A Captive of Chance Read Free Page B

take a breath to scream, the outrageous pirate was already alighting on the deck of his ship.
    Gregor deftly crossed the gangplank with his hold still firm around Marina’s still unconscious form.
    Chance looked down at the woman in his arms. She looked slightly pale but still full of spirit and fire. Damn she was going to be good sport for him, he thought with a smile.
    “Welcome to Fortune’s Fate , Belle. My ship,” announced Chance with no small amount of pride.
    Isabelle succumbed to a fit of hysterical laugher before finally giving in to the blessed oblivion of a faint. Her last thought was how much she hated the word “fate”.
    * * *
    Isabelle came to sometime later in unfamiliar surroundings. It took her clouded mind a moment to remember the pirate attack and her current predicament.
    As soon as clarity returned, she tried to sit up in a rush, only to realize she was tied down to a large bed. Her arms were raised above her head and secured to the headboard. Even more startling was the realization that her dress was missing. She was clad in her corset and pantalettes, but nothing more.
    “I see you have returned to us,” said an amused voice as it entered the room.
    “Untie me!” she demanded.
    “Tsk, tsk. Such manners,” scoffed Chance.
    “Where is my dress?” asked an incensed Isabelle.
    “Well, my Belle,” said Chance in a conversational tone as he sat on the edge of the bed as if they were chatting over tea. “While you are as beautiful as a rose, you did not smell like one after your time in the bilge. The worst of it being on your gown, so being an obliging gentleman, I removed it.”
    Isabelle yanked on her arms as she yelled, “You scoundrel! Return my things immediately. Quiero mi ropa! ”
    A hardness crept into Chance’s eyes. “I see my rose has thorns. You had better be careful. I assure you I won’t be the one to get… pricked .”
    At that moment, there was a discreet knock on the cabin door.
    “Enter,” called out Chance, still keeping his intense gaze on his captive.
    Two cabin boys entered with a large copper tub. “We have your tub and hot water, Captain.”
    “Excellent.”
    There was silence in the room as the cabin boys traipsed in with bucket after bucket of hot water. Finally, they left and she was once again alone with the handsome but very dangerous pirate captain.
    “If you promise to behave, I will untie you.”
    “I promise,” Isabelle said quickly, too quickly.
    No sooner had Chance released her bonds, then she flew off the bed and across the room, desperately searching for a weapon to grab. Luckily there was a small dagger resting on this desk top. Isabelle held it in front of her with both fists.
    “You stay back,” she warned.
    “You disappoint me,” said Chance with a sigh. “Now I shall have to punish you for your disobedience. I was hoping my first view of your delectable ass would have been under more amiable circumstances after we had come to an understanding, but so be it.”
    Isabelle let out a nervous laugh. “You are mad if you think you will be seeing my… my bottom or any other part of my body.” She refused to say the word ass.
    “We’ll see,” said Chance calmly as Isabelle watched him slowly undo his belt for the second time that day.
    “Stay back,” she warned as he took a step closer. Isabelle waved the dagger in front of her as she tried to think of a plan. It was to no avail.
    Chance flipped the leather tongue end of the belt in her direction, effortlessly whipping it around both her wrists. With a sharp tug, she was flung against his chest, the dagger falling uselessly to the floor.
    Releasing his belt, he secured both her wrists with one hand. “And now to your punishment.”
    Isabelle struggled as he dragged her across the room to a small wooden stool. Sitting down, Chance pulled her squirming body over his lap. Isabelle screeched and cursed.
    “I must say I am impressed,” commented an amused Chance. “I had no idea a