Gladiator's Prize Read Online Free PDF

entirely new future for him. One where rage couldn’t govern him, one where the restless fury of the unmated male would never haunt him again. He might live for decades. They could have children together. He imagined her round and swollen with his son and a surge of 26
    Gladiator’s Prize
    hot lust filled his skin. But it was more than lust—she made him feel happy. Almost content.
    But certainly not relaxed.
    She opened the hatch and walked through, turning to him and gesturing for him to follow her with the seductive confidence of a siren. He couldn’t imagine disobeying her.
    The room was small, although the bed was large. He’d always hated feeling cramped when he slept, and perks of being an admiral included designing one’s own quarters.
    Not that he was used to luxury—Saul had spent his entire adult life in service, most of it in uncomfortable circumstances.
    She smiled at him, licking soft, plump lips. It wasn’t a sexy, calculated lick. She radiated nerves, clearly out of her element. It won him over instantly. What man could resist a woman like that, one so uncertain yet still incredibly beautiful and sexy? What man would want to?
    She reached down to unhook the silken belt that defined her waist. It fell to the floor, a silken snake, and he imagined binding her wrists with it. She swayed, the fabric flowing loose, hanging from her shoulders. All too easy to remove. Saul smiled—no wonder it was the traditional arena garb for Saurellian maidens. Every gladiator needed motivation, and if the sheer joy of fighting wasn’t enough, thinking about a beautiful woman in a gown like this certainly would be. The filmy fabric swayed slightly as she raised her hands to her shoulders and slowly unclasped the broach that held one side of her gown together. It was silver, ornate and just tarnished enough to show the delicacy of the design. A Pecoraio Family sigil.
    “You’re a Pecoraio?” he asked, startled. She smiled shyly at him.
    “Yes, does that make a difference?”
    “It probably should,” he said, momentarily chastened. Then he shook his head and gave a rueful laugh. “No, I would have taken you if you were the daughter of the first Councilor himself. But I’m glad I have a battle cruiser to hide you in, because that’s probably what I’ll need to keep me alive once they figure out what happened. Did you 27
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    know that the engineer who designed the new weapons systems for the ship is part of your family?”
    She nodded her head, that shy smile coming back.
    “I’d heard that,” she murmured. “But don’t worry about my family. They’ll be happy that I found a mate.”
    The word hung in the air between them, tantalizing him. Mate. Her gown fell loose, sliding to one side as she dropped the priceless broach to the floor. To his dismay, the curve of one pointed breast caught the flowing drape, keeping it from displaying her form fully.
    “Do you think you could take that other clip off now?”
    Her smile this time wasn’t shy in the least and she shook her head carefully, reaching up to pull the clips out of her hair, breasts swaying but remaining hidden behind her gown. Waves of rich, dark brown fell down around her shoulders. Unlike most young women of her class, she’d chosen to cut it and the ends curled becomingly around her shoulders. Now it was his turn to lick his lips.
    “Take off the other broach.”
    She laughed, the noise deep and throaty.
    “I like this,” she said. “You’re the big man on this ship, but I think I’m the one who’s really in charge right now.”
    Her words pushed him over the edge and he crossed the floor between then in two quick steps. She gave a startled gasp as he pulled her close with one arm, ripping the frail fabric of her gown free. It dropped to her waist, where the pressure of their bodies caught it. He cupped a full, ripe breast in his hand, creamy and white, the nipple a tight, round little berry he wanted to suck and nuzzle until she