"But you said—" "You said, madam. I merely listened. It was your assumption that all men who sail under a particular flag are barbarians and pirates. I, however, never once mentioned kidnapping or ransom demands." "That first day . . . when you recognized Michael..." "What exactly did I do?" He arched a brow. "You ... you . . ." "I put you in a cabin—my own, to be precise—and endeavored to make you both as comfortable as possible under the circumstances. It was no fault of mine your imaginations carried you off in twenty separate directions at once." "I did not imagine being raped," she said coldly, feeling her face and throat flush a deep angry red. "No." He paused and a tic pulled at a muscle high on his cheek. "No, and for what it is worth, I regretted losing my temper at the time." "So much so you repeated it that same night? And each night afterward, demanding my cooperation in return for the privilege of being allowed to eat and sleep aboard your ship? Really, Captain! Your remorse is touching." "I said I regretted my methods, madam, not the deed itself.
