My Lady Captive by Shirl Anders Read Free Book Online Page A

here once again with me,” Alexei said,
tipping his glass in a salute. “Inspires me, Khrisinan.”
    “To what?” Wyndham asked, slowly raising his
hand from Orèlan’s breast to the column of her throat, which he
clasped lightly over the jeweled collar she wore.
    “To a game, my lovelies,” Alexei replied,
slyly. “A game of chance, Khrisinan. Will you play with me?”
    Wyndham gritted his teeth, holding snugly to
Orèlan’s throat to keep her in place as he felt her pulse beating
wildly against his fingertips. It had begun, he thought, as he
uttered, “If the price is right.”
    Alexei laughed, too sharply. He was
inebriated and excited, a dangerous combination. “Of course,
Khrisinan, I would never cheat you. Shall we say one marker is
earned, of the six you owe me, if you play with me? And the game we
shall play is cards. Monte. I know it is one of your
favorites.”
    Alexei twirled the champagne in his glass
arrogantly as Wyndham stared at him. “And the currency?” he asked
tersely
    “Ha!” Alexei exclaimed. “We will start out
slowly this evening, Khrisinan. The seduction is everything. We
will play for voyeurism. I wish to see what you covet. Tits, cunt,
an ass. But you will not wish to show me your puta’s charms . . .
or show them to all of these people.” Alexei’s hand swept the room
around him. “They will be as excited to watch as I will,
Khrisinan.”
    “And you,” Wyndham growled.
    “The same for my chosen lover of this
evening, of course.” Alexei pursed his lips with his light blue
eyes languid in a serpentine way. “But of course, I will not mind
as much as you, to show my lover's nudity.”
    Wyndham felt Orèlan turned her head slowly to
rest her temple on his chin. “Make it two markers, my puma, if I am
to do this,” she whispered fiercely for his ears only.
    Wyndham nearly grinned at her audacity, but
the tension was too high and the cost too much. Orèlan thought
herself the prisoner, yet at this moment he knew that he was
imprisoned as much as she was. It was not within his soul to allow
his woman to be displayed nude for all to see. Yet, that was
impractical . . . emotional, and he tossed it aside. He had learned
very well at Drummond and Ravenscar’s side how to be ruthless . . .
or at least how to maintain the disguise of it. And since Orèlan’s
plans were his own, he responded tightly. “Two markers,
Alexei, or I will take my woman back to my suite and fuck her
privately.”
    Alexei’s laughter barked as though he could
not contain it. “So crude for my noble gentlemen, Khrisinan. You
make me jealous when you speak the fuck word so masculinely. Alas
though, this I cannot allow.” Alexei paused with his hand resting
on the hilt of the ceremonial sword he wore belted to his left
side. Wyndham had already noticed Alexei’s guards gathering. Two
approaching from the left and three from the right.
    “But!” Alexei exclaimed, snapping the tension
between them. “I will accept this outrageous price for you,
Khrisinan. Because, I am so pleased to have you with me once
again.” Alexei paused, and then he dramatically drew his sword, to
flourish once at his side, before he pointed the tip to the floor.
“That is of course why, I set your markers so high to begin with,
Lord Hawkenge. I realized to say no to you is so hard for me.”
    Orèlan felt the flinching tremor in Wyndham’s
arm across her breasts as his fingers tightened around her throat.
She was shocked to realize something that had completely eluded her
before. Alexei desired Wyndham. Yet, she knew Alexei had
women lovers . . . many of them. He had even said that he would bed
her, willing or not, once the Arab was finished with her. But this?
Of course she knew men might desire other men. But both? Women and
men? This was shocking. A sexual discovery that she had never
realized. And for such a man as Wyndham it must be disturbing,
disgusting, . . . frightening? She did not know, and she could not
imagine, but