The Frenchman's Woman

by Lee Taylor

  He turned away from her. His face was tight with anger. He strode across the yard back to the house slamming the door behind him.

  ~~

  Chapter 19

  Wyatt and Wan sat in Wan’s office smoking cigars and sipping bourbon. Wyatt’s face was tight with emotion, as was Wan’s. Lei was with Elena in her chambers. The three of them had met her in the hallway when she came back from the garden, looking flushed and disheveled.

  Wyatt grabbed hold of her arm, his face was fierce, his voice was cold.

  “Are you hurt?”

  She shook her head. “No, I am okay. Really, Father, I am fine. I just want to go to my chambers. Please let me go. I want to be alone.”

  She turned and ran up the stairs to her chambers. Wyatt and Lei exchanged a concerned look.

  “Wyatt, she looks fine. I do not believe that Bai would hurt her. I’ll go to her. You two stay here. And stop worrying, Wyatt. Please remember that Elena is twenty years old – the same age I was when I met you.”

  Wyatt managed an ironic grin.

  “That’s what worries me.”

  ~~~

  “Wan, is there somewhere you can send Bai for a month or two, at least until Elena is ready to start her internship?”

  Wan shook his head puffing on his cigar.

  “I know he is your right hand man, but surely …”

  He stopped, seeing the look on Wan’s face.

  “Wyatt, you know that my organization is facing serious challenges. I need Bai here. He runs my entire operation. If you think it is necessary, perhaps Elena should go back to Wyoming with you and Lei.”

  “You and I both know Elena will not agree to that, Wan. She is determined to strike out on her own. If anything, my concern is that she will insist on leaving here and go to San Francisco before we are able to arrange security for her at the university. But if Bai could go….”

  Wan held up his hand. “Stop, Wyatt.”

  He looked down for a moment then looked up, his face was impassive. “Wyatt, Bai is my son.”

  Wyatt’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. After a long moment of stunned silence, he said, “I see. Does he know that?”

  “Yes, we have been connected as father and son since his birth. His mother is the woman I love with all my heart.”

  Wyatt paused again, then cleared his throat. “I see. Who is she? And where is she?”

  “She lives in France. She refuses to come to this country. She is offended at the way Chinese are treated here and frightened by the Tong lifestyle. Bai and I visit her on occasion. She is an extremely beautiful woman. As with Lei, my children have been fortunate to have the beautiful mothers they have. Her influence accounts for most of Bai’s good looks, as well as his knowledge of languages and culture. She wanted him to stay in France, not leave Europe. When he was twelve, he declared he would live only with me. She opposed him coming here, but he insisted. As you are aware, Bai is a forceful personality.”

  Wyatt nodded. “Yes, and now that I know he is your son, it explains a lot.”

  At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Without waiting for a response, Bai strode in the room. He looked from one to the other and said in a cold voice, “I assumed that you would want to speak with me.”

  “Sit down, Bai,” Wan said, nodding to a chair across from Wyatt.

  “Thank you, I prefer to stand.”

  Wan held his gaze for a moment. “Bai, I told Wyatt that you are my son.”

  Bai blanched and a harsh flush of anger crossed his face. “You had no right to do that, Fùqīn, without my permission.”

  “Given the situation with Elena, I felt it was essential,” Wan said with a sigh.

  With barely controlled fury, Bai said, “There is no ‘situation’ with Elena. I assure both of you, your precious Elena is safe, unharmed. I will not approach her in any way in the future.”

  Wyatt sat back in his chair and puffed on his cigar. Looking through half closed eyes at the tall elegant young man who was vibrating with anger, he said, “Hmm, somehow that is not reassuring.”

  “You can be reassured, Wyatt, and you too, Father. Elena and I have nothing in common. She is a spoiled, headstrong, obnoxious brat. But you both know that, given that you are largely responsible for that fact.”

  Ignoring Bai’s insolence, Wyatt said, “You seemed to have something in common tonight.”

  Bai flushed again, then looking hard at Wyatt, he said in his clipped cultured voice, “You are mistaken. Tonight confirmed once again how little we have in common. You will be pleased to know that I do not dally with children.”

  Wyatt responded in an even tone, but his eyes were hard. “Are you telling me that tonight is the only time that you and Elena have ‘dallied’?”

  “Yes.”

  Bai hesitated then with a defiant lift of his chin added, “Except when I spanked her.”

  Wyatt’s eyebrows shot up. He didn’t try to mask his surprise.

  “You spanked Elena? My daughter? Wan’s granddaughter?”

  “Yes, I did. Whether you agree or not, she deserved it. In fact, she needed it. Perhaps if she had been spanked years ago, she would not need it as badly as she does now.”

  Wyatt’s eyes narrowed. He mumbled almost to himself, “Hmm, I seem to remember thinking that about Lei…when I spanked her … the first time.”

  The barest glimmer of a smile touched Wyatt’s eyes. He added, “I think I even told Lei at that time that someday a guy would be wondering why Elena had not been spanked.”

  The three of them were silent, each trying to absorb the enormity of what had been said.

  Wyatt spoke first. “Wan, does Lei know that Bai is your son?”

  Bai broke in angrily, before Wan could answer. “No, she does not. My father and I agreed that we would not disclose that fact to anyone, including Lei. We did not until my father chose to break his oath by speaking of this to you.”

  Wan ignored Bai and said to Wyatt, “Lei has such anger about her mother and my treatment of her, I did not want to hurt her further.”

  “Yes, my father did not want to confess that he has another woman – another mother of his children, safely squirreled away in another country.”

  “Bai, that is enough.”

  “I agree, Fùqīn. It is quite enough. This conversation is over. As I said to you both earlier, you do not need to concern yourself with Elena and me. Unlike every man within twenty miles of her, I do not find her appealing. I assure you, she feels the same way about me. Indeed, we despise each other.”

  With that, he turned on his heel and walked out of the room, closing the door solidly behind him.

  Wan and Wyatt were quiet for several moments. Finally, Wyatt spoke in a thoughtful voice. “I don’t know why I didn’t see it until now. In addition to the physical similarity, he has assumed your ‘mannerisms,’ as well.”

  “If you are saying that he is as hard and unyielding as I am, you are correct. I want you to know, Wyatt, I love Bai as much as I love Lei. They are my children. Bai and his mother both insisted that I not reveal his paternity. I have always regretted that I agreed. I am proud of my son and would be honored to declare him.”

  “I can see that, Wan. You can and should be proud of Bai. He is a fine man. You know how much I admire and respect him. However, I don’t believe him.”

  Wan frowned, as though not understanding Wyatt’s remark.

  Wyatt said with a slight smile, “When he says that he and Elena despise one another, I think he ‘doth protest too much.’”

  His grin broadened. “Yeah, Wan, let’s face it. The spanking is a dead giveaway. Even I have to admit, Elena’s been begging to be spanked for a long time. She’s kinda like her stepmother in that way.”

  They sat for several moments and then Wan said, “Wyatt, in addition to being my son, Bai is also my heir apparent. In time, he will be the leader of the Sing Leon.”

  “Yeah, Wan. I’ve known that for some time. It has now taken on new meaning, –
as I am sure you understand.” Wyatt said with a rueful shake of his head.

  ~~

  Chapter 20

  Bai paced up and down in his office. He tried to focus on his work. After several attempts, he conceded it was impossible. Too much had happened tonight. He needed to think it through. No use trying to pretend these were minor issues. He was furious with his father for breaking his oath. It was a sacred bond between them. He was shocked and angry that Wan had betrayed his confidence--to Wyatt of all people. Bai admired Wyatt, second only to his father. But Wyatt was Lei’s husband and Elena’s father. While he wanted to believe that Wyatt would not tell either of them, he had never thought that his father would reveal their relationship.

  All because of what Wan had called “the situation with Elena.” He hoped he made it clear to them both that there wasn’t a situation. Yes, there had been incidents, but that was the past. He was now as clear as he could ever be. From the first day at the waterfall, it was obvious Elena was trouble. He pegged her from the beginning. She is a willful, spoiled child. His mistake was to think and act otherwise, to succumb to her beautiful face, her body. He can’t deny she has a woman’s body and probably a decent mind. And yes, she’s spirited. No wonder he found her attractive; she is.

  For one minute he allowed himself to think about how she looked in that gorgeous dress. He remembered her coming down the stairs to greet Wan, the way she had blushed when she saw him. She was a vision. That fiery hair, her beautiful pale skin that flushed when she was angry or excited, those sapphire eyes. Christ, why not admit it? She may be the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. And as long as he was acknowledging her beauty, why not also remember what she felt like in his arms. Jesus, her breasts, her nipples -- the way they peaked, hardened. All he had done was rub them, touch them through her dress, for God’s sake. He hadn’t felt the softness of her bare skin or sucked on them like he wanted to. And that goddamned ass of hers. Now that he knew -- no mystery there. Hell, he hadn’t thought about much else since he had spanked her. Christ, how could such a slender girl have an ass like that: plump, round, toned, and firm.

  He stopped himself. He had to stop thinking about her in this way. If Lei was right, and she was as innocent as Lei implied, he was way out of line touching her the way he had. But Christ, she had been as hot as he was. He could still feel the way she pulled him down to her, moved up against him, kissed him back, how she moaned those needy whimpering sounds, and how she trembled. Goddamn, he had to stop this. Christ, his cock was about to jump through his trousers. It was insane. Hell, if I’m going to torture myself, let’s think about the tantrum she threw. One minute she was plastered against him her bare legs wrapped around his cock. The next minute, she was screaming how much she hated him, threatening to tell Wyatt and Wan he attacked her.

  No, Goddamn it! He was right about her before. She is trouble. A child, a willful, spoiled, obnoxious child. No matter what had happened tonight, that truth remained. In addition to tearing at him, she had caused a serious rupture with the two men he admired most, his father and Wyatt. Tomorrow, he would meet with them both and tell them he changed his mind. He would no longer be responsible for her safety. Wan would have to find someone else. Or better yet, Wyatt should take her back to Wyoming where she belongs. Christ, they were in the beginning stages of an out and out war with the Rongue Ri. He had specifically waited to tell Wan and Wyatt about the saloon and the repercussions with the Rongue Ri. They were closer to an all out war than they had ever been. Goddamn it! Elena was the direct cause, all because she refused to do what she was told. This was the last place a stubborn child who wouldn’t obey orders belonged. If she had to stay, they would have to get one of the other men to take her on. The problem was that he couldn’t think of any of his men who would be able to stand up to her. God, if Nianzu, his second in command, couldn’t resist her, tell her no, who could? Except him.

  But this last week had shown that was not an option. He was right when he told her that she was like a flaming fire. Fire burned and hurt like hell if you touched it. Uncontrolled it could take out a forest and everyone in its path. No, Elena needed to leave -- and leave now.

  ~~~

  In her bedchambers, Elena glared at Lei. She didn’t try to hide her anger. This was the first serious argument she had ever had with Lei. She still couldn’t believe Lei, of all people, had betrayed her.

  “You asked me to confide in you, Lei, and I did. And you told Bai what I said?

  You told him how stupid I am? How I don’t know anything about men? You laughed at me? How could you, Lei?”

  “Elena, please stop. I am sorry that you are angry with me. But I am not sorry that I spoke to Bai. Elena, neither of us was laughing at you or in any way making light of what happened. You do both Bai and me a disservice to think that we would.”

  Elena tried to stop, to clamp down her anger. At one level she knew she wasn’t angry with Lei, she was angry with Bai. Maybe most of all, she was angry with herself.

  “I’m sorry, Lei. I am confused.” She shook her head remembering Bai holding her in the garden and flushed at the memory of the sensations she felt.

  “I…it…felt exciting…wonderful when he kissed me, when he touched me. Then I got angry with him and he left furious. What is wrong with me, Lei?”

  “Honey, nothing is wrong with you. Bai is an extremely attractive man. In many ways, he is like your father. Handsome, arrogant, and powerful. It is not a mystery why you are attracted to him.”

  “But I’m not!” Seeing Lei’s raised eyebrows and questioning look, she added, “Am I?”

  “That’s a question you will have to answer, Elena. If you want my opinion, I think you are conflicted. And I think you are scared. Perhaps I did overstep by speaking to Bai. I may have acted more like a mother than I should have. I wanted to protect you. Sexual feelings are potent, overwhelming. They touch our bodies and our spirits when you are with the right person. They are powerful, confusing emotions -- particularly for someone who has not felt them before.

  She held up her hand when Elena started to protest.

  “No wait, let me finish. There is nothing wrong with being inexperienced, Elena. But Bai is a man of the world. He has had more experiences in his short lifetime than most men have in twenty lifetimes. You have not. I think he deserves to know that. That is why I spoke to him, Elena.”

  “Lei?”

  “Yes, Elena.”

  “I despise him. And he despises me. He thinks I am a child and a bad one at that. He told me that. He also told me he doesn’t fuck children.”

  “I should hope not. But, Elena, as I told Bai tonight, the last thing that you are is a child.”

  After Lei left, Elena laid on her bed, reliving the evening. She was glad she and Lei had made up. She had never been angry at Lei, even when she was a little girl. It was clear she overreacted. Lei would never make fun of her, of that she was sure. It was just that this whole situation with Bai had thrown her off balance. She didn’t understand what was happening to her, why she was acting the way she was. He was right. One minute she was screaming at him, the next minute she was kissing him.

  She didn’t want to think about that any more. But how could she stop? She trembled, remembering how it felt when he kissed her, how all she wanted to do was to kiss him back. When he pulled up her dress and put his strong thigh between her bare legs, she got wet there and he knew it.

  Lei said she was attracted to him. If attraction is feeling that she didn’t ever want him to stop kissing her or holding her and touching her, then she couldn’t deny that she was attracted to him.

  Oh, my God. I have to stop thinking about this. He told me he never will touch me again. I know he won’t. And it is my fault because I didn’t know what to do or what I wanted him to do. She finally fell into a fitful sleep dreaming strange dreams that she didn’t understand and tried not to remember.

  ~~~

  Lei and Wyatt lay in bed discussing the situation with Elena
and Bai. Lei recounted her conversation with Elena.

  “She insists she despises him and that he dislikes her intensely. Apparently, he made it clear that he thinks she is a spoiled child. His parting shot to her this evening was that he doesn’t ‘fuck children.’”

  “Hmm, I see.”

  Wyatt hesitated. “Lei, Bai spanked Elena.”

  Lei’s eyes widened and a soft smile crept across her face.

  “Mm hmm. That changes things, doesn’t it? I guess it is more serious than I thought.”

  Wyatt grinned. He pulled her up close to him. ”Yeah, honey, it sure as hell is.”

  ~~

  Chapter 21

  The next morning Bai sat at his desk organizing his thoughts. He planned to talk to Wan and Wyatt about sending Elena back to Wyoming. He looked up in surprise to see them standing at his office door.

  “May we come in?” Wyatt asked rhetorically, as they both walked through the doorway.

  Bai stood. He bowed slightly to Wan and nodded to Wyatt.

  “Mais bien sûr. Please. Sit,” he said, pointing to the chairs in front of his desk. “As you know, I prefer Bolivian cigars; their flavor is more intense. I do have Cuban cigars if you wish,” he said pointing to the humidor on the edge of his desk.

  Wan selected two of the Bolivian cigars and handed one to Wyatt. Bai pushed his silver cutter box across the desk. Wyatt hefted the extraordinary piece and shot him an appreciative nod. Bai grinned in return. The box was one of his favorite trinkets. It had a clever cutting mechanism in the top and a match striker plaque at the base. Wyatt owned several silver mines in Nevada and Utah. If anyone appreciated fine silver accouterments, Wyatt did. Hell, Bai thought, he should appreciate it. The cutter had set him back the cost of a pure bred mare. Bai met Wyatt’s gaze with a glimmer of pride. He was smarting from their conversation the previous evening. Even though he knew Wyatt respected him, Bai felt certain he was sizing him up differently, given the “situation” with Elena. With the additional scrutiny he was sure Wyatt was giving him, Bai didn’t mind underscoring his cultural acumen and eye for elegant trappings. He knew being powerful, elegant, and ruthless didn’t hurt him in Wyatt’s eyes either.