by Connie Mason
“They will not harm you,” Dariq informed her.
Captain Juad joined Dariq and Willow. “I have spoken with my men and they wish to join the Brotherhood. Are you agreeable?”
“That depends,” Dariq replied. “I could use another ship in my small fleet. The more ships and men under my control, the better able I am to harass Ibrahim’s merchantmen. Are your crewmen’s wishes also your own?”
“You and I both know what Ibrahim will do to me when he learns I lost his treasure. He will order my death without a moment’s remorse. I prefer life, Prince.”
“I had hoped you would carry my ransom terms to Ibrahim, but I will contact him through the usual channels. Your ship will be renamed and sail under my flag. You will be answerable to me in all matters. You can stop any ship you please on the high seas and divide the plunder among your men, minus my twenty percent, of course. But your main purpose will be to attack and plunder ships bearing the Turkish flag. Do you accept my terms?”
“Aye, I accept,” Juad replied.
“Good. I will arrange to have your wives, children, and concubines brought out of Turkey to my stronghold on Lipsi.”
“Lipsi. A good choice for a stronghold,” Juad allowed, “as long as the Greeks do not interfere. The island belongs to them, you know.”
“Aye, but Lipsi and its handful of inhabitants have long been ignored by Greece. And Turkey has little interest in it either. I intend to take Lady Willow to Lipsi immediately. There is a deep-water bay and pier on the south shore where we can anchor our ships. Your ship will make five in my fleet. How long will it take to repair your ship?”
Captain Juad surveyed the damage done by the Revenge. “Not long. A few days at most. I will inform my men of your decision to accept us into the Brotherhood.” So saying, he left Juad to confer with his own men.
“What was that about?” Willow asked.
“You should make an effort to learn Turkish,” Dariq advised. “It will be to your advantage once you reside inside the harem.”
Willow bristled. “I will not become a sex slave to a sultan! Papa will find me and bring me home. I have no desire to learn your heathenish language.”
A muscle clenched in Dariq’s jaw. The Lady Willow would have to learn to watch her tongue if she hoped to live to a ripe old age. Once she was safely on Lipsi, he would teach her about palace intrigue, and what she must do in order to survive. That was the best he could do before sending her to his brother. It wasn’t that he wished her ill; he merely needed something to trade for his mother. Ibrahim wanted this blond goddess, and Dariq wanted his mother out of harm’s way.
Sweeping Willow into his strong arms, Dariq strode across the deck, leaped onto the boarding plank and carried her to the Revenge.
Dariq set Willow on her feet and then promptly ignored her, his attention now on his ship and men, all of whom had followed him to the Revenge.
“Release the grappling hooks!” Dariq shouted. “Bring in the boarding planks and unfurl the sails! Helmsman, set the course for Lipsi.”
Chapter Two
Dariq stomped back and forth, barking orders, while his men scurried about Willow, paying her scant heed. Once the Revenge was under way, Mustafa turned to confront Dariq, his face dark with fury.
“I cannot believe you took a woman off the ship and left the treasure behind. Of what worth is a woman when ’tis valuables we sought? What happened to the treasure? Was Kamel’s information false?”
Dariq gestured in Willow’s direction. “I brought the treasure aboard the Revenge. She is the treasure. Her name is Willow. She claims her father in an English marquis.”
Mustafa’s black eyes widened with disbelief. “Surely you jest, my lord. What is so special about this woman?”
“Ibrahim happens to desire this particular Englishwoman and parted with a great deal of gold to purchase her for his harem.”
Mustafa sent Willow a fierce scowl, then recoiled in shock when she met his gaze without flinching. Few men, let alone women, had the courage to defy Mustafa.
“Tell me what makes this woman special so I can better understand Ibrahim’s obsession with her,” Mustafa said.
Dariq hesitated a moment to collect his thoughts. A quick glance into Willow’s defiant green eyes reminded him of everything he had found desirable about her. He grew breathless as he searched for words to describe her to Mustafa.
“She is a jewel among women, brighter than the moon and stars. Her hair shines like newly minted gold, and her skin is as smooth and iridescent as an exquisite pearl. Her lips are lush and pink, designed expressly for kissing… and more erotic purposes.”
Dariq felt his body swell, felt his manhood rise, and shifted uncomfortably. He could not deny the fact that he wanted the English slave in his bed.
“Go on,” Mustafa said eagerly.
“Her body is perfection, her skin as smooth as silk, and her breasts large enough to fill my hands without overflowing them.”
Dariq wished he could have seen her nipples, but they hadn’t been visible beneath her brief vest. “She is indeed a treasure,” he admitted. “Ibrahim can enjoy her at his leisure, after he releases my mother.”
Mustafa rubbed his scruffy beard. “Ibrahim won’t want her after you’ve had her.”
“I do not intend to touch her,” Dariq said with a hint of regret. “I will spare her maidenhead for my mother’s sake.”
Mustafa grinned, and then broke out into a belly laugh. “We shall see, Prince, we shall see.” He wiped his mirthful tears away with the back of a very large hand. “Why didn’t you sink the Ottoman? Or at the very least put a skeleton crew aboard to repair her mizzenmast and sail her to our home port? A ship of her quality would enhance our fleet.”
“Captain Juad and his crew asked to join the Brotherhood. He will sail the Ottoman to Lipsi after temporary repairs are made.”
“Why would he do that when he has a secure place in Ibrahim’s fleet?”
“Think about it, my friend. Ibrahim is a cruel man. If the Ottoman should return without the woman, Ibrahim would feel betrayed and have Juad and his crewmen executed. Juad is a not a stupid man. He prefers life to death, and the Brotherhood offers him and his men a safe haven.”
“You had best confine the woman to her cabin if she is as beautiful as you say,” Mustafa warned.
“The lady is not easily controlled,” Dariq admitted. “Perhaps I should place her in your keeping.”
His face a mask of horror, Mustafa backed away. “Nay, my prince, she is your responsibility. I am sure you can protect her better than I. How will you let Ibrahim know that you have the woman and wish to trade her for Saliha Sultana?”
“Through the usual channels. The news will reach Kamel, and he will see that it reaches Ibrahim. I cannot risk showing myself in Istanbul at this time, and your great height is far too recognizable, so I will ask Ahmed to sail to the secret cove near Istanbul. With the help of friends, he can secure a horse and ride to the city to relay my message to Hassan.”
“The logistics of the trade will be difficult and the negotiations lengthy,” Mustafa warned. “If Ibrahim agrees, how will the exchange be arranged?”
“I will demand that the exchange take place on the high seas, just my ship and Ibrahim’s,” Dariq mused. “Ibrahim is no fool. He will attempt to lure me to Istanbul where he can kill me.”
“You have been to Istanbul many times in the past two years,” Mustafa reminded him.
“Aye, but well disguised, if you recall. I will have a few weeks to refine my plan.” He glanced at Willow. “See to the ship while I escort Lady Willow to my cabin.”
Mustafa’s dark brows shot upward. “Your cabin, Prince? Is that wise?”
“Aye. Willow is my guest and deserves the best my ship has to offer. I will find quarters elsewhere.”
“As you wish, master,” Mustafa said, bowing deeply.
As she sweltered beneath the suffocating black aba, Willow’s temper rose with her body temperatu
re. She hadn’t understood a word spoken by the prince or his underling. She knew that at one point they had been discussing her and wondered if they had already settled her fate.
Did the pirate prince mean her harm? He looked so fierce that she wanted to shrink away from him when he turned to study her through those startling silver eyes. But she held her ground, her own green gaze unwavering.
“I will show you to your cabin,” Dariq said.
“Where is your ship taking me?”
“To my stronghold on the island of Lipsi. You will not be harmed during the weeks or months it will take to work out the details of the trade.”
“With whom am I being traded?”
“ ’Tis none of your concern,” Dariq said sharply.
Willow didn’t need to be told that she was being exchanged for Dariq’s wife or a favorite concubine; it was obvious.
“Follow me,” Dariq said crisply.
When Willow merely stared at him, Dariq grasped her elbow and ushered her toward a cabin nestled beneath the quarterdeck. He opened the door, hauled her inside and closed the door behind them.
Familiar with ships, Willow knew immediately that the luxurious cabin belonged to the pirate prince, but she asked anyway. “Whose cabin is this?”
“Mine.”
Willow stiffened. “Where will you sleep?”
“In a small sleeping chamber reached through that door,” Dariq said, pointing to a narrow panel. “ ’Tis normally occupied by my cabin boy, but he can sleep elsewhere.”
Willow had no reason to trust Dariq, yet he was all she had to protect her from his fellow pirates.
“You can take off your aba while inside this cabin,” Dariq instructed.
With a sigh of relief, Willow whipped off the aba and tossed it aside. “Am I confined to this cabin? Or may I walk out on deck?”
Several speechless minutes passed as Dariq’s appreciative gaze roamed over Willow’s thinly clad body. If it weren’t for his need to deliver her untouched to Ibrahim, he would put all his considerable skills to seducing her.
“This cabin is the only place you will be safe,” Dariq warned.
“Am I safe from you?” Willow challenged. “I trust you no more than I do your comrades.”
“A wise move,” Dariq said, nodding. “A woman as lovely as you should trust no man with her virtue. Are you aware of your great beauty, my lady? Your lush curves would tempt a saint. Your hair is pure sunshine, and your body is flawless.”
His words stunned Willow. She had heard pretty words from London dandies, but they were unexpected from this fierce pirate. Aware of her near nudity, she reached for her aba and held it before her. “What do you know of saints, my lord prince? You are a heathen.”
“My mother is English,” Dariq revealed, “and a Christian.”
That bit of information stunned Willow, but not for long. “Then you must know how wrong it is to imprison women in a harem! It is against God’s teachings.”
“But not against Allah’s. If you please Ibrahim, you will be petted and pampered and lavished with gifts. For your own well-being, I suggest you try to please him.”
Lips clenched tightly together, Willow gave a stubborn shake of her head. “I will not become your brother’s plaything. Nor will I accept such a fate without a fight.”
Dariq pinned her with his hard gaze. “You have no choice, my lady. If I hadn’t interfered, you would still be Ibrahim’s newest concubine. Though you have gained a short reprieve, the ultimate outcome will be the same.”
“My father—”
“Your father can do naught. You are already lost to him. Why did he allow you to travel alone in dangerous waters?”
“I wasn’t alone. My maid accompanied me. I was visiting my mother in Marseilles. She and Father have lived apart for a number of years, and I chose to remain with father in England. I have visited Mama every year without mishap. My father owns the ship upon which I travel; this is the first time the Fairwind has encountered pirates.”
“There is always the first time,” Dariq said, “as you just recently learned. Resign yourself, my lady. You’ll never see your father or England again.”
Rage seethed through Willow. “All is not lost. The Fairwind was allowed to proceed after I was taken off the ship. Papa will search for me, even to the ends of the earth.”
The thought of being hidden behind harem walls the rest of her life was more than Willow could bear. Throwing caution to the wind, she flung herself at Dariq, pummeling his chest with clenched fists.
“I won’t listen to you! I cannot! Let me go, damn you! Take me to England, or Marseilles, if England is too far. What kind of demon would condemn a woman to a life of sexual abuse?”
Grasping her wrists, Dariq pulled her arms behind her back. She arched against him, bringing her body flush against his. He felt her nipples tauten against his chest and went instantly hard. He groaned. He had been at sea too long. He needed to get back to Lipsi and Safiye.
With Willow in his arms, he couldn’t even recall what Safiye looked like, except that her hair was black, not gold, and her eyes did not glow like precious emeralds. His body ached for Willow, and he usually took what he wanted. Slowly he backed her up against the oversized bed, falling with her upon it when her knees hit the edge and buckled beneath her.
Her eyes widened; she opened her mouth to scream. Too far gone in lust, Dariq forgot everything but the soft lips so close to his and the sweet breath fanning his cheek. The scream never left Willow’s throat as his mouth covered hers. Even the gurgling in her throat ceased when Dariq deepened the kiss, filling her mouth with his tongue.
Willow stilled beneath him. She had been kissed before, but never like this. She whimpered as his tongue thrust deep inside her mouth, tasting, teasing. She felt the pull of something strange and titillating reach down into the most private part of her body. She shouldn’t feel like this with a murderous pirate. She couldn’t even guess at the number of people he had hurt in the name of piracy.
Willow didn’t realize Dariq had released her hands until she felt his fingers stroking her breast. Dear God, he was going to ravish her!
Struggling free of his mouth, she cried, “You said you wouldn’t harm me.”
Dariq blinked. What in the name of Allah was he doing? The woman had bewitched him. No matter how badly he wanted her, he must not touch her. If he took her virginity, Ibrahim would reject her. His bargaining power would be lost, and with it his mother or his own life.
Dariq lurched from the bed and glared down at her, stunned by his loss of control. The woman was dangerous. The sooner he placed her in Ibrahim’s keeping, the better.
“That will not happen again, lady. You will cease using your wiles on me.”
Willow rolled to her feet. “You are mad if you think I wanted you to … to attack me. All I want from you is my freedom.”
“What you ask is impossible. Resign yourself to the inevitable. You will become Ibrahim’s concubine as soon as I can get rid of you.” So saying, Dariq turned and strode from the cabin.
Willow sank down upon the bed, shaking from her horrified reaction to Dariq’s words. She would never resign herself to becoming a sex slave to a heathen Turk.
She touched her lips. They felt swollen; so did her breast where Dariq had touched it. The pirate was the devil incarnate, and far too handsome for her peace of mind. Was he really a prince? It made no sense. Why would a prince become a pirate?
Most likely he was a fraud. She recalled the dark intensity of his gaze while he’d held her pinned to the bed. His silver eyes glittered with what she believed was sexual hunger. She had barely escaped his lust this time. Would there be a next time?
A shudder passed through her. Would she rather be ravished by the devil she knew or the devil she didn’t know? She would prefer not to be ravished at all. But the way her life was going, her wishes would probably be ignored. What truly frightened her was the possibility of never seeing her parents again.
A tear slid from the corner of her eye, tunneling down her cheek. She dashed it away with the back of her hand. Her father had always said she was stubborn and willful, and she supposed she was, but she had never considered herself particularly brave. Bravery, she decided, was something she had to find within herself, and very, very soon. And she would, she vowed. She would need a great deal of courage if she was ever to find her way out of this horrible situation.
“Is the woman settled in your quarters?” Mustafa asked when Dariq reappeared on the deck. “You were gone a long time.”
“The woman is troublesome,” Dariq grumbled.
“Ah,” Mustafa said, as if further explanation was unnecessary.
“Have you determined if she is still virginal?”
“If you’re asking whether I took her maidenhead, no, I did not, though it was a struggle not to. Her beauty is luminous, her body lush and ripe. I would have ravished her had I not come to my senses in time. Ibrahim will be pleased with her.”
Mustafa chuckled. “I’m surprised you were able to control yourself, master. It has been a long time since either of us tasted a woman’s sweet flesh. ’Tis good we are returning to Lipsi. Where will you keep Ibrahim’s woman?”
Ibrahim’s woman. Somehow the words bothered Dariq. “Willow will reside in my harem with Safiye. She will be safe there until she is placed in Ibrahim’s keeping.”
“Who is going to keep her safe from you, my lord prince? Or from Safiye, for that matter. Your concubine will not welcome another woman to the harem. She has had you to herself too long.”
“Do not imagine trouble where none exists,” Dariq groused. “Safiye will abide by my wishes once she realizes I have no sexual interest in Willow.”
“As you say,” Mustafa said disbelievingly.
Willow paced the cabin, searching for a weapon she could use to defend herself. The washbowl and pitcher offered possibilities, as did a heavy globe and letter opener sitting on the desk. She hoped there would be no need for violence, but she didn’t trust the pirate prince. While his lips said one thing, his wicked silver eyes promised another.
