Dalliance

Chapter Five

"I am losing my patience with you." Nicholas confessed as he jumped from his horse, leaving her to descend from hers on her own. Nearly landing on her ankle, she moved along with him as he brought her towards a clearing a few miles from the home they shared. Pushing through sharp twigs and dodging low hanging branches, they were in a section of forest that was secluded from the rest. For a moment, she looked around before hearing a dragging sound before a young man was thrown at her feet. With a gasp, she jumped back as the man begged for his life.

"Please miss...please save me!"

"What is this about?' She looked to Nicholas who took his dagger from his side before circling the man.

"I am sure you know I am a very tricky man. People believe I am...daft...or completely idiotic...but they forget of my power. You underestimate just how far I will go for you..."

"You are doing this out of love?"

"Out of fear of losing you. I will never give you up...to anyone who dare try-will suffer the same fate-" Quickly the dagger was lodged in the man's neck as blood dripped down his neck and pooled by his head as he was conscious enough to suffer impossible breaths until his death. Tears filled her eyes as Nicholas motioned his guards away.

"Every since I first laid my eyes upon you, I knew that you would be my wife." He wiped her hair from her neck as he now had her pinned against a tree-just feet from the deceased body.

"Please, Nicholas...let us go home."

"No. Dawson is there...he could hear you scream..." A smirk came over his lips. "You will scream for me." He lifted her leg to his waist as she breathed quick and sharp, almost making herself lose consciousness.

"You are not this man."

He chuckled.

"I am, my love. I am this man. The one who takes what he wants, and I do not care who stands in my way."

"I wish to be in our bed...to be with you for the first time."

"No. I am not waiting a second longer! I returned home to expect you in my bed, waiting, as I requested...and you know what happened when you denied me." For a second, she recalled the stinging on her cheek from the swipe he gave her two days prior. "I allowed myself to ease my emotions before realizing I deserve this. If you did not want to bed me, you would not have married me, so you brought this upon yourself."

"I will not deny you, but I beg not here...someone could see...could you allow me my decency?"

He glared.

"I am not in the mood to negotiate. You will be mine...at this moment. Otherwise Dawson's head will be separated from his body by dinner....it is your choice of course...your decency...or Dawson?"

Taking in the moment, she let out a shaky exhale before he smiled.

"I am so glad we could come to an agreement." He pulled his pants from his body before forcing himself between her legs as she let out a wince. Not caring of the pain he caused her, he forced himself deeper until she could take no more and cried out in pain. Something he mistook for pleasure. Tears poured down her cheeks as it felt like an eternity until he withdrew himself. Upon doing so, she could feel blood on her thighs as he smirked.

"Nothing greater than a woman untouched..." Wiping his lip, he moved back towards his horse before leaving her in shock. "I will have my men fetch you if you are not back within the hour. And I do intend on us being together each night, my dear. It will not always be so painful."

Each word he spoke fueled her anger deeper and deeper until nothing was left but tears. When he had left her alone, she fell to the ground and moved towards the man where she removed the dagger from his neck.