Her Pirate Master (Entwined Fates)
Page 14
“You broke her heart, asshole. I should break your neck.”
Jack dropped her forehead into her hand. She had a sudden and fierce headache.
“I know I did,” Haydrien said softly. “I’m here to make up for it.”
Jonah tilted his head. “How?”
“Jonah!” Jack yelled in exasperation.
“What? Don’t you want to know how?”
Jack glared at her brother. Jonah chuckled. “You never let me have any fun.”
Haydrien turned his head, but Jack didn’t miss the grin that tugged at the corners of his mouth.
“You won’t have it as easy with the count,” Jonah said to Haydrien.
“Dad’s over it, Jonah,” Jack growled.
Jonah grinned wickedly. “Dad doesn’t know he’s here.”
Jack scowled. “It’s not Dad’s decision, now is it?”
Haydrien put his finger under her chin and turned her to face him. The amused look on his face made him look so sexy. Or maybe she’d just been without him so long that any look on his face would be sexy.
“Why are you fighting with him?” Haydrien asked. “You realize he’s just pulling your chain, right? Besides. How do you think I got the clearance to get through Daego’s security perimeter?”
Jonah chuckled softly. Jack turned and slapped him on the chest again, making both her brother and Haydrien laugh loudly.
* * * *
Haydrien sat across the table from Stefan, Sidious, and Jonah, wondering what the hell he was supposed to do. He wanted Jack home, and if this was what he had to do to get her there, then so be it, but how in the hell was he supposed to win her father over? Especially after what happened.
“This little meeting isn’t about Jack, directly anyway,” Stefan said.
Haydrien frowned. “Then what’s it about?”
“It’s about the hurvidium,” Sidious replied.
Haydrien’s frown deepened. “What about it?”
“We understand that you lack the means to mine it,” Stefan said.
“I have no interest in forming another partnership with anyone,” Haydrien said firmly.
“And I can certainly understand why,” Sidious said. “But this isn’t an offer of partnership. This is an offer for a loan.”
Haydrien eyed them suspiciously. “Why?”
“Honestly?” Stefan replied. “Because of Jack. I want you to be able to keep her in the same style that I do, and quite frankly, I can keep her in a style that right now, you can’t come anywhere close to touching.”
Haydrien raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything. Silently, he agreed with Stefan. He’d lost his fortune a long time ago.
“What exactly are you proposing?” Haydrien asked.
“We loan you what you need to get started. You pay us back; then it’s all yours. We’re out of it.”
Haydrien didn’t say anything. Just stared at them. Were they serious about this? And what did Jack think of it? Or was it Jack who put them up to it? Did money mean that much to her?
“Jack has no idea we’re even talking to you about this,” Jonah said, and some of Haydrien’s concern fled. “She has her own money and believed she would eventually be able to convince you to let her help. Jack’s good with numbers, but I don’t think even she realizes just how much it’s going to take to get this operation up and running. Hurvidium is a bitch to mine, but it will make your planet unbelievably wealthy.”
“And the three of you have that much?” Haydrien asked skeptically.
“We can get it,” Sidious said.
“We’ll draw up papers so there’s no doubt,” Stefan said. “The operation is yours. You’re in charge. No interference from us…at least on this matter.”
Haydrien snorted with amusement. “I see.”
Stefan’s look turned hard. “You kidnapped my daughter.”
Haydrien opened his mouth to say something, but Stefan held up his hand, stopping him. “I’ll be watching.”
“So will I,” Jonah said with a nod.
Haydrien sighed. “Fair enough.”
Epilogue
Jack smiled up at Haydrien as they slowly swayed around the dance floor. The last year had gone by incredibly fast. Upon her return to Meenose, Gora had starting cooking for Haydrien again. Jack still got a giggle thinking about how they’d all ignored him after he’d told her father to take her home. It warmed her heart to know they’d liked her that much and thought she was perfect for Haydrien.
And Haydrien… For the first few weeks, he didn’t touch her sexually, had even put her in a separate room a floor above him. At first it had unsettled her, but she’d soon realized what he was doing. He was courting her and making her fall in love with him all over again.
When he proposed, Gora had been so excited, she cried and immediately began planning the wedding of the century. Jack tried to tell her she didn’t need all that fluff and pageantry, but Gora insisted and hadn’t let Jack do anything in regard to the preparations. She’d planned everything right down to the canopy of flowers that covered the reception area.
The mining of the hurvidium had gone exceptionally well. Each of the provinces were well on their way to a full recovery. If they kept up with their current schedule of production, they would have her father paid back in just a few months. She couldn’t believe Haydrien had agreed to it; unfortunately he’d never told her how they’d convinced him.
Maybe later she could get it out of him.
Haydrien leaned down and softly kissed her cheek. “You look beautiful,” he whispered. “I can’t wait to get you alone and out of that dress.”
A shiver of excitement traveled up her spine at his words. “I thought you liked my dress.”
“I like you in anything, Jack. It’s not the clothes. It’s just you.”
He gently bit her neck, just beneath her earlobe, and she shivered. She wasn’t sure when she’d ever been this happy. She was so glad he’d kidnapped her. It turned out the pirate had been the man of her dreams in disguise.
He pulled back and grinned down at her. “Do you suppose the men in your family will hunt us down if we leave this party early?”
“I don’t think they’ll mind.”
“Yes, we’ll mind,” Jonah drawled from behind Jack.
She sighed and glanced over her shoulder. Jonah had arrived here a couple of weeks ago. He’d enjoyed spending time with Haydrien and checking out the mines. He’d never actually seen hurvidium mined and was curious. He’d also been curious about a couple of the local women who had taken an interest in the newcomer. She’d been worried about his getting sick, but the doctor had worked with the hospital on Rhinari to come up with a plan to eradicate the virus. So far, it had worked, and no one else had come down with it.
“Don’t you think you’ve monopolized my husband enough since you’ve been here?” Jack asked.
“Husband,” Haydrien said, grinning. “I think I like the sound of that.”
“Oh, Lord.” Jonah sighed. “Get out of here.” He nodded to the main house on the hill. “I’ll run interference.”
As Haydrien pulled her off the dance floor, she heard her brother call out, “But you owe me.”
Jack giggled almost the entire way to their room. Haydrien swung her inside, then shut the door behind him. He stalked toward her, his eyes burning with hunger. Every nerve in her body tingled with excitement. He could always do this to her.
He looked sexy in his white shirt and black slacks. His hair was shorter now, and she really liked the look on him.
She began to walk backward until she hit the wall on the other side of the room. He grabbed her wrists and lifted them over her head, securing them in the cuffs that hung from the wall. Jack’s heart began to pound wildly.
“I’m going to flog you, wife,” he murmured. “And every time that leather strap hits your flesh, I want you to yell out, ‘yes—’“
“Master?” she whispered.
“Husband,” he replied.
> Jack grinned. “Yes, husband,” she repeated softly.
Haydrien rewarded her with a kiss she felt clear to her toes. “I love you, wife,” he whispered against her lips.
She smiled happily. “I love you.”
Loose Id Titles by Trista Ann Michaels
Darkness Falls
Dead Reckoning
Leave Me Breathless
Their One and Only
Shutter
* * * *
The ENTWINED FATES Series
Captive
Destined for Two
Mercenary
Remember Me
Slaves
Her Pirate Master
* * * *
The SPARK OF MAGIC Series
Blood Rite
Deadly Crimson
To Die For
Lost Without Them
Nature of the Beasts
Trista Ann Michaels
I live in the land of dreams, where alpha men are tender, heroines are strong and sassy, and villains are brutal and conniving. When not deep in the mind of my next serial killer, ghost, or futuristic space pilot, I can be found in the mountains of Tennessee, spending time with family and friends. At least until the next story calls.
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Epilogue
Loose Id Titles by Trista Ann Michaels
Trista Ann Michaels