Empath's Angel - M J Marlow (easy readers .TXT) 📗

ship is going to want you.” He clamped his hand on her chin. “You just stay close to the Sheikand leave the rest to us.” * CaptainAndrews was in his cabin going over the daily reports when Peter came to join him. Both men were growing increasingly annoyed with being told to wait. The Captain wanted to take Zacharyand his woman into custodyand free Emily. Though Peter agreed with the man, he trusted Stephenand his men. What they were planning to do was far more satisfying.And it would mean that Emilia found her way back into her husband’s arms in a place where they could both live safe. He told Emilia’s grandfather thisand the man thought it over. “I am not as certain as you are,”Andrews replied, “but I will agree. You have always proven yourself to be a very level-headed young man.” He took a swig of his drink. “The poor child. Hasn’t she been through enough over the past eight months?” “She will have it all back,” Peter assured him. “Her real husband is not like his father. I have found him to be a very honorable man,and,” he continued as he raised his own glassand examined the contents, “he loves our pretty Emilia with every ounce of his being.” He took a drinkand set the glass down. “I have the very distinct impression that he is only holding off ripping his brother’s heart out at the advice of his companions.” “I wouldn’t stop him,”Andrews replied tightly. He finished his drinkand got to his feet. “I have a meeting with the senior officers. I will go over the plan Dr. Winslow has suggested with them, so that we are certain that everyone is on the same page.” He put on his hat. “How is the girl doing, Peter?” “They continue to drug her to keep her confusedand docile,” Peter said sadly. He finished his drinkand accompanied the Captain out of the man’s cabin. “I am keeping an eye on the situation, Captain,” he said as he caught sight of Zachary going down the companionway with Bridget. “I expect to see improvement quite shortly.” “I’ll leave you to it then, Doctor,”Andrews nodded. Peter returned to the Infirmaryand went over the reports on the other patients under his care. There was always the cases of mal-de-mere, hangovers,and the occasional flu. He expected those. The one patient he was most concerned with now, was the one he was being denied access to. Bridget had made it quite plain that he was not to interfere with Emilia’s care. She was his niece,and he could only stand byand watch as her kidnappers slowly stole the girl’s mind from her. He slammed his fist into the top of his deskand winced at the pain. They were letting themselves be played for fools by this couple. “Calm now, Peter Brett,” he chided himself as he remembered what the outcome was going to be. “It’s all in hand. This will soon be over,and those bastards will pay!” “I see you’re as antsy as the rest of us,” Roman smiled as he came in just then. He had a bottleand two glasses in his hand. “Care to join me in a toast to a successful hunt?” “With pleasure,” Peter nodded. He accepted the glass Roman handed to him. “Give them both a blow for me, Roman.” “With pleasure, my friend,” Roman nodded. He raised his glass, smiling. “Powodzenie!” “Success!” Peter nodded. * Emilia seemed to be floating by the time they left the stateroomand went to dinner. They sat down at the Captain’s tableand she took the seat beside Stephen. She smiled up at him warmlyand he was struck by her change in behavior. The terrified girl was completely gone; the young woman who sat next to him was warmand ready. He hid his scowl as he realized that they had drugged his pretty wife. They were planning on using her to trap him into some impropriety or other for the purpose of blackmail. He had to get her away from the bastard who had once been his brother before he turned her into something she was never meant to be. “Good evening, lord Adrian,” Emilia’s voice was husky. Her eyes were already shining with longingand he felt himself stirring. “I hope we didn’t keep you waiting.” “A man would wait an eternity,” Stephen replied, smoothly as he took her hand in hisand kissed it, “for just a glimpse of such beauty.” He ran his eyes over her, appreciating her charms,and hating his brother even further for putting her on display. “If I did not know we were alive, I would swear I had diedand was now in Paradise.” “You are a poet, lord Adrian,” Bridget smiled from across the table. “Do all your wives inspire such verse?” “We of the Pashtu do not speak so openly of things meant to be private,” Stephen frowned at the woman. Here he could be rudeand he took full advantage of the fact. He looked at Zachary coldly. “It would be wise to keep your woman silent, Mr. Winslow, if she can not speak with more intelligence.” He saw the faint smile on Emilia’s face at his wordsand was relieved. She wasn’t quite as far gone as he had feared. He turned back to her, smiling. “I would like to dance with this angel later, Mr. Winslow. Have I your permission?” “Of course, lord Adrian,” Zachary nodded, wondering why this man made him so angry. It was like it had been when Stephen had lectured him on his behavior. He hadn’t liked it much then, he didn’t like it from this stranger now. “Emilia would be delighted to dance with you.” Dinner passed quicklyand the party moved to the lounge. Stephen led Emilia to the dance floorand he took her into his arms with great satisfaction. How he had dreamed of having her back in his arms like this. Not quite like this, he amended as he saw the dark look on Zachary’s face. He looked down into her eyesand saw the confusion again. As if she was trying to figure out who he really was. Somehow she knew who he was, but her drugged mind couldn’t quite grasp the truth of it. He wanted her so much, his heartand mind cried.And he could see that she wanted him in those glorious gem stone eyes of hers. He remembered seeing that expression on her face the night they had first made love. He could no longer fight the urge to kiss her. “Here we go,” Bridget whispered into Zachary’s ear as she watched the Sheik take Emilia out on the deck. “He’s hooked.” Stephen took his wife out on deckand his breath caught as he saw her bathed in the moonlight. She was every bit as exquisite as he remembered. His longing for her had not magnified her beauty in his mind one bit. He raised her eyes to hisand saw her true emotions behind the drug-induced longing. She did not want to be used like this, he saw. He wished he could tell her the truthand end her nightmare, but it was too soon. They had to force Zachary’s hand. “You do not want to be with that man, little one,” Stephen said simply as he continued watching her eyes. “I have seen in your eyes this truth.” He ran his thumb along her lipsand she sighed. “You are too innocent a creature to be used so foully.” “Why do you care?” Emilia whispered, her body moving closer to his despite her struggle to keep herself distant from this man. “He is going to harm you if you don’t leave me alone.” “He can try, little one,” Stephen laughed. He cupped her cheek in his hand,and she leaned into his touch. He was lost. He could not stop himself from claiming her lips. “So beautiful,” he sighed against her lips a moment later. “So willing.” He let his longing show in his eyesand saw her eyes widen in shock. “I must have you,” he told her fiercely. He moved with her into the shadowsand claimed her lips once more, losing himself to the joy of having his wife back in his arms where she belonged. “Tell me you want me, too.” “It’s not real,” Emilia cried softly as she looked up into his longing. She had to get away from this man, her mind screamed. He was dangerous. She tried to push him awayand he would not let go. “Please stop. I don’t want…” “Let my sister go,” Zachary’s cold voice broke into the shadows. His eyes were blazing with anger as he held his hand out to Emilia. “Come here, Emilia.” She went to himand he put his arm around her, possessively. His eyes remained on Stephen. “My sister is not a whore, lord Adrian. You will not treat her with such disrespect.” Zachary took Emilia awayand Stephen watched them go, his heart aching at the loss of her. He started after themand someone stepped out of hiding, directly into his path. It was Roman Novak. He was just lighting a cigarette, the flame of the match lighting up his dark eyes. He saw the expression on Stephen’s faceand knew how close the man was to breaking. It had to hard to watch some other man claiming your wife as if he had a right to her, Roman thought. He laid his hand on Stephen’s armand shook his head. Stephen glared at himand moved off without a word. Thank God it was in the direction that Zacharyand Emilia had not taken, Roman thought, as he watched his new friend leave. “You’ve done your job well, pet,” Zachary laughed as he shoved Emilia into the stateroom. “He wants you badly.” He removed his dinner jacketand set it over the back of a chair. “I wonder what he’ll give us for the chance of taking you to his bed?” “I don’t want…” “Enough!” Zachary broke in, slapping her across the face in his anger. He grabbed her wristsand yanked her to him. “One more word of argument from you, pet,” he warned her, “and I will have your voice taken away from you.” He let her go. “Turn aroundand put your arms behind your back,” he ordered her. Emilia did as she was toldand he removed his tieand used it to bind her wrists. “Now go lie down.” He smiled as she obeyed him. “He’s never going to have you, pet,” he said as he turned herand unzipped her gown. He turned her back. “You belong to me,” he smiled as he pulled off her gownand the rest of her clothing. “Tell me,” he ordered as he removed his clothingand straddled her. He yanked her up, pulling her head back so that she was forced to look into his eyes. “Tell me.” “I belong to my self!” Emilia protested. “I am going to continue to fight you as long as I can.” “You won’t last much longer, pet,” Zachary laughed as he moved inside of herand her body responded. “See how easily I make you mine?” When he was done, he left her boundand helpless, enjoying the sight. “You are never going to be free of me,” he laughed as he heard her sobbing in reaction to what had happened. “Never.” He yanked her upand glared at her. “You will not let that man get you alone again, pet. Is that clear?” Emilia noddedand he released her. She curled up in a balland he covered her with a blanket. He left her still boundand sobbing her heart out. Let her cry, he thought to himself as he went to find Bridget; she was realizing that he had won. After this, she would do as she was told without complaint, without argument; exactly as he had planned. * Emilia was on her way to the pool to join Bridget when the Sheik found her. She tried to go around himand he