The Frenchman's Woman

by Lee Taylor

  He groaned and began to rub her the way that he knew made her crazy with desire. Drenching his fingers in the oily cream, he stroked and massaged the throbbing nub of her clit until it was hard and swollen. With his other hand, he cupped her breasts, twisting first one nipple, then the other, until they were hard and distended. She was shaking with desire.

  Her moans turned to frantic pants. She groaned. “Now, yes, now, Bai, now!”

  With a harsh groan he warned her, “I’m going to fuck you…fuck you hard. Do you understand, Elena? I am going to go high up inside you. I’m not going to stop. Do you understand?”

  She groaned, her voice was hoarse, needy. “Yes! Do it!”

  He growled, “Push up against me when I come in. It won’t hurt as much. Now. Push. Now!”

  When she pushed against him, his lust flared. He knew the rigid band of muscle was ripe with screaming nerve endings. He knew she would feel pain, but prayed to God, at least a whisper of pleasure. He drove up the tight channel of her ass inch after ruthless inch. Carefully, cautiously. He heard her pants, her gasps as she struggled to breathe. He plowed so deep inside his balls banged against her slit. When he was all the way in and could go no further, he stopped, frozen in place. He forced himself to be still. His body shook with need -- waiting, wanting -- allowing her tight channel to accommodate to his unspeakably large intrusion.

  She was panting, gasping for breath. A long moment passed and then she moved. With a deep shuddering groan she clenched down. Slowly, then more insistently, she moved against him, her muscles clamping around his cock. He grabbed a deep ragged breath. When he began to respond, to move against her, she cried, “Yes, yes, more like that! More! Fuck me, Bai, fuck me like you said you would!”

  He heard her command and made the mistake of hearing her, truly hearing her. He began to move in and out. Inches at first and then more and more. Harder and harder, back and forth, he moved all the way out then plunged back in. He thrust deep inside of the tightest, most erotic place he had been in his life, while she shrieked over and over again, “Yes! More! Oh, God, like that! Yes!”

  Then it happened. What he intended, but didn’t think he would ever do. He let the beast loose and fucked her the way he wanted to. He became the animal he knew in his soul that he was. His groans were deep animal grunts. He plunged in and out ferociously. The sensations were intense, profoundly erotic. He was dizzy, gasping for air. She was so tight, so goddamned tight. He had never felt anything like it. He thrust in deeper then pulled back, all the way out then rammed back in hard, deep. Over and over he tunneled in and out of her impossibly tight channel. When he could go no further, couldn’t hold back any longer, he exploded, shooting spurt after spurt of hot cum high up in her ass. Only then did he realize that she had not pulled back but was moving with him.

  Impossible but true, her only words were her passionate commands. “Yes, Bai! Oh, God, yes! Yes!”

  Long after he shattered, long after his roars, matched by her passionate screams, filled the room, he slid out of her. Crawling toward the shower, he dragged her limp, trembling body with him. He stood up and turned on the water. Picking her up in his arms, he held her next to him. He leaned his head back against the wall and let the water wash over them both.

  He was conscious of what she was doing, but not believing it. She slid out of his arms and stood before him, clinging to him. Then she kissed his neck, his chest, his nipples. She ran her tongue over his stomach, then buried her tongue in his navel. She sunk to her knees and stroked his calves, his thighs. Nestling her face against his cock, she reached up and cupped his balls. She worked her way back up the length of his body then stood up and kissed his lips. Pulling his face down to hers, she kissed the tears on his cheeks.

  He knew then that his worst fears and his most fervent prayers were answered.

  She wanted him, all of him. The beast didn’t scare her. She answered it with the beast inside of her, the one he awakened; only for her it wasn’t bad, it was thrilling, she loved it and she loved him.

  She washed his body with soap and he washed hers. They stepped out of the shower and he dried her hair and then her arms, legs, her back, and stomach. She did the same for him, drying his hair, his face, his arms, legs, and back. He picked her up and carried her over to the bed and laid her down. He lay along side of her, pulling the quilt over them both. They lay together without speaking, holding each other for many long minutes.

  Much later, she asked, “Are you going to send me back to Cheyenne?”

  He didn’t answer.

  “Are you?”

  “No.”

  “Good, because I won’t go.”

  He leaned down and shook his head, a reluctant grin tugging at his lips. He kissed her slowly, thoroughly, then held her in his arms, burying his face in her beautiful fiery hair.

  He whispered, “Cherie. I have to go. I must leave now.”

  “Will you tell me where you are going?”

  “When I return.”

  “Is it dangerous?”

  “Yes.”

  She watched him dress. With each weapon -- three different knives, two pistols, a garrote -- and finally the butterfly blade, she understood. As he dressed, his appearance evolved. His face hardened, his eyes gleamed. When he turned to hide the blade in a secret place inside his belt, she saw the Frenchman.

  After he finished cloaking himself in his warrior guise, he went to her and pulled her up tight against him. He held her face in his hands and looked deep in her eyes.

  “I love you, Elena. More than anything in the world, cherie. I love you.”

  His words struck fear in her heart, but she nodded and reached up to stroke his cheek.

  “I love you, Bai. I will be here, right here, waiting for you. Come back to me, Bai. Promise me?”

  He nodded. “I promise, cherie.”

  When he turned to leave, she called after him, “Remember Bai, I am your woman.”

  He smiled. “Yes, cherie, you are my woman.”

  ~~~

  She ran to the balcony to watch him leave. His men were waiting in the courtyard. To her surprise, she saw her father and her grandfather go into the barn with Bai. In minutes they came out, mounted on their horses. Fear gripped her in a way it never had. Shoving aside her fear, she forced a smile to her lips. When he turned to tip his hat to her, she smiled and waved. He smiled and nodded in return. Flanked by Nianzu, Wyatt and Wan, he headed out, his men following behind.

  ~~

  Chapter 36

  Wyatt, Wan and the back up team rode for close to an hour. They found their places in the wooded area where they could get close to Bai’s meeting place, but not be seen. According to their informants, Feng was playing it like they were. Feng had back up men approximately as far away from him as Wan and Wyatt were from Bai. Like Bai, Feng had four personal guards who would meet with Bai and his guards.

  Bai, Nianzu, Wampo, Quitin, and Nui rode forward. Bai looked back just once. He nodded to Wyatt, then bowed to his father.

  One hundred yards ahead, he saw Feng and his four guards shadowed by the copse of trees behind them. Bai led his men down the hill to within twenty five feet of the Rongue Ri contingent. Feng was in front, flanked by two of his guards. The other two, the Sing Leon informants, were mounted behind.

  Bai nodded to his men. “Stay here.”

  He dismounted and went to meet Feng. Feng strode forward, a crafty smile creasing his face. His voice was loud, hearty. “Welcome, Frenchman. I have waited a lifetime for this moment.”

  In that split second, Bai’s protective instinct clicked in. He knew it was a trap. He gave the signal, but too late, a shot rang out. He fell to the ground, a blinding pain shattering his shoulder.

  At the sound of the shot, the horses reared and the two men behind Feng, Bai’s informants, toppled from their horses. Their hands were tied behind their back, ropes surrounded their broken necks, their long dead eyes were open, glazed.

  Forty heavily armed men ro
se from the brush, mere feet away from Bai. They trained their guns on the man crumpled in a heap on the ground.

  Feng shouted out in a loud clear voice.

  “He isn’t dead. If anyone moves, I will shoot him in the head. Nianzu, go back and tell Wan Chang, waiting five hundred yards away, to meet me at ten o’clock tomorrow night. When he turns the reins of the Sing Leon over to me, I will give him the Frenchman -- who may or may not be alive at that time. I will send you the location tomorrow at eight o’clock.

  Feng’s face lit with an ugly grin, his crazed eyes flashed dangerously. He pointed disparagingly to the dead informants behind him. “As for Chou Ling and Mansu Lee, they were brave men. Well, almost, until the end. The Frenchman chose his informants well. Unfortunately, my accomplished whores were their weakness. Those women can get information from a fence post. An irony, isn’t it? It’s always the cunts who do in even good men. Your informants died reasonably well. As well as could be expected, as they watched while I beheaded their wives and, between the two of them, their five children.” His thin lips twisted with scorn. “ Messy. But the Frenchman understands what a mess it makes when you cut off a man’s head. That is true, even of a child’s head.”

  He ambled over next to Bai, his two guns pointed at Bai’s head. He smirked at Nianzu, his voice heavy with scorn. “You have ten seconds to be gone, or he is dead.”

  ~~~

  Elena refused to move from the balcony. She sat on the porch floor, her head resting against the railing. She was determined to be the first to see Bai return. Hearing the sounds of horses in the distance, she ran down the stairs to the courtyard. Her heart was pounding. Snatches of silent prayers buzzed in her head. To her horror, she saw her father, Wan, Nianzu -- and Noire – without a rider. She screamed, clutching her face in her hands. Struggling against the wave of dizziness flooding her, she sunk to the ground. She felt her father’s arms, heard his voice. As he carried her into the house, she roused for a moment and whispered, “Is he dead?”

  Wyatt’s response hit her like a shot between the eyes. “Not yet”

  Wyatt carried Elena to her chambers. He ordered Francine to go to the infirmaryand get Dr. Wong. Laying Elena’s inert body on the bed, he tried to reach her through her faint.

  “Darlin’, I’m going to check on Wan. I’ll be back. Try to rest, Elena. You’re going to need your strength.”

  He turned to Francine and nodded to her to come to the doorway.

  Francine stumbled back when she saw Elena. Tears streamed down her pale cheeks. “Oh, my God, Mr. Wyatt. Is… is… she dead?”

  Wyatt shook his head. “No, Francine. She fainted. I need you to stay with her until the doctor comes. I will be in Mr. Chang’s office. Come and get me immediately if there is a problem. Once the healer is finished, send him to Mr. Chang’s office. Make sure he gives her something strong, something that will help her sleep. Do you understand?”

  Francine trembled and clung to Angel, who had stumbled in the room. The two young maids clung to each other, then went to stand by Elena. Wyatt heard their sobs as he stormed through the garden to Wan’s office.

  ~~~

  Wan was behind his desk. Nianzu was in the chair in front of him, with his head cradled in his hands. Wyatt sunk in the other chair and gratefully accepted both the cigar and glass of bourbon Nianzu pushed across the desk.

  Wyatt and Wan exchanged a grief stricken gaze. They had been through many grievous challenges together, but without question, leaving Bai behind as they were forced to do, was one of the most difficult things either of them had done. Wyatt knew that Wan was going to need time to gather his strength and his customary strategic acumen. He was grateful that Wan had told him Bai was his son. Knowing that gave Wyatt the insight he needed to help Wan. He would take charge until Wan found his strength.

  “Nianzu, I need you and Bai needs you.” Wyatt nodded to Wan, who was staring blindly at the desk, adding, “And Wan needs you. I am depending on your courage and expertise.”

  Nianzu nodded his understanding. Wyatt’s pointed glance confirmed something was wrong with Wan and that Wyatt was telling him that he had to find his courage.

  At that moment, the door opened and Elena was at the door. Her face was white, but her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were flashing. A worried group of people stood behind her, including Francine, Angel, and two Chinese healers. Francine and Angel were crying.

  Wong Su, the head healer, bowed to Wan with an apologetic look.

  “Sir, she would not let me treat her. She refused to take any medication.”

  Wan stood, as did Wyatt, but Elena whirled back to the group at the door, her face filled with fury.

  “I told you to leave! Goddamnit. All of you. Leave now!”

  She walked to the door and physically shoved Wong Su out the door and slammed it in his face.

  She whirled back and glared at her father and then at Wan. Her voice was shaking.

  “How dare you? How dare you tell that man to give me something to make me sleep? Father, I will never forgive you. Put me to bed like a child? Drug me? Is that what you intended? Is it? When Bai is hurt, captured, or God knows what? Because do you know what? I don’t know where he is or if he is alive or dead or Goddamnit, what happened!”

  She was shaking so hard she almost fell.

  Wan said, “Wyatt, please get her out of here.”

  Elena whirled on him, but before she could speak, Wyatt stepped over to her and pulled her close.

  “Look at me, Elena. Look at me, sweetheart. You are right, Elena. You do belong here. Forgive me. I thought you had fainted and would have trouble staying conscious.”

  Wan glared at Wyatt and said, “Wyatt, please.”

  Elena glowered at him. Her voice shook with anger. “Grandfather, do you have any idea what I am going through? Do you understand what Bai means to me? I am in love with him. I will never in my life love another man, and he loves me as much. Do you know what that feels like? Do you?”

  Wan’s face was grey. He looked at Elena for a long moment. The pain on his face stopped her angry words.

  “Yes, Elena, I do understand. Bai is my son.”

  ~~

  Chapter 37

  Elena stared at her grandfather in shock. She shook her head, trying to grasp what he was saying. She had a sinking feeling she might faint again.

  Wyatt held her firmly against his chest. Elena looked up at him and saw the confirmation in his eyes.

  Wyatt explained. “I learned this just a week ago, Elena. Bai and Wan never told anyone. Bai was angry that Wan told me. They have been connected since Bai’s birth and are as close to one another as a father and son can be.

  “And, yes, in a different way, no doubt, but I am quite sure your grandfather understands the pain you are feeling.”

  Elena stood still, desperately trying not to faint. She clung to her father to keep from falling. Her grandfather looked ten years older. She saw the grey in his hair, the deep lines etched on his face. But mostly she saw the desperate pain in his eyes.

  Taking a deep breath, she released Wyatt’s hands. She went to her grandfather, kneeled beside him and put her arms around him. He resisted at first, then let his head rest on her shoulder. She murmured quiet words, rubbing his back, and holding him close. Tears streamed down her face when she saw the tears on his. They held one another for several long minutes. Then she turned back to Wyatt and her face was fierce.

  “Who else knows this? Lei? Nianzu, do you?”

  Wyatt shook his head. “No, no one does. I know where you are going with this. It is bad enough that the Rongue Ri have Bai, but if they knew he was Wan Chang’s son…” Wyatt’s eyes darkened. Elena didn’t have to ask what he was thinking.

  Elena stared at Nianzu, who looked as shocked as she felt. Like Wyatt, when he learned Bai was Wan’s son, Elena fit the pieces together. She was surprised that she hadn’t guessed. There were enough physical similarities to hint at the relationship, but more than anything, it
was their shared mannerisms. She attributed that to their close working relationship and to the fact that Bai had lived at Los Vistas since he was a boy. Elena’s only question was why she hadn’t known it before. She stared at Nianzu, willing him to find his nerve. Bai, Wyatt, and Wan were depending on him. She saw recognition in Nianzu’s eyes and knew she wasn’t the only one who understood the changing power dynamics.

  Elena stood up and walked to the liquor cabinet. She poured herself a small glass of bourbon and held out the bottle to any who wanted a refill. All three men pushed their glasses forward.

  “Please, tell me what happened. Don’t leave out any details. If he is badly hurt, I need to know. More than anything, I need to know where he is and how we are going to get him back.”

  Wyatt’s face was hard, but calm. “Elena, we walked in to a trap set by the Rongue Ri. Bai’s mistake, and ours, was to think that Feng Zhang was an honorable man. He isn’t.”

  Elena interrupted, “Bai is too smart to get caught in a trap. I don’t understand.”

  Wyatt nodded. “You are correct. We all knew the mission was dangerous, most of all Bai, but he was insistent. Bai wanted to make one last try to prevent a war between the Rongue and Sing Leon. He was convinced that if he could look Feng in the eye, he could talk him into negotiating. Or he would know it was impossible, and prepare for all out war.”

  Wyatt took a long pull on his bourbon. He grimaced, acknowledging the mistake they made.

  “Bai is strategic. He trusts his men as they trust him. He had informants at the highest level in the Rongue Ri, who confirmed that Feng would meet with him. What we didn’t know was that Feng beheaded the informants’ wives and their five children one by one to get them to confess and make them pass us false information.