Paradise Wild (9 page)

Should she hide up there and let Jared search fruitlessly for her out in the street? That was where he would assume she had gone. But she couldn’t bring herself to go up those stairs. If she could convince Jared’s driver to take her home, then she would leave him at the club. That was better.

Corinne opened the entrance door, only to have it slammed shut in front of her, Jared’s large hand pressing against it. His arm stretched over her shoulder, and she turned to him.

“I will scream, Jared. I will! You can’t stop me from leaving here!”

“Yes, I can,” he said coldly, “until you’ve paid your debt.”

“I wouldn’t go upstairs with you if my life depended on it. I want you to move!”

She tried to shove him away from the door, but she couldn’t budge him. He let her try for only a moment before he picked her up and started up the stairs.

“No!” Corinne screamed. “No, I won’t!”

“You no longer have a choice,” he said as they reached the top. “Now which room would you prefer, my dear?” he taunted. “One you’ve occupied before? Or would that make you uncomfortable?”

Corinne’s stomach churned with fear. The long corridor before her was very dark, wallpapered in deep royal
blue, with only a single lamp at the opposite end giving the tiniest speck of light.

“I have never been up here before,” Corinne whispered, hearing the terror in her own voice. “You have got to believe me, Jared.”

He laughed cruelly and moved down the corridor to the first open door. “But you don’t expect me to, do you?”

“What have I done to make you think otherwise?” she demanded.

He entered a room decorated entirely in green, from the carpet to the furniture to the sheets on the large bed. Everything was green.

Jared shut the door, but didn’t set her down yet. His eyes glowed in the dim light as he looked down at her. “Our room matches your eyes,” he mocked.

“You’ve teased me for more than two months now,” he continued. “You had to pay the consequences sometime. I don’t usually wait this long.”

“I never teased you!”

He raised a dark brow. “Do you deny flirting outrageously with me? Do you deny returning my kisses willingly?”

“I may flirt a little, but I mean nothing by it,” she said defensively. “I thought you understood that. And I didn’t ask you to kiss me, did I?”

“But you didn’t try to stop me, did you? A real man won’t settle for just kisses, lady,” Jared said contemptuously.

“Most will!”

“Not this man,” he told her coldly. “Not when you’ve led me to expect more.”

He set her down and turned to lock the door. While his back was to her, she quickly opened her purse and took out the small knife he had long ago returned to
her. It would be the first time she had ever used it other than in practice. She just prayed she could remember all that Johnny Bixler had taught her when she was only a child of ten.

Jared turned around sharply as he heard her slide the knife from its sheath. He laughed heartily at the picture she presented. She was dressed in gold velvet with pearl buttons and lace trimmings. Her dark gold hair was arranged on top of her head with gold velvet ribbons, a few curls escaping on her temples. She held a purse in one hand and the knife in the other.

“Just what do you plan to do with that pretty toy?” he asked, chuckling.

“I’m going to use it if I have to. If you come near me, I will.”

“Didn’t anyone tell you that you can get hurt playing with knives?”

“I happen to know how to use this one. If anyone gets hurt, it will be you,” she said with more confidence than she felt. “Now unlock that door.”

He ignored her demand and stood, his feet planted apart, before the door. “I wondered why you carried a weapon in your purse. Do you often feel the need to protect yourself? Or is it just me you refuse to give in to?”

She glared at him. “So you looked in my purse before you returned it? A gentleman wouldn’t have done that.”

“Well, we both know I’m not one, don’t we?” he replied and began removing his coat.

“What are you doing?” she demanded.

“I’m preparing to transact our business,” he answered lightly. “After all, you bet only an hour of your time and that time is wasting away.”

“Damn you, haven’t you heard anything I’ve said?
You’re not going to touch me. I would sooner make love with the devil than with you!”

“The devil and I are on good terms,” Jared said coolly. “I’m sure he won’t mind.”

“I hate you, Jared Burk!”

“That hardly makes any difference. Now be a good girl and stop acting as though you’ve never done this before. If you cooperate, you will enjoy it as much as I will.”

Before she could reply, Jared threw his coat in her face, taking her by surprise. He had her wrist in his grip before she could yank the coat away. He jerked her up against his hard chest, bending her arm behind her back and applying pressure until they both heard the knife hit the floor. He stared into her frightened eyes for several moments before he brought his mouth down over hers savagely.

Corinne had never been embraced so tightly before. Her body was molded to his. Even with the pain in her shoulder, for he had not released her arm, her body tingled with feeling, revelled in it.

Jared released her arm and stepped back. “You want me as much as I want you. Why are you pretending otherwise?”

His words were like a slap and Corinne turned crimson. He was right. She hadn’t even struggled to fight his kiss, she had returned it wholeheartedly. What was the matter with her?

She wrung her hands. God, she had to make him believe her! “I can’t, Jared. I’m not what you seem to think I am. I have never been with a man before—I swear I haven’t! I may do some wild things, but that’s not one of them.”

“You’re lying, Corinne. You’re no more virginal than I am.”

“Don’t you care if I’m telling the truth?” she cried. “Are you so bent on having me that you won’t listen? My God, you’re my father’s partner
—my
partner. Do you think we can ever work together after this?”

“This has nothing to do with the business. You’re paying your debt, Corinne. That’s all.”

“Damn your blackhearted soul!” she stormed. “I owe you nothing!” She had forgotten her fear.

“That’s what this is all about, isn’t it, Corinne?” He grinned sardonically. “You’re just mad because you think I cheated you.”

“You did! But regardless of that, I’m not about to give myself to any man until I marry.”

“Then you shouldn’t have agreed to it downstairs,” he replied, and reached for the buttons on her dress.

Corinne slapped his hand away furiously and bent to retrieve her knife, but Jared kicked it out of her reach. He lifted her up and tossed her on the bed, not too gently.

Corinne started screaming, but Jared fell on her and covered her mouth with his hand.

“Don’t get me angry,” he said in a deadly voice. “I can be very cruel when I’m angry.” He used his free hand to rip her dress open. “It won’t do you any good to cry rape, because no one here is going to give a damn. The opinion of the house is, if a lady comes here, then she’s no lady. I’m of the same opinion, so don’t try my patience anymore. Is that clear?”

As Jared uncovered the firm mounds of her breasts, some of the coldness left his voice. “You really are beautiful,” he murmured. “I’ve never seen such soft, white skin.”

He bent his head to her breasts and kissed each peak in turn. He lingered there for a long while before he looked up into her wide, tear-filled eyes.

“I won’t hurt you, Corinne, as long as you don’t fight me,” he said almost tenderly. “I promise you that.”

He moved his hand from her mouth and bent to kiss her. He kissed her deeply, ravishing her mouth with his tongue, but she did not respond at all. He shrugged indifferently.

“If you want to be stubborn, that’s up to you, Corinne. It won’t stop me.”

Corinne wouldn’t answer. She was so ashamed she wanted only to die. She couldn’t stop him. He would hurt her if she tried, he had said so. And he would rape her anyway, so why should she suffer more than she had to?

She prayed for him to finish quickly. When he lifted her to remove the rest of her clothes, she didn’t resist. When he spoke to her tenderly, she didn’t hear. When his strong, powerful hands caressed her gently, she felt nothing but her shame.

Tears fell silently down the corners of her tightly closed eyes. When a sharp, ripping pain made her jerk, she bit her lips to keep from crying out. He had promised not to hurt her, but she knew he would. Florence had not let her grow up entirely ignorant. Now Jared Burk had taken her innocence, the innocence she had always expected to give her husband. He had forced it from her with brute strength. Corinne had never known such hate as she felt now for Jared.

Jared’s exhausted body became very heavy, and Corinne guessed it was over.

“You have been paid in full, Mr. Burk,” she said tonelessly. “If you will kindly remove yourself from my person, I would like to leave.”

“You’re certainly a cold bitch,” he grunted, then left the bed to dress.

“I was told that once already this evening. I don’t need you to tell me again.”

“What you need is someone to warm you up. I pity the man you marry if he has to put up with that kind of performance in bed.”

“
He
won’t,” Corinne replied tightly, and sat up on the edge of the bed, swaying a little. “What if I get pregnant?”

He shrugged. “Odds are you won’t, since this won’t happen again. But it is your risk, not mine. It comes with being a woman.”

Jared finished putting his clothes on and casually stepped around the bed to retrieve her torn dress. Corinne heard his sharp intake of breath and turned to look at him. She followed his gaze to the center of the bed and the stain of blood that looked black on the green sheets.

“What’s the matter, Mr. Burk?” she asked bitterly. “You seem surprised. Didn’t you know that virgins bleed?”

His eyes met hers and they were a bright gray, without a trace of blue. He stared at her for a long time.

Finally he marched to the door, her clothes gripped tightly in his hands. He turned and glared at her across the room.

“You stay here until I return,” he ordered harshly. “Do you hear me?”

“Where are you going?”

“Just stay here, Corinne,” he answered. “I will be back before noon.”

“Noon!” she gasped. “It’s almost dawn now. You know I have to be home by dawn or I will be missed!”

“I will take care of that.”

“How?”

But he was gone. And he had taken her clothes. What evil was he up to now?

With two blankets wrapped about his legs and a heavy cloak about his shoulders, Jared waited impatiently in his carriage outside the old brownstone townhouse on Beacon Street. It was just dawn, and the chill from the autumn night still invaded his bones. It would be hours yet before the sun would dispel the infernal cold.

It would also be a while yet before it would be appropriate for him to call on Samuel Barrows. The older man would still be asleep in his warm bed, unaware of his daughter’s whereabouts. Jared had enough to tell him that would arouse his ire without making things worse by waking him up.

Damn! Nothing had gone right since yesterday. And he had thought he had everything worked out perfectly. With Corinne’s debts from the club in his possession, and their agreeable relationship, it would have been a simple matter to sway her to his side. After all, she was not on good terms with her father right now, not since he opposed her marriage to Drayton. She would easily have voted her shares in the shipyard with his, if just for spite. Or so Jared assumed.

But she blew his plans to hell by casually informing him that she wouldn’t see him again. And after he had
wasted two months dancing attendance on her! And if his failure with her were not enough, Samuel Barrows suspected his plans for the shipyard.

Now Jared was feeling guilty—guilty and furious. The bitch had deserved what she got. She had no business pretending to be an experienced woman. A virgin—a damnable virgin! She had tried to tell him, but he wouldn’t believe her, which made it even worse.

Jared couldn’t stand waiting anymore. If he had to pull Barrows out of bed, that was too bad. But a few more minutes of these recriminations and he would say to hell with it all. There was one more course of action—the last one—but he certainly didn’t relish it. It was either that or give up and go home. At this point, he was just about ready to go.

Brock opened the door to Jared’s knock after only a short wait. Jared had gotten used to this sour-faced butler, but he had never before seen him quite so put out.

“Really, sir.” Brock was indignant. “Are you aware of the hour?”

“Of course I am,” Jared answered impatiently. “I wouldn’t be here if it were not an urgent matter.”

“But Miss Corinne never rises this early,” Brock replied, casting a look behind him at the stairs. “And her maid lets no one disturb her.”

Jared wondered if the butler assumed she had only just come home. She had said her servants were aware of her escapades. You couldn’t hide anything from servants for very long.

“I don’t wish to disturb Miss Barrows,” Jared said with some amusement. “It’s her father I wish to see.”

“Well, sir, that is different. Highly irregular at this hour, but Mr. Barrows does happen to be up and dressing at this moment. If you would care to wait in the study, I will inform him of your presence.”

Ten minutes later, a welcome cup of coffee in his hands, Jared rose to greet Samuel Barrows as he entered his study.

“I understand there is some urgency,” Samuel stated as he took his place behind his large desk. “I can’t imagine what it could be unless you’ve decided to terminate your stay in Boston. Have you come to finish our business before you leave, Mr. Burk?”

“This has nothing to do with business,” Jared replied, wondering how he should begin.

“Just what is so important, then?”

“I’ve come about your daughter.” Jared jumped right into the heart of it. “To get your approval of our forthcoming marriage.”

Samuel stared incredulously at Jared for several moments before he blustered, “Good God, young man! I don’t know how you do things where you come from, but here we usually discuss these matters at a civil hour.”

“You will understand shortly why I couldn’t wait, Mr. Barrows. But first, I want to know if you will give us your blessing.”

“Please, Mr. Burk. Not so fast.” Samuel held up his hand to slow things down. “I was under the impression that Corinne wasn’t exactly attracted to you. No offense meant, but perhaps you’re not aware that she prefers men she can dominate. Was I wrong about you? Does my daughter find you easy to—er—deal with?”

“No.”

“Well, why would she agree to marry you?”

“I haven’t asked her yet.”

Samuel couldn’t help laughing. “But you think she will say yes when you do?”

“She will, with the proper persuasion. And I can be very persuasive.”

“I’m sure you can be, but Corinne is not easily persuaded. She knows what she wants out of life and she has the stubborn will to see it through. And you’re not exactly what she has been looking for.”

“Perhaps not,” Jared shrugged. “But I am the man she is going to marry.”

“You sound as if you are telling me, not asking me,” Samuel observed with a raised brow.

“I am. I would rather have your approval, but it won’t make that much difference.”

Samuel chuckled, his brown eyes alight with pleasure. “I like a man with determination, Mr. Burk. You must love my daughter a great deal.”

Jared scowled. He had hoped to avoid this aspect of things.

“To be frank, Mr. Barrows, love hasn’t entered into it. Your daughter is extremely beautiful, as you know, and desirable as a woman, but she is going to make a difficult wife. I don’t need to tell you how radical her thinking is, for I’m sure you know that already. She considers marriage her ticket to freedom. She gives no thought to the responsibilities involved. But with guidance, she will learn.”

Now Samuel’s paternal instincts were aroused. He stood up stiffly, placed his hands flat on his desk, and leaned forward with an angry gleam in his brown eyes.

“Let me get this straight, Mr. Burk. You don’t love my daughter and, in your opinion, she won’t make you a good wife. So why in damnation are you here telling me you’re going to marry her?”

Jared did not hesitate. “It’s a matter of honor, sir.”

“Honor? Just what the hell are you talking about?” Samuel blustered, thoroughly confused.

“Before I explain, let me ask you this. Are you aware of your daughter’s predilection for gambling? Do you
know that she leaves your home late almost every night to frequent an unsavory establishment across the Charles?”

“I know everything my daughter does, including that you have been her escort on these late night ventures ever since that weak-kneed Drayton left town.”

“If you knew, why didn’t you put a stop to it?” Jared demanded.

“The only way I could have done so would have been to lock her in her room. The girl is headstrong and will do what
she
wants, not what I tell her to do. I felt she would lose interest soon. I still think she will.”

“But in the meantime, you don’t mind that she is seen in that place.”

“Of course I mind. But I can’t stop her from going there.”

“You really should have, Mr. Barrows,” Jared said ominously. “That place is not just a gambling house. Any patron who goes there knows what the second floor of the house is used for. Do you?”

“Yes.” Samuel looked away, embarrassed. “Yes, yes, I know. But Corinne is a good girl. I don’t worry on that score.”

“Perhaps
you
knew how innocent she was,” Jared remarked sardonically. “But I didn’t. In my opinion, no decent woman would go to such a place.”

“Here, here!”

“Let me finish. That is not the only reason I…assumed certain things about her. In case you didn’t know, your daughter is an outrageous tease. She gives the distinct impression that she is worldly in all matters. Do you understand what I am saying, Mr. Barrows? Because of her flirtatious manner and the infamy of the gambling house she frequents, I did not believe her innocent, not even when she swore to me that she was.”

Samuel’s face turned a bright red. “Just what have you done to my daughter?”

Jared felt every muscle in his body come alive. He had put himself in a dangerous position. But he was going to tell the truth.

“I won Corinne in a hand of poker, in a game involving only the two of us. The terms were established beforehand. She was determined to finish the hand, but she didn’t have the money to do so. So she wagered herself.”

“I don’t believe it!” Samuel stormed.

“She was positive she would win, Mr. Barrows. Otherwise I’m sure she wouldn’t have agreed to the terms. But she did agree—and she lost. And then she refused to honor her wager. But I’m afraid I didn’t feel quite gallant enough to accept her refusal.”

“What are you saying, Burk? If you—”

“I raped your daughter,” Jared cut him off coldly. “I regret it, but it doesn’t alter the fact—I raped her. If I had had the slightest belief in her innocence, then it certainly wouldn’t have happened. But she did wager herself. I could not believe a virgin would take that risk.”

Samuel sat down heavily in his chair. “I don’t know what to say to you, Burk. I should have you thrown in jail, but the trouble is, I understand how this could have happened. My God, was my daughter really fool enough to gamble herself in a game of chance?”

“Yes.”

“And now, because she was indeed a virgin, you feel obliged to marry her?”

“I will not take full blame for what happened. But because of her innocence, I do regret it. I feel like a complete idiot for having judged her so incorrectly. But what’s done is done. She has paid for her mistake. Now
I feel honorbound to pay for mine. I will do right by her, Mr. Barrows. In fact, I insist on it.”

“This must have happened last night?”

“Yes. She isn’t hurt, sir.” Jared anticipated him. “She’s not too pleased with me, however. In fact, I left her in a fine temper.”

“You left her? Where?”

“She’s still across the river, in a cozy bedroom, probably sleeping right now.”

“Not if I know my daughter. She’ll come storming in here any moment, demanding your head on a platter.”

“I don’t think so. I didn’t leave her much choice in the matter of her staying or leaving. I have her clothes with me.”

Samuel took a deep breath. He couldn’t hold Jared entirely to blame for this. Corinne had brought it on herself. Who knew her better than he did? And he had warned her not to trifle with Burk.

He cleared his throat. “I will say truthfully, Mr. Burk, that I wish to God none of this had happened. But it has, and at least you have offered to do the right thing by my daughter.”

“Then you will approve the marriage?”

“I will, if Corinne agrees to it. But if she doesn’t, and quite frankly, I doubt she will, then you will not be obliged to make further restitution.”

“That is very charitable of you, under the circumstances. But she will agree,” Jared said confidently.

Samuel scowled. “If you think to use force to get her to marry you, you can abandon that plan right now. I will not allow Corinne to be abused again.”

“I had not even considered that, Mr. Barrows,” Jared replied smoothly. “I give you my word. I will not mistreat Corinne in any way.”

“I hope I can trust you to keep your word,” Samuel returned with a stern look.

“You can.”

“Very well, then, you have my permission to propose marriage to her. But when you speak to her, I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t mention that I approve the marriage. In fact, it would be better if she didn’t know that I am aware of what has happened. I don’t want to cause her any further shame.”

“I understand,” Jared said uncomfortably. “But I’m afraid I need one of her dresses from here. The one she was wearing was—damaged. She will know I have been here.”

Samuel almost flew into a rage again. “No problem, Mr. Burk,” he said tightly. “Get the dress you have with you fixed. Find a seamstress and have it repaired, it’s that simple. I will see that my butler forgets you have called.”