“Of course. Because you were adopted by the Ketturans. Because so many Linzens, who could go to any world, would choose to live on a raptor-infested jungle planet whose cultural advancement consists of a single room with a dozen rough sketches on the wall.”
His expression darkened. “Kettura is a highly advanced civilization. Don’t let the look of its warriors fool you. And don’t insult it again. Kettura’s worth fifty of Orius.”
She exhaled heavily. “How would you know? I doubt you’ve ever even been to Kettura.”
“Your doubt is your own business, but insults against Kettura won’t go unanswered.”
“If you love Kettura so much, why aren’t you taking me there?”
“Because there, they’d never let me do the things to you I’m planning to do.”
* * *
Gissandre wasn’t able to escape from Larsinc on either of the worlds they set down on. Not that she would’ve known where to go or how to survive if she had. She needed a plan. Home wasn’t a good option at the moment, since Urcolin would likely be waiting for her there. And what if he tracked her down again?
She glanced at her handsome, bearded captor. Larsinc, at least, guarded her closely, which she realized was good after she’d heard the smugglers talking about brothels and whether carrying off a whore would’ve been possible. She shuddered to think what might happen to her on a pirate ship if she was discovered to be a young woman. How long had it been since the crew had had a woman in their clutches? She was surprised that Larsinc himself hadn’t decided to use her for pleasure when they were often trapped together in close quarters. A strange thrill ran through her at the possibility, but she admonished herself. She’d always been a little too curious, and much too adventurous in her dreams.
They finally reached a world where Larsinc could buy a small spacecraft. He used it to take her so far, to the edge of the galaxy, that she lost track of the worlds they passed. She dozed after being unable to keep her eyes open any longer. When she woke, she was in what appeared to be a treehouse, surrounded on all sides by a black sand beach and turquoise water. Fruit hung heavy on the surrounding trees. A raft secured to a spike bobbed lazily on the surface of the clear water. A deserted paradise?
“I don’t understand,” she said, sitting up on a thin square of foam that passed for a mattress in the treehouse. Its frame was woven from plant fronds. “Where are we?”
“Away. Far away from every com signal, every sensor, and any other human beings.”
“Why?” she asked.
“We’ll talk about it, but not right now. Take off those clothes and lie over my lap.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m going to punish you for trying to escape me on Junistar.”
She stared at him, then looked around in all directions. “You can’t,” she murmured. It didn’t make sense for a pirate to have brought her to a place like this. Was it another trick?
He pulled her to him and jerked the baggy pants down. She struggled as he fingered the lace of her shorts. His big hand came down with a crack on her ass.
She jerked and screamed a protest. Giss was not about to let him force her to go to pieces again. He was strong though, too strong for her. With one swift move, he pinned her legs with one of his and held her arm in her back to keep her from trying to dislodge herself.
“Behave, or a spanking will be the least of the ways that I punish you.”
Her face heated, and not from the exertion of fighting. “What does that mean?”
Leaning over her, he whispered low in her ear. “Some men punish their naughty lovers with rough anal sex.”
Her nipples pebbled and her pussy clenched at the threat. Immediately humiliated by her own reaction, she closed her eyes and buried her face in the crook of her arm.
“Am I going to need to do that, Giss? Spank you with a strap and then turn you over a stack of pillows, pin you down, and fuck you deep in your pretty ass?”
She couldn’t speak, couldn’t even breathe. She shook her head violently, but the gnawing arousal in her womb shocked her.
Larsinc’s hand came down once, then over and over in quick succession with increasing force.
“Stop!” she screeched, flustered and over-heated. Her muscles burned from struggling, but there was another layer to things now. A deep intimacy was forming between them. She’d felt it first the night in the cave, then during and after the secret horrible punishment in her room, and now from the nights in the tiny ship’s compartment where they spoke to each other while in a sleepy haze with their bodies pressed together.
Larsinc paused, lowering her shorts and squeezing her ass as she gasped. As he laid down some firm swats that stole her breath, she knew her bottom must be ruby red and swollen. Embarrassment and an increasing feeling of things spiraling out of her control made her twist and try to escape. Fresh firm smacks warned her to be still, but she couldn’t. The sticky arousal inside her was seeping out, and she didn’t want him to realize it.
“That’s enough. Let me up.”
“I’m waiting for sincere apologies.”
