by Marie Hall
He was quiet for so long Io began to question her confidence she'd not find herself locked away in a cell too small even as a child she could not stand or move and that she'd be left to die. Maybe Xavier wouldn't send her, but maybe now he understood he might not always be around to stop another from discarding her.
"I think, dear wife, that I and these fine men which serve me are going to remain quiet engaged long after we have seen the last traitor in this house swing."
Io lifted up and sat back to look her husband in the eye. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, I did forget I intended to burn down every house which hosted you and yet maltreated you while you were in their care. But you have well enough reminded me, and I will start with that unholy convent which haunts you to this day. I will see that building in ruin and ashes before anyone could find any reason or way to set you back inside such a hell."
She didn't know whether to laugh or cry at his words and the commitment in them, so she did both. Giving over to the joy of feeling safe and cared for, Io let laughter win and she held on to this man who made her feel as she'd never felt with anyone.
"My sweet love," he whispered. "You are safe with me, always. And I will always come for you if you are not with me."
"I know, Xavier."
Chapter 13
Io cleared her throat twice, but the hall was loud with the kind of commotion once more common. Xavier knew she'd made an effort to have this room finished first. He'd not known she'd planned to hold a meal here, though, before he'd thrashed her so soundly.
She sat in his lap, giggling, when Kate knocked and announced the meal was ready to be served. Personally, he wasn't inclined to leave the privacy or share his wife's attentions. He wanted to keep the door closed and the world out and savor the victory in full. And it was a victory. Not as sweet, that it began with the thrashing, but ever so worth the end result. He'd not misjudged Io, not fallen short of meeting her needs as he'd so often in the past. And he'd broken down that wall she kept between them. The one she'd hide behind whenever she believed her needs and wants would make her undesirable. Io's fears and misgivings wouldn't again be used to drive a wedge between them. He believed, as sure as he did the sun would rise, Io would come to him, speak out, ask for help or understanding even if she feared doing so. He knew too, if he continued to encourage her coming to him, she'd no longer fear the act.
He watched her squirm on the chair and heard her try to gain the attentions of those in the hall. The failure put a look of discontent on her face. But Xavier wasn't the only one to notice. To his right, Gerald began to bang his fist on the table. The sound was enough to quiet the hall.
"Lady Io has something to say," the man said.
Io flushed deep red at the announcement. She didn't mind speaking out, but she hated being called out. She cleared her throat one more time and pushed back the chair before standing. All noise stopped at that moment.
"I wanted to say something… two things. First, I am so very pleased we are all gathered here again as we should be. I can think of nothing more pleasant than to be with all of you again. I do not want to ever be gone from here or you."
The cheers and laughter following her words should have brought down the roof. Io tucked her chin and bit down on her lip. Xavier took that moment to reach out and take her hand in his. Bringing it to his lips, so she knew he, too, was thrilled by her statement. She glanced at him, smiled softly then looked back out over the hall.
It took a moment for the people to settle but even when they'd gone quiet, she hesitated. Xavier was about to say something to encourage her, but with a deep breath, she began. "I wanted to say as well, I do sincerely apologize for my horrible displays these last few days. I do not want any of you to think I do not care for your feelings or appreciate the work you do every day to make life here good. I have not been myself of late, but I promise I will do better to remember you are not deserving of poor temper or disrespecting words. I will be the mistress you deserve."
Silence remained and Xavier could see Io growing more uncomfortable. It was important to her these people should not only accept her but want her. Not that it mattered to him. He'd empty the whole of the house and leave only her if that was how it needed to be.
"My lord?" Xavier looked up to see Simon standing up and stepping from behind the table where he sat. "If I may speak," he asked and Xavier nodded his consent, then held his breath at what the man might say. It'd take very little to hurt Io's feeling right now. The man cleared his throat and pulled back his shoulders. "My lord, my lady. I do only speak for myself when I say I could find no greater honor than to serve this house, no greater happiness than to serve you. There is no other I respect more. Never in all my life have I known a man to be as blessed as I to be in a house ruled by so generous, caring and devoted a mistress. I could want for no other to call my lady and I will go to the grave thankful for the privilege of having served you. No matter how horrible or poor of temper you think yourself to have, I will never see anything but the kind and beautiful lady you are." He lifted his cup then and held it out to Io. "To Lady Io, God keep her and love her as I do."
From somewhere a shout went up. "As we do." And with that, every man lifted his own cup.
Xavier didn't know if she was stunned or simply didn't know the protocol for such an act. He leaned over and whispered softly, "Lift your cup to them."
"Oh," she gasped then giggled and picked up her drink held it out then brought it to her lips. Again that the roof held was shocking for the roar that went up. Xavier waited for her to set her drink down and start to take her seat before he leaned back and pulled her into his lap. She tipped back a little too far, caught off guard but he caught her and righted her with a good laugh. "Xavier?" She tried twice to get up but he kept her place. "This is not how a lady should…"
"I am not wed to a lady, now am I?" he countered and wrapped his arms around her. "No, not at all. I am wed to a goddess, and I am also lord here, so I can do as I wish."
She leaned away a bit then gave him a saucy smile. "Now why do I not believe you wish only to sit me in your lap?"
"I cannot say. Maybe because you do not know the extent of my appetite?" he teased back.
She laughed and took up a hunk of bread, tore off a piece and held it to his lips. "Best you eat then, my lord. I should hate for hunger to get in the way of your … appetite."
"Vulgar, brash and…" he was cut off when she shoved the food in his mouth then covered his lips with her own.
"Eat, sir, you might yet have need of your strength."
"Unseemly, simply unseemly," he muttered then joined her in laughter.
Xavier shook his head and tried to dislodge the smile as he pushed open the door to the chamber. Tonight the hall felt like home. He knew he wasn't the only man smiling tonight for Io being back. For the love of heaven, men were still sitting at the tables talking and laughing.
Io's words rang true when she spoke about not wanting to leave and how she felt about all the people. He'd heard it and so had they. He did suspect on the morrow he'd hear news about any who were anything less than pleased by what she said or even what Simon said following. But tonight it couldn't matter in the least. Tonight his wife was home, and she was obvious in her pleasure at being so.
Xavier hadn't really thought about how knowing that would bring him so much relief. But thinking on it, he might have wanted to be concerned. It was all well and good his wife wanted to be with him. But wanting to be with him in this house was different. For a long time, she'd not felt she'd a place or a reason to be here. Add someone tried to end her life on more than one occasion, and he'd not have been able to fault her if she didn't wish to live here.
Tonight, when she stood up at the table and made her proclamation, when she raised her cup in toast of the honors given to her as lady, when she embraced her place here publicly, Xavier couldn't begin to contain his joy. Io was here to stay. Nothing would remove her from her home. She'd fight to stay.
And she'd win.
Stepping into the room, he quietly shut the door behind him and allowed his eyes to grow accustomed to the darkness. Only the glow from the hearth cast any light. He took a cautious step towards the chair.
"Xavier?" Io called from that very chair.
"You are not abed yet?" He stepped closer. Seeing her kneeling not sitting. "I thought you to be asleep already as long as the men kept at me with your praise," he teased as he stepped before her. She'd left for bed nearly two hours ago. "Come." He reached for her and pulled her out of the seat. "Get to bed. I was hoping for it to be already warmed by you." Pulling her flush against him he ran his hands up and down her back. "Now I will have to get into a cold bed." He grumbled good naturedly. Io giggled and pressed into him.
"I am certain we can find a way to warm it."
"I am indeed a blessed man," he said, then let his palm slide down further. Io's pained yelp startled him.
"Ooo, Xavier, have care," she pouted and reached back, grabbing his hand and setting it at the small of her back. "You were not nice to me this time."
"I tried to be nice, you were being a scold." He heard her growl and felt her fist strike his shoulder. "Are you still sore?"
"Yes." She cuddled against him even as she made the complaint.
Setting her away, he bent and kissed her cheek, "Get in bed," he said then stepped around her.
"Xavier. No, please," Io cried out, and grabbing his arm, wrapped both of hers around it. "Please do not go. I… deserved your ire, but I am reformed. Stay please."
His laughter almost took him to the floor. "Reformed?" he managed to get out as he gasped for breath. "Have mercy, Io." He grabbed her around the waist, lifted and then spun around. "You will never be reformed." He laughed, setting down closer to the bed before taking her face between his hands and dropping a hard kiss on her mouth. "I should never want you to be, get in bed. I will be back." He heard her make a sound of displeasure as he went out the door.
A few minutes later, he was back inside with the small vile he'd gone after. His eyes adjusted faster and he made out Io's form on the bed. She was lying face down but lifted up and turned to face him as he came towards her.
"You should hurry, Xavier, the bed isn't warm enough with only me."
He couldn't see in the dim light, but he was sure she wore a saucy smile to go with that come hither voice. Clutching the vile, he made his way to the chair and sat down. "Should I add another log to the fire for you?" he asked, bending to unlace his boots. The small pillow hit the top of his head and Io's thrashing and muttering brought back his laughter in full. He made quick work of stripping down and crossing to the bed.
"You are not being nice, Xavier," she complained, rolling to her side to face him as he lifted the covers and slid in beside her.
"I am not nice," he growled and pulled her against him. "But I am very good."
"Are you?" Her hand smoothed down his arm then over his hip and dropped to his groin. "Humm, are you going to be good with this?" she asked, taking his cock in her fist and squeezing.
"I am, but," he reluctantly removed her hand, "first I must see what level of reform you have reached." With a growl, he rolled her face down. A moment more, he was straddling her back. She made no struggle, her only protest came when his weight pressed down on her arse, but that was little more than a moan.
Pushing her hair aside, he bent and pressed his lips to her neck. "Are you warming now?" he asked taking a bit of skin between his teeth.
She sighed, almost in that put upon way she did. "Not yet."
"No?"
"I am less warm… lower. Perhaps you should put your mouth there."
The bold statement went straight from his ears to his cock which jumped and throbbed. "Let us see what temperature I might find…" He slipped his body further back until he sat over her legs. It annoyed him that she wore a shift to bed, but he knew from her maids she did because she didn't want to be forced to run away naked if she felt a need to run. It gave her a sense of security he'd not dissuade her of. Setting both hands on the back of her thighs he slid them upward bunching the material as he went. "You seem rather warm to me," he whispered. She spread her legs as much as she could with his on either side it was not much, but enough he could trail his fingers along the inside. "As a matter of fact, you feel as if you burn." His fingers brushed her sex, and with a moan, she arched her back and lifted to his touch. He didn't make her wait, placing two thick fingers at her entrance, he eased in.
Io's ragged moan boarded on animalistic, and she didn't wait for any action on his part. She dropped down and then came back. Impaling herself with his fingers, she continued to work towards release. "You will get there faster if you play with yourself," he told her sitting back a little to watch.
"Of course, you leave me to all the work," she huffed but shifted her weight to one shoulder and reached under. Between her legs, under his own hand Xavier could see her flicking, rubbing and pinching her clit.
Her cunny grew hotter and wetter with every sway of her body. Xavier watched a moment more then rose up to kneel behind and a little to the side of her. Wrapping one arm around her waist, he brought her motions to a halt. "Never let it be said I would make a lady do all the work." He drew out his fingers to the very tips then rammed them back in. Io cried out, but as he drew back a second time, she matched his motion as much as his grip allowed. He came back in firmly, and Io's breathing changed to pants.
Reaching a bit, the hand holding her found her fingers, still on her sex. Pushing them out of the way, his strong fingers settled on the swollen nub and began to rub hard circles. Io cried out again and pulled away, which caused his fingers working her wet channel to sink deeper. Io's body jerked. First trying to close against him as the sensation must have grown faster than she expected. But then with a second jerk, which synced their movements. She wasn't long for release, and when it came, she turned her head into the bedding and screamed as her juices coated his hand.
"I see very little reform, my lady," he teased, shifting to again straddle the back of her legs and reaching to the floor for the vile he set there. "I think maybe I should try something different." He pushed the hem of the shift up to her back and tucked the edges under so they wouldn't slide back, then pulled the cork.
"Xavier?" she called and looked back over her shoulder at him.
"Lie down and hush," he told her, spilling a bit of the scented oil into his palm. He wedged the vile between her smooth thighs and rubbed his hands together before setting them gently on the highest part of her seat. "Let us see what being nice might accomplish."
He set about caressing the flesh he battered not long ago. Alternating between gentle rubs and squeezing to more firm strokes and clutching, stopping every so often to add more oil to her skin. He used Io's moans and gasps, even her pained squeaks, to direct the level of strength, pressure and speed until he couldn't detect any difference even when he swept over a spot where bruising discolored the otherwise white skin.
"Lie still, Io," he said when she began to lift her hips to meet his touch. "Or I will stop being so… nice." He let his thumbs fall between the twin mounds and worked them open enough the small opening there came into view. "So pretty," he muttered, holding the flesh apart with one hand as his fingers on the other trailed down that valley.
Io's groaned and started to lift towards his touch, but he pulled both hands away the moment she did. He heard her gasp in displeasure and chuckled.
"Lie still," he warned, lifting the small bottle and tipping it so a drizzle fell at the very top of the cleft. He let the liquid get a little ahead then followed it with his finger right to the opening. Again Io gasped, but she remained still. Swirling his finger over the puckered skin, he poured a more liberal amount of lubricant. Catching up a little on his finger, he gently pushed in until the tip of his finger was swallowed. Io's whole body shuddered at the touch.
More pressure sunk him as deep as the first knuckle, and Io balled her fi
sts in the bedding as she fought not to move. Sliding back, he pulled his finger out, lined a second next to it, added the oil directly to them and then set them back at the entrance. Io instinctually bore down, and his digits eased in without resistance. Beneath him, Io's legs kicked against the bed and her hips ground down.
"Please, Xavier," she growled out between pants.
"Please what, Scold?" he asked, sliding his fingers out to the tips and then in up to the third knuckle. He worked her to the point he knew his final entry would be nothing but pleasurable, then moved and arranged her on all fours. "This?" he asked, aligning the head of his cock with the ready hole he was about to plunder.
"Yes, Xavier," she breathed and tried to push back.
"Io?" he called then called again when she didn't respond. "Io?" he caught her eyes and held them when she looked back over her shoulder at him. "Should I be nice?"
"No," she said with a shake of her head. "No, do not be nice." She again faced front, and taking a firm grip on her hips, he pushed forward hard. She cried out sharply but came back further of her own will until he was fully seated in her arse.
"No more nice, my lady," he said as the sensation of her body clutching his shaft rippled through him with the force and danger of a lightning strike. How such pleasure didn't kill, he didn't know. All he knew was Io was the only woman who created this for him. Taking a solid hold of her hips, he rocked her forward as he flexed back then pulled her back hard again impaling her on his length. Her scream ended on a ragged and wild moan. Again, he pushed her off until only the head remained, and again, he pulled her back, her arse flush with his groin. She gasped for breath and sweat broke out on her skin. When he made to thrust her forward again, she added her own force to the move, and it was all her when she came back on him. He could smell the wild musky scent coming from her. It mixed perfectly with the smell of lavender coming off her skin. It was an odor he'd know as only hers, and he'd know it singularly from any other.
