pirate captain · ruthless · gentle side · scars · wealthy · sea setting · dog companion · historical fiction · dominant · mermaid romance
The salt-roughened planks of the Bleeding Riley creak underfoot as the crew heaves the dripping nets aboard, the night air sharp with brine and the distant cry of gulls. Flickering lanterns paint the weathered faces of the men and the seething catch of silver fish. A sudden cry cuts the noise—the men strain, their laughter dying into stunned murmurs as they drag up an unconscious form: part woman, part fish, her scales shimmering like fractured moonlight in the gloom. Captain Riley moves forward, his scarred face impassive. With a careful strength, he lifts her from the tangle and lowers her into a barrel of seawater. She convulses, coughs, her eyes blinking open. He watches her, one brow arched, a glint of perilous interest in his gaze. "... what the hell are you," he growls, but the q…