by Dawn Brower
His next words made her heart almost stop.
“Rubina is my sister.”
She had the worst luck of anyone alive. Only she would have the misfortune of being stuck in a room with the brother of the woman who’d ruined her life. Someone out there truly hated her.
Chapter Two
“Ignoring me isn’t going to solve all of your problems.” Damian stared at Pearla. The sun was low in the sky, illuminating her golden blonde hair. He could see why Noah had been attracted to the beauty. She’d been bloody obstinate for weeks. They’d managed small talk when it was required. Nothing personal or what they needed to discuss. She was pouting because he’d tried once again to broach the subject. “We are going to be stuck with each other for a while, so we might as well get to know each other.
When Rubina showed up at his ship near Palermo, he’d been overjoyed to find out she was alive. After he’d gotten over his shock he couldn’t stop hugging her. They rushed back to England to stop her husband’s wedding. Not once on their race to get there had they stopped to think how it would affect Noah’s fiancée. It saddened him that his sister’s happiness caused Pearla misery. When she’d told him her story, he wanted to hug her for different reasons. The lost and lonely look in her eyes called out to him. He wanted to erase all of her worries and make the world a better place for her. She was a headstrong woman though and refused to talk to him. How was he to ease her concerns if she wouldn’t share them?
If he was correct, Paolo had brought them together for a reason. Whatever nefarious scheme the evil man hatched could be their undoing. Paolo hated him, but hated Noah more. Pearla had been set to marry the duke. Hurting her only meant one thing: it was a way to get even with Noah for obtaining Rubina’s love. He’d gone over every detail in depth, and there was no other reason for Paolo to kidnap Pearla.
“I’d rather not.” She leaned against the cabin wall and folded her arms across her generous bosom. “If it’s all the same to you, please pretend I’m not here.”
Damian chuckled. Stubborn chit. “Let’s talk this over a bit.”
She turned toward him, her eyes a blue flame sparkling in the light. “I already told you I don’t want to speak to you. Why are you being so relentless?”
She needed him. Why couldn’t she see that? Damian would get through to her. He’d never been able to resist a woman in distress. Pearla put on a good show, but he recognized the fear she tried to suppress. He made her uncomfortable. It was up to him to put her at ease. She didn’t realize how fortunate she was to have him locked in the cabin with her. Any other man would have taken advantage of the situation. Honor prevented him from preying on innocents.
“Because we are in a bind, and you may not like it, but you and I are in this mess together.”
They’d been on the ship for days—no weeks. Damian had no idea how long she stewed in silence. She even ate their meager meals without complaint. What woman could hold back their disdain with such ease? Their captors didn’t make life easy for them. Each day had begun to blur into the next. It had to have been at least a fortnight, probably longer. It was time for her to stop being so bloody stubborn. They’d no doubt be reaching their destination soon.
“When we reach port, I will find a way out of this cabin and put as much distance between us as possible.” She lifted her hand and ran her fingers through her mess of curls. She cursed as they got stuck in a knot. They’d not been allowed baths, but they’d been provided with a pitcher of water, a small basin, and a bar of soap. Pearla had used the water and soap to wash her face and hair. He’d offered to help her, but she’d refused. Her hair dried into the mess of curls she fought to run her hands through.
“Do you have a brush in your reticule?” he asked.
Earlier, her eyes had been pure fire—the gaze she now threw him was pure ice. How she could go from one emotion to the next, Damian didn’t know, but he wanted to find out.
“Why do you ask?”
When would she give in and stop being so difficult? He’d let her use most of the water for bathing. He’d only had enough for a quick wash. Surely she’d start to see, at some point, he wasn’t a bad person and could be trusted. Damian sighed. “I can brush out the knots if you’ll let me.”
Pearla stared at him as if he’d grown three heads. Was it so odd for him to offer to help her? He wanted to make her as comfortable as possible. Noah had cared about her, and if something happened to his former fiancée he’d blame himself. His sister finally had her husband back. They didn’t need any unnecessary guilt from whatever Paolo had in store for them. He was a devious bastard and was capable of anything. Besides, Damian rather liked her. She appealed to him. The little details she did impart only wetted his appetite for more. Miss Montgomery was willful, brave, and full of surprises. All traits he found intriguing, and it didn’t hurt she was gorgeous.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Damian shrugged. “Suit yourself.”
He wasn’t going to force her to allow him to help. There would come a time he would need her to trust him. When they did reach a port, they would have to rely on each other to escape. If he pushed now, she’d be less likely to follow him to their own mutual safety. In the short time they’d been locked in the cabin together, she’d come to mean something to him. When given the opportunity he’d like to explore what was between them. Their situation was complicated and wrought with emotional overload.
Pearla dug through her reticule and pulled out a brush with a polished silver handle. With a sigh she picked up the brush and tried to run it through her golden strands. A bit of sunlight hit the handle of her brush and blinded him. Damian cursed and shielded his eyes. He couldn’t watch her with the sun daring to get in his way. Blasted sunlight. He wasn’t lost on the irony. He craved to be outside enjoying the sun’s warmth, but it was preventing him from enjoying the only lovely view available to him.
Pearla winced. Damian couldn’t stand watching her torture herself. “When are you going to give in and let me help you?”
He wanted to know if her hair was a silky soft as it looked. But he also wanted to help her, and she was refusing something so simple. He could brush her luscious locks better since he had easier access to the long tresses. They were so long that they fell past her waist in waves.
Damian clenched his fists at his side. These were not thoughts he should entertain. He needed the lady to trust him. It would do no good for her to know exactly how much he desired her. If she’d allow it.
No, he wouldn’t go there. She was not for him. His life was far too dangerous for a wife and children. He couldn’t risk a family when they’d only be at constant risk.
Another wince filled the room. Bloody hell, when would she give in? He thought Rubina was stubborn—Pearla took it to all new levels.
“Fine.” She threw the brush at him. “See if you can do a better job.”
“Why, cara, you beg so sweetly.” The corner of his mouth twitched. He fought the smile that wanted to form. “Since you asked so eloquently…”
Finally, permission to touch her. Yes, it was to brush her hair, but it was something he craved. One concession would lead to another, and before long he’d have everything he desired. He wanted to be deep in all she had to offer. One taste or one touch would not be enough. All he knew for certain was that she was the one woman he desired more than any other. Maybe it was because he believed her to be forbidden.
She glared at him. “Don’t make this even more difficult than it already is.”
He winced as he stood and walked over to her. Pain shot through his side with each movement. Paolo’s men had done a number on him. He’d begun to heal, but it would still take several more days for him to be at full strength.
“Turn your face away from me.” He sat down on the bed beside her. “I will be able to get the knots untangled better with full access to your lovely hair.”
“Quit trying to be charming. I am immune to the likes of you.” S
he threw the words at him as she turned her body.
Damian wanted to see if she was as immune as she claimed to be. He doubted it. Noah had told him that he was only marrying Pearla so he could have children. The Duke of Huntly needed heirs. His brother-in-law believed he was incapable of loving any woman other than his sister, Rubina. Seeing his former fiancée in the flesh, he found it hard to believe he wouldn’t have fallen in love with her eventually. Hell, he was half in love with her already, and he’d only been in her company for a short time. He shook his head. What was this nonsense he was thinking? He didn’t love her. Lust? Definitely. Love was an entirely different thing.
“Your hair is as silky as I thought it would be.” He picked up a few strands and ran the brush through them. “You shouldn’t have let them get so tangled. We could have avoided this if you had tried to brush it hours ago.”
“Forgive me for having more pressing matters on my mind,” she spat out. “My hair was the last thing I thought to take care of.”
Damian chuckled quietly. It wouldn’t do for her to know how her anger amused him. “Rightly so. This is a precarious situation we are in.”
She sighed. “Tell me why they put us together.”
“Why are you suddenly interested in your fate?” He raised an eyebrow. “You seemed perfectly content to ignore my existence for days now.”
He couldn’t help needling her. It was about bloody time she started to get on board with what was happening to them. She needed to know everything if she was going to be fully armed for the battle they were going to face. They’d wasted too much time with her stubbornness. He’d tried to tell her what happened with his sister several times. Paolo was an evil man and his deeds shouldn’t be taken lightly. They were on the ship together for a reason. Damian hadn’t ascertained what that was yet, but he had a feeling they’d find out soon. Whatever the duca’s plans were, Damian was sure of one thing—they wouldn’t end well. His sister’s tale was one of torture, both emotional and physical. He wanted to spare Pearla such a fate if possible. Their own predicament already bordered on it.
“I wasn’t ready to admit I needed to know. When Rubina…” She paused and took a deep breath. “It was more than I could deal with. I had to get away. You wouldn’t understand.”
“So you loved him?” Damian asked softly. He cursed inwardly. Of course she did. From what he understood, many women had coveted the title of Duchess of Huntly. It would have taken someone extra special to catch Noah’s eye. The duke had standards. He wouldn’t have chosen Pearla lightly, especially since she would’ve been the mother of his future heirs. So he’d wooed her without giving her his heart—Pearla apparently hadn’t been so lucky.
Damian hadn’t begrudged Noah any happiness. His sister loved him, and for that he’d wanted to see him happy. It’d been clear to him that Noah hadn’t been without her. The duke went through the motions, put on a good show, but the sadness never left him. When Noah believed Rubina died, a part of him had too. It was something Damian could appreciate, in a way. He loved his sister, but romantic love was something he’d never experienced. He had no idea how he’d react if he’d lost the love of his life. If he ever experienced such pain, he hoped he could live through it with as much grace as his brother-in-law. How Noah managed to survive it, he would never understand.
“I thought I did. Maybe I was in love with the idea of love.” She turned her head slightly. A tiny tear fell from the corner of her eyes. “I had plans. I wanted to heal his heart. Oh, I know he didn’t love me… But I thought, in time, he’d at least come to care for me. It’s taken me the days I’ve spent in this cabin with you to come to terms with what I’ve lost.”
Damian paused, holding the brush against her hair. He could understand that a little bit. It wasn’t easy to lose a dream. Noah wasn’t the love of her life, but that didn’t make the plans she’d made any less important. He resumed brushing and inhaled her scent—a whisper of lilies mingled with vanilla.
“I suppose we should start at the beginning.” Damian needed a distraction and talking was the best one he could come up with. “Paolo is obsessed with my sister. She didn’t leave Noah willingly. He held her captive and arranged for everyone to believe she died.” Rubina’s supposed death had nearly destroyed Damian, and he’d thrown himself into his work with the government to bury his grief.
Pearla gasped and jerked around to look at him. “That’s terrible. How did she manage to get away from him?”
“It was pure luck.” He sighed. “We’ve been watching Paolo for different reasons. He’s an evil man and has ties to the Sicilian mafia. We don’t know how deep he’s in…”
“So you rescued her?”
He shook his head. “No, my man Arturo did. He discovered her presence by accident. He’d been working undercover as their gardener. When Paolo left for business one night, Arturo brought Rubina to me.”
Damian hadn’t believed it was her at first. He wanted to, but the shock of it… Anger at the unnecessary grief came crashing down on him all at once. Paolo had to pay for the injury he caused his family. Rubina came first. They left Palermo immediately to see to her care. On the journey to Naples, they made plans and discovered Noah was in danger. He still was if Rubina hadn’t eradicated the problem. His only choice was to have faith in his sister, and her husband. Noah wouldn’t stay in the dark for long. He’d made his suspicions clear when he came to Damian’s room to collect Rubina. That had been one of the longest days of Damian’s life. Noah and Pearla’s failed wedding day would be forever ingrained in his memory. Now, he was stuck on a ship and couldn’t help his sister. All he could do was pray she was able to eradicate Paolo and keep her husband safe. He had a new objective; Pearla’s safety was his utmost concern.
“That must have been quite a shock for you. I remember the look on Noah’s face when she showed up to the wedding… Everyone else disappeared for him. I knew then that he never would have loved me, at least not the way he loved her.” Her voice was tinged with sadness. It broke as she spoke. “It hurt to see it.”
He found himself wanting to console her. No one should have their heart broken in such a manner. It was too late to prevent it, but maybe he could ease her pain in other ways. Loving a man shouldn’t be a hardship. It should be a joy to be reveled in. Noah unwittingly destroyed a part of her. The reason for it didn’t matter. The fact it happened was all that counted.
“You deserve to have that kind of love. Don’t sell yourself short.”
“You’re right. I needed time and distance to see that for myself.” She turned her head slightly; a tiny wistful smile filled her face. “Are you almost done brushing my hair?”
Damian stared at her lips. He wanted to kiss her. The desire flooded him to his depths and he fought for control. “Almost, cara.”
“When are you going to cease calling me that?”
“Never,” he replied.
“I wish you would. That is a lover’s term.” She frowned. “We are not lovers.”
Not yet anyway… Damian had no doubt they would be someday. It was no longer a matter of if, but a matter of when. Something about her made him want things he shouldn’t. This might not end well. Perhaps he should give into his desires and take what they both wanted. He wasn’t ignorant to the little looks she kept throwing him. She had a bit of desire growing inside her too.
Instead, he finished his story. “To make a long story short we knew Paolo was in England. We were hoping to find him before he did something to Noah or my sister. It looks like we were too late. There is no better way to hurt both of them than to kidnap us both.”
Pearla gasped. “But, I don’t mean that much to Noah. That’s ridiculous.”
“You keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better. He may not have been in love with you, but Noah did care about you.”
Damian was glad his sister was alive for more reasons than one. It freed Pearla to find someone who would appreciate her. Noah cared for her, but not enough. He’d
never have gotten over his sister. Pearla was better off, and soon she’d realize it.
Her mouth fell open at his words. “I…”
“It’s all right to accept that you meant something to him. You were going to be married after all.”
Damian was rather glad that wedding didn’t actually happen. The lust flowing through his blood wouldn’t have boded well with his relationship with Noah. The man would have killed him if he’d touched his wife. Lucky for him, she was unencumbered and he could let his desires run free.
“You’re right. You’re damn near perfect. Why wouldn’t you be?” She bit her lip. “Of course you are. It’s a lot to let sink in. What does this mean for us?”
Paolo was determined to make him pay. It wasn’t only because the duca was obsessed with his sister. He had other reasons for hating Damian. Pearla was caught up in a mess he’d made. If he could change things… He shook his head. The time for regrets had passed. He owned his mistakes, and it was time to explain his part in the mess they were in.
“I’ve never claimed to be perfect.” He lifted his hand and ran his fingertips over the top of her head. “Mistakes are a part of life, and I’ve made my fair share of them.”
“Do tell.” She goaded him. “What was the one mistake you regret the most?”
Believing his sister had died. No, that wasn’t his mistake. It was something someone forced upon him. “I seduced a woman for information. It didn’t sit well with me, but I believed at the time the end justified the means. I was wrong, and it hurt her terribly.”
Paolo’s sister had been that woman. She’d been innocent of any wrong doing. She’d been forever altered from that transgression. He’d broken her heart after he deserted her. Damian couldn’t change what he’d done, but from that moment on he’d vowed to never do anything so malicious ever again.