"And use me to do it?"
"I've never lied to you about my intentions."
His lips twisted. "No, you haven't. Use me and walk away. Isn't that the way of it?"
"Yes." She wished he would leave. Every minute he stayed, the pain grew more and more. "That's the way of it."
"But you're not walking, you're running like a scared rabbit."
"If you choose to think so."
"I know so." His gaze blazed down at her. "And I'm not going to let you do it. You'll be back in my bed within a week."
She shook her head.
"You will." His voice deepened with intensity. "You will."
His determination was beginning to shake the little composure she still retained. "How are you going to make me? I suppose you could threaten to take Lani to your bed again."
"Dammit, you know I don't want Lani. This is between the two of us. You'll come to me because that's what you want to do, what you have to do. You need what we have together." He smiled grimly. "And I'll be waiting for you. My chamber at Morland is much larger than the cabin, but you won't notice the difference. It will be the same for us."
The same heat, the same urgency, the same wild mating. She shivered at the memory. No, she could never go to him again. It was too dangerous. "Let me go."
After a moment, his hands suddenly loosened and dropped to his sides. "Not for long. I told you once I'd never let you walk away from me."
She stepped back and drew a shaky breath. This painful scene was almost over. He had not given up, but he had accepted rejection for the present. "Watch me.
She strode down the deck toward her cabin, her spine straight, her head held high. She could feel his gaze on her and was tempted to glance over her shoulder. She knew what she would see: anger, frustration, and that unshakable confidence and determination. The confrontation had been difficult enough; she didn't want to carry that vision away to haunt her.
She had done it. The bond was broken. She had banished any possibility of betrayal.
She had only to keep to her resolve, and everything would be fine.
"I must say I much prefer this method of deboarding, Jared," Bradford said as he watched Cassie carefully lead Kapu down the gangplank to the dock. "My nerves would have been horrendously strained if she had to swim ashore."
"I'm glad you approve." Jared smiled sardonically. "I'm sure we would all have hated to cause you any discomfort." He turned away from the rail. "Are you ready?"
"More than ready. I'm weary of this mariner's life. When you return your hostage to her homeland, you'll have to do it without me. I wish to stay on dry land for the foreseeable future." He followed Jared toward the gangplank. "You do intend to return her to her island, don't you?"
"I haven't thought about it. Certainly not when she might still prove of value."
"In what capacity?" Bradford murmured.
Jared had been waiting for the attack; it was long past due. "Say it."
"I beg your pardon?"
"I've been wondering when you'd get around to voicing a protest."
"I never waste my time. Once the seduction was a fait accompli, it would have done no good to try to intervene. You would have merely told me to jump overboard."
"It was not a seduction. She came to me."
"And you didn't try to convince her to stay?" He shook his head. "Of course you did. You used every wile and allure you could muster to keep her. A blind man could have seen it."
"Why not?" He smiled recklessly. "She said she wanted to use me. I was merely being accommodating." His smile faded. "You've made your protest. Let it alone. Don't interfere, Bradford."
"I'm afraid it may become necessary." He nodded at Lani, who was starting down the gangplank followed by several seamen carrying boxes and portmanteaus. "A new ingredient has been thrown into the mix. If you had not been caught up in your own concerns, you would have realized it."
"What do-" Jared's eyes widened. "You've bedded her?"
"No, but it's my most earnest hope to do so." He met Jared's gaze. "However, I may have to wait until the lady consents to wed me."
Jared inhaled sharply. "Bradford… no."
"Yes." He held up his hand as Jared opened his lips to speak. "And it's you who will not interfere. I will not have it."
Jared had rarely heard that steely firmness in his tone. "You're a fool. She's Deville's mistress."
Bradford made a face. "That is an obstacle. Your thirst for vengeance is another." He nodded at Cassie on the dock. "And your lust for Lani's little friend is still another. It didn't get in the way when the girl was willing, but that's changed now. I won't have you making my task more difficult by keeping Lani on edge all the time. I want her free to think only of me."
"She doesn't think of anyone but Deville." He paused. "For God's sake, she was even planning on bedding me to help him."
"I thought as much. Lani's very determined, and she would see nothing wrong with using copulation to help a loved one. It was fortunate for me that it didn't happen." He smiled pleasantly. "And will never happen now that you know I'll beat you senseless if you make the mistake of taking her up on her invitation."
"Goddammit, I have no intention-"
"I know," he interrupted. "But it never hurts to clarify matters. At any rate, I wish you to facilitate this business of capturing Deville as quickly as possible. It's getting in my way."
Jared followed him. "My apologies. I'll try to take care of the matter before you're seriously inconvenienced. You might remember I've been wanting it done for more than a decade. I'm sending a message to Guillaume in Paris before we leave the dock. Will that be soon enough for you?"
"It will have to do." Bradford started down the gangplank. "What quarters are you giving the ladies once we reach Morland?"
"You needn't worry. I'm not going to throw them into the dungeon. I'll make sure they're guarded carefully, but I don't think they'll be eager to escape until they're sure Deville has reached France."
"And how will they know that?"
His smile was twisted. "Why, through me, of course. Cassie has made no bones about the fact that I'm to be used. She will do her best to spy out any information. I suppose it's useless to tell you that you should also be on your guard?"
Bradford nodded. "Completely. I can't promise to be on your side this time, Jared."
"Then I'd best keep my own counsel." He hadn't felt so alone since the first night he'd come to Bradford's town house. Well, so be it. He straightened his shoulders and smiled recklessly. "But don't you act the spy, Bradford. I'd find that kind of betrayal unforgivable. I'm afraid I'd become very angry and exact a high penalty." He glanced at Cassie on the dock. "A very high penalty."
"I'm not worried. I believe you'll find making war on women distasteful."
Jared didn't answer as he watched Cassie smile and speak to Lani. But her expression became shuttered as he approached.
He smothered the irritation her response brought. "Welcome to England, ladies," he said lightly. "I hope you find it pleasant."
"We do not," Cassie said. "It's a cold and barren place." Her gaze went to the trees bordering the path up the hill. "And the trees are bare."
"It's autumn and the leaves have already fallen. I regret that we can't provide you with flowering shrubs such as those in the paradise you left behind."
"It doesn't matter. We'll be here only a short time."
"One never knows," Jared said.
She met his gaze. "I know."