He grabbed the blanket around her and pulled. It fell off her shoulders, leaving only her chemise to cover her. He looked her up and down appreciatively and whistled softly. “I knew curves like that did not belong on a boy. I should’ve trusted my instincts.”
“Well, I’m glad you didn’t. If the crew had found out I was a woman...”
Dulac scoffed at her. “Nah. They already have a growing respect for you. You never complain. You do more chores than most of them combined.”
It was her turn to scoff. “Hmpf. They’re a superstitious lot. Ever notice how they cross themselves when they see a black cat?”
Dulac stepped closer, his eyes feasting on her curves. His place his hands on her hips and slowly rubbed them up and down. “I didn’t know you were a cat...until now. Can I make you purr like one?”
Jesse’s breath caught in her throat as he yanked her close and kissed her again. His arms wrapped tightly around her, pressing her into his hardness. This was the first time in a long time she’d actually been happy. In fact, the feeling was so new to her it bubbled up and spilled out in her laughter.
“What?” His words whispered across her lips like a breeze against a sail.
Jesse shook her head, unable to keep the silly smile off her face. “Nothing. It’s just...I can’t tell you how many times I wanted to tell you I was a female.”
“Well, I certainly wish you would have,” Dulac growled against her mouth. “It would have saved me a lot of heartache.”
Reluctantly, he stepped away, picked up her blanket and wrapped it around her. “Come on before I ravish you right here. Show me where he’s been keeping you.”
He hesitated, and the color drained from his face. “Did he—”
She shook her head, knowing where his thoughts had gone. “No. He’s saving that for our wedding night.”
Her own thoughts darkened her smile. She refused to tell Dulac just how far LeBlanc had gone, however. All he needed to know was that she was still physically a virgin.
She grabbed his hand and led him back to her veranda. The white rope made of sheets remained exactly where she’d left them.
Dulac laughed. “Della’s handiwork.”
Jesse gave him a curious look and a half smile. “How’d you know it was Della?”
“She left a pile of sheets under my bed, as well.”
After making a mental note to thank the woman later, Jesse adjusted the blanket around her neck and then pulled herself up the makeshift rope. She climbed onto the veranda, looked over the side and waved for Dulac to come up. In no time, he was standing beside her with a cheesy grin. “Maybe next time you should let me go first...unless you like the fact that I saw your wonderful, lower attributes.”
Her face flamed red. “I forgot.”
“I know.” Dulac’s voice was husky. “I’m glad.”
To hide her embarrassment, she entered her rooms. “Welcome to my prison.”
He followed her in and shut the French doors behind him. Then he faced her with a cocky grin. “Well, let me show you what it’s like to be my prisoner.”
Chapter 18
Jesse lay in bed beside Dulac, inspecting his huge hand. The nails were bit to the quick, the only sign his nerves weren’t made of steel. His fingertips were round and smooth, and when she thought of where they had just been, she blushed. Yet that place pooled with heat in remembrance.
She inhaled deeply and smiled in satisfaction. If LeBlanc asked her now if she were a virgin, she would have to disappoint him. Plus the sheik would no longer be able to call her his little Adara.
Dulac rolled on top of her. The symbol of his affection pressed against her thigh as his blue eyes searched hers. “Why can’t I get enough of you?”
He lowered his head to her breast just as there was a soft knock on the door. Both her eyes and his went wide, and they froze.
“Who is it?” Jesse croaked.
“Della.”
“One second please.”
One second turned into one hundred and two seconds as the two lovers struggled to get their clothes back on. Dulac sat upon one of the couches while Jesse took a chair.
“Come in,” she called out with a glance at Dulac. She was as nervous as a fish out of water.
Della pushed the door open and surveyed the room before entering. She shut the door behind her. She faced them with a canary-eating grin. “I see you two found the bed sheets.”
Dulac grinned, but Jesse was the first to respond. “Yes, and I thank you very, very much.”
“I do have a question.” Dulac was never one to beat around the bush. “I don’t suppose you have a way off this island as well? Perhaps a boat hidden somewhere?”
Della scrunched her nose and frowned. “Unfortunately, no. But, I’ve been thinking on this a lot, and my father should be here any day.”
Dulac held up his hand. “Whoa. We’ve been down this road before, ma’am. I’m not waiting around a second time for LeBlanc to discover us. I’m gone as of tonight. I don’t care if I have to hide the rest of my life. I am not going back to that room.”
He looked at Jesse pointedly. “Are you with me?”
Nervously, she jumped to her feet and went to the balcony doors. She peeked through the curtains as if LeBlanc were sitting out there. “Aye, but...it can’t be tonight.”
“Why?” His voice rumbled angrily across the room.
Jesse slowly opened the doors wide and pointed. “Because LeBlanc and Bonny are home.”
“Damnation,” Dulac snapped and jumped to his feet. He strode across the room to stand beside her, and she pushed him back.
“Fool,” she spit. “Do you want him to see you? He probably has his spyglass on this veranda.”
Dulac dropped to his knees, cursing. “Hiding behind a woman’s skirts is not my idea of manly behavior.”
“Well,” she said and snorted. “Being forced to wear a woman’s skirts is no picnic either.”
Dulac tugged on her chemise until she was forced to her knees as well, and she was still forced to look up into his troubled blue eyes. He rubbed his thumb over her lips before claiming them with his own. “When I get down, pull the sheets up and hide them under the bed.”
“Aye, and don’t forget to do the same when you get back to your prison,” Jesse whispered. “Can’t have them finding our only means of escape, now, can we?”
“No, definitely not.” He kissed her once more before pulling her to her feet. Reluctantly, he stepped onto the veranda and looked back at her. “I promise I’ll be back.”
Dulac slipped over the balcony and was on the ground in a matter of seconds. Della helped Jesse pull the sheets up and hide them under the bed. Her new friend had a fresh bath brought in for her before taking her leave. Jesse gratefully climbed into the hot water and tried to relax. The prospect of facing LeBlanc, however, worried at her nerves. She prayed he didn’t ask her his favorite question and hoped that her lying skills were getting better.
* * * *
Dulac couldn’t stop smiling as he ran back to his prison. He felt so lighthearted he could barely stand it. Jesse was a girl. No, Jesse was a woman. His heart soared at the thought.
No more thinking I’ve started liking the same gender. Thank you, Lord. I thought I was going insane.
Once he climbed the makeshift ladder, he balled it up and shoved it as far under the bed as possible. Then he stood with his hands on his hips and stared at the freshly made bed with a silly grin. Memories of making Jesse his own flashed in his head.
I cannot believe how wonderful it felt to make love to her. I can’t wait to do it again.
Dulac snapped back to the present as he had a sudden, unbidden memory of a naked Bonny on the bed before him. He sneered in disgust at himself but shook it off. He hadn’t known Jesse was a woman at the time, not that it mattered. He had resisted Bonny as long as he could, but he hadn’t realized the vixen was feeding him Yohimbine bark in his meals. The stuff had made him wild as a horse, and Bonny ha
d readily made herself available for his suddenly insatiable needs.
He narrowed his eyes as he remembered how she had casually told him of her little trick. He had refused to eat, which had made her furious. So her idea of punishment had been to withhold food and drink for nearly two weeks. At first, he’d been glad. He would rather have starved to death than submit to her will. By the time his punishment was up, however, he had been so weak he didn’t have the strength to fight her off. He’d meekly let her spoon feed broth to him, but he’d hated the fact his body had betrayed him.
The door behind Dulac flew open, and he turned around, expecting to see Bonny. Instead, two men carried in a tub and were followed by two more men caring steaming water. Della stood in the doorway, and after his bath was set up, she merely gave him a secretive smile and left.
Must find a way to repay that woman. Dulac stripped to his birthday suit. I wonder how many other poor souls she’s helped, no thanks to her brother.
He eased into the water and sighed as the hot liquid soothed his muscles. He imagined Jesse fresh from her bath, and he pictured her sitting on the veranda, drying her hair. He wished he could run his fingers through its silkiness. He wanted to run his hands over her bare shoulders and kiss that tempting little earlobe of hers.
He chuckled to himself. Not that long ago, I was beating myself up for having such thoughts.
Dulac shook his head, unable to truly believe Jesse wasn’t a lad. He had proof, thankfully, and had explored that proof with his own eyes and lips and tongue. He grinned, feeling like a school boy with a piece of candy.
I must’ve known deep down Jesse was a female. It was the reason I kept referring to Jesse as HER instead of HIM. It was the reason I was—am so attracted to her. Thank you, God, for this beautiful gift.
The door swung open, and Dulac froze. Bonny stepped into view and paused at the sight of him bathing. His spirits sank as a devilish smile curved onto her face. She shut the door and leaned against it in an obvious attempt to enjoy the view.
“Did you do this for me?” she whispered a bit breathlessly.
Swallowing over a lump, he tried to fake a seductive smile, all the while wondering how the hell he was going to get out of bedding her.
* * * *
Jesse took a deep breath and plunged down into the tub. She held her breath as long as she could while she rinsed the shampoo out of her hair. When she surfaced, she gasped in air and wiped the water off her face. She smiled, thinking of Dulac.
“I haven’t seen you smile like that in quite a long time.”
She jumped and covered her chest. Looking wildly around, she found LeBlanc sitting on the settee to her left. She tried to keep her voice from squealing. “LeBlanc, you’re back. Would you mind giving me a minute to get dressed?”
He looked brazenly at the curves of her exposed breasts. She sank deeper until the water covered her shoulders. He chuckled. “I believe I would mind.”
She gave him an incredulous look. “What?”
“You can get dressed,” he replied. “But I’m not going anywhere.”
Jesse crossed her arms and glared at him. “You are really unbelievable.”
He smiled and held up a tiny, grey kitten. “I brought you a present.”
She forced her heart to harden against him. “You shouldn’t have.”
LeBlanc shrugged. “Maybe, but I brought the little thing for you anyway.”
He stood and knelt beside the tub. She drew as far away from him as possible and crossed her legs in case he could somehow see through the dirty water. “Would you please let me get dressed?”
He held the kitten up for her inspection, and the poor thing twisted this way and that to get away from the water. It dug its claws into LeBlanc’s arm, and he cursed and flung it down. He held up his arm for inspection, and upon seeing blood welling up on several cuts, he shoved his arm into the water with Jesse. His hand grazed her thigh, and to her chagrin, she squealed for the first time in her life.
“Get out, LeBlanc!”
She grabbed his hand to keep it from wandering farther, but he twisted the situation around and used his strength to pin her hand down. Water splashed everywhere, but LeBlanc didn’t care he was soaked. He grabbed her head with his free hand and forced a kiss on her. When he released her, he whispered cruelly against her lips, “You don’t tell me what to do, Jesse. Remember?”
He slapped her cheek so hard she saw stars. She tasted blood and realized that her teeth must have cut the inside of her mouth. She closed her eyes as he drew away from her and began undressing.
“Give me some room.”
Horrified, her eyes flew open, and her eyes lit instantly on his manhood. She jumped to her feet and started to scurry from the tub, but he grabbed her arm and forced her to stay. She shivered as he gazed at her nakedness, and shame flooded her entire being. She couldn’t look him in the eye as he took his fill of her, and she wanted to crawl under the sand and cry.
“My God, you are beautiful.”
Before she realized what he was doing, his head dipped, and he took her breast in his mouth. Startled, she pushed at him. His teeth raked her nipple as he lost his balance and was forced to let go. He didn’t fall, however, but the reprimanding smack on her face knocked her out of the tub. She managed to keep from cracking her head on the floor, but her legs and hips would definitely be bruised from hitting the side of the tub. She remained on the floor, waiting for him to continue his abuse. When it didn’t come, she cautiously looked over her shoulder at him.
LeBlanc was in the process of bathing and acted as if nothing had ever happened. Wearily, Jesse pushed herself up, grabbed the towel and quickly got dressed. She was surprised he allowed it, but then, he wanted her pure for their wedding. She sneered at the thought as she went to the veranda and dried her hair with the towel.
Jesse wished he’d have fallen out of the tub instead of her. Her legs and hip were already sore and stiff, and she wondered when the bruises would show up. She sat back in the wicker chair and frowned. Men can be such brutes. If I had all that muscle, I would never mistreat a woman.
She remembered the horror on Dulac’s face when he recalled picking her up and slamming her against the wall. She had already forgiven him, knowing he had thought her of the same gender as he. And men are known to love showing their physical power over each other. Stupid males.
Nonetheless, LeBlanc’s recent abuse weighed heavy on her mind. She had to get away from him before he did something to really hurt her. She was tough for a woman, but she was still breakable. She hoped she and Dulac found a way off the island soon.
White material was suddenly dumped into her lap. Confused, she picked it up in her hands before realizing what it was. The color drained from her face as she looked up into LeBlanc’s angry face.
“I went to get your kitten from under the bed, and look at what I found. Did you have fun today, Jesse? Where’d you go?”
Her eyes widened, and she opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. Dryness coated her tongue, and she swallowed in an effort to get moisture back in her mouth. “Uh...nowhere. I didn’t use them.”
“Lying bitch,” he growled and raised his hand.
Jesse shrank away, but his fist landed against the side of her face. Bells rang through her head. He dragged her out of the chair and ripped her nightdress off. Then he pointed to the red mark on her left breast. “I didn’t make that, did I, Jesse? No. I suckled your right breast, and don’t try and tell me otherwise. I saw it while I was tasting your nipple.”
He grabbed her hair to pull her face close to his, and his other hand grabbed her breast cruelly. “Who did you meet today, Jesse?”
When she didn’t answer, he shook her. “Tell me.”
She couldn’t help the whimper that escaped her lips. Anger and fear combined, and she fought not to fight back. He loved it when she did, and she suffered more when she did. He shook her head until she felt as if he’d pull all of her hair out. Then he pressed
his lips to hers.
“Tell me now, my darling, or I will impose such tortures on you...and you really don’t want that, now, do you?”
She ground her teeth together and narrowed her eyes. “There is nothing to tell.”
The light in his eyes darkened. He did nothing but stare at her. Seconds felt like hours under his scrutiny. “Shall I torture Della, then? While you watch? I know she’s the one who gave you the sheets. She’s the only one with access to the room.”
He cruelly wrenched her head back, exposing her neck so he could degradingly lick her throat. She cried and fought back by attempting to kick him in the groin. She missed, hitting his thigh instead. He pulled her upright and gave her a lip-bruising kiss, biting her lip in parting. She tasted blood.
“You have one more chance to tell me who you’ve been with, or I promise, you shall hear my sister scream.”
Fear rose in her heart. She could not let the woman be hurt for something she did. “Fine. I saw Dulac, and I know you lied to me.”
LeBlanc nodded knowingly. “I thought so, and I suppose he knows your true gender.”
“Well, in my defense, if you hadn’t left me without any clothes, he wouldn’t have found out,” she argued.
“If you weren’t such a whore to go traipsing about without any, he wouldn’t have found out either,” LeBlanc snapped. “And I suppose that love-mark on your breast is his doing.”
Her face paled. She didn’t want to admit it to him. She looked at the sky to keep from looking him in the eye. He yanked at her hair and forced her to. “Let me get the guards to go get my sister.”
“No!”
“Then tell me the truth, Jesse.”
“And what truth would that be, LeBlanc?” she growled.
“Are you still a virgin?”
She swallowed over her fear and pulled her bravery like a coat around her. “No.”
LeBlanc screamed in rage and shook her so hard her head wobbled uncontrollably back and forth. He threw her into the room, and she slid a few feet. Her world spun wildly, but LeBlanc was at her in an instant. He straddled her and pinned her arms to her sides. His face was crazed, and he leered at her.
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