The Art of Retaliation Page 18

  “Mara Logan.”

  “I’m over here on business and how about you?”

  As he spoke she was aware that he was glancing around the room and back Stephane speaking on his mobile.

  “Oh you could say that I’m on business here as well,” she answered.

  Mara smiled at him but he wasn’t looking at her. She couldn’t understand why he had bothered to ask her to dance if he wasn’t going to pay her any attention. Anyway if the truth was known she was only dancing with him to get back at Stephane. She looked back at him hoping he was sitting watching her with those possessive eyes she loved to sweeping over her but he had finished his call and was talking to a waiter.

  Max seemed to be moving them to the other end of the room as they danced. Through the busy dance floor she strained to see Stephane again. He was anxiously looking for her as the waiter talked to him.

  Max’s grip on her waist suddenly tightened and he drew her closer to the band on the stage. Stephane get up from the table. He seemed to be annoyed. Hurriedly he walked out of the room. Mara felt a jolt of excitement. It would be so easy to breakaway from this man and run out into the street. Mentally she ran through another plan of escape. She didn’t have her bag. Stephane hadn’t let her take it. He hadn’t wanted her to have any money with her too much of a temptation to run away. She could call Christophe and reverse the charges and hide until he came to get her. The music came to an end and the billionaire wasn’t back.

  “Would you excuse me?” she said quickly to Max and began to walk towards the lit sign displaying the back fire exit.

  “Where are you going?” the man asked taking a hold of her arm.

  She stared at him, alarmed.

  “I’m leaving.”

  “No I don’t think you are.”

  His voice turned hard as the grip increased. The music started again and she found herself being dragged across the dance floor into a small hallway.

  Chapter Nineteen

  “Let me go. What are you doing?”

  “There is someone who wants to have a word with you,” Max answered in a rough tone.

  Mara dug her heels to the floor and stubbornly refused to move, attempting to shake off his hold at the same time.

  “Come on. Don’t start acting up with me. I won’t put up with you like Garreau does.” he said roughly pulling her.

  “Mara, what’s going on?” Stephane asked rounding the corner. He had been running and was out of breath.

  He looked down at her arm that was being held and then back up to her frightened face.

  “I don’t know. He won’t let go of me.”

  The Count took hold of Mara’s other arm and tried to pull her away from the man. Max Spencer turned round to face Stephane and lent an unexpected blow to his face knocking him off balance. His grip on Mara’s arm relaxed. Max took advantage and began dragging her away from Stephane. She fought her assailant with every once of strength her body could muster but it wasn’t enough.

  Stephane recovered quickly wiping blood from his mouth and rushed to help but two other men entered the halfway and occupied his time. Max caught her around the waist and lowered her to the ground. He straddled her attempting to remove her jacket.

  Stephane fiercely fought the men but one man’s strength against two was uneven. He felt helpless as the men dragged him outside convinced Max was trying to rape her. Once Max had completed his task another man appeared at his side holding a full syringe and took Max’s place leaving him free.

  “I’ll get the car,” he shouted.

  Mara seized her chance and brought her knee up and dug it sharply into the man’s groin following it up with a swift punch to the jaw. The man rocked sideways surprised dropping the syringe too concerned with the agony between his legs. She rolled over letting him fall against the floor and jumped to her feet.

  Mara ran outside to the alleyway where Stephane was still fighting. She outstretched a leg and jumped on the back of one of them banging her small fists at him. He moved away trying to throw her from his back. Stephane took advantage digging an elbow into the stomach of the man who held him. Unleashed Stephane was ferocious as a wild cat. He made short work of the man and then pulled Mara off the other setting her down out of harms way against the wall. When the man tried to retrieve her Stephane dealt with him quickly leaving the man groaning in pain amidst a collection of grey metallic dustbins. Stephane grabbed hold of Mara’s hand and led her out of the alley.

  The men were close at their heels when Stephane pushed Mara in to another alley seeing a throng of people crowding around some bouncers to get into a night club. He hid her amongst the people and watched their attackers search with difficulty to find them until he felt Mara tug at his hand. She guided him to the door of the night-club pushing their way through disgruntled customers, ignoring their shouts and insults and the arms of the bouncers who reached out to stop them.

  “I know this place well, Maxine and I used to come here,” she shouted trying to make herself heard above the noise of the music. “There is a fire exit at the back where Maxine used to make hasty exits from unwanted boyfriends.”

  Stephane followed her glancing at the dance floor that was visible beneath the balcony they ran along. He could see Max already on the floor looking for them through the bright swirling lights casting strange patterns across the faces of dancers in the darkness. Another man was on the balcony not far away, on the verge of alerting their presence and this one was carrying a semi automatic handgun.

  The billionaire spun Mara around and pushed her into a dark corner amongst couples kissing intimately. He enfolded her into his arms and closed his mouth over hers. She tried to get away at first but then realized his motive and wrapped her arms around him, leaning back to accommodate the kiss. The man passed by but Stephane still continued for a while longer loving the taste of her on his lips. Eventually Mara backed away confusion swirling with need for him in her eyes. He smiled.

  ‘Just like the movies,’ he laughed.

  She beckoned him to follow her to the fire exit reaching possessively for his fingers and allowed them to weave through her own to lead him on. She banged down hard on the fire door opening it out on to the early evening sunshine. After checking for signs of the men lurking outside they ran into the street and crossed the road and down into the safety of another small street to rest against a wall.

  Mara put her hand to her head conscious that her surroundings were beginning to blur and spin again. Her heart was still thudding with the power of an express train. Stephane reached for his mobile and called for the car.

  The Count of Albain watched her with increasing concern after the ordeal they had just been through as he talked on the phone, pressing his body close to her own against the wall to shield her own. When he stopped she slumped against him. He supported her body, drawing her close.

  “Hold on Leon is bringing the car,” he whispered kissing the top of her head affectionately. “Abdul must have sent them. I thought Max was going to rape you but he was kidnapping you. I am damned if I am going to let him take you from me.”

  Leon arrived promptly jumping out of the car asking a host of questions Stephane didn’t want to answer. He led Mara to the car keeping an arm wound around her sinking frame and held her close against him until she drifted off into the safety of sleep.

  She didn’t wake up again until he was carrying her to his room. He laid her carefully on the bed.

  “Peter. He will hurt Peter again. I have to stop him hurting Peter,” she murmured deliriously.

  “Shh. Don’t worry. He is here and he is safe. I promise you,” Stephane told her leaning over her on the bed.

  The billionaire had kept tabs on Peter Logan’s movements since he arrived in Paris that morning to look for his sister. So far he had been busy all day with the police and the British Embassy. After numerous telephone calls he could assure her that Peter was being watched and would be safe. Sitting down next to her he caught her hand and
held it to his face brushing the skin with gentle kisses.

  Chantal Valoire sent repeated requests to see her son and he ignored every one of them. He wanted to be alone with Mara. After the third time he grew annoyed and began to understand why his father retreated to his private room that only selected people in the chateau knew about.

  “Do you think you can walk now,” he asked gently stroking her hair.

  She nodded and slowly sat up with his help.

  “I’m going to take you somewhere we can’t be disturbed and can talk.”

  He took her hand in his and led to the side of the fireplace and hit it. A panel slid open in the wall next to the bed. Mara put her hand to her mouth and smiled. She followed him through the wall. A cold breeze was blowing through the dark passageway giving her goose bumps. As they stepped in the door slid closed, sealing them in. Mara gave an involuntary gasp suddenly feeling trapped and looked up at Stephane fearful. He drew her closer and told her not to worry.

  Walking along the stone floor was cold and refreshing on her bare feet. She put out her hand and touched the slated walls that had been pressed together for centuries and were now imprisoning them. The passageway smelt musty and damp from the rain that had showered in the area in the last few days and she could see a film of moisture lining the walls. The artery continued to wind around the heart of the house and she was sure it would never end.

  “No one knows about this passageway apart from Louise and myself. We found it one day by accident and we still keep it secret. My mother doesn’t know but I am sure my father did.”

  “Where are you taking me?”

  “Shh, we are nearly there.”

  The passageway halted at the foot of some narrow steps. He mounted three at a time in long easy strides pausing to help her up. The staircase spiraled and stretched as though trying to reach the moon. At the top she was in the open air behind what looked like battlements surrounding an inner room. Judging from the height they were in one of the towers. She rested against the wall and gazed out over the formal gardens in the twilight. Darkness surrounded the grounds, apart from the lights illuminating the house, formal gardens, moat and the fountain below them. It was like being locked in a fairytale.

  Stephane fumbled with a key and unlocked a large wooden door. He put an arm around her shoulders and led her across a floor of black and white tiles that resembled the chessboard. Long flowing cotton white curtains blew gently at the windows on either side. Furniture was sparse apart from a comfortable leather reading chair and a desk on which a model of the Cutty Sark lay unfinished. Glue and small intricate pieces of the skillful puzzle lay around it. To one side several books on model ships and novels were stacked.

  “My father used to come here. Not via the secret passage but by the opposite door,” he said pointing to another door across the room. “My mother never came in here. I left everything the way it was when he died.” He gave a small laugh. “I thought I might finish the ship for him but I have never had time.”

  Mara picked up a piece and examined it closely before replacing it on the desk.

  “He came here to escape. His marriage was one of convenience and both he and my mother were bitter they had been forced together by their fathers. My mother hid in friends, society parties, young men and my father young women. They loved us both but my father adored Louise and she is as wayward as he was. Always getting her self in to trouble with the wrong man and the wrong friends.”

  Mara put her hand on his arm and smiled gently.

  “I suppose I am old fashioned. When I marry it will be for love alone and it will be with the right woman,” he continued. He looked directly at her communicating his desire for it to be her. He wanted to laugh out loud. He was crazy to think there could be anyone else more suitable. Mara Logan was the perfect woman he had been looking for all of this time and he could not deny it.

  “Very much so,” she said turning away from him, a gentle rosy blush caressing her cheeks. “It isn’t old fashioned. Marriage should always be for love.”

  Stephane moved beside her, his eyes flicking to the small split in her skirt at the side. He stroked the bare skin on her leg that it exposed.

  ‘That was some kick, where did you learn to handle yourself like that, most women I know would just stand and scream.’

  “You handled yourself well tonight. Very impressive,’ he said moving her hair back behind her ear to kiss the side of her neck as he began smoothing the skirt up her leg.

  “Thanks. It’s beautiful in here,” she said breathlessly as he skimmed his hand over the front of her skimpy black lace panties.

  “Yes the room is very special. It was created for one of my ancestors in the 18th century. The Count was furious with a debtor and took his daughter as ransom. He imprisoned her in this room with only a handful of servants to attend her.”

  His tone was low and sensual as he trailed his fingers along the top of her panties before carefully, softly slipping his fingers inside.

  “He fell in love with her and was determined to see her married to him. Katrine wouldn’t entertain the idea and successfully resisted all of his advances, the gifts he lavished on her and the love he professed.”

  He heard Mara moan as he slipped his middle finger down between the lush damp folds of her pussy. Stephane gave the small bud nestled there a pinch and more moisture drenched his finger. With a triumphant smile he eased his digit up inside her and nibbled at the side of her neck drawing her closer back against his chest with the arm he wound around her waist. He smiled when she surrendered to his pleasuring and rested her head back on to his shoulder bucking lightly down on top of the finger he had impaled inside her.

  Convinced she was secure under his spell Stephane moved the arm he had placed around her waist to the zip at the back of her sexy red dress. Mara gave a little gasp of surprise, opening her eyes wide as he slid the open dress down her arms convincing him she hadn’t even noticed that he had eased the zip down. Her eyes began to follow its path to the floor but he turned her to face him to sweep his eyes admiringly over her form sheathed only in the black lace bra and panties. He and cupped her chin holding her gaze captive.

  “Her father eventually paid the debt and had him arrested,” he said seductively continuing the story about his ancestor. “For a week she made him believe he was going to the gallows, his love unrequited as punishment.”

  Stephane suddenly slipped a hand under Mara’s legs to lift her up into his arms.

  He carried her to the bed as he spoke.

  “When the week had passed she begged her father to have him released and agreed to marry him.”

  The billionaire sat her down and causally undid her bra cupping her breasts with a satisfied moan when they were free.

  “He first made love to her on this bed in this room and all six of their children were conceived here,” he told her bending to suckle at the dark teat as his hands gathered up the material of the black panties he’d bought her earlier that day and with a sharp tug tore them from her body. He tossed the remnants to the floor.

  She cried out with the force but began curling her hot wet body around him. Stephane pushed her back down on top of the cotton sheets and stood up removing his suit jacket and tie. Once more he leaned over her lifting her arms up and together. Seductively he wound the red silk tie around her wrists and tied them together. Her eyes widened but she made no comment. Instead her eyelashes fluttered and she began to writhe on the bed intoxicated by her captivity.

  Watching her move restlessly as though she were in heat, Stephane hurriedly removed his shirt with a grin. The rest of his clothes followed quickly. He pounced on top of the bed and turned her over holding her tied arms down above her head. The billionaire smoothed his hand over her pale naked bottom then raised it upwards from the bed. He guided his cock to her entrance from behind and thrust hard inside her in one fluid motion making Mara groan.

  “I will bring my wife here on her wedding night and make her conceiv
e our first child as is the family tradition. I want it to be you, Mara. But first we need to get something clear if you are going to be my wife,” he told her firmly holding his hard penis still inside her so she could feel his strength and the power he held over her in her subservient position. “As I told you once before I am in charge here and if I catch you putting yourself in danger again by jumping on a man’s back when I am fighting him, I will lock you in here for a week. I am your protector not the other way round. Do I make myself clear, darling?”

  “Marriage? We can’t . . . I would love . . .I was only trying to help and I . . .”

  “Hush, as it is you have earned your first spanking,” he grinned beginning to thrust. He raised his hand and slapped her buttock watching her plump curved flesh jump and quiver to his satisfaction.

  She cried out and protested but the second strike was raining down on her and eventually her pained cries turned in to moans as he rode and spanked her bare bottom all at the same time. Finally the billionaire was getting to tame his feisty captive.