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father.”
    “You?” Azara stared at him in consternation.
    “When I saw what my brother had done, I was determined to take something of his. I thought to have you for myself.”
    Azara’s eyes widened. “I am small consolation for your throne,” she said. “Will you always remain a pirate, and am I to be a pirate’s whore?”
    “Only if you wish to see yourself that way,” he replied, capturing her gaze meaningfully. “One day, you will be the wife of the rightful ruler of the throne of India.”
    “You seem very sure,” she said.
    “I am.” He waited for her to assimilate all he’d said.
    He saw her taking in all the possibilities, but he saw more than that. He saw a regal princess who was little more than a girl, yet possessing the wisdom of a woman. She had been carefully reared as was proper for her, but she’d retained her own independence of thought and reaction. And she was intelligent. He was more pleased by this than he had thought, remembering how her body had fired his passion. But if she was to be his wife, she must be intelligent and wise beyond her years to handle the intrigue and corruption of any royal house.
    He saw when her acceptance came. Where her gaze had been thoughtful, it now turned to him with curiosity and something more, something that had been there in the air between them, in the flares of temper and denial.
    “I don’t like your brother very much,” she said softly. “A man who would kill his own father to gain his throne is not a man to be trusted. Perhaps one day he would choose to kill me as well.”
    Rajak remained silent, letting her come to this decision by herself.
    “If I give myself to you, will you protect me from your brother?”
    “With my very life,” he answered fervently. “You are pleasing to me, and I would have chosen you for myself if I hadn’t been given the duty on my brother’s behalf. You are more lovely than any woman I’ve ever seen.”
    He saw how his words pleased her, and he held out his hand to her. Her gaze moved over his face then her features relaxed and she took his hand. Her smile was tremulous, but he saw in her gaze an acceptance of him and all he’d said.
    He pulled her toward him, and she came willingly, soft and yielding, her hands settling on his chest. His hand skimmed over her beautiful body, measuring the curves and dips, feeling the warmth. He cupped one breast and felt the heat of her nipple in his palm. She sighed softly. He tightened his fingers on the smooth roundness and her eyelids flickered.
    He dipped his head and kissed her full mouth, gently at first, a mere brushing of lips against lips then deeper, tasting her, invading her with his tongue. Immediately, desire whirled through him and he kissed her thoroughly, his hand kneading her breast. She moaned against his mouth, returning his kisses, touching his tongue lightly with her own, letting him dip deep into the sweetness, her body softening in his embrace, becoming liquid, giving. He broke from the kiss and lowered his head to take the dark nipple into his mouth to suckle.
    He heard her intake of breath and her moan of desire like a siren’s song to his ear. He eased her back on the silken bed, covering her body with his, his mouth going from one breast to the other, while with one hand he found the black curls at her crotch, which he separated gently and sought out the nub of her clitoris. Once again, she gasped and reached for his hand as if to halt his progress, but he’d already begun to move his finger against her and she sighed, her knees falling open in surrender, her hands urging him onward. With her heels dug into the mattress, she lifted her hips, opening herself to his caresses even more. At last, he released her nipple and rose above her. She opened passion-glazed eyes to gaze at him in anticipation.
    “Don’t stop,” she whispered in protest as he took a different position.
    “I won’t,” he said and chuckled at her eagerness.
    That she was a