by Azod, Shara
weren’t for the fact Diego wanted to be as far away from Florida as possible when his
estranged ex-wife arrived they might have stayed even longer.
After creating a false trail from Florida, to Cuba, then to Haiti, they finally set sail
towards New Orleans. During the entire trip “Dear ‘Tienne” had done nothing but get
under his skin. The boy hovered around his woman constantly. The boy was determined to
win her back. ‘Tienne, as she called him, didn’t let any opportunity go by to touch her, to
assist her in anyway, just to be near her, much to Diego’s chagrin. He just might have to
kill the insolent little bastard and be done with it.
“We will arrive soon, non?” Well speak of the devil.
“About a week,” Diego tersely replied.
Étienne studied the man beside him. He was obviously upset with him and
rightfully so. The man believed that he had found a rare treasure only to find someone else
had a prior claim. Were the situation reversed, Étienne would probably be holding on to
Cherie with every bit as much tenacity as the duque. He felt no real animosity towards the
older man. But he would not ever give up his beloved.
“Do you see why I can’t just let her go?”
Diego raised a brow at the boy’s sudden change in tactics. They had never openly
acknowledged the battle for the heart of Cherie they were engaged in. It was just implicitly
understood.
“I understand completely, pup,” Diego growled. “That does not mean I will let her
go.”
“I can offer her more.”
Diego whirled to face him. “Can you, pup? Can you make her scream your name
the way she screams mine? Can you make her forget everything except your cock taking her
to the edge over and over again? Can you give her a child like the one she carries now?”
He had not meant to say anything. Cherie herself didn’t even realize it yet, but she
was most definitely carrying his child. She had not had her cycle for three months now, a fact that gave Diego immense pride and satisfaction. Looking at Étienne now, he could tell
the pup had known, too. It pissed him off to see the pup knew his woman so well.
“You will not give her your name, Diego. For whatever reason, you will not give her
the protection that comes with marriage. You may be able to take her child as your heir,
but would she ever forgive you if you took her baby back to Spain with you? And without
the full protection marriage can provide her, she will forever be vulnerable in ways you
cannot begin to comprehend.”
“I comprehend just fine, puppy! I will always provide for her. If I do decide to go
back to Spain, I can take her…”
“As what?” Étienne demanded. “Your mistress? Spain is not as tolerant or welcoming
as France. She would never be happy there and only the most selfish of bastards would ask
that of her!”
Diego know everything the irritating little shit was saying was true, but that didn’t
mean he had to like it. Stepping closer, he grabbed the younger man by his shirt and got
right in his face. “You don’t think I know that?!” Diego roared. “You don’t think those
very thoughts haven’t kept me up at night? I know the right thing to do would be to marry
her or let her go, but I can’t give her up! I cannot go through another marriage and…I
cannot let her go! I will NEVER let her go!” How the hell could possibly explain his
feelings about marriage to this, this, kid? His brief stint in holy matrimony had been pure hell. He couldn’t do that again. He knew Cherie was nothing like Maria-Teresa, but he
could not be trapped like that again.
Gray eyes clashed with blue as neither man backed away. Their faces were so close
their noses were almost touching. The tense silence stretched for a full minute before
Étienne responded softly.
“I can no sooner walk away than you.”
Diego looked at the younger man in amazement. They were well and truly at an
impasse. The little shit wasn’t going to let go, he could see it in his eyes. Never had any
man stood up to the formidable Duque de Suárez and lived to tell about it, but this pup
was not afraid of incurring his wrath. Standing toe to toe, Étienne’s eyes never wavered, his
body did not flinch. Diego had the most insane urge to lean forward and peck the little
bastard on the cheek-or on the lips. What the hell?! Diego abruptly released the other man
and took a step back. It was the stress. He hadn’t been intimate with Cherie for at least a
week. She had been ill since leaving Cuba. Morning sickness, though she didn’t have a clue
yet. The pup looked so much like a girl, he was probably just horny, and that’s all. A very
masculine girl, but he was too pretty by far. He had not seriously been contemplating
kissing the little shit. Turning away, Diego took a calming breath and tried to clear his
head. Étienne on the other hand understood very well what had just happened. He had
seen the look Diego had just given him whenever Claude looked at Luc. He was not nearly
as shaken up by the sudden rush of blood to his cock at the thought of Diego’s lips
descending on his. That he had developed a habit of getting as hard as a rock whenever
staring at the older man no longer came as a surprise to him. He accepted that he was
beginning to want Diego as much as he wanted Cherie. Watching Diego breath in and out
roughly as he glared at the waves, Étienne finally knew what he had to do to win his fiancé
back. He had to welcome Diego into his life as well. Smiling at the plan hatching in his
head Étienne leaned against the ship’s rail.
“So you know I will never give up trying to steal my fiancé back from you, non?”
“What is your point, pup?”
“We can always share.”
Diego’s entire body went rigid. He wanted so much to be able to yell “No!” at the
top of his lungs, but he couldn’t. From the day Étienne entered his study Diego had
dreamed of little else. It was a complete blow to his pride, but damned if he didn’t want the
little shit in his bed. Not as much as he wanted or needed Cherie, but the longing was
there. “Cherie is not a whore,” Diego managed to croak out. He knew damn well that
wasn't what the younger man was implying, but it was the only defense he had. “I am
surprised that the man claiming to want to marry her would ever suggest such a thing.” Étienne’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t remember implying she was.”
Diego turned to face the younger man but refused to look him in the eye. “This
conversation is over pup.”
Étienne smiled as he watched Diego stride towards the spacious cabin he shared with
the woman of both of their dreams desperately trying to hide the hard on he was sporting.
“Ask Cherie to tell you about Luc,” he called after him. Diego paused, but did not turn
around. Étienne knew he heard him and that was all he needed. Diego might not ask right
away, but he would ask. He only wished he could be around to see his face when she told
him.
*******
“Maman!”
Cherie flew into the arms of her mother as soon as the carriage stopped in front of
her grandfather’s luxurious mansion located in the heart of the Garden District. Claude
followed in his daughter’s wake more sedately. He watched the mother-daug
hter reunion
with a mixture of pleasure and trepidation. They had received word from Étienne that he
had retrieved their lost child at long last a little more than a month ago. What the young
man had failed to reveal was that Cherie had become the paramour of a notorious Spanish
duque. A royal duque at that. Though Étienne had assured him more than once since
meeting the ship he had every intention of marrying her, Claude had his doubts the young man would ever get the chance. Diego Esteban de Aguilar would not let his lady love go so
easily. It had taken Claude less than five minutes of observing the enigmatic duque with
Cherie to recognize the depth of feelings the man had for her. Possessiveness boarding on
obsession coupled with a healthy dose of pure unadulterated lust only began to describe it.
Then there was the question of the child his daughter was now carrying.
Claude gave himself a mental shake. Now was not the time to dwell on the all the
problems he feared he would not be able to help his only daughter resolve. Besides, she
wasn’t even aware she was pregnant. Now was the time to rejoice and celebrate her return
home.
“Ma petit fille, come, you must be tired,” Amélie ushered Cherie into the house.
“Your grandmére is most anxious to see you!”
Cherie relaxed and allowed herself to bask in the love of her family. How she had
missed them! After hugs and kisses from her grandfather and brothers, her mother and
grandmother had ushered her upstairs putting off the demands from the men to know the
details of her kidnapping.
“There will time enough for that later,” Solange admonished. “The child is no doubt
weary after such an ordeal, non?”
Cher was grateful for her timely interference. Now alone with her mother and
grandmother she let herself relax completely. The older women had ordered her a hot bath and were now busily helping her out of her heavy traveling gown so she could enjoy a nice,
long soak and perhaps some answers to the myriad questions about this whole placée
business. Both women would no doubt be disappointed she would not be marrying
Étienne, but how could she now? It didn’t matter that she still had feelings for him; she
was hopelessly in love with her fierce duque. The thought of never being in his arms again
was too terrible to contemplate.
Relaxing all of her muscles in the fragrant bath, she allowed her mother and
grandmother to soothe all the aches and pains from her travel weary body. Funny, she
didn’t remember her original trip to Florida being so very exhausting. But then, they had
made several stops along the way. And then there was Diego, who had been extremely
diligent in his attentions towards her. Though she had tried to assure him she would always
belong to him, no matter what her family had to say in the matter, it almost seemed as if he
was afraid of losing her and made love to her every night as if it would be the last time. Part
of his actions was probably brought on by the presence of Étienne. But surely he must
know she could never marry ‘Tienne.
A sharp gasp from her grandmother brought her out of quiet contemplations.
“What is it?” she asked her grandmother anxiously. “I am not hurt…”
“Cher, when was the last time you had your menses?” Amélie asked her daughter
softly. Cherie looked from her mother to her grandmother. Her menses? Why would they
ask her about that?
“Maman, I am perfectly fine,” she assured her firmly. “Christine ensured my safety
at all times. I was never unescorted or abused in any way. I know it sounds odd, but she
took care of me as you would. And after Diego, uh, found me, I was never out of his sight.”
“Ma amoureux,” Solange soothed, “we have no doubt your Diego took very good
care of you. We only want to know when was the last time you bled? Your womanly
bleeding?”
“I don’t know. It had to be…”
Cherie’s voice trailed off as realization struck her. She had not bled for a little more
than three months. Color drained from her face as her knees threatened to buckle. She was
with child! Wordlessly, Amélie and Solange grabbed her arms and settled her on the soft
bed. Her eyes and hands flew to her stomach in wonder. Sure enough there was a soft
rounding she had failed to notice. Her thoughts wandered to just this morning when she
had attempted to don a corset, for propriety, she had explained to Diego. He had literally
snatched it from her, railing all kinds of nonsense about how unhealthy the “damnable
contraptions” were. He had known. All this time he had known, but hadn’t told her.
But of course he had known the bâtard! Lately he made love to her so gently she
thought she go mad. She had to say the dirtiest things to make him loose control and take her with authority and even then he had seemed overly cautious. He had even taken up the
habit of rubbing her belly a lot lately, holding it closely as they slept. Gradually shock gave
away to joy. Yes, he had known and he had been glad. She was going to have a baby! Their
baby. She didn’t have explain or excuse her choice to stay with Diego. The baby did all of
that for her.
Loud voices ascending the stairs snapped the women out of their silent reflection.
Cherie could make out her grandfather and brothers raised voices getting closer. Solange
quickly threw a light blanket over the shoulders of her granddaughter before the door burst
open.
“Diego!”
Throwing the blanket off Cherie threw herself into the arms of her lover as soon as
he burst through the door. Solange and Amélie quickly moved to push most of the younger
men out of the room leaving only Gaspar, who stared dumbfounded at the man who had
stormed into his home demanding to see his only granddaughter. The brash man now
stood in the middle of the bedroom holding his very bare grandchild as if they were alone.
Solange placed a comforting hand on her long time lover’s arm.
“Let’s just give them a minute.”
Gaspar raised a brow, but allowed himself to be led out of the room. “I suppose you know what this is all about?” he asked after Solange had firmly shut
the door.
Solange nodded her head sadly. Both Gaspar and Claude had wanted so badly to see
Cherie married with a secure place in society. Now their machinations would come to
naught.
“I fear there will be no wedding between Cherie and Étienne,” she sighed.
“But I just spoke to the boy and his father not thirty minutes ago and they both
assured me no matter what Cher has been through, 'Tienne has every intention of making
her his bride.”
Solange sighed again. There was no hope for it.
“Oui, but there has been a recent development I am afraid. Cher is pregnant.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
“Have you unpacked yet?” Diego demanded burying his face in Cherie’s freshly
washed hair.
God knows he had tried to stay away, to let her have a happy reunion with her
family. But the specter that they might try to convince her to give him up was driving him
crazy. It took him all of an hour and a half to secure a home right here in the Garden
District. There was no furniture other than the massive bed he had dismantled and shipped
with them, along with various other smaller hous
ehold items. She could attain as many
servants and as much furniture as she needed to decorate and maintain the mansion as she
saw fit later. He would be damned if he spent one night away from the woman who was
quickly becoming as necessary to him as the air he breathed.
“No, my luggage just arrived,” she indicated to the trunk that stood by the bedroom
door. “But I have an entire wardrobe here already. I did not exactly pack for my little
adventure.”
He would never say it aloud but Diego would forever be grateful for the misdeeds
that blew Cherie his way.
“Find something to put on so I can take you home.” Cherie’s heart sped at the authoritative tone in which he spoke. Still, she had not
seen her family in over a year!
“I can’t possibly leave yet,” she said taking a step back. “There is so much I have to
talk to Maman and Grandmére about. And my brothers, I must see how they are. I’m sure
they were all worried sick about me! And Papa Luc! I have not seen him at all. Papa Claude
went to collect him, I’m sure…”
Diego grasped her by the waist bring her freshly bathed body flush with his as he
took her mouth. Immediately his shaft rose to attention at her nearness, but there would
time enough for that later. Right now he had to make sure his woman understood her place
would forever be at his side. Tilting her head up to face him he bent to place a feather soft
kiss on her parted lips.
“I will not spend the night without you, querida. I can’t.”
Cherie was held captive by the possessiveness and longing she saw in the burning
gray depths of his eyes. With one look she was unbearably hot and needy. As much as she
might wanted to deny him, to assert her independence there was no way she would not
give in. The fact excited and infuriated her at the same time.
“Your family can visit you…Tomorrow, I promise.” Diego’s gripped tightened on
her waist. “I need you tonight, bebé. Just you and me.” He wanted to tell her of his fears she would turn away from him and return to her
fiancé. He wanted to share how scared he was that now that she was back among family
and friends that he might lose her. The words stuck in his throat, his pride refusing to let
her know how much he needed her. Diego would have been astonished to know Cherie did