by Dawn Brower
Chapter Nine
Thor knew he had to face his bride sooner rather than later. Unfortunately, it was several hours before he was able to get away from the crew to seek her out. After he ensured Comte Dubois and the priest were back on shore, he could deal with the ramifications of the day’s events. Some of his crew had been worried the comte might try and come back on board to harm him. So he had to assure them it was okay to go ahead with the shore leave he granted them. He wanted them to have some time to themselves before they set sail again.
Thor made his way to the cabin to deal with his new wife. He was prepared for a temper tantrum. In fact, he was looking forward to it. He liked when she got mad and feisty. It made things a lot more interesting.
He wasn’t prepared to explain everything to her just yet. He wanted to show her everything he wanted from her first. He yearned to express all the bottled up desire and longing he had been holding back. Thor wasn’t always good with words and often found actions were a much better way of getting his point across. They would have to talk eventually, but he was hoping to put it off for as long as possible. For now, Thor wanted her to feel everything he was feeling. He needed to experience what it was like to be inside of her. He patiently waited until he could love her the only way he knew how.
Pia was his wife, and he finally had the right to explore every inch of her luscious body. She had given him a very brazen invitation after her bath earlier that evening. It hadn’t been the proper time to accept it, but he was more than ready now that they were legally wed.
He walked into the cabin and was surprised to find Pia asleep on the bunk. She had taken off her dress and draped it over the chair by the table. Thor stopped to stare at Pia for a while, admiring her beauty. Her chest rose and fell with an even pace. She was utterly and completely beautiful. To him she was perfect, but more importantly...she was his.
Thor removed his boots, and the rest of his clothes followed shortly after. He crawled onto the bunk with his wife. Her instinct made her curl next to him. She was used to sleeping with him and didn’t rouse when he pulled her closer. He slowly caressed her, hoping she would awaken. He needed her conscious for every part of the loving he was going to give her.
***
Pia was having the best dream. It felt so real. She was almost afraid to open her eyes and discover it wasn’t. She didn’t want it to stop. Phantom hands wandered down her body. She felt light kisses across her cheek and trail down her neck. The warmth spread all over her body, increasing with each new sensation. Her body had never felt so amazing from such simple contact with another person. Wait, there really is someone’s lips floating over my body, drowning it with kisses.
Her eyes flew open, and she found Thor staring into them.
“Good of you to wake up, love.”
“What are you doing, Thor?”
“I’m loving my wife.”
If Pia had been capable of snorting at that moment, she would have. He claimed her grandpere was the master of lies, and here falsehoods spilled from his lips. Both Thor and her grandpere expected her to believe them, but she didn’t really know either one of them. She wanted a real conversation with her grandpere, but Thor would never allow that to happen. It was up to her to find a way.
In the meantime, she had to deal with Thor’s amorous intentions. He said he was going to love her. She didn’t believe he actually loved her in any way, shape, or form. But he did desire her, and as her husband, he would want to express it. Fortunately for him, she equally desired him, and she might as well get something out of this sham of a marriage. Her gaze drifted up to meet his. “You do not love me, Thor. I am just a pawn in your revenge against my grandpere.”
“Nevertheless, we are going to find pleasure in each other.”
Before Pia could get another word out, Thor kissed her. He peeled off her drawers and chemise. When she was completely nude, he caressed her body, placing soft kisses along her breasts. Pia moaned when he brought one of her rosy nipples into his mouth, savoring its taste. The man sure knew how to kiss, and Pia wanted him to put his lips all over her body. Wherever his mouth touched, her body blazed with need and pleasure.
Thor drifted down and kissed the inside of her thighs. He spread her legs wide as his face drifted to her very core. He used his hands to open her wider, and one of his fingers gently stroked her. She moaned when his tongue darted out and found her sensitive spot. He licked and sucked until Pia thrashed wildly on the bed. She felt the culmination of something grow inside of her. As his mouth caressed her, his fingers stroked her, pumping in and out, until she screamed out in ecstasy.
The pleasure was so intense she didn’t know how much more she could possibly take. He kept moving his fingers in and out of her, while his thumb caressed the sensitive nub. Every sensation made her burn, and her flesh heated, turning a rosy pink as moans of pure bliss escaped her mouth. She bucked against him, needing something more, but she didn’t understand what her body craved. All she knew was something was missing.
Once again she saw stars as the world exploded around her. It was the most amazing feeling she had ever felt. It wasn’t possible to feel this good. What has Thor done to me?
Before she finished the thought, Thor shifted her. He spread her legs wider and entered her slowly. He inched his way inside of her until he was fully seated within her quivering body. The pain caused her to bite her tongue and whimper. It hurt to take him inside of her. Everything had felt so good, and then he went and ruined it by pushing himself inside of her narrow passage.
“Shhh, it only hurts the first time, love. I promise the next time will be all pleasure.”
He moved in and out of her, his pace steadily increasing. At first, she wanted to shove him off, but the more he moved, the better it felt. Pia’s desire grew with each thrust. She wanted him deeper, harder, faster. She wrapped her legs around his waist, finding her own rhythm to match his movements. The sensations building up in her grew and Pia craved more. She couldn’t get enough of him.
“Yes, like that, squeeze me, Pia. Good God, you feel so good. I can’t hold out much longer. Come with me.”
He kissed her again as he thrust deeper and faster. The movements brought Pia over the edge, and it was even better than the explosion she’d experienced earlier. This was a completion. It was just—right.
She screamed Thor’s name as she came. He whispered her name as if it was a benediction. He soon followed and released himself inside her. He rolled to his side pulling her along with him. He curled his body around hers and held her as he fell asleep. Pia couldn’t believe he was able to sleep after something so monumental, but she soon drifted off herself.
Chapter Ten
Pia woke up in slow degrees, and Thor was still passed out next to her. She extricated herself from his embrace, getting out of the bunk as quietly as possible. She located her pantaloons and chemise lying on the floor where he had discarded them. Pia grabbed her dress and stepped into it, fastening the buttons as quickly and quietly as she could.
Now they were married, she hoped Thor would be more lenient in his desire to keep her confined in their cabin. Surely now he would start leaving the door unlocked. Pia was desperate to get off of the ship and go see her grandpere. She picked up her shoes and carried them out the door Thor had left unlocked. Thank the Lord. I can try to get away.
He must have felt secure in his ownership of her, because he hadn’t bothered to ensure she couldn’t escape. Finally, the pirate was getting sloppy. He would soon discover she was capable of taking care of herself. He may have just given her the greatest pleasure she had ever known, but he also had used her in the worst possible way. She didn’t want to consider what other complications might arise from what they had just done. Pia was well aware they could have created a baby, but she didn’t have time to think about it. She needed to get away, and this may be her only opportunity.
When she was far enough away from the cabin that she felt safe, she put her shoes on. It was
difficult, but she managed to be as silent as possible as she crept on deck. Pia walked on her toes across the creaking timbers, cringing every time a small squeak emitted from underneath her feet.
She looked up realizing they were still anchored in the harbor at Bordeaux. The docks were in the distance, but it shouldn’t take her long to get to shore. She scanned the sides of the ship and spotted two of the crew climbing up a ladder. They vacated a dinghy to board the ship, and the bosun greeted them as they walked onto the deck.
Pia’s heart beat heavily in her chest as she hid from their view. She was terrified they would discover her hiding place. Standing as still as possible, she controlled her breathing so she wouldn’t make any unnecessary noise. Pia took the time to still all of her movements, relaxing enough to listen to their exchange.
“Is everything taken care of?” the bosun asked.
“Yes, sir. We dropped the priest back at his parish and dumped the comte at his estate.”
Estate? Grandpere had an estate in Bordeaux? Pia had thought he lived in Calais.
“Very good. You may retire for the night and give a full report to the captain in the morning. He is not to be disturbed tonight. The captain changed his mind, and we will set sail at dawn, please be prepared to lift anchor.”
There were no crew members anywhere else on deck. The ship was almost like a ghost ship. That couldn’t be how it was normally. Where did all of the crew go? Who was taking care of the ship? Pia had to try to get to the dinghy and row to shore. Then she could find her grandpere. Once she saw him, she would have the chance to explain everything. He would understand she really didn’t have a choice.
As soon as the bosun was far enough away, Pia scrambled to the ladder and climbed down into the dinghy. She wasn’t concerned for her own well-being, but she was desperate to see how her grandpere had fared. She may be the pirate’s wife, but she could still make decisions for herself.
Her arms grew sore with each push of the oars through the water. Her strength was limited because of her small stature, but she managed to row herself to the nearest dock. Once the boat was next to the dock, Pia scrambled to the top and walked as fast as she could. Her breaths fell in pants from her mouth in the cold night air. She rubbed her hands together trying to warm them as she strolled across the docks.
The first thing she needed to do was find out where her grandpere’s estate was. Pia didn’t get very far before she was grabbed. She didn’t even have time to scream before the unknown assailant dragged her away.
***
Thor woke up and stretched. He had never felt so relaxed in his entire life. He wanted to experience those sensations all over again. Thor was blissfully happy at the results of loving his new bride. He rolled over to pull Pia to his side.
He sat up with a start. His cheeks heated with anger. She wasn’t in his bed. Where did the little minx go? She couldn’t have gone far. Thor rolled off the bed and pulled on his clothing. He stormed up to the quarterdeck. Thor stomped his way to the cabin shared by his bosun and first mate and knocked on the door.
Thor waited for someone to come to the door. It opened to reveal his bosun, staring at him. “Corny, have you seen my wife?”
“No, Captain, I assumed she was with you.”
“Well clearly she is not. Search the ship. Locate her at once.” Thor watched as Corny woke the first mate.
The bosun and first mate rang the bell for all hands on deck. The crew searched everywhere, but Pia was nowhere to be found. It was only after several minutes of searching they realized the dinghy was gone. Pia had jumped ship.
Thor roared at them to get another dinghy ready. He was going to search for his wife and wring her little neck once he found her. She was his. How dare she leave him. He was blistering mad, his face heating with every word he shouted. Never before had he experienced a mixture of anger and fear. Thor required Pia be safely returned, but mostly he just needed her.
***
Pia was shoved into a carriage and quickly settled onto a seat. She didn’t know who had grabbed her, but it couldn’t be good. She slapped him. She was getting tired of people kidnapping her. Damn them all for thinking she was something they could throw around. What’s wrong with people these days?
The man who had grabbed her rubbed his face to alleviate the sting. “Now, was that really necessary?”
Captain Devere sat across from her in the carriage. So, Thor hadn’t killed him. She really did assume a lot about the man that was probably not true.
“Yes, you had no right to grab me and shove me in this carriage. I was frightened. It wasn’t like I knew who was yanking me into this conveyance. It’s a natural reaction for someone being kidnapped.”
“I can assure you, I only have your best interests at heart,” Captain Devere said.
Pia looked up at him. “Why did you take me?”
“I was asked to retrieve you by Comte Dubois. You made it a much easier task by rowing to shore. I must thank you for that. It made my job less dangerous.”
“You are taking me to grandpere?”
“Yes, my dear, you may rest easy. You will be safe in his care in less than twenty minutes.”
“When did you get here?” Pia asked. “I thought the pirate murdered everyone on board the ship. Is Tully alive? Thor had implied that he didn’t kill anyone. Well he kind of told me that he hadn’t killed everyone—but how was I to know if he was telling the truth or not. I’m relieved to see you are alive and well Captain.”
“Yes, your maid is fine. She is at your grandpere’s estate. He had her settled into the servants’ quarters, and she will be there to assist you tomorrow.”
Pia nodded her head. “Good. I know you mean well, Captain, but I don’t know you. I want to look in on her myself as soon as possible.”
Pia settled down on the seat, resting her head on the side of the carriage. One thing was certain. Her grandpere was alive. He wouldn’t have been able to send someone to retrieve her if Thor had murdered him.
She needed to speak to her grandpere. There were a lot of questions she wanted to ask him. Pia hoped he was prepared to answer all of them, because she wanted the truth. Once she heard both sides of this sordid mess, she could decide the best course of action. She knew Thor would eventually come after her. Thor was tenacious and would not give up easily. Pia only hoped she had enough time to hear her grandpere’s side before Thor caught up with her. She was grateful Thor hadn’t murdered the ship’s crew or Tully. It made it easier to accept her growing feelings for the wicked pirate.
Chapter Eleven
Thor needed to beat on something in the worst way, so he swung around and punched the nearest wall as hard as he could. The pain he felt pulsing through his fist helped him focus on the real issue. His needed to retrieve his wife and forget about his increasing fury. His rage was so great that if any of his crew members had gotten near him they would have encountered serious bodily harm. Before he had boarded the dinghy, he had bellowed at his crew to get the ship prepared to leave port. When he returned with Pia, he fully intended to set sail immediately.
They had been too slow getting the dinghy ready, and as a result, he had missed Pia by mere minutes. Thor arrived at the dock just in time to see Pia being shoved into a nearby carriage. Captain Devere quickly jumped into the conveyance after her.
Thor found a hack as soon as he was able and demanded the driver go to the comte’s nearby estate. It was the only place Devere could possibly be taking his wife.
The journey to Comte Dubois’s estate would be brief, but it gave him time to reflect quietly on the situation. He should have realized Renny would try to take his granddaughter back. Thor had gotten sloppy, thinking he had won. Damn the comte for being such an evil bastard. So it looked like he would have to kill the comte after all. Thor was not leaving his wife in that man’s care. Pia had become his everything in a very short time. He would not leave her in the vindictive hands of the comte. Thor wouldn’t put it past him to harm his own
granddaughter if it suited his purposes.
Thor sat back, leaning his head against the side of the carriage combing his fingers through his disheveled hair. He wouldn’t be able to live with himself if something bad happened to Pia. Thor tilted his head toward the sky praying he would get to the estate in time to get Pia out unharmed.
***
Pia anxiously clutched her hands in her lap as their conveyance navigated the narrow road. The carriage rattled, shaking the seats as it traveled down the lane to her grandpere’s estate. Captain Devere had assured her it shouldn’t take more than twenty minutes for them to journey there. She sincerely hoped he was correct because the carriage was becoming increasingly more uncomfortable with each bump it rolled over.
Pia was growing weary of all the drama surrounding her life over the past couple of weeks. She should have been able to mourn her father in peace. Instead, she had been forced to leave her home and then kidnapped.
As they traveled, Devere told her what happened on the ship after Thor had taken her. Tully had been the only one Thor’s crew hadn’t tied up. When she wandered on deck and found the captain tied to the mast, she quickly freed him. The captain then went down and released his crew out from the cargo hold. They raised the sails and sailed toward France with due haste. There had been minimal damage done to the ship when Thor had attacked it. The damage inflicted had been meant to intimidate more than harm anyone aboard the ship.
Once they had arrived in port, they traveled to the comte’s estate. He had been too late to meet him before Thor’s men had taken the comte aboard the Sea Rover. Once the comte was dropped off at his estate, he dispatched Captain Devere to retrieve her from Thor.
When they arrived at her grandpere’s estate, the captain escorted her into the house. It was a beautiful manor at the end of a long driveway lined with large trees. As impressive as it was in the dark, it had to be breathtaking during the day.