Garnets or Bust

Chapter Two

“You’re mine now,” Daaron said, savoring the words. How many times had he imagined taking her? The fantasy was nothing compared to the satisfaction he felt now.

Confusion filled her face and he almost felt pity. This was supposed to be a special moment in Tessa’s life, he thought. A woman from the Warrens should have her braids shorn during a marriage ceremony, the knife wielded by a man who loved her.

“You can’t possibly understand what you just did,” she replied, eyes searching his, panicky. “I can’t lose my braids, Daaron. They’ll think I’m a whore without my braids.

My mother…”

“She’ll think you’re a married woman,” he said, voice harsh. “She’ll think you’re my woman. You belong to me body and soul. I own you. The custom seems primitive to me, but it serves a ‘valuable purpose’ for your people, remember?”

“This isn’t a game,” she replied, her voice tight with anger. “You get to go back to your life and laugh with your rich friends over the stupid little Warrens girl you

‘married’, but nobody else will have me now.”

“I wouldn’t want them to,” he replied. “I won’t tolerate infidelity. You’re mine and I’m keeping you, Tessa. Accept reality, darling, it will be easier for both of us.”

She shook her head, and the pounding frustration he’d felt for so many years threatened to overwhelm him. He’d wanted her for years, held back because he knew she couldn’t fuck him without risking everything she held dear. But she’d lost that life the moment she’d found the garnets, even if she didn’t understand it yet. Women of her class were chaste before marriage, or so she insisted. About time to turn that archaic morality in his favor.

“Do you deny that we’re married by the laws and customs of your class?” he asked her, grasping her chin and forcing her to look him in the eye.

“No,” she whispered. “I can’t be married to you, Daaron.”

“Too late,” he replied. “And you have to obey me, don’t you?”

She tried to shake her head, but he held her chin firm.

“What would your mother say?” he asked. She whimpered, and he knew he would win.

“She would say you’re my husband and I have to obey,” Tessa whispered, voice breaking “This isn’t what I wanted, Daaron. Why did you do this to me?”

He could explain, but the more she knew, the greater her danger. And her attitude frustrated him, made him angry. Was marrying him truly such a horrible fate? Women had been chasing him his entire life, begging him for attention. Why wasn’t he good enough for this one? Years of denial, combined with the loss of his own freedom, welled up inside. Anger grew. He’d done his part and married her, honoring her ridiculous customs, trading his freedom for her survival. He’d take care of her the rest of her life.

She had nothing to fear. Why wouldn’t she give in to him now?

“I have more money than you can imagine,” he said tightly. “I own this entire star system. You’ll be more than adequately provided for. The least you can do is show me a little gratitude.”

“How dare you? I had my own plans, my own dreams. I’ve worked hard to get to this point and you think it’s all right to just take over my life? I can’t be bought. I thought I already taught you that.”

“I know you can’t be bought, we covered that a long time ago,” he replied. Her smell, that faint waft of flowers and woman, tickled his nose, clouding his ability to think. He didn’t need to talk. He needed to fuck.

“Tessa, I didn’t want to do this to you, believe it or not. You don’t think I could have taken you at university? My friends laughed at me when you turned me down, none of them could understand why I didn’t just spirit you away in the night and keep you prisoner on my yacht. Men like me do not have to get permission from women like you. But I admired your work ethic, admired the way you stood up to me. I loved the way you were honest with me, when even the professors groveled at my feet. You were the only one who stood up to me. I didn’t want to do this to you, but we’re out of choices. Now you’ll damned well live with the consequences.”

With that, he closed the space between them, pulling her against his body forcefully. He channeled all his frustration, anger and longing he’d felt over the years and kissed her. Hard.

Daaron’s lips took hers, demanding she open for him. Tessa tried to fight him off, but he held her tight with one arm, pinning her as his other hand dug into the shorn remains of her hair. With one swipe of his knife he’d married her, by the Goddess, and now he was going to have her. His cock swelled, glorying in the feel of her against his body. She gave a muffled whimper, the sound of a woman conquered.

He thrust one knee between her legs, pushing them apart and throwing her off balance. In an instant she went from fighting to clinging to him for support. He took advantage of the moment to reach down and grab her ass, lifting her up and wrapping her legs around his waist. Carrying her, he strode purposefully toward her tent.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she asked, gripping him tightly as they lurched across the campsite.

“Taking you to bed,” he replied. “No marriage is legal unless it’s consummated.”

“You’re insane. This isn’t a real marriage.”

“You’d better hope it is,” he replied, his voice grim. “Marrying me is the only thing that will keep you alive. Wives can’t testify against their husbands according to Imperial code.”

“Testify? Daaron, you’re insane. I don’t know what kind of terrible secret you think I know, but I don’t give a damn about you or your life. I just want to leave with my garnets.”

They reached the tent, Daaron shouldering his way in and Tessa clutching him as they lurched to a stop. She tried to push him away again, but he wrapped a hard arm around her waist and gripped the back of her head one more time. This time his kiss was long and slow, pouring out all the heat and frustration he’d built up over the years.

She tasted better than his most fevered dreams. Finally he pulled away, allowing her to slide down his body. She opened her mouth to speak again, but he shushed her, putting one finger across her lips.

“Talk is all I’ve ever had from you, sweet Tessa,” he said. “Now it’s time for action.”