Deceptive Lord (Lords of Bondage) by Corinne Balfour Read Free Book Online

delayed his return, and he knew that it was pointless to remain in Avenal for that reason. Despite what Eden had told him, he wondered if the ladies ever took lovers. He had been shocked to see Audrelia and Vane locked in a passionate embrace . He supposed that it was a desperate attempt on Vane’s part to wipe the events of last night from his mind. Submersing himself in mindless pleasure would probably only provide a few minutes of relief, but he couldn’t really blame the male for trying. He had heard about Vane’s rough night with the countess . She had bound him to the bed, beat him with whips and chains, inflicted him with verbal abuse, and passed flatulent gas in his face while she forced him to guess what she had eaten for dinner. According to Vane, the assault to his nostrils had been nearly as bad as the assault to his dignity. He couldn’t blame Vane for trying to get something on the side, since being forced to be with Nefertiti would be nightmarishly ghastly. He had noted how quickly Jules broke up the happy couple. The way in which he guarded Audrelia’s chastity made him wonder whether the male had feelings for her. He wonder ed just how often the lords and ladies got together. He had thought they did not interact at all with each other aside from the brief time spent at the mansion.
    There was still much he did not know about their culture. He had been surprised to see the ladies in the water, as Asstrumnian females considered the act of swimming to be vulgar. Their females kept their bodies covered at all times, which was different from the Flourdans, who often wore very little. When Eden had gotten out of the water and had climbed onto the boat, he had been momentarily left speechless by the sight of her. The wet tunic had turned completely transparent and had clung to her body, revealing pretty much everything. She had seemed unaware of her state of undress . She had tried to ask him questions, but her words failed to penetrat e his brain. He had sat down beside her and stared at her body, wondering whether she would be receptive to his touch. Her eyes had been closed ; judging by how relaxed she appeared while lying there, she was probably unaware of his interest in her. When she had questioned him about his eyes, he had felt a flash of panic. He could not afford to reveal his hybrid nature to her. His identity had to remain hidden to ensure the Flourdans remained ignorant of any hybrid interest in their affairs. He was surprised that she had accepted his explanation of an eye condition, but he would still have to be careful not to arouse her suspicions further. He would have to curtail his interest in the lady. It wasn’t like he could pursue her . His world was completely different from her world; it was also likely that tensions between their two nations would escalate to the point of war. It would be stupid to get involved with a Flourdan. He would leave tonight and return to Asstrumnia. He would likely need to wait until the others were sleeping, as he had not had any alone time . He couldn’t transport himself to his homeland in full sight of the Flourdans.
    ***
    Nefertiti had instructed that all of the lords line up on the stage for her again. He wondered why she persisted in this same routine, night after night. Did it not get stale looking at a line of naked cocks? Most of the males could easily pass as twins, with nearly all of them sharing the same physical traits. Flourda was not known for its genetic diversity. He felt uncomfortable when Nefertiti cast her greedy gaze toward him. Her eyes shone with desire, but her interest in him left him feeling queasy. He wondered how he could excuse himself without being noticed. If he could gain some privacy, he could transport himself to Ravenwood sooner rather than later.
    Nefertiti stopped in front of him and gawked at his naked body. “You will entertain me tonight in my private suite. ”
    Despite the fact that he had not had a woman in a very