Captive Bride Read Online Free PDF Page A

Dee
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    knew no husband would treat his wife this way, forcing her to strip naked in front of another man. Nor was the mother-in-law she had so dreaded in attendance to at least give a pretense of respectability to this bizarre request.
    As she continued to hesitate, Xie Fuhua sighed.
    “There’s no need for you to be afraid. You will be well-fed and cared for and live in a beautiful room with many lovely gowns and jewels to wear. But Liu Dai has deceived you. You have not come to America to be my wife.”
    The breath was sucked from her body. She couldn’t even form the obvious question: Why? But he answered without her asking.
    “You will entertain the cream of society. Only the richest, most important men in San Francisco will come to you, and they will pay well for the pleasure.
    Do you understand?” His voice was soft, almost gentle, and as smooth as glass.
    Like a piece of glass it cut her. She felt the sharpness in her chest as she understood all in a moment exactly what her situation was. Still she prayed she was wrong, that he wasn’t suggesting she would become a courtesan.
    “Honorable Xie Fuhua, forgive my ignorance, but I do not understand your meaning,” she demurred.
    He heaved another sigh. “I own many properties and businesses in this city, including houses of pleasure. You are not so innocent that you don’t know what those are?”
    She nodded.
    “My various establishments offer many levels of entertainment depending on what a man can afford.

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    Captive Bride
    You, my princess, will not be subjected to the filth of the cribs or a cheap brothel. I will bill you as royalty and charge highly for your favors.”
    “Sir.” She bowed deeply, doing her utmost to remain calm. “I cannot comply with your wishes. I regret your expense in bringing me here and apologize for the misunderstanding, but I wish to return home.
    I’m sure my parents will repay you.” He straightened from his casual lounge against the desk.
    “No. That is not what’s going to happen.” His smooth voice was no longer gentle. The glass grew sharper and slashed her into ribbons. “You’ve been paid for. You belong to me, and there’s no one in this city who will deny my rights. I’m the most powerful man in Chinatown. No one dares cross me. So don’t even think of attempting to try to escape this house.
    There’s no place for you to run to and no one who will help you.”
    Huiann’s head spun. There seemed to be no air left in the room and the edges of her vision grew black.
    She feared she would pass out. She forced herself to draw a deep breath and steady her nerves.
    “Now, I order you again to remove your robe.” The glass turned to cold steel.
    Huiann weighed her options. She could attempt to run from the room, and Liu Dai would grab her and rip the robe from her body. She could scream or weep or faint on the floor at Xie Fuhua’s feet, but no matter what she did, there was no doubt in her mind he would have his way. He would see her naked, conscious or unconscious, struggling or submissive. She’d rather be in control of the moment, hold her head high and not Bonnie Dee
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    allow him to see her horror and shame. Let him believe she was completely cowed and, the moment she had a chance, she would run away even if she had no place to run to.
    With shaking fingers she loosened the tie and slowly opened the robe. In the quiet of the book-lined office, she heard Liu Dai’s quick intake of breath as the fabric slid over her shoulders and pooled on the floor around her feet. Huiann longed to cover her breasts and her sex, but forced her hands to remain clenched at her sides. She held her chin up, no longer gazing politely at the floor. She stared past Xie Fuhua’s shoulder at the wood mantel over the fireplace that dominated one wall of the room.
    Her nipples grew taut, although the room wasn’t cold. The lips of her sex also became tight and stiff.
    Fire burned in her belly and tears stung her eyes. She