Page 3 of Her Dark Seduction
My husband laughed again, then changed the subject. He spoke to his servant conversationally, almost casually, as if I was no longer in the room.
“You did well in brokering the purchase of the mare. I trust you’ll have no difficulty finding a stallion to stud her for me. There ought to be plenty among the stables, but you need to find one with an acceptable bloodline, who will not whinny too loudly over the deed.”
“Aye, my lord. I shall visit the stables directly.”
Sawford’s voice was low, a deep rumble that reverberated from his chest, and it made me shiver. The knife caught the candlelight again and to my horror, he drew the blade along his arm, keeping his eyes trained on me as he cut. I heard him curse as he looked down. A deep gash ran along his forearm and the blood was already running down in rivulets. He held out his arm and scarlet droplets scattered onto the tattered remnants of my gown. He picked up the pieces of fabric, rubbed them along his arm and stained the shreds of silk. My husband drew back the fur and Sawford walked to the bed, then held his arm over it, letting the drips fall onto the white linen.
“Good, very good.” My husband’s voice was thick and hoarse as he nodded his approval. “And now deal with my wife.”
The servant moved to stand behind me once more. The fingers which only moments ago had brushed against me almost in a caress now curled painfully around my arm as he pulled my naked form toward him. I lost my balance and fell against his muscular body. Drawing me to him, he bent his head, pressing his face against my hair. The heat from his breath seeped through to my skin, heightening the sensitive spot at the base of my neck. Then a fur was placed round my shoulders with a gentle touch before he gripped my arm again and forced me out into the passageway. The fall in temperature was unexpected. I pinched my lips together but could not control my body’s reaction and started to tremble.
“Draw the fur close around you. ’Tis a cold night. Do you wish for another?” His voice was a whisper, his breath forming a faint mist. His closeness was unsettling, and I said nothing.
“I would have an answer.”
I kept my voice firm and steady to disguise my discomfort. “I am not answerable to a serf.”
At that, he increased his pace and the sound of his boots clomping echoed through the passageway as he dragged me along with him. Eventually, we came to a dark wooden door, and he opened it. It was the room where my maid Harwyn had prepared me for my wedding night before leading me to the solar; my bridal gown was still folded over the chair where she had left it.
Sawford pushed me through the door, then turned me to face him. Standing tall, dressed almost completely in black, he was an imposing figure who was obviously trying to intimidate me as punishment for my earlier words.
I set my jaw into a hard line and tipped my head up to look at him, determined not to give him the satisfaction of witnessing his success. His eyes met mine, the blue as sharp as a winter’s sky, and he continued to stare at me as if trying to read my soul. I stuck my chin out and used my well-rehearsed tone of contempt before stepping back and waving a dismissive hand at him as if attempting to swat a fly.
“A servant has no business in a lady’s room.”
The flicker of anger in his eyes disappeared almost as soon as I saw it forming and without warning, he pulled me to him and crushed my mouth with his own. He grasped my hair with his free hand, forcing my head back to receive his kiss while his lips moved over mine.
He splayed his hand across my back and moved it lower to caress and squeeze my buttocks. I let out a cry at the shock of his touch, and he thrust his tongue through my parted lips. He invaded my mouth, running his tongue along my teeth and curling it around my own, a velvety soft weapon teasing, probing, and assaulting my senses. He leaned forward, supporting my weight as I was bent backward, and I became aware of his hardness against my belly.
The fur slipped from my shoulders and fell to the floor ,and he gave a low growl and moved his free hand to my chest. I felt my nipples tighten, as he brushed across them to lightly cup my breast, and a wetness began to pool between my thighs. He teased my nipple with his fingers while he continued to kiss me; then he moved his hand away. With a whimper, I pressed myself back against him, not wanting his touch to end.
He lifted his hand to my face, caressing my mouth with his thumb as he had done earlier with his lips, but this time his touch was tender. I closed my eyes and parted my lips, and he ran his thumb across my bottom lip before pushing it gently inside my mouth. Instinctively, I drew it in and began curling my tongue around, feeling the edge of his fingernail. He tasted of the honeyed figs I adored, which I’d been too unsettled to eat at the wedding feast. I relished that taste now and gave a little sigh as I found more sweetness.
Abruptly, he pulled away, his lips curling into the sneer he’d worn that morning. I flushed with shame at my wanton reaction, which had angered him so much. I wanted to chastise him for dishonoring me but did not trust myself to speak.
As if he knew my thoughts, he gave a dark laugh. “Scratch the surface of any woman and you find the whore within.”
“I am no whore,” I retorted. “I am your mistress and you have no right to—”
He silenced me again with his mouth, sending a fresh assault of sensations to my center as he palmed my breast. I pulled away, but not before my chest tightened with that same exquisite feeling.
“Your body betrays you,cherie. Mayhap the goods are not as unsullied as your father would have us believe.”
His words made no sense, but I flushed at my reaction to his closeness.The silence hung between us until I lifted my head and gave him a look of contempt.
Sawford made no move to kiss me again, but released me from his embrace and merely gave a small sound of derision before stepping from the room and slamming the door in my face. His quick, heavy footsteps faded into the distance.
I stepped back until I felt the bed against the back of my legs and sank down on the mattress, the bed ropes creaking. I was free from Papa, but my new cage harbored new horrors. Unobserved I was able to let the mask slip, unlocking the tears which slid down my cheeks in silence.
