Chapter Fifty One

He spoke with authority and everything stopped,

‘Juliette, you agreed to come with me, and you enjoyed last night, so what is this all about?’

Carlotta felt her young friend trembling as she leaned against her but she was made of strong stuff,

‘I did not enjoy last night. You drugged me and raped me.’

Her beautiful eyes blazed as she looked straight at him she could still feel the drug in her bloodstream and when he said softly

‘Don’t be ridiculous Juliette, now come here to me. Do as you are told, we are leaving.’

Carlotta felt her stiffen and watched her fight her body's need to obey him,

‘Be a good girl, you know you want to’

He cajoled her and held out his hand, Juliette clenched her fists but her hand still went out as if to take his with a growl of anger she pulled herself back,

‘No, I will not go with you. How dare you use me like this, you are a rapist’

There was a loud gasp from the other guests and crew and his face darkened in anger,

‘You forget you are on my ship and I give the orders. Captain detain this young lady and her friend in the Brig a little time alone will make them see sense.’

Juliette stood tall,

‘Are you going to be complicit in what he has done to me? You know me, I have been honest with you from the day I boarded this yacht’

Carlotta held her hand and squeezed it,

‘Let us leave on the boat and that will be an end to it’

She tugged her friend's hand and took a couple of steps towards the back of the yacht,

‘Captain I gave you a direct order’

The Prince glared at his crew member but the man remembered her kindness, one of his crew had been given some bad news and desperately needed to go to his family. The Prince had been indifferent and his advisors had told him there was nothing he could do anyway so he should go back to work.  Juliette had stepped in, and without being asked she had arranged for a boat to meet the yacht and take the crew member ashore. She had also arranged transport for him to his home, which was paid for out of her own pocket. He had arrived to say his farewells to his dying Mother and she had even sent flowers to the funeral. Another time she overheard one of the crew berating himself for forgetting an Anniversary saying his wife would be so angry with him. He had meant to get her a present at their last destination but had been made to work due to a problem on board. Juliette had taken him to one side and asked why he did not use the internet and was shocked to find they were not allowed access to it by the Prince’s orders while he was on board. She promptly pulled out her mobile and asked if his wife liked flowers when he nodded she showed him the largest bouquet of beautiful colourful flowers she could find,

‘Will she like these?’

He had nodded dumbly,

‘I cannot afford those’

He stuttered and she beamed at him,

‘That’s okay I can’

She had asked for his address and sent the flowers and the man had almost cried at her generosity,

‘Thank you’

He said humble and grateful for what she had done, his wife had been thrilled as he told her the story and she had thanked Juliette too explaining that it was not the first time her man’s leave had been cancelled at the last minute without warning.

Now the Captain walked forward and took Juliette’s hand,

‘The young lady and her friend are free to leave my ship for the mainland Your Highness’

He led her to the boat and ordered its crew to take her across to the mainland helping her to step down into it.

As its engine started she turned to look at him knowing he would lose his job for defying orders,

‘Thank you’

She told him and he nodded,

‘You are very welcome Miss’

He threw the tie rope at the sailor waiting for it and the small boat pulled away and headed for the mainland,

‘Well that was not the kind of adventure I was expecting’

Carlotta sat back and looked at Juliette

‘Can we just forget it and go home?’

She replied softly but back at her villa she felt restless she knew Romero would want explanations but she was not ready to face him. So without telling either of them, she spent one night in her own bed and the next day she flew to Chicago to get away from them all.

Carlotta’s friends welcomed her, she was invited to stay at each of their homes and they threw dinner parties and afternoon soirees to entertain her. They did not need much excuse to dress up and drink champagne and they noticed Juliette was different, she wasn’t the innocent teenager they had first met.  Carlotta was hurt by her actions when she called her the day after she arrived one of the ‘friends’ had been delighted to inform her that her young accomplice had arrived un-chaperoned.

‘Why did you not tell me?’

She asked directly and Juliette was equally direct,

‘I needed some time to just be me’

‘I would have helped you’

Juliette could hear the hurt in her voice and she sought to placate her,

‘I’m sorry, I acted on impulse, I just had to get away by myself’

Carlotta’s voice was brittle,

‘I’m just sorry you could not confide in me’

Juliette felt guilty and her eyes filled with tears,

‘Please don’t be angry with me’

The older woman sighed,

‘I can be there in a few days, do you want me to come over?’

Juliette hesitated and then said,

‘Come in a week, I just need a little time alone, is that okay?’

Carlotta agreed, and Juliette ended the call as Margo, the woman she was staying with, strode into the room. She was a stunning mixed-race beauty, with long, thick jet-black curls and dancing chocolate brown eyes. She had a figure men lusted after, and she made the most of it by wearing tight, accenting clothes that left little to the imagination.