“Flory, I love you. Dammit, calm down, and I shall explain everything,” he demanded.
He loves me?
Florence stared at him, her chest heaving with emotion. She felt confused, her pride wounded by his duplicity. It was clear he’d made a complete fool of her.
“Explain away, dear. How can I resist after you gave me such sweet and happy nuptials?” she sneered.
How indeed?
“Sarcasm is beneath you,” he scolded.
“I think the addition of a coiled rope about your neck would become you,” she snapped waspishly.
A comical grimace crossed his face; he slammed his fist against his heart and staggered.
“Flory, you wound me! Moments ago, you sought to save me from a gallows death.”
Another thought pierced her mind. Herbert must have known about Carlton’s deception.
“Did Herbert know aught of this?” It was all she could do to speak her brother’s traitorous name.
Her husband’s face turned serious.
“Yes. He and your father both wrote to me, long before we wed. Each man warned me of your wild nature and wilful disposition. I concocted a plan to teach you the error of your ways. I planned to kidnap you from your accommodation in Kingston, pretending to be a buccaneer in order to tame your headstrong character. I decided to use my ship, The Sea Maiden, for our honeymoon, enacting out my charade. However, your unpredictable behaviour landed you in the slave market. Poor Herbert was forced to buy his own sister in order to keep you safe.”
Florence was flabbergasted.
“Herbert knew I was aboard your ship?”
“He was aboard when you arrived.”
“What?”
He oversaw your safe delivery, which was why you were blindfolded.
“One of your men hit me, and he did nothing?” she cried, furious.
“The man was not one of my sailors; he worked for the auctioneer who runs the slave market. I was beside myself when Herbert told me that he’d stuck you. Herbert assured me that he would make a full complaint on his return ashore.”
“How very good of him,” she snapped. “And the admiral?” she managed to ask next. Florence wondered if he could hear their raised voices.
“Robert will have left here by now. He kindly agreed to accompany you to make certain you didn’t abscond at the first opportunity. The admiral is an old friend and a good egg. He told me he was utterly bemused when you appeared on his ship with your tale of kidnap by your own husband. He kept quiet, realising that I must have had a very good reason for hiding my true identity from you.”
He stepped out from behind the desk and edged towards her.
Florence found it difficult to grasp the reality of the situation. “Herbert bought me?” she muttered, bemused.
“I have recompensed him, naturally,” he soothed.
“Bastards all!” she yelled.
A violent trembling overcame her. With a shriek, she launched herself at him, raking her nails down the side of his face.
He grabbed the offending arm, spun her about, so that her back pressed against his chest. He towed her along with him until he reached the desk chair, dropping into it. Although she struggled, Florence was no match for him. He easily dragged her down across his hard lap.
“NO,” she bellowed, thrashing her legs.
He didn’t reply but tugged her gown above her waist. She churned, flailing desperately. A hard slap landed on the back of one thigh. She squealed with outrage. Another landed higher up her opposite leg. He hefted her firmly against his waist, securing her wrist in the centre of her back. A weight landed over her legs. Florence realised she was trapped.
“I love you, Flory, but you really have to learn to control that vile temper,” he reprimanded as his hand connected with her rump in a resounding thwack.
“Bastard!” she squealed for the second time.
“I object to being called that as much I objected to being called a filthy pirate. I am none of those things. Now settle down, for you will be over my knee for quite some time, Mrs… Ah, I am sorry; I quite forgot you like to be called Lady Dowdeswell.”
“You are nothing but a…a rogue!” she panted between gasps. He was not playing. This spanking hurt!
“You still have no idea how close you came to complete disaster with your damnable rebelliousness, do you?”
The stinging smacks halted. She slumped over his knee, relieved by the reprieve.
“Do you?” he repeated.
What was the question?
“Flor-ence!” He punctuated the two syllables with hard slaps.
“Ouch! I didn’t hear you!” she complained.
“Then listen to me. You came within a hair’s breadth of disaster when you avoided your chaperone at the market. If Herbert had not found you and bid on you, then Christ only knows where you would be now. Probably shark’s bait.”
“Why didn’t Herbert simply call a stop to the auction? It was utterly unforgivable of him to bid for his sister!” she cried indignantly.
“This is not England, my darling; Herbert might have been shot had he tried to take you from the slave market. It was by far the safest way to save you. He was sensible to keep on bidding until he won you.”
He called me darling!
“If a true pirate captain had won you, he would have used you cruelly and then passed you onto the crew who would then have had their sport. Had you still lived at the end of the ordeal, they would have thrown you overboard for the sharks to finish. Nobody would have known what had become of you. Your father, brother, and I would have been devastated.”
He peppered her bottom cheeks with number of rapid spanks.
“You cad. I want to return to England at once!” she cried.
“Why so?”
“You have purchased other women before me! You have a trunk of ladies’ clothing in your cabin. I refuse to stay and be humiliated by you and your hussies!”
It appeared that Carlton immediately understood her vitriolic accusation was driven by jealousy because he stayed his hand and explained.
“The trunk of clothing is your trousseaux, my darling, forwarded here by your mother. I assure you that I have never bought, nor paid for a woman in my life. I wanted to have a bit of fun with you while I taught you the consequences of your capricious actions.”
“In that case, how did you learn to…Um…?”
He chuckled. “Swive?” he finished.
“Not a word a lady would use, but yes,” she muttered primly.
He chuckled.
“A lovely young widow, who has long since returned to England on the arm of another man, and before you ask who, a gentleman never tells.”
“I see.” Florence was certain that given time she could wheedle the widow’s name from him.
“Darling, what we have is nothing like my liaison with the widow. I make love to you, I love you. I assure you, I have never loved another woman.”
He keeps calling me darling and he said he loves me, but…
“Hmm… Well, what about when we played chess? If I had guessed the origin of the game of chess correctly, would you have told me who you were?” she asked, mollified by his declaration of love.
“Half of me wanted to tell you the truth, yes, which was why I devised the question.”
“Oh.”
“Yes. Oh.”
Her breath hitched. He palmed her bottom, caressing her stinging flesh.
“You disobeyed me, little Flory. I told you to remain in the cabin when the Archimedes came alongside, and what did you do?” he asked, his gravelly voice deceptively mild.
Florence wriggled her hips. A small smile curved her lips, one she was pleased he could not see. A sharp smack fell, reminding her to answer him.
“I ran away,” she whispered.
“You… Ran… Away,” he echoed dramatically.
His hand slipped down the curve of her buttock cheek and into her cleft; his fingers explored her; an involuntary
moan escaped her lips.
“Naughty girl, you enjoy spanking far too much for it to be a deterrent; although, I wonder how you would react to my cock buried deep in your pretty red arse after a spanking?”
Even while Florence gasped at his vulgar words, a deep, churning excitement tightened her gut.
“Well, well, it seems I have my answer.” The wet, succulent sound of a woman aroused filled the room as he fondled her. After a while, she could no longer control her panting breath. He could be in no doubt of her desire.
Then his hand stilled.
“Darling, will you give me a month before you decide whether to leave me? If at the end of that time you still wish to return to England, I shall personally escort you home aboard The Sea Maiden.” For the first time since she’d met him, his voice sounded conciliatory.
She smiled.
Again, he called me darling!
She did not hesitate. “I agree.”
There was no need to tell him that she would never leave him—could never leave him. After everything he had put her through, let him suffer a little before she finally admitted to him that she loved him to distraction and could not countenance becoming parted from him. The adventure she’d craved had only just begun, and with her handsome, buccaneer husband beside her, Florence intended to make the most of every single moment of their lives together.
About Vanessa Brooks
International bestselling author, Vanessa Brooks, lives in the heart of Sussex. Her passion is history and when she is not writing steamy romances, peppered with strong, sexy heroes, she spends her time out and about with her husband, eating cream teas and exploring Britain's many castles and stately homes; absorbing the past and dreaming up her next romantic plot!
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Taken by Sin
by Sky Purington
Prologue
New Providence Island, The Bahamas
Nassau
1717
Luke crossed his arms over his chest and eyed the rings and ropes at the head of his bed with anticipation, already envisioning his captive there. She would writhe and beg him for more, regretting she had ever taunted him. She would rue all her ruthless flirtation and finally pay the consequences of her actions.
“Cap’n,” Robert called out. “Yer brother’s waitin.’”
“Aye then.” He joined his quartermaster on deck. “I will send word once I know the plan.”
Robert nodded and clapped him on the shoulder. “Wishin’ ye luck, Cap’n.” He winked. “And treasure ye’ve long been seekin.’”
“No luck needed,” he grunted. “She’ll be mine by nightfall.”
He joined Thomas ashore, and flirted with a wench in passing before his brother’s quartermaster, Charles, confirmed the McCullen sisters’ arrival. One was being brought to the brothel and the other auctioned off by Blackbeard.
“Why is he selling her?” Luke frowned. “Usually, women end up in the brothel.”
“Seems one of ‘em did.” Charles tapped his temple. “The other ain’t so bright. Deaf, dumb and mute they say.” He shrugged. “So they're seein' what they can get for her.” He shook his head. “They didn’t even have a chaperone so the crew might’ve already had a run at ‘em.”
Luke clenched his jaw. He would kill any who touched them.
Her.
Rather then dwell on uncertainties, he focused on what he knew. An easy deduction based on what Charles had just said about one of the sisters supposedly being mute.
Blackbeard was selling Rose to be sure.
Hannah would never be able to keep her mouth shut.
His mouth watered at the thought of Hannah being so close. Of finally having her right where he wanted her. He could already feel her silky pale blonde locks as he dug his hands into her hair. Hear her denial followed by moans of acceptance.
He enjoyed the luscious sights as they strode into town. The air smelled of sweat, perfume, and sex. The wenches were willing and eager. He would miss this place and its deviant ways. But not so much that he wouldn't trade it all to claim his prize.
To have his payback.
They headed into the tavern and kept to rowdy talk of bidding and the wonders awaiting the chap who claimed Rose. Yet all the while, he envisioned Hannah, eager to claim what she had taunted him with for so long. Before they headed out of the tavern a short time later, rum in hand, a trunk was carried in. Its crest verified the rumors were true.
The McCullen sisters had been captured.
And, just as he suspected, Rose was being auctioned off.
“We hang back,” Thomas murmured out of the corner of his mouth to Luke and Charles. “Lest she spy us.”
He was right to suggest it. He and his brother were taller than most and stood out in a crowd. More importantly, they drew women’s eyes. So they stopped at the fringes and leaned against the overhang of a building that shielded them from the dais.
Moments later, Rose was dragged onto it and held on display.
Naturally, men hooted and hollered.
“Where’s the other one?” Luke scanned the windows of the brothel, barely able to contain his excitement and perhaps a smidge of concern. As it were, Hannah was his. The thought of anyone else having her was inconceivable. “Has Blackbeard let anyone at ‘er yet?”
“Not yet, don’t think.” Charles licked his lips, playing his mock role well. “Rumor has it she’s tied up and waitin’ for her first customer.”
Luke’s heart leapt in fresh anticipation, and he grinned. “Is that right?”
Thomas shot his brother a warning look reminding him that they had a mission. He better not get distracted when the time came but get her out of there. If he faltered, it would cost them both their lives.
He and Thomas plus men they could trust from their ships had talked at length about this. Everyone knew what was on the line and understood the various things that could go wrong. Luke getting hung up on finally having Hannah at his disposal on a bed could put a serious kink in their plan in more ways than one.
As it happened, Rose was sold to a pirate named Big Devil, which in itself could cause issues. After all, his crew, or rats as they were called, had a way of knowing everything all the time.
Either way, they had to move forward with their plan.
A plan that became far riskier when they joined the pirates riffling through the sisters’ trunk and realized what was in there. Worse yet, that one of Big Devil’s rats likely figured it out too.
Chapter 1
“What do they intend to do with her?” Hannah tried to yank her arm away from the pirate pulling her along. “What are they doing with my sister?”
“Same thing as ye, wench.” He tossed her a lecherous grin, his blackened teeth almost as disgusting as his foul breath. “Puttin’ her to good use.”
Somehow she highly doubted that. Rose was being led in a different direction.
“Tell me where they are taking her this very minute,” she demanded. “Or you will suffer the consequences.” She nodded once. “Mark my words.”
“How’s that then?” He eyed her over. “Ye don’t look infested.” He yanked her close, inhaled her hair and groaned. “Nay, ye’er as fresh as a flower. So what are these consequences ye're yappin’ about?”
“Get ‘er upstairs,” another said in passing. “Or Blackbeard’ll have yer hide.”
Blackbeard? Well, that did not sound promising. But then none of these swines did. Nor the women they kept company with. One of which blew her a kiss in passing before Hannah was dragged upstairs in a building full of painted women and leering miscreants.
Hannah notched her chin. “Do you know who I am?” She gave the lout pushing her into a room a self-important look. “I am the niece of a well renowned Vi
rginia plantation owner.” She gave him a knowing look and told a boldface lie. “One who would pay a handsome price for the safe return of his nieces.”
She could not imagine a world in which her uncle cared that much, but this brute didn’t need to know that.
The pirate shook his head. “Wench ye’re only worth what’s ‘tween yer pretty thighs.” He squeezed her cheeks and forced her lips into a purse. “And what this can do.”
When he tossed her on the bed, she tried to scramble off, but he was stronger than he looked. She knew she should be terrified, but all she felt was rage when he pinned her down.
How dare he?
Who did he think he was?
A bloody pirate, you fool, Luke would have said if he were here, and you best remember that before you get yourself killed. Naturally, that only infuriated her more and she lashed out at the pirate to no avail.
Despite her struggles and getting in a few good punches and scratches, her wrists were tied to the headboard and her legs to the end posts.
“If I did not fear for my life touchin’ ye without payin’ first,” he grunted, clearly angry and aroused as he wiped blood from his lip, “I’d already be between yer thighs and punishin’ ye good for that.”
She nearly bit back with something scathing but ended up listening to Luke’s annoying voice in her head. Did he know their ship had been overtaken by pirates? That she and Rose were at the mercy of these blackguards? But then how could he. Just because he was a pirate himself didn’t mean he knew all the goings-on in this pitiful place.
“I will see ye in a bit,” the pirate promised. “For ye’re worth yer weight in gold ye little hellion.”
Then he left, slamming the door shut behind him.
Rather than focus on her terrifying predicament, she listened to what was happening outside the open-air windows to her right. What were they doing with Rose? The gentler, naïve, and certainly more vulnerable of the two, she feared for her younger sister. She could not handle what the likes of these monsters might do to her. So she prayed Rose fared better than her.
Pirates, Passion and Plunder Page 43