"You are invited to a masquerade ball."

It has been 2 days since her mother had informed her. Tempest forced an agreeing nod right after her mother's warning.

"Do not disappoint me."

"Yes, mother," she mumbled.

Resigned to endure the night's festivities, with the help of her maid she sat and listened to her hum in the distance as her gown was being prepared.

"I nearly forgot your tea," the maid gasped walking towards the door.

"I will return shortly and I will help you dress, mistress."

Tempest was so absorbed in her thoughts and brushing her hair, she barely heard her maid leave or when the door opened and closed afterward. She continued to brush her hair in long soothing strokes; oblivious to the presence behind her.

Haines stood with his back pressed to the door enjoying the view of Tempest brushing her hair. His gaze followed it as she pulled the bristled square through the long tresses that billowed softly around her with each stroke. She made an enticing sight that excited him so much that his breath hitched in his throat at the sight of her in only her chemise that the slight bulge forming in his breeches had suddenly become uncomfortable.

He has wanted her for so long ever since the day he pulled her into the horse stall so long ago. The only thing that stopped him from taking her that day was the fact that she was a virgin. But now that was not the case. His beautiful wife was no untouched flower. The chit made sure of that, he clenched his jaw.

He realized that this fell in his favor although he would have preferred her to be pure and untried, she was ripe and skilled no doubt. No thanks to that bastard pirate. Either way, he looked at this bitter truth as something good even when it would cost him in the end. With what he pretended, his viral nature would not let him walk away. The Rogue in him swelled full and ready.

He would have Tempest in his bed this very night.

He pushed away slowly from the door and carefully approached her. She was still unaware of his presence as he stepped closer. Haines's eyes lowered the length of her and the exposed skin of her shoulders with his lecherous gaze. The moment he placed his knee into the bed and reach for her, she was aware of his movement.

She shrieked and tried to scramble back but was too late.

"What are you doing here?" Tempest asked trying to keep as much distance from him as possible. She groped around pulling at the sheets to cover herself; seeking some type of barrier. But it was difficult as he crawled closer until successfully she was pinned beneath him.

Powerless to move, she had no other way of escape. "Why are you here?" she shoved at his chest.

"I came to tell you that the carriage will arrive in the hour," his gaze traveled over her beautiful face.

"I think...." his hand slowly rose to caress her cheek. "We have enough time to get well acquainted until it arrives," he moved closer.

"Never!" she said slapping his hand away.

That only excited him more that his breeches tightened with each second that passed being so near to her.

He chuckled moving closer. "You and I have unfinished business, wife," he said casually.

"What business? You and I have no such thing," she flung defiantly.

"Oh, I think we do," he smiled resting his hands on either side of her body; His face coming closer to hers. She remained frozen in place as his eyes skimmed the rest of her beneath him.

"Our promised wedding night is long past due," he whispered as his lips moved closer to hers.

Sparkling eyes leveled with blue-greens that darkened with anger.

"You were never promised that, nor will it ever happen," her chin rose defiantly.

His deep chuckle only rose her anger. The sound was pure evil.

"I think it is time you understand that it is not wise to defy me," he whispered as he ran his hand over her heaving breast.

"Don't!" she slapped his hand away and it just as fast went for her thigh.

They roamed over her skin fruitful in the struggle as she fought in his hold to be free of him. His fingers pulled at her chemise, the silence in the room was replaced by the echoes of the tearing fabric. She fought and scratched wildly as he pinned her with his weight. His hands ran over her soft skin under her chemise coming close to the very core of her.

His lips fell where they could in the struggle from her ears, to her cheeks, to her throat, to her bared breasts.

"Get off of me!" she screamed raking her nails down his neck.

"You're my wife!" he hissed maniacally squeezing her flesh.

Pounding her small fist on his chest, she tried to push him off. She screamed again as his lips tried to cover hers. Unyielding and turning her face away, she sobbed.

Bile rose in her throat as she felt his hands briefly pull away from her and pushed between them undoing his breeches. He continued, his muscled bulk too heavy to be pushed away pressed between her thighs; forcing them apart. It wasn't until she felt the heaviness of his erection probing her forcefully that she fought in earnest.

Neither of them at that moment heard the door open slightly. Her maid too dumbfounded as she watched Haines pin Tempest beneath him and struggled between her legs. Her thoughts cleared quickly when she heard Tempest's sobs. It tore at her heart to hear her mistress cries. She knew that this act was not of a willing wife succumbing to her husband's advances.

She backed out of the room slowly closing the door. Bracing herself, she quickly tapped the door praying that this would stop Haines.

Then suddenly, the lusty hazes of his brain cleared with the tap at the door.

"What is it!" Haines' voice boomed across the quiet room.

"The Carriage has arrived my Lord," she said through the door.

Relief washed over Tempest hearing the maid's muffled voice.

"Damn it!" he swore as he pulled away. She took that chance to drive her knee up and shove away from him as he stood. Although it did not connect as she would have hoped, it did give him a jolt to quickly release her and step away from the bed. Breathing heavily he re-adjusted his clothing; leaving Tempest sitting on the bed covering herself in tears and staring at him venomously.

"I'll kill you if you ever try that again," she seethed.

He said nothing as he smoothed his hair back and then straightened his jacket. Ignoring her murderous gaze, he made his way to the door. Before he left, he turned to her and said. "Be ready in 10 minutes I don't want to be late for the ball." with a deep breath, he was out the door and gone leaving Tempest in the room alone.

******

"Must we really do this, Cap'n?" Quinn whined adjusting his mask.

"Quiet!" Bellamy snapped. "Quit yer yapping before we're caught."

The carriage they had acquired left them off behind the large house brilliantly lit and full of people. Justin could hear the music pouring from the ballroom. He didn't want to be here, no more than his men. But his rage had brought him this far and he will not back down.

" I tell ye, I would rather rob the king than do this," Quinn sniffed.

"We robbed every ship sailing the Atlantic. Hell! ye would even rob yer poor old mum ye ruthless Cod. Why the regret now?" Will stepped up behind them.

"Yeah well, none of those souls is me poor lass, Tempest. I feel a pain in my chest about this."

"T'is just the rancid water sitting in yer guts ye bloke. That's what has ye in such a fankle." Will slapped him on the back.

A snort of laughter rose from his men behind him. Justin swung around and hissed them all into silence.

His gaze studied the lit windows of the Mansion giving him a glimpse of what lay beyond the square encasements. A world of finery.

A world that would never accept the bastard son of an Earl. But he was long gone now; leaving only a mask and a taste for revenge. In his place was a deadly pirate.

Lady Charlotte Winstead saw to that, and in the wake of her devious nature, her daughter finalized the deed by killing his spirit as if she herself cut it out.

He can now afford to yield to his crueler impulses with no remorse. All because of the girl that had left him with nothing to lose.

His numb fingers curled around the butt of his pistol. He gave the signal and 10 more dark shapes joined them as they vaulted over the nearby wall breaching the entrance to the garden. He smiled coldly.

*******

Tempest stood off to the unpopulated area of the ballroom. Foreboding settled in the pit of her stomach as she stood there watching the happy couple dance.

Her gaze landed on dazzling smiles and sparkling eyes of those nearby.

"We could be just like them you know," Haines whispered at her side.

She swallowed hard on the bitter retort but it was too late.

" I highly doubt it."

"Ever the reluctant one are we not?" he chuckled softly.

Her jaw clenched as she continue to look forward.

" I want to go home," she said.

"Why?" he turned his head to look down at her. " To sulk?" he grinned.

" I would rather sulk in solitude than parade around in public with you." she's hissed.

He barely blinked. Ignoring her icy gaze, he took her arm.

"Care to dance, wife?" he pulled her along towards the middle of the dance floor not really giving her a chance to refuse.

He inhaled deeply the mouth-watering scent of her skin. Roses and Vanilla.

Well aware of his own desire to leave and continue where he left off with her.

His fingers itched as they gently held her rigidly close. Each step was measured and intense as he swirled around with the cold Beauty in his arms. The was not a glance or acknowledgment from her part as she floated gracefully along following his lead.

"How long do you think this will last?" he murmured looking down at her.

" I don't know what you mean," she responded dryly. His jaw clenched with her response.

"Your disdain and coldness, wife," he hissed. She blinked refusing to look at him.

"You chose this loveless marriage. you knew that I don't love you nor will I ever."

"Because you love that bastard of a pirate?" he spat.

The shift in her gaze and her faltering steps egged him on.

"You prefer to have that penniless scum of the sea in your bed?" he tightened his grip on her.

"This is not the proper place for this," she replied in a composed tone.

"I beg to differ my love. These are the most words you have said to me since our marriage," he tightened his grip and spun her around.

"As happy as that makes me hear..." she looked everywhere but at him. "I wish to leave."

As quickly as she said those words, the music came to an end. With all the chatter around them, he pulled her close.

"Know this. I can only take so much of your rejection. We are married like it or not and I will not tolerate your coldness any longer," his words were edged with steel.

"You will come to my bed willing or not."

"Never!" she murmured.

"You will," he tightened his grip. "If you know what is good for you, your child, and your precious pirate. You will." he meant each word.

She almost refuted him but said nothing. He let her go and slowly she stepped away. The strains of another cord drifted across the room unbearably sweet and melancholic. She dreaded another dance with him. With a mocking curtsy, she left him standing there and disappeared past the terrace doors.

********

With years of practice, Justin along with his crew maneuvered their way into the ballroom with pistols and Cutlass's is drawn. A shrill scream startled the musicians and the music into dead silence as 30 burley, faceless men spilled into the ballroom.

"This is a robbery," Justin called out waving his pistol towards the distinguished gentleman at his side.

"Drop your weapons, gentleman," he ordered.

The sudden clatter of canes and scabbards fell at his feet.

"My men are ruthless and very impatient your cooperation will be much appreciated.... and your generous donations as well," he said.

His gaze landed on each pale-faced person in the room in search of that one person. His quick perusal did not find her but landed briefly on Haines.

Moving with sacks open from one group to the next, he watched as the women tensely threw their Jewels into the bags and how one of them crumpled into her husband's arms as Big John brutishly yanked her pearls from her neck.

Heirlooms of every type were dropped into the bags with hesitation as his men finally made their full way around the room but still there was no sign of her.

The men stood with impotent fury watching the crew gingerly jingle the sacks as they made their way towards Justin.

He prayed that the men stayed where they were and did not fancy themselves, heroes. He did not want to shoot anyone tonight.

Haine's most definitely. But his time will come. He was here for another matter. For someone else.

The memories of the treacherous beauty gutted him that he forced his mind to focus on the present. It wasn't until the willowy shadow at the corner of his eyes caught him and the white doors to the terrace shut and Tempest slowly stepped into the robbery.

Time stopped.

"Sweet Christ!" Bellamy grumbled with dread watching his captain face her and watching her step closer as she unwittingly walked into danger.

Had his gun been cocked, Justin would have shot himself in the foot the way his fingers convulsively squeezed the trigger the way he was mesmerized by her.

With frailty and grace, he watched her stop and peer around the room.

It was only then that she noticed the masked men with sacks and frozen guests.

He took slow measured steps towards her. The elusive creature of his dreams that blossomed in his absence stood still. He kept coming until he stopped leaving mare inches between them.

The heat of her body was palpable at best. He said nothing as she stood before him. She stared at his chest fearful of meeting his gaze.

His senses reeled with her closeness. He can smell the unforgettable scent of her skin and taste the sweetness of her in her memories it was driving him to the brink of madness.

His chest rose and fell and his fingers trembled as he raised them and gently glided them down her cheek. His gentleness baffled her.

Then roughly he cupped her nape and drew her closer.

Their eyes clashed and it was then the world around them narrow to just her and this savage pirate before her.

Chaos broke out around them as a scuffle began and his men pinned down Haines.

"Don't touch her!" he yelled.

Justin barely glanced at the man struggling beneath Big John.

He couldn't resist the temptation of pulling her closer.

Mesmerized by the masked stranger she focused on the deep blue eyes behind it.

And she gasped. She trembled not out of fear but in shock.

Familiar eyes held hers in careful heated assessment.

"Don't worry Lieutenant," he said snatching her close against him.

The crowd gasped.

" I found what I came for," fear flooded through her veins as he signaled for one of his men to come closer.

"Take her."

With flailing arms and limbs, she shrieked as one of the men tossed her over his shoulders.

Then with that, his men darted out the ballroom doors and they were gone.

I hope you like it.

I have no clue when the next update will be as I am slammed with orders. Believe me, if I had the exposure from the shares it will improve things but until then I have to work.