Free Turbulent Sea by Christine Feehan Page A

Her pride. Her self-esteem, not that she had much left. Her soul. He'd own her.
    I won't lose. You're running, but you're not getting away from me. I'll give you everything and that's what scares you the most. Don't worry , milaya moya, I have never run away from a battle. I won't be going anywhere . The tender note in his voice scared her. Sex she could handle, but not the sheer intimacy when he dropped that caressing note into his voice.
    She forced herself to sing to the audience, to sing to Lisa, concentrating, pouring her soul into the song about regrets and mistakes and a true love so deep one needed to give it a second chance. She thought of Tish and Logan, two people who belonged together and were torn apart by stupidity, how she didn't want that for Lisa and Denny.
    Without warning, the drums stopped. Just stopped. The band faltered and Joley swung her head around to look at Denny. In trying to block out Ilya, she'd gone way too far, using her voice inadvertently and not sending directly to just Lisa. She sent a look of total desperation to Brian.
    The crowd realized immediately that drama was in the works and quieted. Denny moved out around the drums and walked across the stage to take the microphone from Joley's hand.
    "Dude, you've got your hands all over my woman and I'm about to ask security to throw your ass out. I may have screwed up, Lisa, but there's no one, no one in this world I love more than you and your son. Marry me. Take me back. Tell me what you want me to do. If you want me to leave the band, I'm gone. Whatever it takes, but give me another chance and I swear you'll never regret it."
    Joley shaded her eyes to study Lisa's face. She was crying. The man with her whispered something to her and moved a little away, making Joley think he was a friend doing her a favor, rather than someone she'd picked up. Lisa looked utterly miserable, her face covered by her hands.
    Denny shoved the microphone at Joley, crouched at the edge of the stage in front of her and held out his hand. "I'll spend my life making it up to you, Lisa."
    Joley moved next to him, placing one hand on the drummer's shoulder for support in the event Lisa rejected him.
    Everything inside of Ilya coiled. Joley had just placed herself in a very vulnerable position. Security lined the rope in front of the first row, but they were looking at Denny and Lisa, not at the audience or Joley. He immediately glided into a better position, his gaze taking in the first few rows, but his mind settling on the man in the third row he'd noted earlier.
    In a way this was his fault. He had distracted her, knowing she would never let down her audience. Joley had continued to sing under sexual duress and had been unable to control the notes in her voice, soft and sultry and purring like a huntress for a mate. The effect on the men was obvious, in particular on the face of the man in the third row.
    Denny suddenly jumped from the stage. Joley gasped and stepped closer to the edge as if to follow him. Lisa stood up. Security rushed to protect Denny. The man Ilya was watching made his move, springing over the seats, nearly kicking a woman in the head as he leapt over her to get to the deserted aisle in front of Joley. Ilya took off running, shoving security out of the way as they surrounded Denny.
    He burst out of the crowd just as the man launched himself onstage, reaching for Joley. Move, damn it .
    In his hand , Joley warned him as she tried to back away.
    Ilya caught the man from behind, taking him to the floor, locking his wrist behind him in a hold that threatened to break his arm. "Don't move," he hissed.
    Joley laughed softly into the microphone. "He's just enthusiastic, no problem," she said. "Lisa, hon, come on up here and put Denny out of his misery so we can get these folks back on their feet."
    The security team already had the man who had rushed the stage surrounded and were hauling him out. The band began to play, and Lisa, somewhat reluctantly,