Taken by You (12 page)

“I have never told you this, Stan, but the galleon that attacked the ship carrying my family was a ship of the Santiego line. I even saw Luca’s father once when he visited the ship while I was a slave. I must do what my pride demands,” Morgan returned shortly. “Go about your business and leave Luca to me. I will not hurt her physically, if it will ease your mind. She is a very good actress, and I’ll let her play her game for awhile longer, but in the end I will have my way.”

He smiled then, a genuine smile, one that bespoke his pleasure for the task he set for himself.

Seduction.

If a twinge of regret lingered somewhere in the vicinity of his heart he tried to ignore it. He would not hurt Luca, oh, no. He would wind a sensual web around her senses and bring her pleasure, more than she had ever known before. When he finished with her she’d forget all that nonsense about wanting to be a nun. Later, when he sent her back to her family in shame, he would count it as one more act of vengeance against his Spanish enemies. If he was a brutal man he would have slain Luca immediately, just as her countrymen had killed his family. But as Crawford said, Luca was truly innocent in all this, and he didn’t wish her harm. Truth to tell, if he didn’t want her so badly he would leave her untouched and ransom her for an enormous sum. But he had lost that option the moment he kissed her and felt desire.

“Enough about Luca. Did Rouge seem content when you left her in Havana?”

“Content enough with the money and gifts you gave her,” Stan said, “but angry at the abrupt way in which you sent her away. She’ll land on her feet though, her kind always does.” He gave Morgan a placid smile. “She made the voyage to Cuba quite pleasant for me. She’s good, Morgan, damn good. ‘m surprised you sent her away. Once Luca is gone it will be damn lonely on Andros. You should have kept Rouge around to amuse yourself during your visits to the island.”

In his mind’s eye Morgan pictured Luca, her dark eyes sparkling with anger, her cap of black curls hugging her head in charming disarray, her lips lush and swollen from his kisses, and he knew he could never want Rouge in the same way he once did.

“‘Tis for the best” he said without offering further explanation.

Luca and Morgan ate dinner that evening in the formal dining room. The rain which had begun during the afternoon looked to continue well into the night. Luca fidgeted nervously, leery of the way Morgan was staring at her, as if he wanted to devour her along with the meal. She thought he had given up on trying to seduce her, but something in the depths of those blue gray eyes told her otherwise. Had he been merely biding his time all these weeks? She took a deep breath and began her mealtime prayers, a ritual she had grown accustomed to at the convent and continued on Andros.

Morgan waited patiently while she prayed, unaware that she had deliberately launched into a lengthier version than customary. Something told her she was going to need all the help she could get tonight.

“Are you finished.
Sister
Luca?” Morgan asked, stressing the title. “The food grows cold.”

“Si,”
Luca said, concentrating on the food on her plate. She picked up her fork and began eating.

Morgan watched her, his gaze hot and hungry.

“Is… is something wrong?” she asked nervously.

“No, you look lovely tonight, though I’d prefer seeing you in something more colorful. Nevertheless, black suits you. It is far more fetching than drab gray. Too bad it’s raining. A walk on the beach would be a perfect end to an enlightening day.”

“Enlightening? How so?”

“You wouldn’t be interested. Let’s just say I learned something today that pleases me.”

Luca didn’t like the direction of the conversation, so she changed it. “I saw the
Queen’s Glory
arriving today. Is Mr. Crawford back? Why isn’t he joining us?”

“Mr. Crawford is busy tonight.”

“Oh. Have you decided to set me free? You’ll be leaving soon to be about your business of pirating. I’ll just be in your way.”

“In my own good time, Sister, in my own good time. Are you finished eating?”

Luca set down her fork.
“Sí”

“I’ll see you to your room.”

“There is no need.”

His eyes turned pure silver. “Oh, but there is. Come along, Sister.

Luca knew they were alone in the house; after preparing dinner, Lani left to be with her own family in the village. She would not return until early the following morning.

“Good night, Captain,” Luca said when they reached her room.

Morgan quirked a tawny brow and opened the door. Lani had lit a brace of candles within before she’d left for the night; they bathed the room in a golden glow. When Luca stepped inside and tried to close the door in Morgan’s face, he pushed past her.

“Excuse me while I say my prayers,” Luca said. Her voice held an unwelcome tremor. The way Morgan was looking at her made her tingle and burn. She approached the bed and dropped to her knees, praying more fervently than she ever had before.

Morgan sat on the edge of the bed, watching her with a predatory gleam in his eyes. She prayed long and hard, until her knees hurt and her back ached. Morgan appeared unmoved by her lengthy prayers and more than a little impatient while Luca renewed her vows to keep herself pure for God, asking for strength to avoid Satan’s evil temptation. Morgan smiled without humor during her recitation.

“Enough, Luca,” Morgan said impatiently after a lengthy period of time.

“Please leave the room so that I may retire.”

“This
is my home and you’re my… guest. I go where I please.”

“Your prisoner, you mean.”

“Call it whatever you like. I’ve been more than patient with you. You know what I want.”

“What you want is to rape a woman intended for God.”

His eyes glittered dangerously. “I’ve never raped a woman in my life and I don’t intend to start now. How do you know you are meant for a religious life? That kind of life seems singularly unappealing. A fool can see that you’re a sensual creature, as unsuited to a religious life as I am. And I am no fool.”

Luca sucked in a ragged breath. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Until I met you I had never been kissed. I hated being kissed by you.” There, Luca thought smugly, now he knew exactly what she thought of his attempts at seduction.

“Did you now?” Morgan said. “Perhaps I didn’t try hard enough.” He grasped her arms and pulled her from her knees onto his lap.

“Don’t touch me, I’m a servant of God!”

Morgan merely laughed. Maybe she wasn’t saying it with enough conviction. “Did you hear me? I’m a nun, a holy woman.”

“And I’m a saint.” His mouth slammed down on hers, teasing her lips with the tip of his tongue before covering them completely.

Luca breamed in a ragged sigh. Morgan’s kiss made a mockery of her words. She didn’t hate his kisses; she loved them. Loved the taste of him, the moist heat of his mouth, the scent of his sweet breath, his arousal. She was surely going to Hell!

He pressed her back onto the bed and leaned over her, continuing the assault upon her mouth with renewed fervor. Luca summoned her anger and tried to break the sensual hold he had upon her senses. Morgan broke off the kiss and flashed her a predatory smile. “Ah, Sister Luca,” he said, once again stressing her title, “I don’t think I could stand it if you
liked
my kisses. Forget all that nonsense about being a nun and submit to me. I’ll give you pleasure; so much pleasure you’ll beg for more.”

Finding her mouth suddenly free of Morgan’s electrifying kisses, she called forth her piety to protect herself against the handsome pirate. When Morgan moved his kisses to her neck and began unfastening the front of her dress to reach her breasts, she loudly invoked God’s name, praying for deliverance.

Morgan laughed mirthlessly, aware that she was fighting to preserve her virginity for her Spanish bridegroom. Morgan had her measure now. She feared that once he took her innocence she would no longer be suitable for the great governor-general of Cuba. She and her family would be shamed beyond redemption, losing all prospects for a prestigious marriage. He decided it would be amusing to play out her game to the bitter end. But he would only be pushed so far.

“Is your virginity so important to you, little saint?” Morgan mocked.

“It’s all I have to offer God,” Luca said fervently.

“Then keep it a little longer.” He pushed himself to his feet, wondering how long he could stand to play out this game. His loins burned, his manhood throbbed painfully. “Guard it well, little nun, for as long as I allow you to keep it Only know that soon it. will be mine.”

Luca watched him stride from the room, fear and desire warring within her. Morgan Scott was the Devil incarnate. He tempted her beyond reason, promising things of which she could only guess, making her ache with wanting. How much longer could she resist the powerful lure of his seduction? Why couldn’t she convince him to free her? Why didn’t he believe she was a nun? Did he see something in her that proclaimed her a liar?

Morgan’s subtle seduction continued endlessly. He was charming, attentive, a master of sin and sensuality. He intended to dishonor her, and she couldn’t do a thing about it. Soon, she knew, he would have his way and she’d fall into his arms like a ripe plum. Then what would become of her?

Several uneventful days passed. Morgan knew the exact moment he had reached the end of his tether. It happened while she was praying over her food. He had waited as long as he could and longer than he would have thought possible. If Luca hadn’t continued to flaunt his lust with her piety, he would have had her a long time ago. But now that he knew she wasn’t really a nun, there was nothing preventing him from gorging to his heart’s content on her succulent flesh. The sooner he bedded Luca the faster he could send her back to her family in shame. He tried to convince himself that seducing the daughter of Don Eduardo Santiego would satisfy his lust for revenge against those he hated so passionately.

After dinner that night Morgan suggested a walk on the beach. Luca refused, recalling what had happened, or almost happened, the last time they had walked together in the moonlight But Morgan refused to take no for an answer. They reached the beach just as the moon was rising over the water. He led her a short distance into the trees where they couldn’t be seen and spread his coat down on the sand.

Luca hesitated. “I… I think I’ll return to the house. I suddenly feel the need to pray.”

He grasped her wrist and pulled her down beside him. “It won’t work this time, Luca. I know.”

Luca stared at him. “Know what?”

“Luca Santiego, daughter of Don Eduardo Santiego. You were traveling to Havana to marry Diego del Fugo, governor-general of Cuba. Your bridegroom was livid when he learned you were abducted by El Diablo. There is a large reward on my head.”

Luca stared at him. “No, it isn’t true! Carlotta was Don Eduardo’s daughter. I was merely her companion.”

“There no longer is a need to lie, Luca. I sent Stan Crawford to Havana because I felt you were lying from the beginning. The fate of the
Santa Cruz
was widely discussed in Havana, including the fact that the governor-general’s bride-to-be was abducted by El Diablo. So you see, Luca, your playacting only delayed the inevitable.”

“It wasn’t playacting,” Luca denied hotly. “I truly want to become a nun. I would have if my father hadn’t removed me from the convent before I was able to take my final vows. The marriage between me and Don Diego had been arranged years ago, but I was hoping for a reprieve. Unfortunately, Father did not see it that way.”

“I commend your piety,” Morgan said, “but I will have you, despite all those hours you spent on your knees in prayer.”

“Please, I beg you. You can demand a higher ransom from my father if you leave me untouched.”

He laughed harshly. “Do you think your bridegroom will believe that I did not bed you?”

“I don’t care what he believes. I will know and God will know. I wish only to return to the convent and live out my life serving God.”

“I don’t believe you.” His voice was low, seductive, coaxing. “Kiss me, Luca. Kiss me with all the zeal and fervor you devote to your prayers.”

“No.”

“Are you afraid?”

“Sí”
It was true, she was afraid.

She feared the pirate would reach that private place deep inside her that she’d held sacrosanct. A place no one else had touched. She’d already had a taste of desire, of wanting. If she allowed Morgan to show her paradise she’d be forever damned. He wanted her only to dishonor her and her family. His hatred for her people demanded that he ravish her and send her home in disgrace. He didn’t care for her, she knew that. Revenge was the driving force in his life, it controlled every aspect of his existence.

“I won’t hurt you, Luca,” Morgan said, pulling her into his arms. “I have nothing against you except your nationality. You’ll be ransomed back to your father in good time.”

“After you dishonor me,” Luca said bitterly.

He rose and pulled her to her feet “Come, I don’t want your first time to be on the ground, no matter how soft and yielding the sand. I want it to be memorable, something you can remember with pleasure when you return to your bridegroom.”