The Frenchman's Revenge Read online

  “Jesus fucking Christ,” Alex growled, his face flushed with angry disbelief. “Does he walk on water, too?”

  Wyatt and Wan exchanged a glance and Wyatt responded with a grin. “I haven’t seen him do that, have you, Wan? Then again, I’m not with him twenty four hours a day.”

  Alex was not amused. He met his father’s grin with a stony silence. His face tightened more when he saw Bai give Elena an imperceptible nod. With a slight flick of his hand he motioned to her to come to him. She smiled her glorious smile and moved eagerly toward him.

  Alex was furious and said in a harsh whisper to Wyatt, “What is that, an invisible leash he keeps on her that he jerks to make her obey?”

  Lei tugged on his arm. Her voice was soft, troubled. “Alex, please stop.”

  ~~~

  Bai overheard the remark and turned to see Alex with Lei, Wyatt, and Wan. It had been a number of years since he had seen Alex, but his resemblance to Elena was striking. It left no question that the young man glowering at him was Elena’s twin brother.

  Alex was not as tall as he and Wyatt were, but he had Wyatt’s broad shoulders, strong arms, and the poised stance of a Kung fu fighter. His coloring was radically different than Elena’s and Wyatt’s. His dark blond hair streaked with sunlight hung to his shoulders in careless curls. His eyes were dark brown and they were flashing with anger as he glared at Bai.

  Bai saw Wyatt’s influence in both of the twins. Elena had a feminine version of Wyatt’s high cheekbones and strong chin. Alex had claimed the masculine version. Alex was handsome, almost pretty. There was a softness, a hesitancy about him. He was missing the resilience that Bai had seen in Elena from the first time he met her. Alex looked sensitive, vulnerable, like he could be easily hurt.

  Seeing the barely controlled anger on the young man’s flushed face, Bai exchanged a quizzical look with Wyatt.

  At that moment, Elena approached. Bai reached out and pulled her to him. Elena’s eyes sparkled as she pressed against him. He leaned down and kissed her lightly on her cheek. His voice was soft. “Ah, cherie, ma belle femme. ‘Ta beauté que vous me couper le souffle vous me faites, me rend muet.’ Your beauty leaves me breathless, speechless.”

  She gazed up at him, her eyes glowing. He met her eyes and his expression hardened, then quickly smoothed. In a husky voice he whispered to her, “I will show you how I feel about all of them--later,” he said with a slight nod to the crowd of men across the room that had faded back against the wall when Bai entered. Elena blushed and looked down.

  Recovering her composure and with a defiant lift of her chin, she put her arm around Bai’s waist and pressed her hip against his hard body, sparking a hot glow of lust in his eyes. He grinned at her sauciness. Easing his hand down the small of her back he gave her bottom a quick sharp pinch. She started and looked up at him blushing. A knowing smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Leaning down he whispered next to her ear,

  “Later…cherie…later.”

  He pulled her closer to him. Together they moved to speak to each of the important guests who were pressing forward to greet him. After several minutes of polite conversation, Elena saw Alex and her face lit with pleasure.

  “Oh, Bai, quick, look who is here!” she gushed, excitedly grabbing Alex’s hand and pulling him forward to meet Bai. “Alex, darling, come here. You remember Bai?”

  Bai nodded to the young man and bowed respectfully. He smiled and his voice was cordial, but he didn’t miss the hostility radiating from Alex, seeing what Elena didn’t see.

  “Enchante, mon plaisir, Alex. I haven’t seen you in – what has it been? Ten years? You are a grown man. I’m honored that you came back for the wedding. Your presence means everything to your sister.”

  He extended his hand, but Alex stepped back, his face tight with anger, and refused to shake his hand.

  Elena looked startled. “Alex, what’s wrong?”

  Bai smiled slightly and let his hand drop. Looking hard at Alex, he held his gaze until the younger man looked away.

  Elena pressed forward and grabbed hold of Alex’s arm. She pulled him toward her. She whispered to him, “Alex, what is it? Is something wrong? This is Bai.”

  Alex removed her hands from his arm. Glaring at Bai, he said in a strained voice, “I’m quite aware of who he is, Elena. Apparently more aware than you are.”

  Wyatt and Lei both moved forward between the two men with a warning look at Alex. Wan stood quietly in the background.

  Bai nodded to them all, acknowledging the tension in the group, then turned away to greet a group of business leaders who had come from New York.

  ~~~

  Elena stared at Alex. “Alex, I don’t understand. What are you saying...?”

  Lei took hold of Elena’s arm. “Let’s give Alex and Bai a chance to work through a couple of things, Elena.”

  She nodded to the governor and the group of people with him who, overhearing Alex’s harsh words, had turned in surprise to watch the scene. Lei smiled at them, linked arms with Elena, and moved toward the governor.

  “Governor Sampson was just commenting on your herb garden, Elena. I told him you have more medicinal herbs in your garden than the University of San Francisco has in their botanical research center. I promised him that you would give him and Ginny a quick tour.”

  Elena stared at her, then back at Alex and Bai. Turning to the governor she said in a bright voice, “Of course, governor. Any excuse I have to visit with you and Ginny is always welcome. Shall we find her now and go out to the garden? Bai gave me the garden as a gift. It is astonishing. I have yet to catalogue all of the herbs.”

  ~~~

  Bai watched them leave, then excused himself from the conversation with the New York businessmen and walked back to face Alex. Wyatt interposed himself between the two men and the rest of the crowd, using his body and presence as a buffer. Wan stayed where he was, gazing at his son and grandson, his stern face troubled. Alex continued to glare at Bai, oblivious to the concerned looks from his father and grandfather.

  In a gesture Alex had seen his father make all of his life, Bai reached in his pocket for his gold cigarette case with the embossed wolf’s head. He took out a cigarette, lit it, and blew the smoke up in the air. When the smoke cleared, he looked at Alex through half closed eyes.

  “Alex, may I presume that you are not happy that Elena and I are going to marry?”

  Alex snorted.

  “How can you tell?’

  A slight smile tugged at the corner of Bai’s mouth.

  “More than likely by your rudeness, your rather insufferable rudeness.”

  Alex responded with a tight grimace.

  “It is ironic, at best, to hear the word insufferable come from your lips, Bai.”

  Seeing the disdainful smile on Bai’s face, Alex lost what little control he had. In a harsh whisper only his father and Bai could hear, he growled, “I don’t care about your custom clothes, your goddamn accent. I don’t give a fuck if you speak five languages or ten and the governor of California wants to suck your dick. You think you look and act like a goddamn banker. You may have fooled my sister, but you don’t fool me. I know who you are, what you are. You’re nothing but a two bit criminal. You’re not worthy of being in the same room with my sister -- much less marrying her!”

  Wyatt stepped forward, his face and voice hard, “Alex, stop…”

  Bai put up his hand and shook his head.

  “It’s all right, Wyatt. Let the boy vent. He apparently needs to have his temper tantrum. Perhaps when he has had a chance to kick and scream and hold his breath, he will be more able to have an adult conversation.”

  Bai turned to join the group of people who were pretending they weren’t interested in the conversation but had edged closer. Alex’s face was red, his eyes flashing. He moved toward Bai, his voice filled with fury. He spoke loudly enough for those around them to hear.

  “If anything happens to my sister because of who you are, you will have
to deal with me.”

  Bai turned back to him and his eyes narrowed. He said in a cool clipped voice, his accent heavier, more apparent.

  “There are those among us, Alex, myself included, who think it is less likely for anything to happen to Elena because of who I am.”

  The guests who were close to them had now given up any pretense of not listening and pressed forward, staring at the angry young man confronting the Frenchman.

  Alex brushed at the angry tears on his face and said in a harsh whisper, “I don’t care if you are a grandmaster. I may be only a kung fu master, but I have been studying in China with the best. Not only that, I’m twenty years old and in my prime. You’re a fucking old man. I’ll take you on any time, any place!” he boasted, glaring at Bai.

  Bai turned to see Elena approaching. She was pale, trembling. It was clear from the pained look on her face that she heard what her brother had said.

  Bai took her hand and squeezed it hard. He smiled at her. “Ah, bien. My lovely fiancée has returned.”

  He bowed low and brought her fingers to his lips.

  “May I have the honor of this dance, Elena?”

  She looked over his shoulder at Alex with an aggrieved expression. Bai tugged on her hand and she turned back to him. Seeing the challenging look in his eyes, she gave him a tenuous smile.

  “I would love to dance with you, Bai.”

  He grinned at her and gave her a quick wink, then went to make a request to the orchestra leader.

  As he passed Alex, he said, in a soft voice, his eyes gleaming, “Later, boy, later. Tonight.”

  ~~

  Chapter 5

  Bai stepped back from the orchestra leader, took off his jacket, and handed it to Nianzu with a wicked grin.

  “Will you be my second in this dual, Nianzu?”

  Folding Bai’s jacket over his arm, Nianzu winked at him and stepped to the side.

  Bai smiled to himself, thinking this would be an erotic duel between lovers. It would not be fought with pistols, knives, or swords. Rather, their weapons would be the thrusts and parries of their aroused bodies.

  He rolled up his sleeves, revealing the promise of strong muscular arms and shoulders. He strode across the room in his fitted black trousers. He felt like a toreador stepping to the middle of the arena, confident all eyes were upon him. He nodded over his shoulder to the musicians and the soft sensuous sounds of Latin music whispered across the ballroom. He sought out Elena and the dance floor cleared as he moved toward her. Reaching for her hand, he bowed low with a rakish grin.

  “Shall we dance, cherie?”

  A hard tremor shuddered through Elena’s body when he eased his hand to the small of her back and led her to the center of the ballroom. His eyes twinkled. With a charming grin, he pulled her close to him. Urged on by the pulsing music, he stepped back and held out his hand, palm up. Elena hesitated, then her eyes darkened and she nervously bit her bottom lip. A shy smile tugged at her lips as she placed her hand in his.

  They moved slowly at first, allowing the music time to flow through them. He steered her across the room in large graceful circles. His hands cradled her hips, her hands rested on his shoulders. Even with her four inch high heeled slippers she came just to his shoulder and had to tip her head back to meet his eyes. As she gazed up at him, her eyes shining with excitement, the music changed. The tempo increased and the beat began to pulsate, a sultry invitation.

  He gave her a little push, putting distance between them. Elena stood in front of him and began to sway from side to side. Her eyes sparkled, her face flushed. Bai moved inches away, mimicking her movements and held her gaze. He slowly snapped his fingers then lightly stamped the heels of his lizard skinned boots, a devilish smile tugging at his lips. Her hips moved from side to side. As his fingers snapped faster, she twitched her hips in response. With a cheeky grin, she moved away from him, her hips gyrating to the snap of his fingers, the click of his boots. Her hands snaked up over her head, high in the air. Her hips switched in time to the music, her body coiled and twisted, a tantalizing writhing column.

  As her movements became more suggestive, he moved his hand in a sensual circle. She twirled in response. Her dress flared bewitchingly, revealing her shapely ankles and calves. A wicked grin curled his lips and he jerked his chin, motioning her to come to him. She slowed her movements, accentuating the twists and thrusts of her hips. Her hands perched saucily on her hips, she bumped and ground her way toward him in a slow, erotic saunter.

  As the beat increased, he caught her hand and swept her down, bending her low over his arm. His hand trailed from her thigh to her hip then he ran his fingers across her stomach up to the space between her breasts. He leaned over her and whispered, “Be careful, mon amour, unless you want everyone to see how hard your nipples are.”

  She flushed and tried to pull away, but he dipped her lower. He reached up to her hair and pulled out the restraining pins, releasing a cloud of wild curls down her back. Tucking the pins in his pocket, he pulled her upright, his lips inches away from her breasts. As he raised her up, his fingers tweaked her nipple and she bit down on her bottom lip, holding back a whimper.

  “Later, cherie, I will bite them, suck them,” he promised, his eyes alight with lust.

  Pushing his hands down, with a challenging laugh, she spun away from him, her hips swaying provocatively. She whirled back to face him. As he clapped his hands in time to the pounding music, she began to strut around him, lifting her dress inch by inch. Swishing her hips from side to side, she twitched her ass in a sultry circle. When she closed in on him, he reached out for her, but with a toss of her head and an impudent glance over her shoulder she flounced away, kicking her leg up high in the air. The crowd gasped at the sight of her sheer silk stockings and the white lacy garters high on her thighs. There were more than a few groans and muttered “goddamns” and “did you fucking see that” from the men in the crowd. Many of the women sputtered a distinct disapproving titter.

  Bai came from behind and caught her ankle and held it high. He leaned over top of her and kissed her ankle then ran his tongue up her leg. He grasped her thigh and holding her bent knee open to the side, he pressed her tight against his hip and spun them round and round. As they slowed, he leaned down, his tongue circling her ear, and whispered with a raspy chuckle, “Ah cherie, ma putain méchante petite, my naughty little whore, you like to show them your beautiful body? Arousing all these men even more? Tonight, my naughty petite fille. Tonight I will spank you so fucking hard your ass will burn bright, bright red and hot! Oui, cherie?” She closed her eyes, her dark lashes against her cheeks, moaning against his shoulder.

  As the music throbbed a sensuous, sexy drum beat, Bai turned her back to his chest. He pulled her hips up tight against his groin, his aroused cock nestled against the crack of her ass. His strong muscular thighs supported her soft firm cheeks. They moved erotically, rhythmically, molded together, swaying as one. She threw her head back on his shoulder tossing her hair to the side and groaned as his lips found the softest, most sensitive places on her neck and throat.

  When the music rose to a concluding crescendo, he lifted her high in the air. They twirled in a dizzying circle, her dress flaring in wild abandon around her. As the music whispered to a stop, he brought her down to his upturned lips and kissed her, a hard, demanding kiss.

  Standing her gently on the floor, he smiled a satisfied, knowing smile. There wasn’t a person in the room who did not understand. She was his. His woman. As she leaned back with her arms around his neck, her face flushed with excitement, her eyes dark and sparkling, there was no question but that she agreed.

  He pulled her hair up in a careless twist and took the jeweled pins from his pocket and pinned her glorious curls back in place.

  Nianzu walked over to them and handed Bai his jacket. Bai rolled down his shirt sleeves, put on his jacket, and with a dashing smile bowed to the audience. Then he bowed low to her. Leaning down he nuzzled her neck as the
audience applauded and roared its approval.

  Within minutes, the ballroom was filled with excited chatter, appreciative glances mixed with disapproving scowls. Men and women whose sexual fires had extinguished long ago found themselves squirming uncomfortably at the strange sensations they felt in their dormant organs.

  One woman summed up the feelings of many when she said with a sniff, “I don’t know why they stopped when they did. I assumed he would take her right there.”

  Another answered with a brazen snort, “Nothing like fucking her in public.”

  Her disapproving friend added in distain, “Just like the barnyard animals do.”

  Her husband wiped the sweat off his forehead with his linen handkerchief and said with a groan, “Hell, that was better than any fuck I’ve ever had.”

  His wife poked him hard in the ribs and said tartly, “You and me both.”

  ~~~

  Wyatt raised an eyebrow and shook his head, an ironic grin tugging at the corner of his mouth as Bai and Elena came toward him. Before he could speak, Lei reached out and hugged Elena. Looking up at Wyatt in amusement, she said, “Well, it’s easy to see whose daughter you are, Elena.”

  Wyatt chuckled and said with an appreciative grin at Bai, “Your brother didn’t do too badly either, Lei. It’s good to know that Elena will be as well loved as you are, darlin’.”

  “If I don’t eat her alive in the process, Wyatt. Your daughter makes me a very hungry man,” Bai said, bowing low to both Wyatt and Lei then winking at Elena.

  An angry growl caught their attention and they all turned to see Alex rush from the room, frustrated tears streaming down his flushed, angry face.

  Elena frowned and started after him, but Wyatt held her back.

  “Give him a chance to get used to the idea, honey. Remember, you’ve been his best girl all his life. It’s not surprising that he is having trouble accepting the fact that you’re in love with Bai.”