The Grandmaster’s Legacy: Masters of Love and War (A Taylor Lee HOT Historical Romantic Suspense Collection) (The Grandmaster's Legacy)

by Taylor Lee

  He held her soft lush body tight against him and kissed the tears on her face, ran his hands over her lushness, her softness. He shook his head in wonder, remembering her fierce spirit yell when she threw herself against the governor. He saw her flying body, her pummeling fists, the fierce men attacking her. They were shocked that this beautiful woman dressed in silk and satin with a fortune of jewels gracing her neck had hiked up her dress, tucked it in her underwear and freed her legs to strike them, drive them to the floor. They had laid there stunned, disbelieving that this gorgeous woman, this firebrand of a woman, had taken them down.

  Bai picked her up in his arms and carried her over to their bed. He lay beside her and held her close. After several minutes, he murmured in her ear.

  “Do you think I will ever learn, Elena?”

  “Learn what, darling?”

  “Learn that there is nothing I can do but accept you as you are – who you are.”

  “Is that such a bad thing, Bai? Am I that hard to accept? To love me the way that I am?”

  “No, cherie, not hard—just the goddamn most difficult thing I have ever done in my life!

  “Do you know what it is like to have the woman you love, the woman you would give your life to protect, take on a crazed man waving a gun in her face, fight two armed guards, and then blatantly taunt a deranged monster daring him to attack her? Oh, and I forgot to mention that the deranged monster also had a loaded gun in his hand. And, of course, none of these actions were in the carefully laid plans that she agreed to.”

  Elena buried her face in his shoulder, but when she looked up at him her eyes were shining and she didn’t hide her grin.

  “Did I really do all that, Bai? Wow, you must have been proud of me.”

  He shook his head with a smile.

  “Oui, cherie. I was so fucking proud of you I thought I might weep. Christ, Elena, what other woman could watch me take out a monster’s eyes and be disappointed that I didn’t hand her the poker?”

  Elena blushed.

  “You knew that, Bai? That I wished I could be the one to blind him?”

  “Bebe, it was written all over your face.”

  “And… and you don’t think I am a bad person, to be so vindictive, revengeful?”

  “Hell no, cherie. It is like I told Alex, you understand something that few women and damn few men understand. That killing evil men is honorable. Now blinding them with a fire poker – I have to admit, pushes against the edge of honor, but Greg earned that punishment when he invaded our love.”

  Even as he spoke, Bai knew that he was up against the truth of what it meant to love this woman, this woman he loved more than life. Once again, he acknowledged that what drove him crazy with fear was also what made him love her the way he did. That dichotomy, the fear he felt for her fighting against his pride in her. It was the challenge and the privilege of loving the most miraculous woman in the world.

  “Elena?”

  “Yes, darling.”

  “I have concluded that there is a significant upside to your outrageous behavior.”

  “What outrageous behavior? I thought we established tonight with my grandfather that I am a model of shy obedience.”

  “You little minx. That remark sums it up, but let me be more specific. You are unmanageable. You refuse to obey my instructions, even when they are meant to protect you. You taunt me, challenge me, push out every boundary. You drive me to distraction with worry, fear.”

  “Hmm, when you put it like that, I do sound outrageous. I have to ask, what is the upside, Bai?”

  “Just think of all the reasons you give me to paddle your ass.”

  ~~~

  Elena smiled to herself knowing what was coming next. If he wasn’t going to spank her, he most certainly was going to make love to her. And when he did it would be fierce. Elena knew what Bai needed following a fight, a battle. The testosterone flowed hot and heavy and that meant sex; hard, ferocious fucking. Sex was his release valve. The wilder the better. She expected it, she invited it. And she loved it.

  Bai reveled in her wild side. He showed her that she was as wild as he was and never hesitated to open new doors. After the Marcello killing, he had tied her to his desk and teased her for hours. He tormented her nipples and clitoris with ice then demonstrated the pain and pleasure of nipple and clitoral clamps driving her to one ecstatic release after another. Remembering his passion, his astonishing demands, she shivered in anticipation. She hesitated then pressed her aroused body next to his.

  “Bai, don’t… don’t worry about me, don’t hold back. I can feel the tension here and here and here. I… I want you to make love to me… any way you want.”

  “Ah yes, cherie. You know me well. And yes, I am tight with tension, with pain over Quitin’s death. And you are right. There is nothing like driving my cock into your soul when I feel like this. But non, non, not tonight, mon amour.

  “Tonight I want to savor you, reach every inch of you. I want to treasure you, inhale you, and let your soft body cushion me, cradle me. That’s what I need, Elena.”

  He added with a wicked smile, “At least for a portion of the evening…”

  He laid her back on the bed and loosened the ties to her robe, then slid her gown up over her calves, her thighs, up over her nipples and finally over her head. He smiled at the goose bumps on her arms and legs and dipped one finger in the cream running down her thigh and licked it, savoring the rich spicy taste.

  “God, bebe, you taste and smell so sweet.”

  He stood by the bed and slipped off his shirt, his shoes and stockings, then in a quick move took off his pants and stood before her naked. His cock stood up hard and thick. The dark purpled head was engorged and made all the more remarkable by the twinkling topaz eyes on the gold wolf’s head piercing the weeping glans.

  Elena gasped and flushed bright red at the sight. Bai smiled when she licked her lips. Christ, he wasn’t surprised. The cock piercing made his impressive prick positively stunning if her reaction was the judge. Her body visibly shivered. She scrunched her legs together and clenched her fists at her sides.

  He opened the drawer on the bedside table and took out a shiny object. The mattress shifted under his weight. He straddled her, one strong thigh on either side of her waist, his ass resting on her groin.

  “Elena, do you remember when I brought you to a climax that lasted three times as long as you ever had?”

  She blushed. “Oh God, yes, Bai. How could I forget? It… It was a miracle.”

  “I’m glad you feel that way, petite ami, because I am in a miraculous mood tonight. Tonight you will come for me in a way you never have; the past will be but a teaser.”

  “God, Bai, do you… do you really think I can do that? Stretch it out like that? I almost went crazy last time.”

  He grinned.

  “Ah bebe, I don’t think so, I know so. I know you study the Kama Sutra, don’t you, petite fille? I think I have seen fingerprints on the ‘exercises’ geared to prolonging orgasm. They intrigue you, yes, cherie?”

  Elena’s face was bight red and Bai knew it was more than embarrassment. He could smell her musk and feel her cream on his ass. She was flushed with desire, lust.

  “But… Bai, the book says it takes… practice, time to learn how to do it.”

  “Then mon amour, we best begin now, oui?”

  He twirled the shiny object in his hand, revealing the gold link chain he gave her to attach to her bosom rings. His cock swelled at the thought of the chain on her nipples. He thought with a grin who says we can’t improve on the Kama Sutra.

  “Tell me, cherie. If I hook one end of this chain to this nipple like this and the other end on this nipple and tug on it like this…”

  She cried out when both nipples simultaneously hardened to tight cherry red peaks.

  “Ah, I think you have answered my question,” he said, as he teased the chain pulling her nipples out long and hard, then letting them fall back again and again in rhythm wit
h her shuddering moans.

  “Now, petite amour, what if I unhook this end of the chain and run it through the ring on the end of my cock. Yes, like that! Then when I refasten the chain to your other nipple — ah yes, now my cock is inches away from your mouth. Do you think you can get the end of my big prick in your mouth?”

  Elena lifted her head and grabbed the end of his cock, running her tongue eagerly around the head, then probed the insertion points of the ring and sucked hard on the wolf’s head.

  A rush of cum flooded from his cock and Bai jerked in surprise. His balls drew up tight against his ass and he had to clamp down to hold back his release.

  “Fuck yes, Elena! God, bebe, like that. Damn, Elena, suck on it like that and keep working your tongue around the ring. Christ, if that wolf was alive, he’d be howling like a banshee.”

  His groans turned to low growls and he rose up over her to thrust more of his cock in her mouth. When he did the chain tightened and she cried out burying her fingernails in his buttocks.

  “Yes, Elena, yes. Do you see the magic of the chain? The more you suck on me, the harder you tug on your nipples. Jesus, what an ingenious device, oui, amour?”

  He buried his tongue in her ear and growled a low sexy chuckle.

  “Just think, cherie, this is only the beginning of the longest orgasm you have had.”

  She groaned, then cried out as another strong tremor shook her body, her shrieks blending with his laughter—a foreshadowing of the night ahead.

  Hours later, long after they screamed out their passion and he licked every inch of her body clean, they lay together bonded in as deep a passion as they had ever shared. Bai nuzzled against her ear, remembering with pride the erotic, inspired positions they achieved.

  “Hmm, cherie, I think we did the Kama Sutra proud, if not one better, oui?”

  Elena giggled.

  “God, Bai, you could write the book.”

  ~~~

  Bai laughed, but within minutes Elena heard his soft snores. She was not surprised. She knew he was exhausted. She too was tired, but too excited to sleep. She cuddled against him and stroked his face, his neck. He stirred then raised a sleepy eye and grinned at her.

  “Damn, Elena, don’t tell me you want more? Christ, cherie, we just put one in the history books, you can’t tell me you still need more.”

  She laughed. “No, Bai. I am wonderfully fulfilled, gloriously so. I… I am just happy, excited. And I have been thinking…”

  “Hmm, I guess I best wake up. Something tells me I need to have my wits about me.”

  Elena laughed again and her eyes were shining.

  “I have a question, Bai.”

  “You know the answer, cherie. I love you more than anything in the world and I always will.”

  “No, that isn’t my question. And you are right. I do know that. No, I have a different question.”

  “Ask away, ma jolie, ma petite fille.”

  “Do you plan to spank our children?”

  “No, I don’t spank children. I told you that long ago. I don’t spank children and I don’t hit women. But I do spank a naughty girl like you who has a beautiful ass begging to be spanked. No, I won’t be spanking any children. You’ll always give me plenty of reason to be spanked.”

  When she laughed, he looked up at her with a slight frown. He rolled over and pulled her next to him.

  “Wait a minute, Elena. Is there something more about that question that I should know? A deeper meaning? “

  She propped herself up on her elbow and looked up at him. Her eyes were dancing, teasing.

  “I’m just curious. What if you had two children wanting your attention, acting as naughty, as disobedient as their mother?”

  He frowned, fully awake now and pushed himself up on one arm. He pulled away from her, his face was stern.

  “Elena, what are you saying?”

  “I’m pregnant, Bai.”

  “You… you’re pregnant?”

  He sat up straight in bed, his face white with shock

  He lifted her up and propped her up against the pillows. His face was tight, deep furrows lined his usually smooth face. He pulled the sheet down to her thighs and looked at her flat stomach, her slender waist. Lifting an eyebrow he shook his head in disbelief.

  With a soft smile she took hold of his hands and put them over the tiny swell below her navel.

  “I’ve missed two courses, Bai. I know I am pregnant.”

  “Mon dieu. Jesus, Elena. I… I… don’t know what to say. What to think… Damn, Elena!”

  She smiled and stroked his cheek.

  “Think about what we have created, Bai. What we did together. I hope, I know you will be as thrilled as I am… You will be. Won’t you?”

  “Mon dieu, Elena. Of course, I will be thrilled. Doux Jesus, I… I’m just surprised… overcome.”

  “Bai?

  “Yes, Elena.”

  “There is one more thing I need to tell you.

  “Jesus, Elena, What for God’s sake?”

  “Lei says, a mother always knows.”

  “Knows what, Elena?”

  She kissed him and smiled her eyes filled with tears of joy.

  “Twins.”

  He choked a deep gulping breath.

  “Twins, Elena?”

  “Yes, Bai. Twins.”

  EPILOGUE

  Seven months later…

  Bai paced from one end of their chamber to the other. He was relieved that at least for the moment Elena seemed to be dozing. Mon dieu, he couldn’t believe what was happening. This was far worse than he imagined. None of the hundreds of articles he had read, doctors he consulted, midwives he interviewed, and parents he met—none of them prepared him for the horror of the birthing process.

  He looked anxiously at Elena’s lovely face. Her lips were swollen from biting them, holding back moans. A sheen of sweat glistened on her face and the sips of water he gave her didn’t seem to relieve her parched throat. She was so brave; she never once cried out or screamed. He was prepared for that. He read an article specifically about how to calm a hysterical woman. Elena scoffed at the author’s premise, but Bai was confident she would appreciate his knowledge when they got to the screaming part. He also knew how to help with the breathing process, or at least he thought he did. He hadn’t found the definitive article he had been searching for, but the ones he had read would have to do. As the time neared, he began to have some doubts about the efficacy of his research.

  As he lit his seventh cigarette, lighting it from the embers of the previous smoke, Bai admitted to admit to a number of doubts—serious ones. Seven months ago when Elena gave him the news that she was pregnant, he made a pronouncement. He had always been a possessive son of a bitch, but the horror he felt knowing that Elena was pregnant the night of the Governor’s Ball threw him into a frenzy. If he was possessive before, he was insufferable now.

  Much to the amazement and amusement of the family and virtually everyone else, he declared that no one would touch Elena except him. He proclaimed that he and Elena would deliver their babies. He needed to be in charge. He refused to turn her over to Dr. Oleong or his intern group, particularly since he would never let another man touch her. When Elena demurred mildly suggesting they engage female midwives, he was equally fierce.

  He insisted that this was something Elena could teach him. After all he declared, Wyatt delivered all five of his children under the direst of circumstances. He ignored Wyatt’s wry observation that he had delivered more than a hundred babies and twice that many foals. He added that his first delivery was on an Indian reservation when he was sixteen years old, younger than Nickolas Deshi.

  Elena humored him and gave him a thorough anatomy lesson on the intricacies of the female body. She included a systematic review of the stages of labor and the corresponding changes in the birth canal. He spent months pouring over obstetrical journals reading everything he could lay his hands on regarding the latest birthing techniques. Every sup
ply and instrument they could possibly need was bivouacked in their chambers from the time that Elena was five months pregnant. He ignored the titters of the servants and raised eyebrows of Wan, Wyatt and Lei. Even Elena questioned whether they needed twenty sheets, four stacks of towels, and twelve additional pillows. He ignored their humorous jibes, knowing that it was better to be prepared. Up until Elena went in labor, he was confident of his abilities.

  Now four hours in, he knew he had met his match, his Waterloo. The man who led an international force of warriors and was feared worldwide had to admit at least to himself that he was terrified.

  Looking at the overflowing ashtray on the cabinet, he thought, Christ, at this rate he would go through his entire supply of Turkish cigarettes before the night was over. As much as he knew he should forego brandy, there was no question he needed it. Jesus, this was much worse than he expected. He needed a breath of air.

  “Elena, cherie, I need to refill your water jug. Will you be okay for a few minutes?”

  Elena smiled at him and gave him a reassuring kiss.

  “I’m fine, Bai. I won’t have another contraction for three or four minutes.”

  Bai groaned. Three to four minutes? Damn, then she would be in that awful pain again? Steeling himself, he stepped outside the door and gulped a large breath of fresh air.

  To his relief, he saw Wyatt lounging in an arm chair outside the door. Wyatt’s feet were up on the ottoman and he’d pulled his Stetson down over his eyes, covering most of his face. Bai realized with a start that he was dozing.

  “Excusez-moi. Sure as hell sorry to wake you, Wyatt.”

  He added sarcastically, “It’s not as though we have anything important happening.”

  Wyatt pushed his hat back on his head and looked up at Bai with a lazy grin. In an exaggerated gesture, he pulled out his pocket watch and squinted at the clock face.

  “Hell, Bai, I doubt I’ll see my grandchildren for at least another twelve hours. May as well grab some sleep now.”

  Bai gasped.

  “Twelve hours? Mon Deux, that’s not possible! Jesus Christ, Wyatt. She can’t handle this for twelve more hours. There’s no way. Elena is the strongest woman I know, but there is no way she can do this for twelve more hours. “