AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I was struggling to breathe. I couldn’t see.” I swallow loudly, and he closes his eyes, face twisting in anger. “I felt for the pin, and I swung.” My voice shakes, and when Ronan's eyes open, he looks so lost to the pain-induced pleasure he is picturing that I gasp.
“Where did you hit him?” he grunts, his movements sure and steady. I lean to touch his side, and he shakes his head. “Show me.” The hard glint demands only one thing. He wants me to re-enact it with him. I rest a hand on his chest as he keeps fucking his fist, and I swing with my other, hitting him in the side. I do it again and again, like I did with my attacker. His blood had wept into the bathwater and then Ronan was there. “Oh god,” I whimper as his knuckles brush against my damp knickers.
“Fuck, Cara, your mouth. I need your mouth.” Wordlessly, I slide between his thighs and let him feed his cock past my lips, every velvety thick inch, until I'm only able to breathe through my nose and gagging at the force with which he thrusts. “I fucking love that you hurt him,” he grunts, then stiffens, pouring himself into my mouth, coming with a sharp growl.
I swallow everything down, kneeling up straight as Ronan zips himself away and stands. He looks down at me smiling and cups my jaw, his thumb cleaning his mess from my lips. I can’t reciprocate. I'm too disturbed by him wishing to relive my attack. It’s there, swirling like the liquid in his glass, swishing through my mind and souring my thoughts.
“Cara, no one is going to hurt you again,” he vows quietly, and I nod, sniffing my tears away. “You did us proud today. Did me proud today. And you look real pretty on your knees.” His palm hovers between us, and I take it, letting him pull me to my feet.
Unsure how to respond, I simply nod. And let him thread our fingers to escort me out of the room. Once we enter the foyer, he tilts my chin and kisses my temple. “I’ll see you later, doll.” His hand palms my arse possessively, and with a light tap, he walks away. I sense a shift in our relationship and it feels good.
We fall into a similar routine after that. For the next week, Ronan spends his nights between my legs and his days with Connor. I barely see him, and when I do, it’s a wordless exchange. Our bodies do all the talking. Sometimes, we all eat together and the men banter. Occasionally, they pull me into conversation, but I sit quietly, observing them all. Him. Ronan Michaels. My hot-headed husband. Connor’s right-hand man, with a penchant for pain and murder.
He asks about my day, how I'm coping down at the stables. It’s all I have—blind Clyde and his unshakeable wisdom. He seems to see more than most. I’ve become the docile wife he wanted, but I’m bored, lonely even, and I daren’t ask about Shay. He promised to bring her here. My phone was never returned and I’ve become another piece of the furniture moving about the manor. It’s not the life I want even if I do lie awake, waiting for Ronan to return, desperate for any connection. Physical or not, I don’t feel so alone when he is burrowing deep inside me, whispering rough praise and grunting my name as he finds release. I sometimes pretend he is as eager to get back to me as I am for him to return, but each night he rolls away, and the tiny pit I arrived with in my stomach has grown to a wide chasm.
“There's a call for you,” Clyde hollers from the back office. I secure Kasper’s reins and walk to take the phone from his outstretched hand.
“Hello?” I answer, tugging a glove off to hold the phone up to my ear.
“You have a visitor.” Ronan's deep voice exhales down the line, and I frown. Shay’s voice appears in the background, concerned and eager.
“Shay’s here? Is that Shay?” I choke.
“It is.”
I cut the call and drop the phone into Clyde’s hand. “I won’t be long,” I tell him, running from the office and unravelling Kasper’s reins. I forgo my riding hat and swing myself onto the saddle, kicking my feet and sending the thoroughbred into a gallop the moment we exit the building. The wind slaps against my cheeks, and I lean forward, moving with the beast underneath me as he eats up the track and powers us towards the manor. I can see a gathering of people ahead and a horse trailer. My heart jolts with hope, and my gaze lands on my sister, beaming at me from the middle of the forecourt. She waves excitedly and Kasper rears back, his front hooves lashing out as we reach the residence. I grip tight as his stance threatens to throw me off, and as soon as his hooves hit the ground, I jump off of the saddle and run for Shay.
“Where the fuck is your hat!” Ronan roars, grabbing the reins as I abandon Kasper.
“Sorry!” I cry and fling myself into my sister's awaiting arms. She hugs me tight, and I suddenly break down, crying into her neck. “Oh, thank god.” I fluff with her hair and pull back. She cups my face and wipes my tears, her own running free. I see the blemish of a bruise under her eye and touch it. Shay drops her gaze and shakes her head when I open my mouth to ask what happened. “Who hurt you?” I demand quietly.
“Not here. I brought someone with me.” She turns me to the trailer, and I hear Vinnie snort and stomp inside. “He’s been grumpy as hell.”
“Thank you.” I rush to the trailer as one of the guards leads my horse out. Vinnie clicks his hooves and shakes his mane when he sees me. “Hey boy!” I wrap my arms around his neck and he tucks me in, snickering. “I missed you too.”
Ronan appears by my side, and I flick a cautious look at him. “Don’t get on that horse without a fucking riding hat, do you hear me?” he spits roughly, gripping my jaw when I turn away. “Cara?”
“I hear you,” I whisper, patting Vinnie’s neck and inhaling his warm musk.
“Do I finally have some competition?” Ronan asks. Our gazes momentarily clash, but I frown, unsure of what he means. How can he consider something competition when he holds me at arm’s length? He surprises me further by pressing a fleeting kiss to my lips. It’s the first time he has openly shown me affection in public and my cheeks heat.
“No,” I croak, baffled and hot by his intense scrutiny. A guard moves to hand him a hat, mine, from back home and Ronan secures it in place. Tucking his index finger through the strap, he pulls me in and manipulates my neck, so I'm tilted, looking up at him.
“Kiss me then.” His voice is gravelly but soft, quiet, and I have to physically stop myself from sweeping my gaze around to see who is looking. Slowly, I press up on my toes and press my lips on his. It’s a short but sweet kiss. One which Ronan controls as he hauls me to his body. “Do I have competition, Cara?” His stare hits harder than normal, and I frown until his eyes slide past me to my sister.
“No, Ronan.”
“Good, remember where your loyalty lies,” he delivers coolly before stepping away and watching as I use the trailer tyre to flip myself up onto Vinnie’s back. His kiss was a reminder of who I belong to.
“Bareback?” he quips, brow raised, and I roll my eyes. “You lied. I do have competition.” A few guards laugh, and I smile. “You look good,” he murmurs, eyes sliding down my toned limbs and back up to where I sit perched on my horse.
“I know.” I’m a skilled rider, strong and confident. Ronan smiles widely and my heart does a stupid little flip. “Don’t wait up,” I hum, kicking Vinnie into a slow walk as my sister is assisted onto Kasper. A large hand cups my ankle, and I look down to where my husband stands almost as tall as the horse.
“Don’t make me wait.” There is a heavy note of desire in his voice, and I suck in a deep breath. Nodding, I walk on and Shay adjusts her hat, turning Kasper to get into step beside me.
We are several feet away from the guards when Shay twists to look back and then to me. “So, married life is better than anticipated?”
I’m about to tell her that Ronan couldn’t care less about me, but he wants to give her the illusion we are happily married. Instead, I lie. “We’re still getting to know one another, but he’s not as bad as I first thought.”
