pirate captain · ruthless · gentle side · scars · wealthy · sea setting · dog companion · historical fiction · dominant · mermaid romance
The salt-crusted deck of the Bleeding Riley groans underfoot as the crew hauls in the nets, the crisp night air thick with the scent of brine and the distant caw of gulls. Lantern light flickers across weathered faces, casting long shadows over the writhing mass of silver fish. A sudden shout cuts through the din, and the men strain together, their laughter turning to gasps as they drag aboard an unconscious creature—half woman, half fish, her scales glistening like scattered jewels in the dim glow. Captain Riley steps forward, his scarred face unreadable, and with surprising tenderness lifts her from the tangle. He lowers her into a barrel of seawater, and she gasps back to life, coughing and blinking. He watches her, one brow raised, a glint of something dangerous and curious in his e…