Love Me With Fury (33 page)

Alex hurried inside to return to the drawing room before Cassandra and Lucy could arrive first. The remainder of that evening she secretly studied each woman with renewed intrigue.

The next morning revealed a glorious fall day. After her stroll and lunch, she bid her stuffy and necessary escort farewell at the hotel entrance. As soon as he was out of sight, she grinned mischievously and leisurely began another stroll down the street, stopping here and there to gaze into shop windows.

At a quaint shop where paintings were sold, she paused to go inside. She aimlessly wandered around until a particular canvas captured her attention. It was an irresistible oil painting of an infamous ship at sea, one she recalled too well. Waves were crashing against her black hull and imaginary winds were filling her midnight sails. Unable to resist this striking reminder of her bittersweet past with Joshua, she checked the price…but she didn’t have that much money with her.

She went to the shopkeeper and asked if he would hold it for her until she could fetch the money from her uncle later that evening. He smiled amicably and agreed. For some absurd reason, she gave the name Angelique DuBois. Maybe it had to do with the effect of the painting which had refreshed her memories of
life at sea with Joshua. She waved to him and headed down the street, knowing her uncle would be out until after dinner.

In less than five minutes, a beady-eyed man about sixty hurried up to her. “Miss, miss,” he breathlessly called out. When she paused, he related a message for her. “Your uncle’s had an accident, miss. Don’t know how bad he’s hurt. They took him to room seven at the hotel. He said to find you and send you there.”

Without stopping to further question this man, Alex turned and rushed toward the hotel. She was oblivious to the sparkling blue eyes watching her hasty progress, the same ones which had watched her entrance and exit from the shop where he held secret meetings with his contacts and where he had once purchased a painting of a siren who looked like her… He couldn’t decide why she wanted a painting of the
Black Mist
caught in a violent storm.

Alex hurried toward the entrance in near panic. What would she do if her uncle had met with a fatal accident? She would be all alone in this foreign and hostile land. How badly was he hurt? Her frantic thoughts fluctuated between Henry’s present ill fortune and her own future distress. She rushed up the stairs without bothering to speak with the busy clerk at the long wooden desk. After all, she and her uncle were staying on the second floor of this same hotel. Why hadn’t they taken him to their suite of rooms? She almost ran down the lengthy hallway until she came to room seven. She knocked upon the heavy
door, impatiently waiting to be let inside to check her uncle’s state of health.

The door swung open and she rushed inside. It instantly shut and locked behind her. She whirled in confusion and alarm, fully expecting to find Daniel Grey or a comparative scoundrel poised there. She nearly fainted when her gaze locked with the beguiling and taunting one of Joshua Steele. Eyes wide and lips parted, she simply stared at him in total disbelief.

He grinned in devilish pleasure. “Been a long time, Angel, but it appears you’ve fared well since your daring escape from me,” he stated in a deceptively calm voice. He leaned negligently against the only exit to this suddenly stuffy room. From his smug expression and roguish mood, he was mentally congratulating himself on his unforeseen good luck.

“What are you doing here?” she finally managed to get out in a whisper. “How did you find me?”

“I didn’t,” he replied smoothly. “When I saw you strolling down the street, I couldn’t believe my eyes. How did you get here? I searched half of Florida and the coast looking for you, woman! You gave me quite a scare. I was afraid you’d met with foul play,” he asserted, and Alex almost believed he was serious.

“I gave you a scare?” she repeated his implausible words. “What about me? Surely you didn’t think I would hang around to be stuck into a slimy brothel!”

“You mean that little conversation with Andy beneath your balcony which I foolishly allowed you to overhear just to frighten you?” he admitted playfully.

“You allowed?” she shrieked.

“Naturally. You were a most stubborn, young lady. I only wanted to scare you into confessing, not endanger your life with a rash escape. How did you get here?” he repeated his inquiry.

She grinned. “I’m not as stupid as you seem to think, Captain Steele. All it took was some courage, cunning, and planning. Is George all right?”

Amused by her concern, he chuckled. “A bit embarrassed, but fine. You certainly wasted a lot of my valuable time looking for you,” he irritably snapped at her smug manner.

“And you didn’t waste any of mine?” she scoffed.

“I see you’ve returned to the scene of your previous mischief. Looking for more information, my lovely spy, or only trying to replace what I took?”

“I never was a spy and I’m not now! So don’t start that foolishness again! Now move and I’ll leave.”

“Not so fast, love. We have some unfinished business.”

“We have nothing to say, Josh. If you don’t move, I’ll scream so loud your ears will ache for months… in prison, Captain Steele.”

“I think it would be a wee bit difficult for you to explain your presence in Captain Steele’s room, don’t you, love?”

“I’ll say you lured me here under false pretenses. Who would take your word against mine? I’ll explain everything.”

“Afterwards, you can explain how I can identify
every mark upon your lovely and traitorous body,” he boldly threatened.

“You wouldn’t dare!” she shrieked in dismay.

“Wouldn’t I? What’s the fate for the mistress of a notorious pirate?” His sapphire eyes raked over her ashen face and shaky body.

“I wasn’t your mistress; I was your prisoner!” she angrily protested, trying to summon her wits and courage.

“Did you report me when you miraculously returned from your little misadventure? I doubt it. Who would accept this belated tale?”

“What do you want this time? You already have my silence, among other things,” she sneered, alarmed by his effect upon her.

“If you’d like your clothes and jewels returned, come and take them from my ship. I see you were crafty enough to take a few of them with you. As for the petticoat, nothing doing You’ll leave this room after you tell me everything I want to know. If not, you’re coming with me,” he smugly issued his terrifying ultimatum.

“You can’t kidnap me again!” she frantically argued. Even so, she feared he might do just that! She couldn’t endure another bittersweet sojourn on his ship. He would make certain she never escaped again. Yet, she couldn’t very well call out for help. What to do…the truth? No, for she couldn’t discern his loyalties. Now that she partially knew what was on the nefarious petticoat, she was more determined to resist
his demands.

“I want your full name and the information on that petticoat. No more stalling, Angelique. My patience with you has worn dangerously thin.”

Angelique? she mentally echoed. My full name? Did that mean he was still in the dark about her? She recalled his earlier words about sighting her on the street. Whatever it took, she had to get free of him quickly before he discovered the truth. What possible reason could she use to discourage him? Did she dare?

“You can’t take me back to sea, Stephen. Please,” she cautiously began her daring ploy, using every feminine wile she possessed.

He stared at her. “There you go again, woman! Why do you call me Stephen in times like these and Joshua at other times?” he abruptly asked.

“Because you are Stephen sometimes and Joshua others. Be Stephen today, please,” she entreated.

“I can’t, Angel. You have something I want and need. Give it to me and I’ll leave you alone.”

“For the hundredth time, I can’t decipher that code! And I can’t give you my father’s name. Is that so hard for you to understand and accept?”

“Impossible,” he coldly stated. “What’s it to be, love?”

“I can’t answer and I can’t go with you. Even if you don’t care anything about me, there’s someone you should. Damn you, I’m pregnant! I’m getting married in two weeks,” she blurted out.

“Married? Pregnant?” he repeated in shock. “You
work mighty fast, don’t you?” Was that jealousy in his eyes?

“Not me, you bloody fool! You do. It’s your child I’m carrying! My uncle thinks I was besieged by pirates and ravished by their captain. He’s somehow managed to convince a wealthy friend of his to marry me. Please, just get out of my life and stay out! You’ve done enough damage! Unless you want to wed me and claim your child, don’t prevent this marriage with your stupid charges and selfishness! Damn you, Joshua! I’m not a spy; I swear it. Let me go; please…”

Spencer stared at her for a long time. “I don’t believe you. How could you be carrying my child?”

“My God, Stephen! We slept together day and night for months. It isn’t uncommon for a baby to follow such abundant acts of passion. You sound as naive as I was! Can’t you imagine what I felt and thought when the doctor told me that news?” she challenged. “I hoped and prayed I had seen the last of you, but it appears you left a little reminder with me of our stormy interlude.”

“If you’re lying to me, I’ll beat you to within an inch of your miserable life!” he snarled, unprepared for this news or for seeing her again. Not a day had passed without thinking about her, wanting her!

“Stick around for a month, and you’ll see the evidence for yourself! Maybe sooner. What do I know about such things? Once I foolishly enticed you to assist my freedom, but all you’ve done was give me
more chains. It isn’t fair, Stephen. I’m practically a child myself,” she miserably stated, weeping in fear of her ruse not working. If she could pull it off, surely he wouldn’t take her along. He was ruthless and cruel, but was he totally heartless?

“You expect me to walk away and leave my child to another man?” he asked in surprise, coming forward to stand before her.

Stunned by the fury in his tone and expression, she was speechless. They stared at each other. “Are you saying you’ll marry me?” she finally asked, her look of disbelief too real to discount.

“I can’t. Not now. But I’ll make sure you’re both taken care of, Angel,” he vowed, looking ill at ease for the first time ever.

“You might not care if your son is born a bastard, but I do! He’ll have a name and a father when he enters this world! I don’t need your help or your pity. Just leave me alone to work out this problem,” she angrily spouted at him. “He doesn’t need the additional stain your reputation would brand upon him. He’ll already arrive too suspiciously early to avoid gossip.”

“He’s my son and my responsibility,” he argued with the only female to ever break through his rigid guard and fill his life and heart.

“No, Captain Steele; he’s my son. You ruined my life, but I won’t allow you to harm his. I’ll see you hanged first!” she fiercely declared.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant?” he growled, his own anger rising. Damn, he wanted her!
What rotten timing he had!

“I didn’t know! Everything’s arranged and I won’t permit you to mess things up for me again.” Even while engaged in this frantic ruse, Alexandria didn’t guess she might be telling the truth.

“What’s the man’s name?” he harshly demanded.

“And let you come strolling into our lives again someday? No way, Steele. Haven’t you any decency at all? Are you so unfeeling and selfish? What about me and our child? It’s all your fault!”

“I never meant for this to happen, Angel,” he defended himself, wondering what to do about her and the baby.

“You’re an experienced man, Steele. You should have known better,” she taunted him. Seeing the infuriating effect of her stinging words, she cautioned herself to a milder approach. “Please, Stephen, there’s nothing you can do to solve this problem. Don’t make it any worse for me.”

She turned away from him, praying he wouldn’t read the deception in her eyes. His nearness sparked too many feelings of desire for him, feelings she couldn’t destroy or yield to. Tears of self-betrayal flowed down her cheeks. Was she a fool? Even now, she wanted him desperately. Her shoulders trembled as she wept silently.

“Angel?” he murmured tenderly, but didn’t continue.

She slowly turned to look up into his eyes, sensing she had won and he would leave soon. Misreading the
anguish in her dewy eyes, he reached out and pulled her into his arms. Unable to help herself, she did not resist this much needed contact for the last time.

“I’m sorry, love. I wouldn’t hurt you for anything,” he whispered into her ear.

“You already have, Stephen,” she sadly told him. “I’ve never wanted anything in my life as much as I wanted you. Why did it have to be this way?”

His embrace tightened. “Our timing was all wrong, love. Believe it or not, I wish it wasn’t.”

She looked up at him and inquired, “Do you really mean that, Stephen? If things had been different, could you have loved me, too?”

Too? he caught her slip. “Are you in love with me, Angel?” he couldn’t help but ask, needing to hear those words from her.

She lowered her head and laughed sadly, “How could I possibly love a pirate like you? A man who blundered into my world and devastated it?”

“As much as you wish it weren’t true, it is,” he answered for her.

She stiffened; her lips and chin quivered. She didn’t respond. He lifted her chin and forced their gazes to meet. “I’m right, aren’t I?”

She didn’t have to answer aloud, her eyes screamed her stifled response. “Of all men to choose from, why you, Stephen? My God, why you?” she cried out in utter despair, her composure stripped away.

Spencer’s mouth came down upon hers, at first gentle and then almost savage. She clung to him in a painful last parting. It had been so long since her blood
had flamed with hunger and her heart had felt alive and free. He lifted her light body and carried her to his bed. Between kisses and caresses, he undressed each of them. Their bodies and hearts yearned for this union so long desired. It would be their final farewell, but it would be remembered forever, she vowed.