Page 15 of Drowning Her

“Throw me in some water. I’ll be fine.”

I gave a subtle shake of my head. She wanted to believe that? “All right,” I said.

Later, after we had said our goodbyes to the rest of the ranchers, I took her back to the house. Once she was in the shower, I excused myself. I had work to do in the Dairy Barn, some livestock orders I didn’t need her help with.

By the time I got back, it was dark, well into the night. My boots crunched against the floor. Maisie, like a restless ghost, stood in the doorway to the kitchen like she had that morning, waiting for me.

“You didn’t join me in the shower,” she said. I went past her. I had barely touched her since our kiss at the ceremony; why would I have taken a shower with her?

I went to the master bathroom, closing the door behind me. She was smart enough; she had to pick up those signals. I showered, then toweled myself off, leaving it wrapped around my waist, my chest exposed.

Once again, she stood in the doorframe, her arms crossed, her eyes focused on me.

“Where were you?” she asked.

I didn’t have to answer that.

“I amyour wife,” she said. “Arranged marriage or not, I deserve respect.”

What did she know about respect? “I was working,” I said.

“Working? You said ‘goodnight’ to the ranchers.Weboth did.” She shook her head. “You weren’t working. That’s bullshit.”

I studied her with sudden focus. Such anger from someone so tiny. Why did she care?

“I saw you wash your hands,” she said, nodding towards the drop of blood on my fist. “Is it from the animals? The equipment or something?”

I wasn’t going to answer that.

“You’re cheating on me,” she gasped.

I relaxed my shoulders. I almost wanted to toy with her. How could she feel possessive when we shared nothing, not even the same bed?

Instead, I said nothing, feeding into her paranoia as she stewed.

“That’s why you married me, isn’t it?” she asked, stomping one foot on the ground. “You’re protecting someone. You’re not supposed to be in love with her, but you are. And I’m your cover-up.” She stepped closer. “If that’s the truth, then you need to tell me. I don’t care what’s going on with you. But I can help you, if you help me.”

She wasn’t jealous, then. She wanted to switch the situation, to give herself a better advantage. Surprising. Courageous. And stupid. She had no idea what my family was capable of.

She sauntered closer still, her funky body heat coming toward me, making my dick twitch, her scent filling me. Making her so damn hard to ignore. The scent of overconfident prey. Someone ready to be cut down to size.

“I told you to wear perfume,” I said, my voice low. Anything to drown out that intoxicating scent.

“Be honest for once,” she said. “Answer the fucking question.”

Every time she spoke, she drained me. Always askingquestions. Always demanding answers. Never backing down. I admired that. But I wanted a moment of peace. She was getting paid for our marriage; wasn’t that enough to leave me alone?

I grabbed her arms, her muscles straining against me. I carried her through the door frame, back to her bedroom.

“Be careful of what you ask for,” I said.

“Answer. The. Question,” she repeated. “Where were you?”

I squeezed my grip around her arms. “Working.”

I threw her down on her king-sized bed. Ripped off her loose pajamas until she was bare before me, lying on top of the fur blanket. She grinned up at me, pleased with herself. She must have thought she had finally gotten a rise out of me. And perhaps she had. My cock swelled in my pants, proof of arousal, but anyone who had half a brain would be attracted to Maisie. Physical attraction didn’t have any value to me.

She pushed herself up, linking her arms and legs around me, but I pinned her down with my weight. I leaned over the bed, removing the cuffs from under each bedpost, binding her wrists and ankles. She writhed, moving her hips, thinking this was a sexual play. It reminded me of the first time I had seen her: so at ease with her sexuality, knowing the power she had. Over men. Overme.Even tied to a bed, she was oversexed. A filthy deviant.

---