- Because of the scars. - I rolled my eyes.
- What scars? - Bruce asked.
- A whip. - I grunted by closing my fists. - Aideen said it was a beating that Ravenna had given her and that it was because of the man she had slept with.
Bruce was silent for a moment.
- That complicates things a little.
- You see! - I fired a punch at the table. - She didn't even want to deny that she was in love with someone else and, besides everything, she was sarcastic with me.
- Did she say that she loved someone else or that she had been beaten because she had lost her virginity?
- He just said he took the beating. Why is that?
Bruce had a laugh.
- What was Ravenna's reaction to all this?
- Weird.
- Weird how?
I shrugged my shoulders and frowned.
- She was angry when she said she wouldn't return Aideen. - I explained. - Not even the fact that she could keep the dowry undone the impression that she preferred her daughter back.
- Why would Ravenna want her daughter back stained?
- That's the part I can't explain. - said thoughtful. - My father wouldn't want me married to Aideen and force me to marry Annabel.
We remained silent for a few moments, until Bruce stood up.
- I'll do what you ask and leave for Inverness tonight. - he declared determined. - Only you'll have to promise me you won't do anything thoughtless with Aideen until I get back.
- Why shouldn't I? - I fired hard. - I promised she'd pay me for cheating on me, and that's what I'll do.
- Watch your judgment, Alistair! - Bruce said. - We don't know what we'll find in Inverness. I don't want you to regret it later.
- I won't regret it!
- You say so. Just don't come complaining later.
Bruce winked at me with his sarcastic and annoying smile, then left the library. I looked in the direction of the door. I watched the wood as I ruminated his words. I hated it when Bruce talked like that, but I used to listen to his suggestions.
But not this time! This time I was inclined to follow my instincts and they said that Aideen had to suffer.
Try to concentrate on the various letters I had to answer, but soon the thought wandered until a few hours that morning, where I almost got lost on the lips of a little redhead. The soft skin of his body and the soft and shy touch of his hands on my skin, soon populated my thoughts. I could still hear her breathless breath when I penetrated her and led Aideen into an unpremeditated ecstasy. Even though it was quick, I couldn't say it wasn't good. A heat took over my whole body and I lost focus on what I was doing.
- Damn it! - I grunted, stood up and walked to the door. - Now I need a long, cold bath.
Chapter 10
Aideen
The gentle rubbing on the skin of my face made me open my eyes. I ran into big blue eyes staring at me with lust. Before I could even scream or react in any way, Alistair covered my lips. I tried to push him and struggled, but again my body betrayed me and I was attracted by the warmth of his skin as it had been before.
After that morning when he possessed me and then left the room, I felt deeply lonely. None of the beatings I had taken from my mother had been as painful as the hostile look he gave me. It left me with a feeling of emptiness. The pain I felt wasn't as bad as the first time, even because Alistair was kind, and the bad feeling became so good that I wanted more. I didn't know it could be this way. The bad part was when he confessed he was the lover of that cruel girl. Rose hated me and now I knew the reason. She loved Alistair. I just didn't know if the feeling was mutual.
I had spent all day in my room and I just didn't feel alone because of Elaine's company. She was 15, but she was very smart. According to her, Alistair had asked her to be my maid of company. I was grateful to have the company of someone who would talk the same way I talked to my sister. When she said she was Rose's sister, I feared it would be as covert as it was, but I found out I was very much mistaken. She spent the whole day talking to me and I felt like I'd won a friend.
- No! - I whispered when I felt Alistair's hands squeeze my buttocks against her pelvis. I knew he was about to penetrate me.
- Yes! - He returned it with a whisper. - Dude, remember? You'll do what I want, when I want you to.
His words hurt deep in my chest. Once again he reminded me that I was nothing but an object. Without the strength to stop him, I let Alistair penetrate me. I tried not to feel static, but my body betrayed me and we reached the summit together. Alistair kept me hugging him until we caught our breath. It made the void return to my body. In silence, he rose up from the bed and walked up the barrel to bathe. Then he took a blanket and lined the floor in front of the fireplace.
- Are you going to sleep on the floor? - I asked sitting on the bed.
- Yes. -
