Addicted to the Duke (Imperfect Lords #1)(77)

“However, a woman of your beauty…it would be a shame to separate your head from such a voluptuous body. A body that will bring me great pleasure and comfort on our journey home to Bodrum.”

Don’t react. Don’t give him the satisfaction of seeing and feeling your fear.

Instead she focused on the cabin. The far side of the room held a round bunk bed with a voluminous transparent silk canopy overhead. An opium pipe lay on a small ottoman by the bed, and a negligee was draped across the end of the bed.

“So brave. We shall see how brave you are with me on top of you.”

With that Murad stepped back and clapped his hands. A man entered and Murad barked orders at him before he scurried off.

“Take off your clothes.”

She stood up taller. Hestia had been expecting this command, but even so…

“If you don’t, I shall bring in one of my men and get him to do it for you. I’m sure he will enjoy having his dirty hands over such lovely flesh.”

Time. She needed time. Alex could already be trying to escape, and the Angelica might sail back. Surely Alex had a plan. Why else would he just go quietly with his enemy?

“I’m waiting.”

She wanted to smash her fist in his ugly mug, but knew she’d pay for that. If she had any chance of escape she had to have her wits about her and be free of any binding. Perhaps she should play this differently than she had as a sixteen-year-old girl.

She let the fear that she’d been concealing invade her features like removing her mask at a masquerade ball. She let her hands shake as she turned her back to Murad. “I need help with the hooks,” she stammered.

Let him think she was petrified and he might underestimate her.

She whimpered as he began to peel off her clothes. He didn’t stop until she cowered before him fully naked. He also did not miss any opportunity to touch her in the most vulgar of ways. She had no problem conjuring the tears that rolled down her cheeks.

To her surprise he moved to the end of the round bed and picked up a silk garment. He handed it to her.

“Before you put it on I’ll send you a basin of warm water to wash. And a nice cup of tea. I suggest you drink it. It will make you relax.”

With that he left the room. She raced to the door and peered through the keyhole. A man stood guard outside.

She suddenly jumped back as the handle began to turn and the door reopened. It wasn’t Murad, though. To her surprise two women entered. One carried a basin and washbowl. Hestia could smell the jasmine-scented soap from where she stood like a stone statue in the far corner of the cabin. Another woman entered behind her carrying a tray of food and a mug of something hot, for she could see the steam rising.

The women closed the door on the salivating guard even though Hestia had covered herself with her discarded dress the moment Murad had left the room.

“You will wash and dress in the garment my master gave you.”

“If I don’t?”

The two women looked at each other and shivered. The action spoke more than words. “He will beat you or have one of the guards beat you—or worse.”

Her imagination took flight regarding what could be worse than a beating.

The younger woman approached and gently pulled the dress from her hands. The other woman handed her the mug and said, “Drink this. It will not be so awful if you drink this.” Her look of pity almost made Hestia weep. It told her that these women were slaves too. They understood what was to come. She would be silly to ignore their advice, but she needed her wits about her to escape.

She took the mug and sniffed. It smelled of tea, but as she tasted it, it was sweet as if full of sugar.

Hestia took a sip. It was sickly sweet, but was not unpleasant.

“The opium will help you relax. His attentions will hurt less if you are relaxed.”

She almost dropped the mug. This was opium. She had been forced to swallow it when David made her drink. From what David had said, it was evil and men would do almost anything to get more of it, including Alex.

She pretended to drink while the woman washed her body from head to toe. Of all the obscenities she was about to endure, this was the least offensive.

Soon she stood dressed in a translucent red silk shift. It left nothing to the imagination. She had drunk a small amount of the tea and she did feel more relaxed. She knew not to drink any more.

The women positioned her on the bed and left her sitting holding her tea among the huge pillows. They said nothing to her as they left—there was nothing to say. The strong conquered the weak. Every woman knew that lesson well.

As soon as the door closed she raced to the cabin porthole and poured the rest of the tea out. There were several portholes that allowed light to flood the room, but none of them were big enough for her to climb out.

She paced the room trying to find some solution to her dilemma. If only she could fashion a weapon of some kind. But if she killed Murad, then what? There was only one guard between her and the railings. Could she kill or disable two men?

An image of Murad’s cruel face floated into view, and as if God had sent her an angel to help her, she had an idea. A risky one, but that was all she had to cling to. She knew how she was going to escape Murad. How she’d get past the guard would have to wait. One step at a time, Hestia. One step at a time.

—

Alex’s eyes would not stay open, but he didn’t care. He was in dreamland and nothing could hurt him.