Furious (13 page)

After long minutes, she climbed from the tub wrapping a fresh dry towel around her.  As she was drying herself in the bathroom, she heard a light knock on the bedroom door and a female voice.

“It’s just me Ma’am, Annie.  Um…Annie the servant from earlier today.  Lord Shatan asked that I retrieve dinner attire from your wardrobe.  I’ll hang your clothes on the chair.  Can I get you anything else at present Ma’am?” 

Lucia continued drying her hair and offered, “No.  Thank you Annie.” 

“Yes Ma’am.”  Annie responded.  Then Lucia heard the click of the door as it closed behind the young maid. 

Venturing from the bathroom, clad in only a towel, Lucia saw her clothes lying across a chair.  A burgundy satin gown that looked too small lay stretched out underneath a strapless brazier, thigh-high nylons, panties, and a garter belt.  Her eyes flicked to the floor beside the chair and she recognized her small make-up bag. 

She sighed, highly annoyed at the young girl’s choice of clothing for her evening meal.  She finished drying her hair and sauntered to the bed stifling a yawn.  The medication was working and as the doctor predicted, she was having difficulty keeping her eyes open. 

Hours later, Lucia woke and dressed. She was surprised to discover that the dress that appeared to be too small fit like a glove. 

Standing in front of Draken’s mirror, she had to admit that she looked exceptional in the color and design of the dress.  It hugged her curves and accentuated her best feminine qualities. 

After applying make-up and pinning her hair up, Lucia ventured from the room to make her way to the library, still apprehensive as to the conversation she knew she must have with the always-angry Draken.  

***

Lucia peeked her head into the library to find Draken sitting at the head of the table staring at the door.  It was obvious he was awaiting her arrival, and while his eyes lacked the anger from earlier, they also lacked any warmth. 

Straightening her back, she pushed the door open to enter.  Closing the door behind her, she was startled when she turned back toward the table and saw how quickly Draken’s eyes could change from holding no emotion to holding such a look of desire that it was practically tangible. 

She lifted her hand nervously to her throat as she crossed the short distance to the table. 

Draken’s eyes never swayed from her.  Slowly, he looked her up and down in appreciation and offered, “You should have worn your hair down.”

Lucia ran an unsteady hand over her hair that was tightly bound up from her neck with an onyx hairpin.  She felt uncomfortable under his appraisal, especially now that he knew exactly what was under the burgundy dress she wore.  As she approached the table, Draken stood and pulled out her chair.  She muttered a ‘thank you’ and sat. 

As he pushed in her chair, he bent and placed a kiss on her neck.  “Even with all those scratches, I doubt your beauty could be matched.  The itching and swelling seem to have subsided.  Are you feeling well?” 

She held up her hands, “Aside from the scratches everything’s back to normal.”

Without asking, Draken poured her a glass of wine as Patrick entered with their meal.  Silently, Patrick placed a plate before each of them.  The succulent smell of fish and fresh vegetables wafted through the room.  Lucia and Draken ate in silence. 

After they had finished and Patrick had cleared the dishes, Lucia ventured to negotiate with Draken.  “I’d like to go home tonight.” 

Draken looked at her with cool indifference as he sipped his wine and informed, “You are home.” 

Frustrated, Lucia wrung her hands under her chin as she tried to find the right words, “Draken, I’m sorry if last night meant something more…implied something more for you than it did for me.  I don’t deny that I desire you very much, but because two people desire each other is no reason for them to lose their heads.” 

He glared across the table at her, “Don’t mock my desire Lucia, or you will regret it.” 

Thinking of a new approach, she started again, “What I mean to say is, last night was special to me too, but I think if calmer heads would have prevailed none of it would have happened.” 

“It’s too late,” he calmly informed his eyes transitioning to cool indifference, “Whatever your going to try and convince me of, it’s too late so save your breath.  I’ve decided what I want and I’ve decided that I’ll have it.  I’ve already terminated your contract with your landlord and as we speak the last of your possessions are being moved onto the estate.  I’ve also terminated your employment at the Firm.  I’m sorry, but you have no say in the matter.” 

Lucia shoved her chair back and threw her napkin down on the table, “The hell I don’t.  While I’m delighted that you’ve decided what
you
want I’m telling you that
I
want to go home.” 

Now it was Draken’s turn to jump to his feet, sending his chair crashing backwards on the floor. 

Lucia flinched at his reaction, as Draken placed both hands on the table and glared at her while he tried to calmly explain, “This
is
your home.  Don’t you get it; there is nowhere else for you to go.  You have no apartment, no job, and no money.  If you leave I’ll sabotage any chance of employment for you.  You have no means by which to live other than through me.” 

Lucia’s eyes stung with unshed tears. Desperate now, she fought the only way that was left to her, “You’re pathetic.  Is this the only way you can keep a woman, by forcing one to stay?” 

Draken grabbed the decanter of wine and sent it sailing across the room.  It crashed against the library door, shattering into a thousand pieces.  Lucia cringed at his exhibition of anger.  Furious, Draken ran an angry hand through his black hair, “Do you think I want to need you this much?  I don’t want to desire any woman in this manner, but I do and it can’t be helped.” 

Slowly, Lucia backed away from the hatred she saw in his eyes as a warm tear rolled down her cheek. 

Undeterred, Draken continued, “With any luck our passion will extinguish itself in time.  When that time comes…
if
that time comes, I’ll gladly let you go.” 

Her eyes were wide with shock, she couldn’t believe what she was hearing, “I’m not one of your dogs, Draken, my love has questions, and my heart has needs…” 

He cut her off, “What do you need?  I’ll see that it’s provided.” 

She stepped closer looking at him with a stunned expression, “I need love.  I can’t marry without it.  Marriage isn’t a game, and it isn’t something you undertake to douse the heat of your desire.  If you want me, fine want me, but you can’t just have me.  I won’t marry like that.”

He closed the short distance between them.  Grabbing her chin, he lowered his head so their noses were mere inches apart.  “Lucia, I want you and I will have you.  This isn’t a negotiation.  I’m telling you how things are going to be.  Tomorrow we will be married and you’ll stay with me until I decide to let you go.” 

Her mind reeled as she pulled back frantically wringing her hands, “I’ll call the police, it’s kidnapping!  You can’t keep people against their will.” 

Draken’s eyes glittered with anger as he roared back, “I
am
the law here.  You should make this easy on yourself.  I could have the phones removed, the staff fired, I could lock us into total seclusion, Lucia, but I’d prefer not to do that.”  Calming slightly he continued, “What you need to know is that if you try to flee, I will find you.  If you call the authorities, I have enough money to get myself out of trouble and then some. 

You have nowhere else to go; you have no money, no home, no job, and no family.  I am your life now.  For all I know you could be carrying my child at this moment.” 

Lucia’s desperate tears flowed freely now as she whispered, “Is that what this is about?  A child…
your
child.  If that was such a concern, you should have taken the necessary precautions.”  Hesitating, she tried again to appeal, “Look,
if
I am carrying your child, I would let you see him or her…we could share custody.  I wouldn’t keep your child from you.” 

He didn’t falter. “It won’t do.” 

Her adrenaline spiking, Lucia spat, “You can take my apartment, my job, my freedom, but know that you will never possess my heart.”  She made to leave, but Draken reached out and pulled the pin from her hair and her black glossy locks tousled down around her shoulders.  Lucia spun back on him with anger in her eyes, “And you
will
keep your damn hands off of me!” 

Turning again to storm away, her departure was cut short as Draken grasped her left wrist and dragged her back to him.  Glaring down at her with her wrist in his vice-like grip, he forced her fist open.  Without taking his eyes from hers, he reached into his pocket then reached up and slid a silver ring onto her fourth finger.  “Tomorrow you belong to me,” he threatened in an even tone as he pulled her body into his own. 

Sobbing, Lucia turned her head from him as he nuzzled her neck.  Loosening his grip, he leaned down and placed a kiss on the ring she now wore, “I suggest you get some sleep
bride
.”  He released his hold on her and she fled from the room clutching her throbbing wrist.

***

Draken stared at the vacant doorway.  His gut twisted.  He knew he was being an ass but couldn’t help it.  The previous night Lucia had confessed that she loved the manor, loved being there…with him.  The confession had called forth such fierce possessiveness that he didn’t think he’d make it through the night without her.  He didn’t.  Like a siren she’d called to him in the night and he’d carried her to his room where he claimed her as his own.  Now, he refused to give her up. 

He’d never had to pursue a woman before.  Typically they threw themselves at him.  His hiatus from romance after his sister’s death had apparently done him some good.  He no longer wanted other women.  He wanted Lucia. 
And I’m going to have her!

Chapter 19

Back in her room, Lucia sobbed uncontrollably as she undressed.  Sliding on a nightgown she’d retrieved from her bureau, she switched off the light and climbed onto bed without washing the make-up from her face, without brushing her teeth, and without pulling back the covers.  She grabbed one of the four pillows that adorned her bed and hugged it close to her body as she rocked back and forth trying to console herself.  She was feeling lightheaded and extremely tired from the combination of the Benadryl she’d taken earlier and the three glasses of wine she’d had with dinner, not to mention the fact that she was apparently being forced into marriage and once again held against her will. 
I should have never come back!
 

Drying her tears on the pillowcase, she lifted her hand and stared at the ring on her finger.  She desperately wanted to take it off, but was afraid of what Draken would do to her if he caught her without it on.  She’d never felt so helpless and had no idea what action to take.  Compounding matters was the fact that she had no one to turn to for advice.  Draken was right, she was alone and without her job and her apartment, he was all she had. 

The frustration of that thought made her sick to her stomach.  She lay thinking of what tomorrow would bring.  Imagining the type of wedding that Draken had planned, she wondered if he’d invited guests or if it would simply be the two of them. She fought to stay alert, but it wasn’t long before the mixture of Benadryl and wine had her sleeping once again. 

Somewhere in the night, she woke to see that her bedroom door was slightly open and light from the hall poured into the dark room allowing her to just make out Draken’s form standing at the side of her bed. 

He leaned over and covered her shivering body with a blanket he’d been holding.  She wondered how long he’d been standing there watching her sleep. 

He knelt down beside the bed and gently grabbed her hand pressing a kiss to her palm. “I’m sorry I’ve been so harsh with you.  It’s just that I’ve never needed someone so much”, he whispered in the darkness.  He kissed her hand a second time before he released it and stood.  “Sleep well love,” he whispered before leaving the room. 

Lucia drifted back into her drug-induced sleep, wondering if she were truly awake or whether she’d dreamt the encounter.

***

Sitting in front of the dressing mirror in her wedding gown, Lucia wondered if a person’s heart could stop from shock.  Her heart beat so loudly in her chest that she knew the maids who were doting on her hair, make-up, and nails must be ignoring its thundering staccato out of politeness.

When she’d awakened late in the morning, it seemed as if the maids were eagerly waiting outside her door for any sound of movement.  Before her feet even touched the floor, the maids entered the room without knocking, carrying boxes of items for the day’s preparations. 

Annie had asked her earlier why she didn’t seem very excited.  Not wanting to involve the staff in her and Draken’s personal affairs, she feigned a headache then tried to appear more delighted.  Honestly, she didn’t know what to do.  As the clock ticked closer and closer to two o’clock, the designated hour of the ceremony, she felt more and more defeated.  With no family, no money, and no home to run to, she almost agreed with Draken that she truly had no say in the matter. 

She did love Draken, she’d admitted as much to herself the night before as she lay in bed fretting over the situation.
If only he’d return my love
, she thought sadly,
we could easily make
this work.  But I refuse to submit to the whims of a furious tyrant
. 

Not realizing that the sadness in her heart had spilled over to her face, Lucia was startled from her thoughts when Annie teased, “You’re frowning again Ma’am.  On the most glorious day of our lives, how can you not be jumping with joy?” 

Lucia smiled at the naïve girl’s exuberance, “What do you mean
our
lives?” 

Annie’s cheeks flushed as she leaned closer, “Oh…I’m sorry Ma’am, not to steal any of your joy, but to be honest the entire staff has been hoping for sometime that Lord Shatan would fall in love and be wed.”