Brianna (33 page)

“Misunderstood!” she hissed in a low voice. “She misunderstood nothing. You’ve made no effort to discourage any of the women in this house.”

“Grandmother, I won’t be impolite.”

“Impolite! Whose feelings are more important, Brianna’s or all the women who’ve shared your bed?”

He opened his mouth, but Jenneta cut him off.

“Don’t say anything you’ll regret. Not now. Brianna carries our heir; yet, if she decided to leave, how would we stop her?

She’s a Hardan princess. Ban would take her anywhere she wanted to go, and every Medirian assassin in the galaxy would make sure you never saw her again.”

“Damn it, Grandmother, she
is
the most important thing in my life. She carries my child. And she is the key to destroying Bakom. I will
not
allow her to leave.”

Anger blazed from Jenneta’s eyes. “Key to destroying Bakom? Is that what she is to you? Brianna is not a thing, you fool. She’s a woman, a woman who loves you. Yet you keep throwing that love back in her face by allowing other women to kiss and caress you.”

Char shook his head. “Love! Brianna married me to save herself and her planet from Bakom.”

Astounded and aghast, Jenneta glowered at her grandson.

Finally she said, “Char, you are an incredibly stupid man.”

Spinning on her heel, she left the room.

Char cursed fluently—in three different languages. A quick swipe of his hand sent papers flying from the desk. His palms braced against it, he glared unseeing at its surface. Love! Why did everyone keep mentioning love? Of course, he was fond of Brianna, very fond. But they had to destroy Bakom. Why couldn’t they understand? If they didn’t destroy him, all of them would suffer. He would honor Brianna as his wife; she carried his child, the Alalakan heir, but she was now Drakian. She would have to adapt to their sexual mores.

His right hand curled into a fist, and he pounded the desk.

Taking several deep breaths, he slowly regained control of his temper. Once it was under control, he retrieved the papers from the floor. Then he grimaced. Jerking the door open, he went in search of his wife. The longer he waited to talk to her, the more upset she’d become.

Sobbing, Brianna raced past Kahn and pushed open the door of her suite only to slam it shut in his worried face.

Stumbling to a chair, she slumped into it, her sobs becoming louder.

“Brianna, love. What’s wrong?”

Ban pulled her unresisting body into his arms and sat down in the chair, holding her close, allowing her to cry uninterrupted.

Eventually, her sobs slowed. “I want to go home,” she whimpered. “I want to see my mother and father. They don’t even know if I’m alive.”

“Shhh,” he whispered, brushing her hair out of her face, “everything will be all right, I promise.”

“No, it won’t,” she moaned. “I won’t share with other women.

A marriage is supposed to be two people loving each other.

Char won’t—can’t—all those other women are always with him, and he doesn’t make them leave. I can’t live like this. Please, Ban, take me home.”

When Brianna turned her tear-filled gaze on him, Ban couldn’t resist the misery and longing in her eyes. Lowering his head, he placed a gentle kiss on her lips, a kiss that remained gentle, but became more insistent.

She didn’t fight him.

Ban lifted his mouth from hers and looked deep into her eyes. “Come away with me, love. I’ll worship you for the rest of my life. I will love you as you deserve to be loved. I swear you’ll never be unhappy again.”

So intent was Brianna on her misery and Ban in his appeal, neither realized Char stood in the doorway, shock and outrage on his face. Kahn’s heavy hand fell on his shoulder before he could step into the room, and he was jerked back into the hallway.

“Take your hand from me now, Aradab,” Char said in a very low, very dangerous voice.

“No.”

“She is my wife.”

“She is a Hardan princess. She does not wish to see you now.”

“I won’t let her fall into bed with Bandalardrac.”

“Who is at fault, Dragon of the Alalakans?”

Cursing under his breath, Char turned and strode away. A stairway led to the balcony outside their sitting room. He’d be damned if Ban ended up making love to his wife. Brianna was his!

Brianna pulled her mouth from Ban’s. His kisses were passionate, and he was attractive and sexy, but—he wasn’t Char. “Ban, let me go. Please.”

She pushed against his chest.

He released her immediately, and she slid awkwardly from his lap.

A few deep breaths and he was in control of himself. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks, but she refused to give in to her anguish a second time. “I found Char with two of the maids. They were naked.”

Astonishment leaped onto Ban’s face. Char wasn’t that callous. He wouldn’t shame Brianna in her own house. “All of them?”

“Just the maids.”

Ban stared at Brianna. “You didn’t jump to the wrong conclusion, did you?”

Appalled, Brianna stared at the handsome man who had just comforted her, who’d offered to love her until her dying day.

“Jump to the wrong conclusion! Whose side are you on?”

“Yours, love. But Char wouldn’t make love to another woman here in your home.”

“And how do you know that?” she snapped.

“Because he’s too honorable.”

“Too honorable! Ha! You didn’t see what I did.”

“Brianna…”

“No!” she cried, holding her hands over her ears, pacing awkwardly back and forth, “I don’t want to hear about how things are different here on Drakan. I don’t care if they’re different. I love him, Ban. I can’t help it. I don’t want to, but I do.

And he’s breaking my heart.”

Ban pulled the unresisting Brianna back into his arms when she passed him. “He doesn’t mean to hurt you, Brianna. It’s just…”

Finally at a loss for words, Ban simply held her close, giving her what comfort he could, her confession of love for Char destroying any hope that he could lure her away from him.

Stupid bastard. When would he realize how lucky he was?

On the balcony, Char stepped back away from the open door, pondering everything he’d heard.
Love? She loves me?

But why hasn’t she told me?

You are a fool, Char
, his conscience said
. What have you
done to deserve her love?

I’ve showered her with expensive gifts. I spend every night
in her bed, making love until she cries with the joy of it.

In other words, you’ve treated her like almost every other
woman you’ve taken to your bed.

I married her.

To thwart Bakom.

I could have done that without marrying her.

Then why?

I wanted her.

Is that all?

“Damn it,” Char growled as he made his way back down the stairway and into the gardens.

He paused next to a small bush covered with fragrant white flowers. A gardener hurried to his side.

“How many blooms could you cut without damaging the plant?”

“Chardadon, this is a linota bush. It’s taken ten years to bloom. Cutting the blossoms could harm it.”

“I’ll get you ten more if I have to go to Gattan and dig them up myself,” Char snarled.

The gardener took a hasty step back and turned his attention to the bush. Approximately two dozen fragrant white flowers bloomed on its short branches. “Six, I think. I could cut six and not harm the plant.”

“Then cut them and see that my wife gets them. And make sure you tell her they’re from me.”

The gardener’s lips quirked. News spread fast on the estate, and almost everyone knew about that morning’s encounter. And everyone waited anxiously to see what would happen next. “I’ll do as you say, Chardadon.”

Char grunted and walked back the way he had come. The fact that his private life was becoming the main topic of conversation with everyone on the estate was beginning to annoy him.
Damn it! My plans don’t need any complications
now. There’s time enough for love after Bakom is destroyed.

A scowl on his face, Char stopped abruptly when he saw Ban descending the steps from the suite’s balcony. His anger escalated.
Bastard. He’ll never kiss my wife again.
Stepping back behind a bush, Char waited until Ban passed. Then, he sprang.

Faster than seemed humanly possible, Ban turned, avoided Char’s attack, and had his cousin immobilized in an Aradab body hold. He relaxed slightly when he realized just who had attacked him. “You stupid fool, I could have…”

“Release me, now, Bandalardrac,” Char commanded in a harsh voice.

After a moment, Ban complied.

Char whirled to face his cousin. “Never kiss my wife again.”

Spinning on his heel, Char strode away.

An amused smile etched itself across Ban’s lips.
Jealous,
Char? It’s about time.

“So, Grandmother’s right.”

Ban whirled to face Rodane.

Rodane smiled. “You’re an assassin.”

Ban stiffened. Only two other people knew the truth about him.

Rodane’s smile became a grin. “Don’t worry, Ban. I won’t tell anyone.”

“How?”

“You were conveniently absent too many times after an assassin had struck after being in the vicinity less than a week before. Grandmother’s never stopped worrying about you, Ban.

Her lost grandson, she always called you.”

“Will you tell her?”

“That’s your decision. Personally, I’m glad you’re back.

You’ve been missed.” Rodane turned and strode away.

Ban watched him go. Damn. Rodane knew he was an assassin.

Brianna stared at the vase of flowers sitting on the table.

Their delightful fragrance filled the room. Against her will, her spirits lifted. What was Char up to now? If he thought he could keep buying his forgiveness with exotic gifts, he was wrong.

“Do you like them?” Char asked from behind her.

She inhaled. “They’re lovely. Nothing on Earth can compare.”

“Brianna…”

She didn’t give him a chance to finish. “I can’t live like this Char. Maybe Drakian women don’t care if their husbands fool around, but I do.”

“Fool around?”

She whirled to face him. “Don’t play stupid, Char. You know exactly what I mean. I won’t share you with other women. If you can’t accept that, I’ll leave.”

“You carry my child. I’ll never let you go,” he answered sternly as he stepped nearer.

“And that’s all I am to you, a brood mare?”

“No.”

“Oh, I forgot. I’m the bait in your trap for Bakom.”

“Damn it, Brianna! I came here to apologize.” Char pulled her into his arms and lifted her mouth to his.

As always, his kiss was devastating, demanding a response while promising everything.

Brianna melted against him. How could she ever live without this?

When Brianna relaxed in his arms, Char lifted his mouth and looked deep into to her distressed eyes. “Come with me. Mother has gathered the entire staff. Say to them what you will and I’ll support you, no questions asked.”

Tensing, she stared back at him. Did he really mean it?

“Mother and Grandmother are waiting with them. You carry the Alalakan heir. You can command anything.”

Brianna’s chin lifted and her eyes narrowed. “You better mean what you say, Char, or I’ll make your life a living hell.”

As they entered the library, every set of female eyes shifted to Brianna then speculatively back to Char. One of the maids from that morning went so far as to send him an inviting smile.

That smile fanned Brianna’s already smoldering temper.

Bitch. You don’t know who you’re dealing with.
Stepping towards the assembled group, she narrowed her eyes and said very slowly and very emphatically, “Alalakan don al’ Chardadon is
my
husband and I will
not
share him with anyone.” Fixing her eyes on the two maids she’d found with Char that morning, she continued, “If you have an itch to scratch take it somewhere else.”

“An ‘itch to scratch’?” Jenneta whispered to Char.

He shrugged. That was the first time he’d heard that particular phrase.

Several of the maids shifted nervously. Brianna had made her point with them.

The tall maid in front, however, still wore her smug smile.

Brianna attacked. “What’s your name?”

“Kitena,” the maid purred her eyes sliding back to Char.

“You’re dismissed.”

That got her attention. “What?”

Brianna rested her hands on her abdomen. “You heard me the first time.”

“You can’t do that!”

A delicate red eyebrow rose. “Oh? Char, can I dismiss her?”

He clasped his hands behind his back. “You can do anything you like, Brianna. You carry the Alalakan heir.”

The entire group shifted uneasily. Both Xdana and Jenneta stood with their arms crossed; their support for Brianna evident in their stances.

“Mistress,” the maid said turning to Xdana.

“The disrespect you just displayed towards my daughter-in-law was totally unacceptable, Kitena. If she wishes to dismiss you, she may.”

Wringing her hands, Kitena finally turned her pleading gaze back to Brianna. “Please. I’m sorry. I meant no disrespect. It will never happen again.”

“Bullshit. I know exactly what you meant; you wanted Char in your bed.” Brianna paused and stared at the distressed maid.