Capturing A Highland Knight (9 page)

Chapter 10

              Derek had taken a swim after his talk with Colm.  To his surprise, Colm agreed to accompany him and Annabelle to Bondlach.  Maybe Colm intended to lure Annabelle away from him during the three day journey.  He scowled and walked into the keep.  It was getting late and there were a few stragglers at the wedding celebration.  It was time for him and Annabelle to go to bed to rest for their journey tomorrow.  Also, he was very eager to consummate their marriage.  He had a feeling that it would not be easy to persuade Annabelle, but it was his right.

             
When he walked into the keep, the first thing he saw was Annabelle dancing with Colm.  She was laughing as he twirled her around.  Colm had a big grin on his face as he dipped her at the end of the song.

             
Angry, Derek strode over to them and grabbed Annabelle by her arm.

             
“It is time fer us to go to bed, my wife,” he hissed, his eyes never leaving her face.

             
Annabelle stiffened, and then tried to jerk her arm free.

             
“I am nae ready to retire,
my husband
,” she mocked, turning away from his gaze.

             
“It doesnae matter.  I demand that ye come with me,” he said, pulling her with him toward the stairs.

             
“Derek,” Colm called behind them, his voice hard.

             
Derek ignored him and continued to drag Annabelle to their chamber.

             
“Ye let me go, Derek.  I doona want to go to bed.  Why do we go to bed so early anyway?” she demanded.

             
Derek just grunted.  He did not have to answer to her.  She would just do what she was told and that was all there was to it.  Derek pushed the chamber door open and almost threw her inside and then he closed it behind them.  He put the bar across it so that they would not be disturbed.

             
“Take yer clothes off,” he growled as he unlatched his claymore from his back.

             
Annabelle stood stiff glaring at him.  She watched as he began to unbutton his shirt.  He did not glance her way, expecting her to do what he said.  That brought her anger rising.

             
“Ha!  I will never take my clothes off fer ye!  Why doona ye go and find yer
hure
and demand she take her clothes off?  I am sure she will only be too happy to comply.  I ken that I doona want ye to touch me,” she said snidely.

             
Without saying a word, Derek strode up to her and grabbed her gown and ripped it down the middle.  Then he pulled it down her arms until it was pooled at her feet.  Too shocked to react, Annabelle just stood staring at him.

             
“Are ye mad?  Will ye force me?” she asked incredulously.

             
“If I have to, aye.  Ye are my wife and I will have ye tonight,” he said stepping back to pull his shirt over his head.

             
“Ye animal!”

             
“Aye, take off the rest of yer clothes or I will repeat my actions,” he said removing his boots.

             
Annabelle was so appalled that she did not notice that he was nearly naked.  All he had left to remove was his kilt.  She stood immobile not knowing what she should do.  She looked at the door and tried to gauge if she would be able to escape, but Derek anticipated her thoughts.

             
“Even if ye make it to the door, I will have caught ye before ye could lift the bar,” he said standing.  He was completely naked and his manhood jutted before him.

             
Annabelle caught her breath at the sight.  It finally dawned on her what was about to happen.  Her treacherous mind flashed back to their intimacy only the night before.  She shook her head to dispel the images.

             
“I willnae let ye force me, Derek,” she said quietly, trying to show courage, but she was frightened.  She knew that she would not be able to stop him, if he indeed tried to force her.

             
Derek watched Annabelle as she stood clutching her shift to her body.  She faced him, her gaze unwavering.  He stepped back up to her, towering over her to intimidate.

             
“If ye doona come to me willing, I will have nay choice.  We will consummate this union, Annabelle,” he said.  Although she stood before him defiantly, Derek looked into her eyes and saw the fear that lie beneath.  His anger instantly disappeared.  He had never forced a woman in his life, and he never would, especially his wife.

             
Seeing Annabelle so carefree with Colm angered him and his jealousy of the intimacy made him want something that Colm could not have.  Annabelle’s passion and heat.  Although he knew his friend had feelings for his wife, he was sure that Colm would never cross that line.

             
“Let’s not and say we did,” she replied back.

             
He scowled.

             
“I desire ye, Annabelle,” he reached up and ran his knuckles against her cheek.

             
Annabelle closed her eyes and tried to block out the sensation his touch invoked.

             
“Do ye also desire Eilidh?  Were ye leaving her bed when ye came to fetch me?” she asked trying to make him stop touching her.

             
Derek stiffened and his hand stopped its movement.  It fell back to his side, but he continued to look at her.

             
“I will pretend ye dinna say that,” he said through clenched teeth.

             
“Why?  Is it true?” she asked.  She held her breath for his answer. 

             
“I doona have to answer to ye, Annabelle.  It isnae yer business what I do in my leisure time, but when I want ye, ye will give yerself to me,” he said quietly.  Annabelle could see the storm brewing in his silver eyes.

             
Annabelle snorted.

             
The sound broke the dam of Derek’s anger.  He reached up and ripped her shift off in the same manner as her gown, and then picked her up and threw her on the bed.  He followed pinning her down.  To punish her insolence, he crushed his lips to hers in a hard kiss.

             
Annabelle struggled against him, but his body pinned her to the mattress.  His hands roamed aimlessly across her body, over her breast, stomach, and legs.  He tore his mouth from hers and kissed her jaw and her neck with bruising kisses.  Annabelle pushed against him, but to no avail.

             
“Derek, stop it!” she screamed at him.

             
He continued his assault.

             
“Nay, if the only way I can have ye this night is by force, then by force I shall have ye,” he said sucking her nipple into his mouth.

             
Annabelle gasped at the pain it caused.

             
“Derek, ye’re hurting me!” she yelled, still trying to push him away.

             
Derek acted as if he did not hear her.  He continued to suckle her breast, one after the other.  He trailed more kisses down her stomach.

             
“Derek, please,” she begged him.

             
She felt him hesitate, but he resumed kissing her stomach and then her thighs.

             
“I surrender,” she finally whispered, tears streaming down her face.  She cursed herself for showing such weakness, but she could not seem to stop the tears.

             
Derek finally stopped and looked up at her face.  Her eyes were closed, and he could see the tears streaming from her eyes.  He silently cursed.  What was he doing?  He had only sought to punish her, but he did not expect her tears.  Maybe he had gone too far.

             
“Annabelle, I…”

             
“I surrender, Derek,” she interrupted him.  She did not open her eyes.

             
He rose up and lay beside her on his back.  He looked up at the ceiling.  He could hear Annabelle sniffle beside him.  He turned his head to look at her.  More tears were coming from her eyes and he reached out to wipe them away.  Annabelle flinched away from his touch.  He frowned.

             
“Annabelle, I want ye.  It is our wedding night and ‘tis my right to have ye,” he said calmly.

             
After a moment, Annabelle answered.

             
“I have told ye that I surrender.”

             
He frowned because her voice was devoid of any emotion.  She still did not open her eyes, and she lay on her back with her hands listlessly at her side.

             
He rolled to his side and inched closer to her.  She did not move, but he noticed that her breath hitched.

             
“I will be gentle with ye, Annabelle,” he said as he ran his fingers threw her fire red hair.  It was fanned around her head.

             
She only took a deep breath and waited.  His touch in her hair was tender, and it seemed that she could feel it tingling on her scalp.

             
“Yer hair is so soft, just like I remember,” he murmured, and then his hand moved to her face.

             
He ran his finger gently down the bridge of her nose, then over her slightly parted lips.  Annabelle suppressed a shiver, and was amazed that such a simple touch could elicit such a response.  He then replaced his finger with his lips.  Where before they had been hard, now they were soft, and she almost thought she had imagined the contact.  He then kissed her cheek and her forehead.

             
“Ye smell so good, Annabelle.  Ye taste like heaven,” he said as his lips met hers again.  This time she was hard pressed not to respond.  She was determined to be passive.

             
She felt his hand continue its exploration.

             
“Ye are beautiful, Annabelle.  Yer breast,” he said as his hands ran softly across their tips.  Her nipples instantly became erect.  She could not hold back a gasp.  This time of pure pleasure.

             
“Yer flat stomach and yer creamy thighs,” he said running his hands across them respectively.

             
“Open yer eyes fer me, Annabelle.  I love the color of yer eyes,” he whispered close to her ear.  His warm breath caressed her ear making her shiver.

             
Annabelle opened her eyes and looked up at her husband.  The raw passion in his eyes took her aback.  She felt something loosen inside of her and heat spread throughout her body.

             
“Aye, they are the color of the sea.”

             
Annabelle could feel his manhood hardening against her thigh.  It surprised her that the sensation aroused her.  She fought it.  She had to remain passive.

             
Derek watched as Annabelle’s breaths became shallower.  She was not unaffected, but she had not moved since he began touching her.  He was not unaffected either.  Her skin was so soft and he could remember how her body had felt pressed against his.  He knew he had to go slowly though.  He had frightened her, and he knew any wrong move would end this.

             
He moved his hand back to her full breast.  Their pink nipples were puckered and he could not resist taking one into his mouth.  This time he did it gently, barely touching them with his tongue.  Annabelle gently arched toward him trying to deepen the contact.  He held back and looked into her face.  Her eyes had closed again and there was a small frown across her brow.

             
“I want ye, Annabelle,” he repeated taking her mouth with his again.  This time she could not seem to resist responding.

             
Annabelle opened her lips to him when he slid his tongue across her lips.  His tongue delved into her mouth tasting and drinking her in.  She used her tongue to taste him also, mimicking his actions.  He broke their kiss and moved to her cheek and then her neck.  She moved her head to the side to give him easier access.

             
He rained small kisses across her collarbone moving toward her breast.  Her breath quickened in anticipation.  His warm mouth closed over her nipple and he gently suckled until she was sure that she would go up in flames.  His hand kneaded her other breast, his thumb teasing that nipple to attention.  She could feel the tension building low in her body.  She writhed and pushed her breast harder into his mouth and hand.