Had I known the repercussions of murdering the captain of a pirate ship, I may have taken the time necessary to rethink the act. As if I've ever had a choice that didn't involve a fight or at the very least, defending myself against some man, hell bent on destroying me or my kin. All we wanted was our freedom. All we found were demons disguised as men. A woman pirate needs friends, big strong male friends, to survive in this unforgiving land of thieves and murderers-at least until she gets on her feet. Of course, trying to find one person you can trust is like finding an oyster with a perfect pearl in it-you have to break a few shells and get your hands dirty. We were lucky. I found the biggest, baddest and most honorable man in the Caribbean and he just happened to be in the pearl business.