Prisoner of the Island
Page 10
She couldn't deny that, but she wasn't ready to be a slave to him, even for a few hours. She wanted sex, that wasn't the same as wanting to submit. “No, if I'm going to have sex with you right now, it's not going to be as a submissive.” She kept her voice low pitched, making sure no one could overhear. The last thing she needed was for the guards to catch what was being said. She wasn't about to play that game.
He scowled and released her hands, stepping back from her. “I see.”
And there it was. The look in his eyes. The tone that spoke volumes. No, he wanted the submission. He wasn't interested in sex with her unless it involved her playing submissive to his dom. And that was where she wasn't willing to go just right now. Celeste shook her head and walked past him, climbing the stone steps up to the walls.
Typical. Well, I'll deal with this myself. I'm not going to stumble into his bed as a submissive just to scratch a damn itch.
“You made an agreement.” He followed her, leaning in close to speak.
“Yes, I did.”
“Are you backing out?” His jaw tightened.
“No, I'm not.”
“Then what the fuck is going on?”
“I never said I would be submissive every time I was with you. Or that I would drop everything and go to some private location with you whenever you desired.” She kept calm and walked along the walls before she looked out over the water. Her gaze narrowing on the two ships that had now docked at the large wharf. “Interesting.”
“What?”
“Two ships in at once, and neither one is low in the water, so I'm guessing not heavily laden with trade goods.” She leaned on the stone, watching the vessels, wondering. The uneasy feeling growing in the pit of her stomach.
“How do you know?”
“I had a lot of spare time on my journey here. I put it to good use. The sailors were more than willing to explain to me how things worked, what were the signs of a ship heavily laden. Just why some ships moved faster than others through the water. Those two are smaller ships than the one I arrived on. Not just that, but the sails are different as well. The one on the left has some weapons on it, canons, some sort of military vessel perhaps? Or a privately owned one. Either way it's carrying cannon.”
“Why would they do that unless they were military?” He leaned in, his own interest now awakened.
“One might be, I don't know, I'm no good at reading the flags. That part I never did pick up on.” Wish I had now, at least I'd know a little more about what was going on. “They're not dropping off supplies, or if they are it's only a small amount, those aren't cargo ships.” Or that wasn't their primary purpose.
“You're trembling.”
“I know.”
“Why?” He rested one hand on her shoulder.
“I don't know. It's just that— every time I look at those ships I get this sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something's coming. Something I don't want to face.”
“Like what?” He frowned, shaking his head slightly. “You don't look like someone who tastes fear easily. So just what could have shaken you without you even seeing it?”
“I wish I knew.” Celeste frowned and walked a little further around the walls, following them so she could get a better view of the ships and the wharf. “I don't like this. They aren't preparing to lift goods onto the wharf, at least I don't think they are. They've brought passengers.”
“We all came here by ship.”
She couldn't argue that point. Ship was the only way to reach the Island. Just what was going on now? She didn't understand it. Celeste frowned and leaned back on the stone wall. Each of the ships had lowered a gang plank and she could just about make out groups of men walking about the deck.
Two ships.
Two groups of men.
Each group with one man that looked, or walked, in a very familiar manner.
No, this isn't possible. I'm imaging things. There's no way they could both— and not at the same time...
“Celeste?”
“They're here.” No. This wasn't happening. It couldn't be happening. “Oh God, I can't stay here. If they're here I have to— except there's no way to leave without a ship.”
“Celeste, what's going on? What's wrong?” He turned her, holding onto her shoulder. “Talk to me.”
“You wanted to know about my past. It just pulled up at the wharf. Both of them.” What had she done to deserve this? “I don't know how they found me.”
“They?”
“Tearlach and Davien. They've both owned me at one point. Or thought they did.”
His grip tightened fully on her shoulder. “Then you're admitting you were once their slave?”
“Yes.” There was no way around this, no way of hiding it. “But no longer. I escaped both of them.”
“Interesting. So they lacked the basic ability to keep you as their own. Not very good Masters then.” He chuckled and let go of her shoulder. “Well then you should be safe here. Jamezen might be many things but he's not about to hand you over on the say so of two men who just walk into his home. Shite, he won't even hand you over to me and I've lived here for almost a year now. So breath, relax, use the ice cold bitch factor you've been trying on me, and try trusting me.”
“So you're going to help me?”
“Yes, for a price.”
“And the price is?”
“Your continued submission and no more little games of avoiding being in private with me, Celeste. You'll need help, and I'm the only real chance you've got.” His voice softened as he cupped her chin. “And there's something about you, Celeste. Something I'm not willing to see taken from me, destroyed, or changed by the hand of another.”
She blinked, staring at him. “Are you saying... ”
“That I care for you, and I'm interested in you. I'm not about to claim that I love you. I'm not sure I'm capable of such a thing. But I'm not about to see you dragged from the Island by two men who lost their right to you.”
Lost their right— well she wasn't about to argue that point. She didn't belong to either man anymore, but they'd followed her and weren't about to give up on owning her. That was all too clear to her.
“It's going to be an interesting day when they announce just who they are to Jamezen,” Celeste whispered. “And heaven help us all when they find out I'm not a piece of property that can be handed over to them at their command.”
“But you won't be facing it alone.” Steven smiled, but the words didn't ease her concerns.
Two men here to try and claim me. Another who would do the same if he thought he had a chance to do so without seeing me in chains as a public slave. The Island was supposed to be a safe haven and now...
Now she had to find the strength to face all three men with no way safe way off the Island.
THE END
-The End-
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