloved on her cheeks before leaving her alone with his dead body.

The macabre thoughts continue to run through his mind and he almost gives in before getting a grip on himself, shaking his head while that idiot closed the thick curtains, keeping him from seeing what was going on inside Eleanor's bedroom.

It's better this way.

"So you're safe with your dear governor for tonight. Good for you." Charles says to himself, putting on his helmet and starting the motorcycle.

All he needs to do is get as far away from this fucking place as he can, and then have copious amounts of alcohol.

Maybe some opium too.

As he rides away from the mansion, the criminal can feel his heart breaking into a million pieces.


"Woodes, finally. I was thinking you wouldn't come." The man says as he enters the warehouse, and he gives him a smirk.

"I was taking care of some stuff with Richard Guthrie. Any progress here?"

Their brief conversation is cut off when the woman chained to the wall speaks in a voice filled with venom.

"Where's Davina?! What the fuck did you two monsters do to her?"

"The girl's safe. But she has no use for us. You, on the other hand... Tell us where is it." Rogers says and the woman seethes at him, pulling at her restraints.

"I already said I have no idea where your fucking family's heirloom is!"

"I find that hard to believe. We have proof that you were involved with the people who stole it."

"Fuck you." She says before spitting at the ground, close to their feet.

The man next to Rogers sighs, rubbing his tired eyes. "It's going to be harder than we thought."

He nods, looking away from the woman to meet the man's eyes.

"Can I expect you at the mansion later tonight? I would like to tell you about my latest progresses with my future bride."

"Miss Guthrie? I want to know all about it. Still can't believe you're actually being able to tame that wild woman. I'll just try 'talking' with this lovely lady for a little while longer, but I'll leave in an hour or so. Let's have some of father's best wine. Your approaching engagement calls for a celebration."

Rogers laughs, walking to the door before glancing back at him over his shoulder. "It sure does, after all that hard work. I'll be waiting for you back at the mansion then. Have fun with our lovely guest, brother."


Notes:

I remember when I was a child, how I thought that eating vegetables was the most disgusting thing ever.

Silly me. That was nothing compared to writing Rogers/Eleanor. Oh well. *sighs*

Next chapter teaser:

Anne stops suddenly, horror written all over her face, her eyes glued to the man on the other side of the street.

"Darling, what is it? What's wrong?" Jack brings a hand to her shoulder and Max frowns in confusion.

"That's him. That's my uncle."