Part 25 (1/2)
Sparrow glanced over her shoulder at the tub. ”It's big enough for two. Want company?”
He picked her up and walked toward the tub.
”Wait!” she giggled. ”Take off my dress first!”
He placed her on the edge of the tub and tugged her dress over her head, tossing it aside as they slipped into the warm water. Lock ducked under and wet his hair.
”Let me get behind you and I'll wash it,” Sparrow said. She lathered his hair with floral-scented soap and ma.s.saged his scalp, her fingers sliding through kinky tendrils. ”I love your hair.”
Lock closed his eyes and leaned against her, enjoying the feel of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s against his back. ”I remember the first time you washed it.”
”You were so irritated because you could hardly do it yourself.”
”I was irritated because of how I felt about you.”
She rubbed her cheek against his. ”You liked me then? I thought you hated me.”
He moved swiftly, dragging her from behind him so her chest pressed to his, their legs entangled in the water. ”I never hated you. I always liked you too much. n.o.body ever treated me like you do. I didn't know how to deal with it.”
”You don't have any problem now.” She smiled, covering his mouth with hers.
He closed his eyes and buried his hands in her hair as their tongues fenced.
A knock sounded on the chamber door and before Sparrow could answer, two servants stepped inside.
”Don't you wait for an invitation?” Lock snapped, reaching for a towel to cover Sparrow.
”Pardon,” one of the servants said, ”but by order of the Empress, we've come to retrieve you.”
Lock and Sparrow exchanged looks.
”What does she want him for?” Sparrow demanded.
”She wants him in her chamber. Come now.”
”I don't want you in her chamber!” Sparrow whispered.
Lock shrugged. ”She's the Empress. If she wants me, you know I have to go.”
”And you love it, don't you?” Sparrow sounded furious.
He stepped out of the tub and reached for his trousers and s.h.i.+rt. Sparrow, the damp towel wrapped around her mid-section, watched as he dressed.
”I never should have let you talk me into allowing you to enter the compet.i.tion! You'll sell your body for anything!”
His eyes met hers with a harshness that nearly stole her breath. ”What do you expect from a SothSea wh.o.r.e and a pirate to boot?”
He left her glaring after him as he followed the servants to the Empress's chamber. Sparrow was right, of course. There was little he hadn't done or wouldn't do to get what he wanted. He also knew Sparrow spoke in anger. He didn't blame her. If she had been ordered to some Emperor's chamber for s.e.x, he probably would have killed the man himself and ended up with a death sentence. Still, her words wounded him in a manner he'd never expected. He thought by challenging Miska, he was giving Sparrow the opportunity for the revenge she so wanted. He'd seen her rage in the city square when she'd tried to attack the gladiator. Lock was certain she wanted Miska dead more than she wanted marriage. Never, never would he understand women-at least not a woman like Sparrow. The Empress was much easier to read. He'd guessed that if he won the compet.i.tion she'd want to sleep with him, if he hadn't asked for his freedom. When he'd been helping Shea-Ann with her herbs, he'd asked her for one to put someone to sleep. Shea-Ann, never completely trusting him, wanted to know why. He'd told her his suspicions regarding the Empress. Shea-Ann had provided him with a potion that, when mixed with the Empress's food or drink, would send her to sleep for an entire night.
Outside the Empress's chamber, the guards knocked.
”Send him in.”
One guard opened the door and stepped aside for Lock to pa.s.s. The door closed behind him, and he glanced around a carpeted marble room. An enormous tub took up one wall, an even larger bed stood against the other. A round table laden with fruit, bread, cheese, and wine stood in the center of the room.
The Empress lay on the bed amidst black velvet pillows and red satin sheets. Her long hair hung down her shoulders in gleaming chestnut tendrils. She wore a loincloth of black beads. Her large, slightly sagging cranberry-tipped b.r.e.a.s.t.s were bare. Though not an ugly woman, Lock found her by no means attractive, and since meeting Sparrow, the idea of bedding anyone but her was unappealing to him. Still, he knew better than to reveal his feelings to the Empress.
”Come.” The Empress beckoned Lock with a finger. He walked to the bed and crawled toward her. His hands roamed over her body as he smiled seductively. The Empress grasped handfuls of his hair, still damp from the bath, and pulled hard until his mouth hovered over hers.
”I know why you told Sparrow you'd marry her. Being a husband is better than being a slave-unless you're slave to the right woman.”
”Dare I hope you're the right woman, Empress?”
She chuckled deep in her throat, closing her eyes as Lock's mouth swept down her neck. Her hands slid beneath his s.h.i.+rt, her pointed nails digging so hard into his flesh that he wondered if she drew blood. He forced himself to keep his disgust from his face. She had all the finesse of the pirates who'd paid for his body during his boyhood.
”I'd love some of your wine,” he murmured against her lips.
”Of course. How selfish of me. You must be starving and thirsty after that lovely performance. Too bad you've already bathed. We could have had so much fun in my tub.”
”We still can.” Lock rolled out of the bed and approached the table. He glanced over his shoulder, noting the Empress still lay on the bed. With his back to her, he slipped Shea-Ann's potion from his trousers and emptied it into a wine gla.s.s. ”I could spend my life in the water.”
”You could spend the rest of your life in me.” The Empress slid off the bed and approached Lock, her hands roaming over his waist. She grasped his c.o.c.k, squeezing hard. Lock forced a smile, pretended to sip from the wine gla.s.s, and offered it to her.
The Empress ignored the wine, but Lock held the gla.s.s to her mouth and said, ”Drink it and let me lick your beautiful mouth clean.”
”You are a jewel,” she purred, taking a long drink from the gla.s.s.
Lock swept her into his arms and carried her to the bed, running his tongue over her full lips, closing his eyes and trying to pretend it was Sparrow he kissed.
”If Miska doesn't destroy you in the ring tomorrow, I might consider making you mine,” Daryn said. ”Would you like that?”
Lock only smiled and kissed her again. The woman is a complete b.i.t.c.h. Sparrow is supposedly her friend. She knows Sparrow and I want to marry, but she'll use her power to take what she wants anyway. Not only that, Sparrow didn't even bother telling her what Miska had done since she knew Daryn wouldn't punish her best gladiator. I'd rather mate with an eel.
The Empress clung to Lock, thrusting her body against his while he closed his eyes and tolerated her touch. It had been years since he'd played the part of the wh.o.r.e, since he'd lain with someone against his will. Just a few more moments, and the potion should work...
Daryn's arms slipped from him, and she muttered something about feeling sleepy before she fell into unconsciousness, her legs still entwined with Lock's. His lip curling, he disentangled himself from the Empress. He walked to the table, took a sip of wine from the bottle and sloshed it around in his mouth, hoping to wipe away her taste.
He opened the door, and the guards outside raised their swords.
One of them said, ”The Empress told us you'd be spending the night.”
”She ordered me out. She's asleep. See for yourself.”
The guard peered inside, saw Daryn sleeping peacefully on the bed, and nodded. ”Be on your way.”
Lock walked to Sparrow's room. She'd probably be more furious with him than ever, but he hoped to warm her up. He needed to spend the night in her arms. Not that he planned on losing to Miska, but plans didn't always work out.
Sparrow lay on her bed facing the ceiling, unable to sleep for the enraged thoughts twisting her mind. She hated Daryn for sleeping with the man she loved. She hated Lock for selling himself for any price, and most of all she hated herself because no matter how bad he was for her, she couldn't control her feelings for him.