Redemption |✔ BOOK THREE IN THE BLACKWOOD SERIES!

Chapter 1: MISTAKES

I took a step towards the girl who was now rubbing on the red handprints on her neck as she sat sobbing on the floor and I knelt down trying to carry her and at least have the doctor give her something for the pain and the bruises but she flinched away from my touch almost immediately. Shame washed over me.

"So your name really is Anya?" I asked her and she nodded her head silently, her eyes avoiding mine for obvious reasons. I'm sure she thought one look at me and I would be chocking her to death again.  

"Forgive me... I... I don't know what came over me. I will compensate you for all the work you have done in this palace, however, your services are no longer required here." I whispered. 

She simply nodded as she stood up, bowed her head and ran away. I had expected her to beg for her job or something of that nature, but I guess she also couldn't wait to leave the palace. I couldn't blame her, who would want to work for a maniac. What a horrible start to the day and the incident did very little to brighten my mood.

I walked back to my room, suddenly feeling like the piece of shit that I was. I would have to do something to make it up to the young maiden. I will pay her so handsomely and I will make sure she never lacks until she gets married and even after then, I will ensure her offspring also never lack. That is the least I could do. I sighed in irritation as I walked into my room, and as if my day wasn't shitty enough as it was, someone just had to make it worse.

"I have been waiting for your call" the voice rang out. I squeezed my eyes shut and pinched the bridge of my nose. 

"What are you doing here, Tasha?" I asked still not turning around to face her. 

"Do I need to knock now or ask for permission?" She asked and I almost growled at her in frustration.

I was not in the mood for this. I hadn't been in the mood for her antics or presence for quite sometime to be fair. She just seemed not to understand that what we had was purely physical. 

"You've always been required to knock, you're just a little slow and seem not to understand your place in my life" I said, this time turning around to take in her appearance and that would serve as my second mistake of the day.

The little seductress was clad in a barely there dress that left very little to the imagination. I couldn't help myself, and that seemed to be the case every time Tasha was in my presence. And to top it all off, I had woken up with an early morning boner. I'm sure this was what she had in mind when she had dressed like this before coming here. She had definitely come on mission and I was gonna let her succeed this one last time.

"You've never complained before" she said her eyes twinkling with mischieve as she ran her hands up and down her body, rubbing against the sheer fabric of her see through dress.

In no time at all, I had her pinned against the wall and my lips were on hers in a hurried kiss, and that ladies and gentlemen was mistake number three. I held the dress by the neckline and I ripped it off of her, I had zero patience left in me. I stopped the kiss and groaned when I saw that she was naked underneath. 

"You could've called me if you knew you'd missed me so badly," she said breathlessly. 

That was the thing Tasha did not understand. I did not call her because I was not interested in her like that. When she was not around me, I did not crave nor miss her. It was only in cases like today, when she was near me, offering herself up, that I felt I wanted her. She was an attractive woman with a sexual appetite and prowess to die for. However I just was not interested in her for something long term. In fact, I was not sure I would ever want anything long term with another woman again. Not after Anya. I only wished for one thing from Tasha. That she would shut up and let me finish what I started, well rather what she started because I was sure as hell that we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her elaborate plan to seduce me.