gone, and her beloved home now belonged to a hard-hearted man who seemed to care naught about her grief or the loss she had suffered.
Rose was still sobbing uncontrollably when she heard the click of the door latch and the sound of footsteps. She suddenly recalled that she hadn’t locked the door after Emily and Blythe left.
Rose sensed Dragon’s presence, and a moment later a candle flame lit the chamber. He cleared his throat, the sound harsh and obtrusive in the waiting silence. She turned slowly and looked into his eyes. Dark currents swirled within their depths as he held her gaze. She shifted uncomfortably beneath his intense perusal and dashed away the tears dampening her cheeks.
The look in his eyes, his scent, the way he stared at her caused a stirring deep within her. His mouth was moving, but Rose heard naught above the pounding of her heart as treacherous warmth began to spread through her. She hated the feeling and called forth all the hatred she felt for the Dragon Lord.
“Did you not hear me? Why are you crying?” Dominic repeated.
Concentrating on his mouth, Rose finally heard what he was saying.
“What are you doing here?” she choked out.
“I belong here. This is the lord’s solar, is it not?”
“Go away. I wish to mourn my father in private.”
“Is that the reason for your tears?”
He sounded relieved, and that made Rose wary. “You did not allow me time for grieving.”
Unable to stop herself, Rose burst into a fresh round of tears. Dominic muttered a curse. Then he settled beside her on the bed and awkwardly patted her shoulder.
“Wh … what are you … do… doing?” Rose hiccuped between sobs.
Trying to comfort you,” Dominic replied gruffly. “Your tears disturb me.”
“Why do you care? You let the king murder my father.”
“I did not even know your father.”
Rose believed him, but it did not make her father’s death any less difficult to bear, nor did it soften the blow of having her home possessed and renamed by the king’s champion.
“I am fine now; you can leave,” Rose said dismissively. She did not want this hard, overbearing man in her bedchamber. She had no intention of sharing her bed with him, or letting him use her to sate his lust.
Dominic paid scant heed to Rose’s words. He had just become aware that she was naked beneath the covers. His hand on her shoulder stilled, his fingers tightening around the fragile bones. She was his wife. He could take her now with or without her consent. She belonged to him; her body was his to do with as he pleased.
He pulled her roughly into his arms, his body hardening with anticipation. Rose must have realized his intention, for she protested vigorously and pushed him away.
Her rejection made Dominic remember where he had been today and what he had learned. His temper flared and his grip tightened. “Do you know where I went today?”
“Nay. You did not see fit to tell me.”
“I visited your mother and sister at the convent.”
An involuntary cry escaped Rose’s throat. “What did you do to them?”
Her words brought a scowl to Dominic’s face. “What makes you think I harmed them? I admit I had good reason, but I have never hurt a woman before.” His next words held a hint of menace.“Of course, I’ve never had a wife before.”
Dominic would never intentionally hurt a woman, but Rose did not have to know that. His father had never raised a hand to his mother, though ‘twas common knowledge that most men beat their wives.
“Why did you visit Mama and Starla?” Rose asked.
“To learn the truth.” He glared at her.“You are not the sister I intended to wed. I realized I had been tricked when you locked me out of your bedchamber. Your sister would have been too frightened to defy me. My intended bride is wearing the white robes of a postulant, and the woman I rejected is now my wife. How do you explain that?”
He grasped her shoulders and dragged her against him.“Did you want me for
Rose was still sobbing uncontrollably when she heard the click of the door latch and the sound of footsteps. She suddenly recalled that she hadn’t locked the door after Emily and Blythe left.
Rose sensed Dragon’s presence, and a moment later a candle flame lit the chamber. He cleared his throat, the sound harsh and obtrusive in the waiting silence. She turned slowly and looked into his eyes. Dark currents swirled within their depths as he held her gaze. She shifted uncomfortably beneath his intense perusal and dashed away the tears dampening her cheeks.
The look in his eyes, his scent, the way he stared at her caused a stirring deep within her. His mouth was moving, but Rose heard naught above the pounding of her heart as treacherous warmth began to spread through her. She hated the feeling and called forth all the hatred she felt for the Dragon Lord.
“Did you not hear me? Why are you crying?” Dominic repeated.
Concentrating on his mouth, Rose finally heard what he was saying.
“What are you doing here?” she choked out.
“I belong here. This is the lord’s solar, is it not?”
“Go away. I wish to mourn my father in private.”
“Is that the reason for your tears?”
He sounded relieved, and that made Rose wary. “You did not allow me time for grieving.”
Unable to stop herself, Rose burst into a fresh round of tears. Dominic muttered a curse. Then he settled beside her on the bed and awkwardly patted her shoulder.
“Wh … what are you … do… doing?” Rose hiccuped between sobs.
Trying to comfort you,” Dominic replied gruffly. “Your tears disturb me.”
“Why do you care? You let the king murder my father.”
“I did not even know your father.”
Rose believed him, but it did not make her father’s death any less difficult to bear, nor did it soften the blow of having her home possessed and renamed by the king’s champion.
“I am fine now; you can leave,” Rose said dismissively. She did not want this hard, overbearing man in her bedchamber. She had no intention of sharing her bed with him, or letting him use her to sate his lust.
Dominic paid scant heed to Rose’s words. He had just become aware that she was naked beneath the covers. His hand on her shoulder stilled, his fingers tightening around the fragile bones. She was his wife. He could take her now with or without her consent. She belonged to him; her body was his to do with as he pleased.
He pulled her roughly into his arms, his body hardening with anticipation. Rose must have realized his intention, for she protested vigorously and pushed him away.
Her rejection made Dominic remember where he had been today and what he had learned. His temper flared and his grip tightened. “Do you know where I went today?”
“Nay. You did not see fit to tell me.”
“I visited your mother and sister at the convent.”
An involuntary cry escaped Rose’s throat. “What did you do to them?”
Her words brought a scowl to Dominic’s face. “What makes you think I harmed them? I admit I had good reason, but I have never hurt a woman before.” His next words held a hint of menace.“Of course, I’ve never had a wife before.”
Dominic would never intentionally hurt a woman, but Rose did not have to know that. His father had never raised a hand to his mother, though ‘twas common knowledge that most men beat their wives.
“Why did you visit Mama and Starla?” Rose asked.
“To learn the truth.” He glared at her.“You are not the sister I intended to wed. I realized I had been tricked when you locked me out of your bedchamber. Your sister would have been too frightened to defy me. My intended bride is wearing the white robes of a postulant, and the woman I rejected is now my wife. How do you explain that?”
He grasped her shoulders and dragged her against him.“Did you want me for
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