The Pirate Prince Read Online Free Page B

The topknot seemed to be a popular style amongst the people. Jarek could instantly tell the man was royalty, or at least a nobleman, by the way he carried himself and by the way the guards bowed in respect in his direction. However, the guards ignored the woman.
    Jarek couldn’t look away from her. His heart sped in his chest and his breathing deepened. She was lovely. Silken robes hugged close to her small frame. Her long, dark hair was plaited and pulled up on both sides of her head.
    “That’s what I’m talking about,” Viktor added, his voice soft.
    “Yeah, no wonder you two like her,” Lochlann teased, eyeing Viktor and Lucien.
    “She even makes you look muscular.”
    “We don’t have time for concubines right now,” Jarek said. Even as the words left his mouth, he found himself still staring at her. His gut tightened with desire. How could it not? She was gorgeous. Her downcast gaze lifted slightly and Jarek let his eyes shift
    with the power of the cat as he narrowed in on her. Like her people, her eyes were brown-
    · a soulful color that begged for a man’s protection—and shaped in such an exotically alluring way that he couldn’t take his eyes off her. She was so delicate, like a flower. The woman even looked like a flower, dressed in flimsy silk. Small, circular patterns were spread over the robe she wore, intertwined with floral designs. It was a simple motif, yet captivatingly beautiful. Truth be told, Jarek found the whole planet beautiful. The landscape outside the palace was lush and green and inside the city was clean and designed to enhance the beauty around it. Beneath the palace, the streets of the city were clean and the people were immaculately dressed.
    A tightness developed between his thighs, as Jarek became aroused just looking at the slender woman. Too bad she was obviously this other man’s whore.
    Maybe you could liberate her,his libido seemed to tell him.
    And do what?His inner reason argued. It’s not like you want a woman on the ship with you. You’re not like your brothers. You’re not meant to settle down.
    It was true. Jarek had felt it since he was a young prince. Even then he would stare up at the stars, feeling their pull. He wasn’t meant to be contained on one planet. He needed more than that. He needed adventure, change, a sense of danger. Women liked things like stability and a home. Sure, he’d met a few who didn’t, but they were no one with whom he’d like to spend his long years. And, usually, in the end, even those women settled in one place.
    Jarek had four brothers and they’d all found mates. Three had just had babies, and his twin brother’s wife was expecting. It wasn’t like heneeded to find a wife and have children. The family line didn’t depend upon him. He was free to do as he willed.
    “She’s so tiny,” Dev said, his voice not holding as much masculine appreciation as the others. He grunted, before adding, “And delicate. She wouldn’t last five seconds in
    the VR fighting a Huthin.”
    “I don’t want her as a sparring partner in virtual reality, space cadet,” said Viktor.
    Dev’s black eyes narrowed in warning. Viktor quickly patted Dev’s large shoulder in reassurance. “And by space cadet, I mean my very big, mean, tough warrior friend who would never think of crushing someone smaller than himself like me.”
     
    Dev grunted. Jarek bit back a laugh, but didn’t look away from the beautiful woman for more than an instant. She was close. The Líntianese man’s body blocked her partially from view and he leaned to the side to better see her. Soft laughter broke into his daydreaming of the woman. A hand on his arm pulled him back down. “Uh, Jarek, you still with us, Captain?” Lucien asked. “Or is your plan to get seen and captured? ‘Cause if it is, please count us out.”
    Jarek motioned the men back and they instantly crawled along the stone to stay hidden as the woman and her escort passed near by, going down the