The Marquess Who Adored Me

by Rachelle Stevensen

  The man sneered at Cole. “You think I would believe the likes of you? I am not stupid, so don’t treat me like I am. You will never let me go, won’t let me live. It will be easier to take her as collateral. Now move aside.”

  Cole and Burk both turned, not wanting the man to spook and hurt the small woman in his arms. They stood aside, and Cole saw Brooks out of the corner of his eye duck behind a large pillar outside the door.

  He had his gun in his hand and nodded to them. Cole made no indication he had seen him, aside from a tiny nod.

  Brooks had his eyes trained on the man, and the woman he held in his grip. The man backed toward the door and held Persephone tighter.

  She squeaked, and her arms came up to scratch at him. Her face was quickly going from red to blue, and as soon as the man got to the door, Brooks stepped up behind him, and put the gun to his temple.

  “Drop the gun, right now.”

  The man went still and dropped the gun. But he didn’t drop Persephone. She was trying to gasp for air and went limp in his arms. “Drop the woman too.” Brooks said, and the man turned, shoving Persephone at Brooks, who dropped his gun immediately and grabbed her.

  The man took off, running up the corridor, but Cole ran out the door, aimed his gun, and shot the man in the back.

  He fell to the ground and stayed where he was. He let out a breath of relief and went back in with Eden.

  Brooks got to his feet with a limp Persephone in his arms. He rushed her over to the bed and put his head on her chest.

  When she breathed, he closed his eyes, and let out a breath as well. Cole gathered Eden into his arms and kissed her.

  She was crying, but he didn’t care. “You came for me! You are here. You are alive! Please tell me this isn’t a dream.”

  Cole kissed her all over her face, tasting the salt from her tears. “Of course, I came for you. I am not a dream. Does this feel like a dream to you?”

  He kissed her soundly, and she responded. When he pulled back, they were both breathing hard.

  She reached up and caressed his face, and he leaned into her touch. “I love you. So much.”

  Cole smiled, “I love you.”

  Kissing her softly, he turned to look around the room, and found Burk, with Lily in his arms, her arms around his neck, as she sobbed into his shirt.

  He had his eyes shut, a look of pure bliss on his face as he held her, and he ran his hands up and down her back. He was quietly shushing her, and softly rocking her back and forth.

  Lily was clutching at him, holding his shirt in both her fists and Burk just held her tight. Occasionally, he kissed her hair, her forehead, anywhere he could.

  Persephone was stirring on the bed, her eyes starting to blink open, and Brooks was watching her with a total focus.

  Aidan came running in the room, his sword drawn and bloody. When he saw all the women were all right, Aidan let out a breath.

  He looked to Cole, and Cole nodded. “Katarina is in one of the first rooms. It was her all along. She felt that since we humiliated her, that she had the right to take Eden and Lily.”

  Aidan’s jaw clenched, and he growled. “Goddamn it! Fucking hell, I should have known.”

  He stalked out of the room, and Cole could only assume he was going to confront Katarina.

  That bitch needed to be taught a lesson. And Aidan would be the one to do it. He could only imagine what Aidan’s plan would be. But he didn’t care. As long as Katarina was never heard from again, that was all that mattered to him.

  Cole brought Eden out of the room, letting Burk, Lily, Persephone and Brooks have a moment. He too needed a minute with his woman.

  Finding an empty room, Cole shut the door and bolted it. Pulling Eden into his arms, he kissed her soft lips again.

  She sighed into his mouth, and Cole loved it. Holding her in his arms, he finally felt complete again.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Eden

  Somewhere in the Ocean, Nov 1812

  Eden loved that Cole was kissing her like there was no tomorrow. He held her to him, like he was afraid she would leave.

  Pulling his mouth from her, he moved it down her neck, and breathed out, “I need you. I have been too long without you, and I thought I would never see you again. Thought you were lost to me forever.”

  He looked down at her, and Eden’s eyes filled with tears. She pulled him down to her mouth again and kissed him soundly. “I love you Cole. I have missed your touch, and I was so afraid I would never feel it on my skin. Make me yours.”

  Cole picked her up and kissed her hard. He walked blindly, until her back hit a wall, and they both groaned at the feel of his body, rubbing against hers.

  Cole grabbed her skirts in his hand and raised them up over her legs. She felt his hand follow but didn’t protest his movement.

  She wanted more, and when she felt his mouth move to her neck, and suck on the skin there, she let out a moan.

  Cole went still, “You have to be quiet. There are too many people around, and I don’t want them to hear your pleasure. Those sounds are for my ears alone.”

  Eden nodded, trying to hold the sounds in, and bit her lip as he went back to sucking and kissing her neck. He held her up in one hand, and she felt wet, and needy at his show of strength.

  She could feel him jostle her a bit, and before she knew what was happening, he had pulled his hard cock from the confines of his breeches and impaled her with it in one hard thrust. She wanted to groan at the feel of him deep inside and loved feeling him there again.

  Eden put her head on Cole’s shoulder and moaned into the fabric of his shirt. He lifted her up and down on his cock, and she wanted to squeal, to moan and scream with how good it felt.

  With how wonderful it was to be connected to him in this way once again. She had craved him, these past two weeks they had been apart, and she would never take him for granted ever again.

  Cole moved his hips driving his cock in and out he went, and the rhythm going faster and faster, until Eden was biting down on his shoulder to keep from screaming.

  He touched her lightly on her clit, and it sent her over the edge into oblivion. He wasn’t done, however, and he used her body his strokes were hard, and fast now.

  He had both hands on her hips, with her legs locked around his back as he pumped into her a handful of times more, before he let out a strangled noise, that sounded like her name, and she could swear that she felt his release deep inside her.

  They were both breathing hard, and Cole turned their bodies, so his back was to the wall, and slid down the wall slowly, until he sat on the floor.

  She could feel him inside her still. Just as large and hard as he was before he came.

  Cole had his face buried in her neck, and she ran her fingers through his hair, almost petting him, and occasionally, she would kiss his forehead.

  She needed this connection with him, and when he finally looked up into her eyes, she smiled.

  He had a worried look on his face, “Did I hurt you?”

  She shook her head, “Of course not, you have never hurt me Cole.”

  He let out a small breath, “I was too hurried, too rough this time. My need for you was too much.”

  Eden kissed him, hard. “Cole, I loved every single minute of what we just did. Because it was you. Nothing you do to me has ever or will ever cause me pain. Because I want it and need it. I have missed you for too long. Been aching for you for three long years. And then I was taken, and these weeks without you by my side have been the worst hell. Now that I have you? I am never letting go. I will take every single ounce of pleasure you can give me.”

  Cole bit his lip, and then smiled, “I really didn’t hurt you? Taking you like an animal against the wall like that?”

  Eden shook her head. “No, you didn’t hurt me.”

  Cole’s shaft twitched inside her, and she raised her hips a little, and they both moaned quietly at the drag.

  Eden didn’t want to lose this connectio
n with him, so she rotated her hips in a circle, and when she felt the nub at the top of her sex being rubbed in the most delicious way, she did it again and again.

  Cole had a tight hold on her hips as she did this, and every time she moved in her circle, he held her tighter.

  Helping her find the rhythm she needed. Eden started lifting her hips and bringing them down again, and she watched Cole bite his lip again.

  She put her hands on his shoulders and used their strength to keep lifting and dropping, until they were once again gasping.

  Eden dropped one last time and rotated her hips again. The brush against him, made her stiffen in his arms and Cole brought her mouth down to his to stifle her cries of completion.

  He too exploded inside of her, too worked up to hold back for longer. Eden put her head on his shoulder and breathed.

  It was all she could do. She was so tired, now that he was here, and what they had just done made her want to curl up in his arms like a kitten and nap the day away.

  When she was able to calm her breathing somewhat, she could hear men talking outside the room they were in, and she knew they needed to get up, and be decent.

  She slowly lifted off Cole’s cock, letting him slip free, and she could feel the wetness of both their releases dripping out of her.

  Cole groaned softly at the loss of her heat, and he helped her wipe away the wetness their combined pleasure had caused with a handkerchief he had pulled from his pocket.

  Eden stood on shaking legs, and watched Cole tuck himself back into his breeches, and button the front falls.

  He smiled up at her and stood as well. Kissing her softly, he said, “We need to go over to Cabe’s other ship. Rose is there, as is Rhia and I am sure they are not happy. Rose is ready to see for herself if we are hale and hearty. She wanted to come with, and we asked her to stay with Rhia, so I am certain she is pacing. Come.”

  He held his hand out to her, which she took. Kissing him one last time, they unlatched the door, and walked up the stairs into the night.

  As soon as they were on the ship Cole had sailed in on, Rose was rushing them. She pulled Eden into a hug, and though Eden hadn’t met this sister yet, she hugged her back.

  Rose was sniffling, and when she released Eden, she said, “I apologize. I am just so happy to see you are safe, and that Cole is unharmed.”

  Another woman came up to them and she pulled Cole in for a hug. “You are unharmed?” Cole nodded, “And Aidan? Why isn’t he back?”

  Cole sighed, “He is fine. Just tying up some loose ends. I will explain everything to you. Rhia, this is Eden.”

  The woman turned to Eden and smiled, pulling her in for a hug. Eden hugged her back and when she pulled back, Eden was struck at the woman’s soft beauty.

  Rose led them to the cabin she and Rhia were using, and Eden noted Rhia walked with a limp. Cole had to catch her once when she stumbled and Eden looped her arm in Rhia’s and matched her slower steps, which made Rhia smile at Eden.

  When they got to the cabin, there was a small lamp lit in the corner.

  It illuminated the room rather well, and Rose narrowed her eyes at him. “I guess not fully unharmed?”

  She had seen his few cuts, and the furrow that cut across his chest.

  Eden turned to look at him, and gasped. “Cole! You are hurt? Why didn’t you say something about your wounds? I should have noticed them, but it was so dark, and everything happened so quickly.”

  Cole waved his hand at her. “They are minor. They don’t hurt and it is fine, my love.”

  Eden helped Rhia sit on a chair and turned to Cole, her hands on her hips. She was shaking her head, “Minor or not, you are still hurt.”

  Rose clucked her tongue, “Eden is right. Let me take care of those.”

  She bustled around the room, and came back with a few bandages, and some whiskey. “Is Lily all right? You are the first ones back.”

  Cole nodded, “She is all right, a little shaken, and as good as can be expected.”

  Rose turned to look at him, sitting in a chair in front of him. “What does that mean? As good as can be expected?”

  Eden saw Rhia lean forward, she was quiet, listening to every word Cole said.

  Cole let out a sigh and ran his hand through his hair. “When Burk and I found the girls, there were men in the room with them. One was on top of Lily, trying to rape her, and the other was doing the same to Eden.”

  Rose gasped and put her hand to her lips. Her eyes filled with tears, “Bring me to her, now!”

  Cole shook his head, and Rose stood so abruptly, her chair crashed to the floor. “I am sick and tired of people telling me no,” she got right in Cole’s face and pointed her finger at him. “You will bring me to her right now, or else.”

  Cole sighed, and shook his head. “Burk has her Rose; she is in good hands.”

  Rose scoffed, “I don’t care. I want to see my sister. And I am going, with or without you.”

  She turned from him, and before Cole could stop her, she rushed from the room, and straight into Cabe.

  She bounced off his hard chest, and almost hit the floor, before he caught her. “Where are you going Rose?”

  Rose shoved him off her, and tried to brush past him, but he wouldn’t allow it. “Let me pass!”

  Cabe shook his head, “No. What are you doing?”

  Rose looked up at him and put her hands to her hips. “You will get out of my way right now. I am going to get my sister.”

  Cabe sighed, and turned slightly, so Rose could see Lily being held gently in Burk’s arms.

  Rose gasped and ran for her sister. As soon as Lily saw Rose, she burst into tears again and fought and kicked to get out of Burk’s arms.

  He held her tighter, and she screamed at him to put her down. When Rose reached them, Lily kicked in earnest. “Put me down Burk!”

  Burk sighed, and Eden had to hold in a laugh at the look on Burk’s face. Burk finally put Lily on her feet and Rose hugged her tightly.

  The sisters sobbed in each other’s arms, and Eden looked over at Cole. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her close.

  Rhia stood from her chair and the two sisters immediately pulled her in for a large hug. Rhia cupped Lily’s face and pulled her in close and Eden saw Rhia whisper in Lily’s ear.

  Lily smiled slightly and nodded. Eden loved seeing how close the three girls were.

  Eden stood in Cole’s arms for a minute, and noticed he was still bleeding, and decided to take matters into her own hands.

  She pushed Cole back into the cabin and sat him in the chair. He looked up at her with heat in his eyes, and she giggled. “You stop that. I need to take care of these, since I am a ninny and never noticed them before.”

  She kissed him softly, and he smiled. “I am fine love. Truly.”

  She shook her head, taking his shirt off his broad chest, washing his cuts, and bandaging them. After each bandage, she kissed him softly.

  When she was putting his last wrap on, a flood of people came into the room. Lily, Rose, Burk, Cabe, Brooks, Persephone, Aidan, Rhia and Blake, all walked into the room.

  She knew it was Aidan because he looked similar to Cole. Except for the large scar on his face that it. She watched him pull Rhia into his arms and sit in a chair with her, snuggling his wife close.

  Rose had Lily sit in a chair, as well as Persephone. She fussed over them and made certain they were well.

  Eden smiled as Rose fussed and clucked over the group of people, finding and treating any injuries she could find.

  When Rose reached Cabe, however, she barely glanced his way. She quickly turned from him and moved to the next person.

  Cole let out a strangled cough, and Eden looked down at him. His eyes twinkled with mirth and Eden bit her lip to not smile, as she watched Cabe, follow Rose with his eyes.

  His expression tight, and full of hunger. Eden recognized that look, had seen it on Cole and Burk, but now Cabe had such hunger in his eyes, and Eden wanted to laugh
.

  A touch to her arm made her jump, and she looked up into the face of the man she had noticed. This close she saw that his eyes were green instead of grey. “You must be Eden. I have heard quite a lot about you. I am Aidan.”

  Cole laughed as Eden tried to drop into a courtesy. “My love, this is my brother.”

  Eden smiled, “Your grace, it is a pleasure to meet you.”

  Aidan smirked, “Thank you, but I am just Aidan. I am so grateful we were able to get to you in time.”

  Eden smiled up at the duke, “I am too. Thank you for coming to my aid.”

  She felt Cole’s arms wrap around her, and she leaned back into them. Aidan laughed, and she looked up to see Cole smiling.

  He said, “She is beautiful, is she not?”

  Aidan winked at her, “Yes. She is. Though not as beautiful as my wife, but close.”

  Eden saw Rhia come up to Aidan, and he wrapped an arm around her waist. “See? Here is the proof.” Rhia blushed and Eden laughed as her cheeks were also warm.

  “I know you probably met already, but this is Rhia, my Duchess and the soon to be mother of my child.”

  Eden smiled and Rhia and she hugged again. “It is such a pleasure to meet you. Cole has told me so much about you. And congratulations to the both of you. That is such wonderful news!”

  Rhia cupped her stomach and smiled at Eden. Aidan put his hand over hers and Rhia looked up at him, then back at Eden. “Thank you. We are both so happy and I cannot tell you how happy I am that you are here and that you are safe. It was not fun, seeing Cole in such distress.”

  Eden looked down and swallowed hard, feeling Cole at her side. “Thank you Rhia. That means a lot to me.” She reached out at hugged Rhia again. “I feel like I know you. Already so well.”

  Rhia smiled, “I feel the same. I saw your ring on your finger, and that means we will be sisters.”

  Eden smiled, “I cannot wait. I have never had a sister before, and now I will have three.”

  Rose and Lily laughed, “You certainly will!” One of them called out and Aidan led Rhia back over to a chair.