by Randi Darren
Setting the book back down, he smiled at her.
Sylvia stared at him. Then she suddenly made a small noise and bobbed her head.
“That makes sense. If I’m going to be your concubine, I’d have to be dedicated to you and you alone anyways.
“You have my oath then, and I swear it. I’ll be untouched by all from here on.”
“As to your clothes, nails, and hair… most of that you can solve on your walks. Let’s cut to the heart of the matter on this one. Being able to own anything that isn’t already in this room,” Alex said. “This is a prison cell, to be sure. And you’re not going to be leaving anytime soon. Truth of the matter is you’ll likely die of old age before you’re released from my possession.”
Alex said it as gently as he could. He wasn’t sure if Sylvia had taken her thoughts that far down the line. Admittedly he’d expected her to, but that didn’t make it so.
“I’m aware, my lord,” Sylvia said, her smile turning sour.
“Mm. I’ll allow you to have seven sets of clothes and make use of the keep laundry. Nothing else will be allowed to be brought into your room. My price is rather simple. I get to pick out all your clothes, and even your hairstyle.
“I think I’d like you to fit my tastes, since you’re my concubine.”
Sylvia’s brows drew together, her ragged fingernails tapping against the table.
“Would the outfits be in fashion? The hairstyle as well?”
“Certainly. You can even present all the items you’d like me to view for you, and we can pick them out together. I may not select the ones you like, but I’ll hear your opinion.”
“Then… I agree, and do so swear.” Sylvia sighed, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “I’m well aware of what you’re doing, you know.”
“Are you?”
“Yes. You’re slowly turning me into what you want. I realized it only after I came back, though.
“Your bodyguard made the situation abundantly clear to me by her name and demeanor. I imagine what she went through was similar to what I’m going through now.”
“Quite right. I am indeed molding you.
“So, what are you going to do about it now that you know?”
“Barter myself slowly,” Sylvia said with a rueful smile. “And hope I somehow manage to outwit you and escape. Or that you die in battle.
“Before I’m little more than an actual bed warmer.”
“Good luck with that,” Alex said with a grin, and then stood up.
“If I may ask… what number did you plan on assigning me… if the time comes, that is,” Sylvia queried.
“Numbers are assigned merely as the next in order. If you were to be… numbered today… it’d be Four.”
***
Sitting alone in his bedroom, Alex couldn’t sleep.
Anna and Holly had kept him company every night this week, except tonight.
Apparently they’d both had their periods start up, and now were playing nurse to each other in their shared bedroom.
Staring out his small window, he could see the guards go through a rotation down below.
Must be close to midnight.
The door behind him creaked open. It was silent enough that he almost didn’t hear it.
Looking over his shoulder, he could see Carla slipping through the doorway.
She swayed for a second where she stood, then moved deeper into the room itself.
She’s drunk. Hah.
Bumping up against what he thought was a dresser, Carla stumbled to the side and fell heavily to her knees.
Holding back a snicker, he walked over to her, then reached under her armpits and lifted her up.
“Master?” she mumbled.
“Yeah, it’s me.”
“Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you.”
“You didn’t; I was already awake.”
“I’m not that drunk… just… tipsy. Didn’t see the damn dresser.”
“Uh huh.”
Carla took a step forward, her hands resting on his shoulders.
“Master, I wanted to talk to you about hiring another bodyguard. It’s good that you’re awake,” Carla said, staring at him.
“That’s fine, but I think it’d be better to talk about this in the morning. Don’t you?”
“No, because I needed to drink to do this for the first time. This worked out well.
“You’re hiring another bodyguard, and I already found the right woman for the job,” Carla said. “Going to pay you for it now. Will do this once a week. I swear on my oath.”
Dropping down to her knees, Carla hooked her fingers into his nightwear and yanked it down.
Before he could react, or tell her no, or even agree, Carla had inhaled him with a single slurping noise. She had him entirely in her mouth, her chin to his nuts and her nose to his stomach.
Reaching over, Alex grabbed onto the dresser to get some balance with his left hand, his right hand falling atop Carla’s head.
Pulling back, she let him slide out between her lips and then pushed forward again, straight to the hilt of his rapidly hardening member.
“I get final say on who we hire, but I agree,” Alex said, his hand sliding down behind her head as she started to pick up speed.
Carla mumbled something around his shaft, but didn’t stop. Her hands came up behind him and grabbed his ass, pulling at him even as she thrust her head forward.
Now hard as a rock, Alex was thoroughly enjoying himself.
Carla was obviously more drunk then she let on. Except Alex didn’t give a damn anymore. Drunk or not, it felt great.
Carla was pushing him down her throat each time and had fallen into a nice, swift rhythm. She was working him pretty well for someone who seemed like she’d be caught dead before giving head.
As she mashed her nose to his stomach, he felt her tongue slide out and furiously lick at the top of his sack, his tip buried in her throat.
“Damn, Two,” Alex said, unable to not watch her as she did it. “That’s great.”
Carla mumbled something again, then fell back into her rhythm. Her left hand floated around to his front and grabbed his jewels tightly. Squeezing and kneading them with her fingertips, she started to suck harder on him. Her lips tightened as she pulled back from him every time.
“Fuck, I’m going to pop here, Two. You ready for it?” Alex asked. He wasn’t sure what’d happen if he just unloaded into her mouth, as drunk as she was.
Grunting, Carla released him entirely, his length sliding out of her mouth.
“Too drunk, I think I’d puke. Fill me up tonight. I’ll swallow it next time,” Carla said. With both hands, she pushed her pants down to her ankles and fell backward onto the ground, her knees spreading wide for him.
“Put it inside me tonight. Next time I’ll take it in the mouth, promise,” she said, patting her thighs.
Not needing a second invite, Alex just about fell down atop her and slid right into her very wet channel.
Pumping furiously into her, he wanted to find his climax hard and fast.
Carla’s whole body shifted under him with the intensity of desire and need. She accepted him completely, her hands trailing up and down his sides, her ankles floating partially in the air as she kept her knees up.
A minute in and he’d hit his peak, his hands digging into her sides.
Carla moaned and rolled her hips underneath him as he thrust deep into her, filling her with his seed.
Moving her head from side to side, Carla’s hands pressed into his lower back. Her body shuddered each time he sank his length into her.
Unable to control himself and being driven on by her obvious enjoyment, Alex pummeled himself into her, trying to put everything as deep as he could.
Then with a shivering breath, everything was over and Alex was empty.
Carla’s hand shot up and grabbed him by the back of the head, and then she kissed him furiously.
As quick as she had kissed him, she released him.
Her arms flopped to her sides, her body slumping to the ground, and she started snoring deeply.
“Two?” Alex asked.
Damn, she was way drunker than I thought.
Pulling himself out of her, he tried to figure out what would be the best course of action.
Can’t leave her on the ground. Might as well get her in the bed, then.
Getting his arms under her, he somehow managed to lever her up off the ground and into his bed.
Taking a moment to undress her of everything but her undershirt, he arranged her limp form as best as he could and covered her up.
Then he crawled into bed with her and immediately fell into a deep sleep.
Chapter 18
“Husband,” said a soft voice in Alex’s ear. “It’s time to wake. Today is the day you head out to war.”
Opening his eyes, he found Anna hovering directly over him. She was kneeling next to the bed, bringing her much closer to him in height. Her right hand rested on his jaw while her left toyed with his hair.
Standing a step behind her with her hands clasped in front of her, Holly looked as lifeless and doll-like as ever. She seemed to be made of stone.
“Good morning, dear,” Anna said, then kissed him lightly. “Daddy always said one should wake a few hours before traveling. There’s always last-minute things that will be forgotten otherwise.
“It’s just a smidgen past dawn right now.”
“Good morning, lord husband,” Holly said, bowing her head to him.
Holly had settled into her role rather quickly. She was quick to do anything he asked of her and seemed very predisposed to making sure she took care of anything he needed before he asked.
Not that he could blame her. The payment he’d sent off to the Lins had squashed their debt down to a manageable level.
Something they could afford without strain while even putting a little bit away in savings.
Holly had started crying when she saw the armed couriers Alex had hired set off for the Lin estates.
Yet he felt nothing for Holly, and there was no doubt she felt nothing for him.
Anna had been more correct than she’d realized. Holly was little more than a conquest. Less so than even his numbered projects.
Holly had given him everything in the barter and had nothing else to offer him.
She was conquered, well and truly.
Grumbling, Alex didn’t want to get out of bed. It was warm in his bed.
Comfortable.
He wanted to sleep a little longer, despite Anna being right. Perhaps it was because she was right that he felt that way.
“I’m glad you took Two to bed. I worried about it being empty,” Anna said, then stood up. “No lord should ever have an empty bed. I’ll work on that.”
He’d forgotten about Carla. Turning his head around to face the other way, he found Carla sleeping only inches from him. Her left hand lay just above his privates on his lower abdomen, her right hand under his neck.
Sleeping away, as if there were nothing wrong in the world at all.
“Yeah. She’s going to wake up with a terrible hangover, I’m afraid. Let’s… take this elsewhere. Give her a chance to wake up without being watched,” Alex said. Carefully, he set Carla’s hands aside and clambered out of bed.
Only to have Anna press herself to him and hug him tightly.
“You must come back, husband. Even if not in one piece, you must come back. I don’t want to be a widow already. If ever,” Anna said, pressing her face to his chest.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Alex said, running his fingertips through Anna’s hair.
Lifting her head up, Anna kissed him, then pressed her mouth to his ear.
“Walter said he has a number of cases for you to judge. I asked him to pull any case possible as well, so it’ll be much more than normal.
“I’m going to hold the justice in your name. I’ll try to get only pretty women with long sentences put into the dungeon,” Anna whispered. “Douglas is already aware.”
Grinning, Alex hugged Anna tightly.
I’m betting she can’t make deals on my behalf, but she can at least prep them for me.
Helpful little thing. She really is acting as supportive as she can.
Holding to his wife, he kissed her ear.
“You’re a wonder, wife. Fill the dungeon to the brim for me. See what Douglas thinks of expanding it another level down as well.
“You’re amazing.”
Anna nodded her head once, staring up at him with her simple and dangerous smile.
***
Carla, Riley, and Valeria rode in the carriage with him. Carla on his right, Riley and Valeria across from him.
Maxwell, David, and Walter’s man were all in another carriage in front of theirs.
All around them were Maxwell’s people.
Marching in front and behind them was Bulwark. Alex had cajoled everyone into leaving earlier than everyone else thought they would. His reasoning was simple. He didn’t want to run the soldiers ragged before they’d even seen combat.
There was no point in exhausting his people before then. It’d cause only problems and fatalities.
They may be only mercenaries, but they were his mercenaries. More so since they’d put away their company banners and uniforms and were now all in the colors and flags of Brit.
“We’ll be settled today, won’t we Master?” Riley asked, her voice bright and chipper.
Ever since she’d been allowed to leave the dungeon cell, she’d been a model personal maid. Her optimism and positive nature had shone through.
Though she’d gotten extremely clingy.
“I’d suppose so,” Alex said. The trip had been rather boring for the most part. He regretted that he wasn’t able to read as they rode.
It had always made him fairly sick to try to read while traveling in a car, and that was a much smoother ride.
“Good. I’m tired of bouncing around in this box,” Carla muttered.
“It isn’t so bad,” Valeria countered, her sharp smile aimed at the ex-bandit. “I could think of many worse things. Like being a murdering bandit queen with friends who rape and murder anyone they come across on the road.”
An animosity existed between those two that Alex didn’t quite understand. He was already planning on interceding when it became too much, but so far they’d kept it civil around him.
“Or like being a sneaky cunt who likes to be mistreated and gets off on the idea of being used,” Carla said without any heat.
Riley pouted at each woman.
“Stop it, both of you,” she said. “We’re here to serve Master, not bicker.”
Valeria shrugged her shoulders.
“I’ll not hide the fact that Master rewarded me for catching that sneak-thief,” she said. “There’s no reason to be upset that all you’re good at is sleeping with him.”
It had been a minor thing, but something he’d wanted to use as an example for the three of them. Rewards would be dispensed for exemplary services.
Catching a thief who had been stealing supplies was the example he’d needed.
Valeria had caught him in the dead of night and turned him over to Maxwell immediately.
How she’d caught him, she didn’t say. Apparently, she’d been practicing her field-craft again when it had gone down.
And as far as he knew, she hadn’t spoiled her cover either. Everyone viewed Valeria as his personal camp-woman he had taken to war with him.
As a reward for maintaining cover and catching the thief, she’d asked to be shackled, gagged, and put into his bed.
She hadn’t wanted to have sex, just to be left in his bed like that.
Miscalculated a bit with her. If I had known she would fully embrace her masochism, I wouldn’t have encouraged it to begin with.
Now I have to go backwards with my deals if I want anything out of her.
Or… or I use her to capture people I could use instead… huh.
Grinning at the idea, he turned to Valeria.
“Actually, that reminds me. I need a private chat with you later, Three,” Alex said.
Valeria nodded her head slowly, uncertain.
“I think we’re here,” Carla said, deliberately changing the subject.
“Why’s that, Two?” Riley asked, trying to peek out the window.
“Because I can see the duke’s guard heading this way. Along with the duke,” Carla said. “Everyone is making way for them.”
“Grand. Alright—One, Three, stay with the coach. If we don’t come back soon, set up camp for us.
“Two, you’re with me. Go ahead and open the door, and let’s go meet our liege,” Alex said.
“Thank the gods,” Carla said, opening the door without another word. Stepping out of the coach, she quickly fell out of sight.
Alex smiled at Riley and Valeria, then stepped out as well.
Carla was already pushing her way through the ranks, Alex falling in right behind her. His guard fell into place around him, even a standard bearer sporting the House Brit coat of arms.
Coming out the far side of the marching ranks, Alex found the duke waiting for him.
“Good tidings, Count Brit. You’re several days earlier than expected,” said the duke. He was dressed warmly, despite the weather being fair.
Getting on in years and can’t keep your body heat anymore?
“Good tidings, Duke Tanulf. I must apologize. I found myself eager and couldn’t remain in Brit any longer.”
“Fine, fine. Did you bring your wives with you or are you traveling by yourself?” asked the older man.
Odd question. I wonder if I should worry about him trying to have my wives killed.
“I am indeed traveling without my wives. They’re both minding the county while I’m out and about,” Alex said with an easy smile.
“Ah. I’m sure that’s uncomfortable. I know I simply never got a good meal until I hired a personal chef.”
“I’m afraid I haven’t thought ahead that far. I’m personal-chef-less. Though I look forward to learning from this. It’s my first time on campaign, Duke.”
“Then I invite you to dinner, Count. You can meet my daughter. She’s traveling with me for some experience in campaigns.”
