Lucian lost all control. He advanced on her.
She stepped back, his size, his anger making him look like Lucifer himself rising from the depths of hell.
He grabbed her by her shoulders and shook her. "You are nothing but a whore."
His words pierced her heart painfully. "And are you any better, Captain Lucifer?"
Grim lines framed his narrowed eyes. "I do what I must to survive. You spread your legs for any man just for the pleasure"
Catherine felt the hurt of his words clear to her soul. She thrust her chin up higher and attacked. "You're right, Captain. Any man that pleasures me I gladly welcome between my legs."
Fury raged through Lucian like a blazing inferno. "You have no morals." He released her in disgust, stepping back from her.
"Morals? I do as I please and I please myself numerous times with whoever strikes my fancy. And that earl, my favorite, struck my fancy over and over and —"
Lucian released a savage scream. "Enough! Enough, I tell you. Enough of those damn stories —" He stopped abruptly and stared at her chest. "And enough of those damn bloody pearls!"
His hands, reached out for the long strand.
Catherine screeched, jumped back, her hand flying to protect her only salvation.
She was too late.
Lucian's large hand grasped the pearls and swiftly tore them from around her neck.
Once by one the pearls dropped from the broken strand, bouncing around her feet and scattering in fright.
Catherine's painful scream pierced the cabin and with wide horrified eyes she dropped to her knees. Frantically she gathered what fallen pearls were in her reach, locking them in her one hand while the other chased the beads around her. Reaching, picking, capturing her armor.
Lucian stood in shock watching her. Watching her frantic attempts to capture each round precious pearl that rolled from her reach. She appeared mad, crazed that her strand of pearls had broken. They were only pearls, mere baubles that could replaced. Good God, it wasn't as though she was a lady who had lost her —
And in that second as he watched her hand capture pearl after pearl and tightly grasp them protectively in her hand, he knew —he knew that Catherine Abelard was a virgin.
Chapter Seventeen
Lucian dropped to his knees beside her.
"My pearls, Lucian, my pearls," she cried.
"Let me help you, angel." Her tears streaming down her cheeks tore at his heart.
She looked at him bewildered.
His hand reached out and plucked a pearl from the floor. He took her hand that tightly grasped the collected pearls and tucked it between her fingers to join its mates.
She smiled hesitantly in thanks.
He couldn't smile; his heart ached so badly from the pain he had caused her. Instead, he turned and proceeded to pick up the rest of the pearls from the floor.
Catherine stared at him several seconds before joining him in gathering the remaining scattered pearls.
Silent minutes passed while all the pearls were gathered.
Lucian remained on his knees, his shoulders back, his chest out full and in his hand he gripped the pearls.
Catherine remained on her knees as well, her shoulders bravely drawn back while in her hand she gripped her pearls.
They stared for long hard minutes at one another, and then Lucian fed her hand his pearls, covering her overflowing hand with his to hold them captive.
His other hand lifted her chin gently. "I know, angel."
Catherine's whole body turned weak.
"I know you're a virgin."
She closed her eyes against his discovery.
He studied her face, her creamy complexion, her long blond lashes, her sleek lips he ached to kiss for too long and he understood why he wanted her so badly. It wasn't her virginity. It was her innocence of life and of love.
She had chosen to sacrifice both for her father. She had chosen to accept Lucifer as her husband no matter his character and to love him, unconditionally.
She was pure and innocent of heart.
"Look at me, angel," he said softly.
She opened her tear-filled eyes. "What now?" she asked bravely.
"Now I make love to you."
"Lucian, please —"
He pressed his finger to her lips and silenced her plea.
"Tonight we forget who we are. There is only you and me. Only now. Only us. Only the love we will share."
Confused, she shook her head. "But your revenge —"
His finger once again prevented further talk. "Only you and me, angel. Not the past. Not the future. Not revenge. Simply desire."
Catherine couldn't believe his words. Her breath caught. Her mind whirled. Her passion flared.
"I will not touch you unless you want it as much as I do," he whispered. "And I want you so badly I ache to the depths of my soul."
Catherine smiled shyly. He did possess a soul.