Free The Pirate Prince (Pirate's Booty Series, Book Five) by Temple Hogan

bowed as Rajak and Azara alighted from the coach and climbed the steps.
    “It’s very beautiful,” Azara cried, “and very grand for a pirate, even a pirate prince.”
    Rajak’s eyes sparkled. “I’m glad you like it. Come.”
    He took her hand and led her inside. Azara was only vaguely aware of Oma and the other serving women clambering behind, their voices shrill with excitement, their eyes sparkling with approval of such a grand structure. The inside was even more beautiful than the outside.
    They entered a large hall with a graceful marble staircase curving upward. An arch led into an enormous main room sumptuously furnished with gilded chairs and sofas of European style. The ceiling and walls were adorned with gold-encrusted stencils and medallions and the marble floor was covered with rich, Persian rugs of many colors. Her women moved around the room, cooing over all they saw. They were used to the richness of palaces, but none so fine as this. Everywhere Azara looked were treasures such as she’d never seen gathered all in one place.
    “You are very wealthy,” she said in a low voice.
    “Pirating is most profitable,” he said. “Especially as I’ve made sure to target my brother’s ships. If I cannot have the throne, at least I can enjoy some of its riches.”
    “You hate your brother very much?” Azara felt emboldened to enquire.
    Rajak’s face darkened and he met her gaze without flinching. “Yes, Azara, I hate my brother enough that one day I will kill him as he killed our father. Until that day comes, I take all I can that belongs to my brother, including you.”
    Azara’s eyes widened at the implication of his words.
    “Then I mean nothing to you except as part of your revenge against him?” She waited with mounting dread for his answer, praying it would not be as she feared.
    “You’ve asked me a double-edged question, princess. When first I planned to kidnap you, I did so out of revenge, but things have changed now. Surely, I’ve made that clear to you?”
    “Are you saying you love me then?” she asked softly. Was she asking too much from him? Though he spoke of taking her as his wife, was that still part of his vengeance against his brother? Was she nothing more to him than a pawn?
    “Do you love me, Rajak?” she repeated urgently.
    “Do you love me, Rajak?” a voice mocked cruelly.
    Rajak spun around to confront the woman standing in the entrance. Seeing her up close, Azara was struck even more by her beauty. Her skin was pale-coffee colored, her eyes wide and slanted exotically. Her nose and mouth molded perfection and above it all was glossy, blue-black hair that fell to below her hips. Her impossibly slim body was garbed in a fine kumquat silk and her long graceful arms were adorned with rich gold bracelets. More jewels adorned her hands and ears.
    “Kamilah. What are you doing here? How did you get inside?” Rajak demanded.
    The woman smiled at him with spite, her black eyes flashing, her lips twisting in an ugly sneer.
    “I came to see your new whore,” she said, sauntering into the room. For the first time, she looked at Azara and laughed, a harsh, derisive sound. “This is what you’ve turned me aside for?”
    “I want you to leave. Now!” Rajak shouted.
    She ignored him while she continued to regard Azara.
    “You are very beautiful,” Kamilah acknowledged, “but you can never please him as I have done.”
    “Kamilah,” Rajak said, taking hold of her shoulder and turning her to face him. “This is wrong. I’m sorry that I’ve hurt you, but it’s over between us. I told you that many weeks ago.”
    “You didn’t mean it. You were angry with me,” she said, smiling at him as she caressed his face with one long, slim hand. The jewels on her fingers glinted with fiery lights.
    Rajak caught hold of her hand and lowered it from his face. “You betrayed me,” he reminded her. “You proved yourself unworthy. I can never trust you again.”
    “But you love