Duke by Day, Rogue by Night by Katherine Bone Read Free Book Online

Sexton!”
    Frink propelled his blade forward, nearly burying it into Percy’s side. Warmth seeped down Percy’s hip. Ocean spray moistened his face. He couldn’t back down. He had to put an end to Frink’s tyranny even if it cost him his last breath.
    The ship rolled backward, pitching them both forward. Unable to catch his footing, Frink stumbled headfirst into the hold. Percy ran toward the hatch and peered into the darkness, searching for any sign that Constance was still alive. Groaning in agony, the Octavia measured her fate by inches. If he was going to get Constance off the ship alive, Percy knew he was going to have to jump in after her.
    Without hesitation, he leapt into the hold. Landing unsteadily on his feet, he took a moment to get his bearings, but was immediately pummeled from behind. Scrambling to protect himself, he sighted Frink out of the corner of his eye as the man attempted to slam another piece of wood onto his back. The blow struck him across the shoulder. He reared backward, then lunged forward and caught the wooden beam, jerking it out of Frink’s hands. He then slammed the jagged wood into the captain’s side. Frink fell to the bottom of the hull, cursed, and rolled onto his feet, producing a knife. Dodging a few well-placed thrusts that caught him along the sleeve, Percy pivoted around Frink, jerked the knife free, and locked the captain into a choke-hold.
    Fury unlike any he’d ever known seethed within him and a satisfied smile curved the corners of his mouth as he strangled the man unconscious. If he couldn’t find the man who’d financed Frink’s endeavors, at least he could gain satisfaction from killing the one who did his bidding, a man responsible for the demise of innocents.
    Light flickered above, illuminating wreckage floating about his feet. He scanned the frothy surface, his eyes searching hull to hull for any signs of Constance Danbury.
    â€œConstance!” he yelled.
    His ears alerted to every sound, he let Frink go and watched the man slip underwater. The burden of an empty future was a weightless concern compared to the life of the woman he had yet to find. He called her name again. Not long after, he heard a groaning plea rise above shifting timber, swelling water, and the bedlam above.
    â€œConstance?”
    â€œHelp!” He heard the faint request and sped into action.
    Searching the darkness, he spied fabric floating atop the foamy surface. He saw a hand claw the air and a head rise out of the freezing wash. Wood wept. Beams burst at the seams, spewing salt water about them in flowing rivulets. Shouts to abandon ship rang out above deck as the ship reeled at an awkward angle. The vessel moaned like thousands of murdered souls pleading release.
    Percy waded through the quickening wash and lifted Constance into his arms. Her head sagged. She appeared lifeless. He slapped her cheek. When she still didn’t respond, he dunked her into the water quickly rising up to his hip. The woman came up gasping, sucking in life-giving air.
    She screamed. The ship pitched again.
    Percy gave her a rough shake. “Do you know how to swim, woman?”

CHAPTER THREE
    â€œSwim?” She couldn’t swim.
    â€œIf you don’t,” he said, “we’re as good as dead.” He reached for her arm. “Take my hand. We’ve got to reach the top of the hold or we’ll go under with the ship.”
    â€œI’ll never make it!”
    â€œTrust me,” he pleaded.
    Constance sobbed. “I can’t,” she said. This time, she wasn’t talking about trust.
    Water swirled about her waist, inching higher and higher, the icy lather nearly reaching her breasts. He did not, could not know the demons he asked her to face.
    â€œYou must,” he said.
    â€œI can’t!” she exclaimed, her body and mind shutting down.
    â€œYou can and you will.”
    He spoke as though surviving shipwrecks had been a