The merchant ship is overtaken. Isolde meets Thorne on the blood-slicked deck and strikes the Parley bargain.

Thorne displays his prize to the crew. Isolde is moved into his private quarters.

The first night of the thirty-day contract. Thorne establishes the rules of his cabin. The focus is on the power dynamic and Isolde's sensory surrender.

Heavy fog rolls in. Thorne requires Isolde's cartography skills to navigate a dangerous reef. Competence meets high-tension physical proximity.

Thorne buys Isolde a chest of stolen finery. A chapter focused on the contrast of her luxury and his rugged physicality.

A rival pirate captain attempts to board the Sea Wraith. Thorne defends his property with terrifying violence.

They dock at a lawless port. Isolde must play the role of the compliant captive in a den of thieves.

An afternoon on a private, sun-drenched beach. The pursuit trope plays out in the shallows.

The merchant ship's crew returns for a rescue. Isolde has to choose between her old world and the dark freedom Thorne has given her.

The thirty days are up. Thorne offers her a boat and a heading home. Isolde realizes she would rather be his captive than anyone else's wife.