His hips thrust and circled in an endless cycle, over and over, sweeping her higher. His touch was oddly gentle, despite the pistoning haste of his movements. His tenderness swept into her heart, bringing tears to her eyes. Olivia whimpered, lost in his possession. He felt so good, the friction so deep, the stretching exquisite.
'Yes, love…' His voice, thick and slurred with pleasure, enflamed her. 'You feel… so damn good…'
He filled her with quick, hard strokes, no longer able to be gentle, and she didn't care. She didn't want gentle. She wanted passion-his passion.
Deep inside, her womb began to clench, then spasm. Arching her back on a scream, she shattered, her inner muscles clutching greedily at his invading shaft. Sebastian pinned her hips, holding her in place for his thrusts, drawing out her pleasure until she thought she would die of it. Only when she sagged into the mattress did he follow her, shuddering against her, gasping her name, filling her with scalding heat.
When it was over, Olivia lay stunned, clinging to her husband as the only anchor in a whirl of decadent pleasure.
It was forever before he spoke, his voice still passion-hoarse. 'Hopelessly compromised,' he murmured, and promptly fell into a deep sleep.
Sebastian crossed the moonlit wharf in rapid strides. He was late for his meeting, but his tardiness was of little consequence to him. All that mattered at the moment was his sleeping wife and the panic she would feel if she discovered him missing.
Olivia was uncertain of his attachment to her, as he was himself, but she had given her body to him regardless, trusting him to be a gentleman and claim her as his bride. Nothing could force him to do the honorable thing. He was certain he could return her to her father and successfully fight the proxy. She was intelligent, and he'd been honest about his history, but she had taken him to her bed despite the risks.
She was the first person in his life willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, the first person who truly wanted him, not just for an hour's pleasure or two, but for the rest of her life. He refused to lose her regard. Especially over the distasteful errand he was presently attending to.
Sebastian entered the seaside tavern and paused on the threshold, allowing his eyes to adjust to the interior.
'You're late, Phoenix.'
He turned his head toward the voice. 'Pierre,' he greeted coldly. 'Dominique.'
The French pirates lounged by the door, and Sebastian felt a twinge of satisfaction. Their position was excellent. After what he planned to say, a hasty egress might well be required. In anticipation of trouble, he had set his own ship to sail that morning, lessening the targets that could be used to wound him.
The two identical brothers remained seated, gazing at him with soul-weary eyes. Sebastian was aware that most of the lightskirts in town found the Robidoux brothers attractive, but not a one would service them. The siblings' sadistic carnal tastes were well known to all.
He looked them over with loathing. Many times over the last year he'd regretted his decision to join with them. One evening, inebriated and wretched, hating his life and the depths to which he'd sunk, he'd shared a bottle with the Frenchmen, and they'd shared an idea-rotating voyages with a split share. At the time, it had sounded like a reasonable plan and one that would lessen his risk.
Now it was his most lamented decision. Where he made every effort to spare lives and had yet to take one that wasn't actively trying to take his, Pierre and Dominique killed and tortured just for their amusement.
'Word has it we're divvying up an amazing booty,' Dominique drawled in his unctuous voice. To the ignorant eye, he appeared to be the more civilized of the twins. Sebastian, however, knew him to be the more vicious. 'I saw part of the spoils crossing the wharf to you this afternoon-a prime article. The curtsy was a nice touch. You've broken her well, Phoenix, although I personally prefer a bit of spirit in my lovers.'
Sebastian's insides coiled with repressed violence, and his hand slid to the blade strapped to his thigh. The thought of these men within viewing distance of his wife made him physically ill. He'd known this confrontation would be difficult, but he'd failed to consider the danger to Olivia, assuming her to be far removed from the devil's bargain he'd made long ago. 'There has been a change of plan,' he said. 'I'll be paying your share in coin.'
Pierre leapt to his feet, his chair crashing to the floor. 'Bastard!' He shot a furious glance at his brother. 'I told you he couldn't be trusted!'
'Calm down,' Dominique growled. 'I'll see that you receive your fair share.'
'Like hell!' Pierre retorted, his voice lowering, but his rage no less evident. 'I'll claim my fair share now. I've heard the tales of the cargo in that fat-bellied merchant-fine French laces and brandy, Oriental vases and plates, rich materials, exotic spices, and chests of gold. We've not had a catch of such magnitude in the last year, and it may be just as long before another like her comes along.' The Frenchman turned a feral grin toward Sebastian. 'If you refuse to share the wealth, my Judas friend, I may be required to come and get it myself.'
'I should like to see you try,' Sebastian scoffed. 'I'll burn the ship and its cargo before that happens.'
Dominique placed a restraining hand on his brother's shoulder and eyed Sebastian speculatively. 'You're breaking the code, Phoenix. Slitting your own throat, I'd say. Is that what you want?'
Sebastian laughed. 'You've always had a flair for the dramatic, Robidoux.' He tossed two hefty purses onto the table. 'Take your guineas and be happy. You should be grateful. I've saved you the trouble of disposing of the items.'
Pierre snatched up his purse and hefted the weight in his hand. The gleam in his eyes betrayed his pleasure at the sum, but it wasn't enough. 'I want the woman too.'
'No!' Sebastian said, far too quickly. He took a rapid, deep breath, damning himself for revealing an interest he should have kept hidden.
Dominique's eyes narrowed as he collected his purse. 'Give him the woman, Phoenix, and we'll call it even.'
'She's not available to you, gentlemen.' He took a step back, suddenly anxious to be with Olivia.
'She has a maid,' Dominique drawled, his brittle gaze brightening with malice. 'And her garments are costly. A devilish good piece that one. I'd wager she's worth something to someone. Beauty like that is expensive, wouldn't you say, Pierre?'
'Yes, certainly,' Pierre agreed. 'A small fortune for that bit of fluff.'
Sebastian paused. 'Leave the woman out of this. You have your shares. Our transaction is completed.'
'But I feel as if I've pulled the short stick,' Pierre whined. Then he smiled. 'I'll pay you for her, Phoenix.' He opened the purse Sebastian had just given him. 'How much?'
'She's not for sale,' he bit out, his forehead beading with sweat. The situation was rapidly slipping from his control.
The barmaid came by, setting two overflowing mugs on the table.
'Celia,' Dominique purred. 'Your sister works at the inn,
She eyed the pirate warily. 'Aye.'
'Hmmm. What tidbits did she share about the guests? More specifically, what did she say about the worn-'
Sebastian drew his knife and stabbed it into the table with such fury the wooden surface cracked down the center. 'There will be no more discussion of the woman!' he snarled. 'Forget you saw her, forget you heard of her, forget she exists.' He grabbed the startled Pierre by the back of the neck and slammed his face into the table. The Frenchman stared wide-eyed at the knife, which was only a hair's breadth away from the tip of his nose. Sebastian bent over him. 'Have I made myself clearer this time, Robidoux?'
'O-of course!' Pierre gasped.
Sebastian shoved him to the floor with a grunt and yanked his blade from the ruined table. 'I've finished here.'
He backed out of the tavern, his heart racing. Turning, he ran to the
He didn't relax until the island was a mere dark shape in the vast ocean. It wasn't finished, he knew. The Robidoux brothers would make trouble, for when Pierre was upset he would not cease his harping until Dominique took action. And Dominique Robidoux was a man to be reckoned with.
Sebastian made his way to Olivia's cabin and undressed silently. He slipped between the silk sheets and curled
