by Sue Lyndon
Chapter Four
Outside the church windows, snow blanketed the settlement. Ally suppressed a shiver. If she was still in the forest right now, or even traveling on a road, her boots would be soaked through and she would be freezing from head to toe. Rick had been correct about the weather and her chances of survival outside Emerald, but that didn’t mean she agreed with what was about to happen.
“You look beautiful, Ally.” Rick stood with her hands in his in front of the altar, and she finally met his gaze.
The preacher was supposed to join them any second. Everything felt so unreal that she almost expected to wake up at any moment, to find herself in the bunk inside the small house she’d shared with Brent, in the godawful Raider camp.
She glanced down at her new attire. He must have gone out early this morning to find her something to wear besides his huge t-shirts, which was what she’d slept in last night. She appreciated the new, warm boots, as well as the fleece-lined tights and the long-sleeved blue dress. She couldn’t recall the last time she’d worn clean clothes. Or enjoyed a hot bath and slept in a comfy bed in a warm, safe house.
“Did you sleep well last night?” he asked.
“Yes.” She stared at his chest for a long moment, then added, “Thank you for letting me have the bed all to myself.”
He released one of her hands and cupped the side of her face, lifting her gaze to his. “We’ll be sharing the bed tonight, Ally. I do intend to consummate our marriage.” The dark intent in his deep voice made her insides quiver.
She couldn’t deny the arousal quickening between her thighs. Her heart raced faster and faster the longer he touched her. Why couldn’t she find him repulsive? Why couldn’t he be as grotesque and fucking creepy as Harold, the Raider that Brent had promised her to?
The preacher arrived and the wedding ceremony that commenced felt surreal, like an out of body experience. Ally played along. What good would refusing to repeat her portion of the vows do? If she didn’t marry Rick, she would likely be held in the jail until one of the Elders arranged for her to marry another man—and a complete stranger. Not that she didn’t consider Rick a stranger, but at least she trusted he wouldn’t hurt her. Not like Brent or Harold, anyway.
While Rick had punished her last night, and the spanking had brought her to tears, it was nothing compared to the brutal beatings Brent had unleashed on her, for the smallest of infractions. Her ribs still hurt from the last time he’d kicked her in a drunken rage, and that had happened weeks ago.
Her thoughts of life in the Raider camp faded as she stared into Rick’s oddly affectionate gaze. If they weren’t strangers and she didn’t know better, she might think he had feelings for her, the gleam in his eyes had turned so tender. His leaving her untouched last night, and the fact that he hadn’t immediately turned her over to the Elders after catching her stealing yesterday, spoke volumes toward his good character. Perhaps he wasn’t the horrible barbarian she’d accused him of being, despite that he was forcing her to become his wife. The world had changed drastically during her lifetime, and the world she’d known as a young child was never coming back.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
The conclusion of the wedding ceremony brought her out of her trance.
Holy shit. They were married now. Husband and wife.
She gazed up at Rick, wondering if he would actually kiss her, like in all the movies she’d seen as a child. You may now kiss the bride, the preacher would say, and then the groom would kiss his bride and the entire church would erupt in applause.
But the church was empty. There was no one to clap, cheer, or offer them congratulations. Her heart thudded hard in her chest, a dull ache against her bruised ribs. She gulped past the sudden dryness in her mouth.
The preacher cleared his throat. “You may now kiss your bride.”
Rick released her hands and cupped her face. The rough pads of his thumbs brushed across her cheeks. Oh, God. Time slowed as he leaned down. His warm breath fanned against her lips and put her senses into a spin.
Then he kissed her, still holding her face in his hands as he explored her mouth, delving his tongue inside and leaving her breathless. Before she could decide whether or not to return his kiss—or shove him away—he pulled back and escorted her outside into the frigid morning air.
“Congratulations!” the elderly preacher called as the door shut behind them.
This was far from the big, happy wedding she’d dreamed of as a child. She allowed Rick to keep his arm around her as they traipsed through the snow covered street that led to his brick house. On the way, they received curious stares from several passersby. This settlement was small enough that they recognized her as an outsider.
Panic started to rise in her chest. This was all happening so fast. In the blink of an eye, she’d become Rick’s wife, and now she was to spend the rest of her days here in Emerald. Would the people of this place truly accept her as one of their own, just as Rick had promised? The idea of actually belonging somewhere, to a group of people who weren’t corrupt and violent like the Raiders, made her throat constrict with emotion. She blinked rapidly to keep the tears welling in her eyes from falling, not wanting Rick to glimpse her crying directly after their wedding.
Strange, that she didn’t want him thinking she was despondent to have become his wife, and strange that she didn’t want to wound him.
“I’ll introduce you to the Elders, as well as other people in Emerald, tomorrow. This morning while you were still sleeping, I informed the Elders of your arrival and my intention to make you my wife, so they are aware of your presence here. I told them you wandered up to the settlement in search of shelter and food. The items you hid away in your jacket have been returned to the storage shed, and I found your backpack outside in the forest during my morning patrol. I placed it in a closet in our house. No one here will find out about your attempted thievery, I promise.”
Ally didn’t respond. His announcement that he planned to consummate their marriage replayed in her mind, over and over again. We’ll be sharing the bed tonight, Ally. I do intend to consummate our marriage. Her stomach flipped each time she imagined him claiming her, but a heated desire burned through her as well, leaving her confused and wishing she could have some time alone to gather her thoughts.
When they reached his home, he swept her up in his arms. She gasped and pushed at his chest.
“Put me down!”
“I believe the groom is supposed to carry his bride over the threshold, Ally.”
“The groom is also supposed to properly court his bride and ask her to marry him.” That world is gone, Ally, she reminded herself, not even a second after the flippant remark escaped her lips.
He carried her inside and kicked the door shut, then continued up the stairs without putting her down. She soon gave up fighting him. What was the point? Each time she struggled, he only tightened his hold on her.
“You said you would wait until tonight,” she whispered as he carried her into the master bedroom. “It’s still morning.”
“I said we’d be sharing the bed tonight. I never specified when we would consummate our marriage.”
He stood her up beside the bed and, to her surprise, released her and backed away a few steps. Heated longing reflected in his gaze, and she became spellbound as she stared into his dark eyes. Then a moment from her childhood came sweeping back, the force of the sudden memory stealing her breath.
“You! I-I’ve met you before.”
His brows drew together. “I don’t think so, Ally. I wouldn’t forget a girl as pretty as you.”
“Thanks. You’re a real charmer.” She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, feeling like a fool for not pinpointing his identity sooner. “You were a lifeguard at a country club in—”
“Briarwood.”
“Yep. That’s where my parents’ house was. My grandparents took us back to Briarwood for a few weeks, two full years after my mom died, to pack up their
house and sell it. I spent most of my time reading by the pool, because I couldn’t stand the sight of the house being emptied and everything being put into boxes. You found me crying one day and bought me a snow cone to cheer me up.”
He grinned and ran a hand through his hair, then shook his head in disbelief as recognition lit in his gaze. “I remember now. It was an orange snow cone.”
“Yes, it was.” Most of the tension gathering inside her loosened. She covered her mouth and laughed. “Then, then you read my book to me until I stopped crying.”
Rick sat on the edge of the mattress, and she took a seat in a chair next to the bed. God, he had probably been around eighteen at the time. Maybe not even that old. Judging by the dusting of gray around his temples in his otherwise black hair, she supposed him at least ten years older than her.
“Briarwood isn’t too far from here, right?” she asked.
“It’s about ten miles south.”
“You grew up around there?”
“Moved there during high school, actually. Spent most of my childhood in Texas though. When I turned eighteen, the war was already in progress, though it hadn’t hit American soil yet. I joined the navy and eventually became a SEAL. Spent several years in deep cover assignments overseas, and after the war ended I found my way back home. Well, what was left of home anyway. Briarwood is in ruins.” He paused and ran his hand through his hair again. “I searched for a long time but didn’t find any survivors from Briarwood, let alone any friends or family left.”
Ally moved next to him on the bed. She couldn’t believe Rick was the same guy who’d cheered her up that day by the pool, on the two-year anniversary of her mother’s death. He’d patted her on the shoulder and told her to stay put while he got her a special surprise. When he’d handed her the orange snow cone and smiled at her, she’d started crying harder. But after he spent a few minutes with her, telling her silly jokes and then reading a chapter from her fairy princess book to her, her tears had dried and she felt lighter.
“I’m sorry for your loss, Rick.” She placed her hand atop his and squeezed his fingers.
“Thank you, Ally.” He turned toward her and slipped an arm around her waist, then waited for her to return his stare. The moment their eyes collided, he leaned down to brush a feather soft kiss across her lips. “Don’t be afraid.”
* * *
“Rick, wait, I…” Ally scooted away until her back hit the headboard. “I’m a…well, I’ve never done this before.”
What. The. Fuck.
“You’re a virgin?”
She lifted her gaze to the ceiling and sighed. “I lived in the middle of nowhere with my grandparents for years, then in the Raider camp my brother made sure I wasn’t alone with any of the men. Not that any of them appealed to me, but he wanted me to be a virgin when he gave me to his creepy friend.”
Every time Ally mentioned her brother, she shuddered and a haunted look entered her eyes. If Rick ever had the pleasure of meeting this Brent fellow, he would fuck him up beyond recognition and leave him bleeding and broken in the forest for the animals to feast on. The dickhead was lucky any of his family had survived the war, but it didn’t sound like he’d shown Ally an ounce of kindness or love. What Rick wouldn’t give to have one family member, even a fucking acquaintance from Briarwood, to be alive and well.
“Take your boots off and get under the covers, Ally. I won’t hurt you, I promise. I won’t force myself on you.”
She bit her bottom lip and stared at him for several long moments, as if trying to judge whether or not he was telling the truth. But, finally, she untied the laces on her boots, slipped them off, and let them fall to the floor with a soft thud. Keeping her clothing on, she crawled under the covers and pulled them up to her neck. She peered at him with wide eyes.
Rick took his own boots off, as well as his sweater, but left his undershirt and pants on. He joined her under the covers, letting his legs brush against hers. God, he wanted to feel her bare skin against his, but he wouldn’t earn her trust if he ordered her to get naked before she was ready. Perhaps he’d been too forceful in the church when he’d announced they would consummate their marriage right away. If she needed more time, he would give it to her. Even if he ended up with the worst case of blue balls in the history of mankind.
In the back of his mind, the possibility of their meeting being more than coincidence resonated deep and loud. Maybe a higher being had joined them together. Rick wasn’t overly religious, but he did believe in God and had witnessed more than one miracle in his lifetime. Perhaps God had led them together. He kept this thought to himself though.
“Will you let me hold you, Ally?”
“Hold me?”
“Yes.” He brushed her hair behind her ears and pressed a kiss to her forehead, prompting her to give a tiny gasp. “Just let me hold you, hug you.”
“Okay,” she whispered, tears gleaming in her eyes. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had a hug.”
After he lifted her up against his chest, wound an arm around her, and brought his other arm overtop her beneath the covers, she started sniffling. His heart broke to hear her sadness, and he squeezed her tighter and stroked her back. She laced her arms around his waist and hugged him back.
“I’ll hold you every night, Ally, for the rest of our lives.”
She released a shuddering breath. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m crying.”
He knew why. But he wasn’t going to voice the reason out loud. She was crying for all she’d lost and all she feared she would never have. She was crying because it had been fucking forever since someone had shown her kindness, let alone hugged her.
He strengthened his embrace and breathed in the floral scent of her shampoo. The wind howled outside and snow swirled past the window. Luckily the woodstove in the basement kept the house warm enough, even during the coldest winter nights.
For the first time since he came to Emerald, he wouldn’t be spending long winter nights by himself. He had a wife now, a young woman he intended to become better acquainted with. Instinct told him they would find happiness together, but first he had to chase away the demons from her past and allow her time to heal. She also needed to release the bitterness she harbored over the forced marriage and accept her place in Emerald as his wife.
His heart skipped a beat when she smiled at him.
“Will you, um, do that again?”
“Do what?”
She flushed. “Will you kiss my forehead again? I really liked that.” Her tears had finally dried, and she looked so innocent and adorable resting in his arms with a hopeful look lightening her features.
“I’ll kiss you anywhere you wish, my sweet wife.”
Her blush deepened when he leaned down to press a lingering kiss to her forehead. She sighed against him and snuggled deeper into his arms.
Chapter Five
Ally turned with the glass in her hand, reaching to place it in the cupboard, but it slipped from her grip and bounced off the counter, before shattering to the floor in a million pieces at her feet. Eyes wide, she stared at the mess she’d just made. Panic seized her and she stood frozen for a moment, the terror of a similar accident in the Raider camp falling over her.
Heart racing, she tried to breathe through the fear that clutched her. She was in Emerald, not in the Raider camp. Brent wasn’t here to slap her around for having broken a glass. Those dark days were over. Stop panicking. It’s okay. You don’t have to walk around on eggshells anymore, Ally.
Rick peeked into the kitchen, a concerned look on his face. “Everything okay? Ally? Why are you so pale?” He strode to her, stepping over the shattered glass, and reached for her hand.
“I-I’m fine.” She shrunk away from him when he raised his hand, but he only meant to cup the side of her face. With a sigh of relief, she leaned against him and reveled in his gentle touch.
She hadn’t been Rick’s wife for long, but she now knew him well enough to trust he wouldn’t lose
his shit over something as mundane as a broken glass. Even when she did manage to anger him, he never lost control and struck her face, let alone kicked or punched her all over her body.
“I dropped one of my grandmother’s glasses in the Raider camp. Brent became livid when it shattered all over the floor.” She tried to fight off a shudder at the memory, and Rick drew her into his arms, resting his chin above her head. She sighed and listened to the steady beating of his heart.
“It was an accident, wife. Both times. I would never punish you for a complete accident.”
“I know.” Tears burned in her eyes, and she blinked them away and pulled back to gaze up at her husband. He was strict with her, but all the other husbands were strict with their wives in Emerald as well. At least he was fair, and he didn’t abuse her. If she disobeyed him or gave him too much attitude, she knew what to expect.
A spanking.
But after the punishment came forgiveness, and she cherished the time spent in his arms after a spanking, when he kissed her forehead and spoke to her gently, making sure she was okay and understood why he’d just disciplined her.
He helped her clean up the broken glass and then kissed her goodbye. She spent the day tidying the house, doing laundry, baking bread, but above all else—yearning for his return. She missed him during the days, when he was training his men. From time to time, she spied on him from their bedroom window, admiring him from afar as he instructed his men in the outdoor training area. Today they were learning hand-to-hand combat techniques, and she watched as men partnered with him, only to be thrown onto their backs a few seconds later.
The brute strength and skill in battle that Rick possessed rivaled that of any of the commanders from her Raider camp. She no longer worried that Brent would find her here, and even if he did suspect she was within the walls of Emerald, he didn’t stand a chance against Rick and his soldiers. The alarm that should have blared the moment she started climbing the walls around the settlement had also been repaired, making it next to impossible for anyone to breach this place.
