Handsome Bastard Read Online Free
Author: Kate Hill
Cyprian’s private bath. Within moments she would be making love with the most sensual man she had ever known.
But he’s not a man. He’s a monster.
The young female slave who had guided her to the bath paused and pointed to an archway.
“Through there.” The woman rested a gentle hand on Leotine’s arm. “Don’t be afraid. He is a kind master to those who please him.”
“And those who don’t?” Leotine asked quietly.
The slave’s lips parted as she drew a long breath, glanced away and returned to the kitchen where she worked.
A shiver rippled down Leotine’s spine. Just as she thought. He wasn’t nearly as harmless as he would like her to believe. But what Roman man was? Many ruled their households with violence and Cyprian had double the capacity for cruelty. He was both a man and a blood-drinker.
Bound by duty and lured by drives of her body that she loathed admitting to, Leotine stepped into the bath. Her gaze fixed on Cyprian, she nearly forgot to breathe and her nipples tightened with uncontrolled desire.
Naked, he stood by the pool, his back to her. Beautifully developed muscles rippled beneath flesh gleaming with sweat. His firm yet well-rounded bottom made her ache to touch it and squeeze the taut spheres.
He glanced over his shoulder at her and blinked slowly, almost lazily in spite of the lust glistening in his eyes.
Across the room, Sextus cleared his throat. Leotine glanced in his direction. She had noticed him from the corner of her eye when she’d entered but had been far more interested in Cyprian Augustus’ perfect body.
The slave, also naked and sweat-drenched, carried two swords they had obviously been practicing with.
“I will leave you now,” Sextus stated, placing the swords aside only to cover himself with a toga.
The servant went to pick up the weapons, but Cyprian said, “You may leave mine.”
Sextus nodded and strode out of the room.
Once they were alone, Leotine walked to the sword and ran her fingertip over its handle. “Did you ask him to leave it so you could perhaps use it on me?”
Cyprian approached with long, slow strides, staring at her with those predatory eyes. “Of course not. Why would I do that? I have another sword, one of flesh, on which I intend to impale you. Painlessly, of course.”
“Yet no less deadly?” she murmured.
He tilted his head slightly to one side, studying her.
Leotine resisted the urge to wrap her hand around the sword and attempt to destroy him then and there, before he could twist her emotions any further, yet that would be foolish. The chances of her taking him by surprise and fending him off were next to impossible. To ensure his demise, she must first earn his trust. Not only that, why had he asked the slave to leave his weapon behind? Why was he giving her a chance to use it on him? Did he suspect she wasn’t what she claimed to be? Was he baiting her? There were far too many unanswered questions for her to risk acting on impulse. Not with a man like Cyprian Augustus.
“It’s time for you to fulfill your duty,” he stated, his hand closing over hers around the sword.
“What?” Leotine glanced into his eyes, momentarily startled. He did know what she’d come to…
A smile flirting with his lips, he slowly guided her hand away from the sword and tugged her to where a lovely engraved container of oil and a strigil rested beside the bath. Relief washed over her. He merely wanted her to clean and massage him.
Once again staring at his powerful, naked body, she swallowed hard. Merely clean and massage. What had she been thinking? There was no way she could endure touching him without surrendering to at least some of the emotions battling inside her.
Chapter Two
Cyprian sat on a thick towel spread on the floor and Leotine knelt beside him. After uncovering the container, she dipped her fingers inside then
But he’s not a man. He’s a monster.
The young female slave who had guided her to the bath paused and pointed to an archway.
“Through there.” The woman rested a gentle hand on Leotine’s arm. “Don’t be afraid. He is a kind master to those who please him.”
“And those who don’t?” Leotine asked quietly.
The slave’s lips parted as she drew a long breath, glanced away and returned to the kitchen where she worked.
A shiver rippled down Leotine’s spine. Just as she thought. He wasn’t nearly as harmless as he would like her to believe. But what Roman man was? Many ruled their households with violence and Cyprian had double the capacity for cruelty. He was both a man and a blood-drinker.
Bound by duty and lured by drives of her body that she loathed admitting to, Leotine stepped into the bath. Her gaze fixed on Cyprian, she nearly forgot to breathe and her nipples tightened with uncontrolled desire.
Naked, he stood by the pool, his back to her. Beautifully developed muscles rippled beneath flesh gleaming with sweat. His firm yet well-rounded bottom made her ache to touch it and squeeze the taut spheres.
He glanced over his shoulder at her and blinked slowly, almost lazily in spite of the lust glistening in his eyes.
Across the room, Sextus cleared his throat. Leotine glanced in his direction. She had noticed him from the corner of her eye when she’d entered but had been far more interested in Cyprian Augustus’ perfect body.
The slave, also naked and sweat-drenched, carried two swords they had obviously been practicing with.
“I will leave you now,” Sextus stated, placing the swords aside only to cover himself with a toga.
The servant went to pick up the weapons, but Cyprian said, “You may leave mine.”
Sextus nodded and strode out of the room.
Once they were alone, Leotine walked to the sword and ran her fingertip over its handle. “Did you ask him to leave it so you could perhaps use it on me?”
Cyprian approached with long, slow strides, staring at her with those predatory eyes. “Of course not. Why would I do that? I have another sword, one of flesh, on which I intend to impale you. Painlessly, of course.”
“Yet no less deadly?” she murmured.
He tilted his head slightly to one side, studying her.
Leotine resisted the urge to wrap her hand around the sword and attempt to destroy him then and there, before he could twist her emotions any further, yet that would be foolish. The chances of her taking him by surprise and fending him off were next to impossible. To ensure his demise, she must first earn his trust. Not only that, why had he asked the slave to leave his weapon behind? Why was he giving her a chance to use it on him? Did he suspect she wasn’t what she claimed to be? Was he baiting her? There were far too many unanswered questions for her to risk acting on impulse. Not with a man like Cyprian Augustus.
“It’s time for you to fulfill your duty,” he stated, his hand closing over hers around the sword.
“What?” Leotine glanced into his eyes, momentarily startled. He did know what she’d come to…
A smile flirting with his lips, he slowly guided her hand away from the sword and tugged her to where a lovely engraved container of oil and a strigil rested beside the bath. Relief washed over her. He merely wanted her to clean and massage him.
Once again staring at his powerful, naked body, she swallowed hard. Merely clean and massage. What had she been thinking? There was no way she could endure touching him without surrendering to at least some of the emotions battling inside her.
Chapter Two
Cyprian sat on a thick towel spread on the floor and Leotine knelt beside him. After uncovering the container, she dipped her fingers inside then
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