Page 104 of Deviant

When we break apart, she looks up at me with tears still in her eyes. “What about the Brethren?” she says. “Will they allow this? You’re meant to execute me…”

I shake my head to silence the last of that sentence. “I’ll be Chapter Lord soon enough. No one will dare challenge me on this.” I state as if that is all there is to it.

She frowns, chewing on her lip, but I don’t let her speak further because I’m too desperate to seal this.

I yank the covers back, revealing her battered body in its entirety. It’s wrapped in bandages from where they had to operate and remove the bullet. I know fucking her right now willonly give her pain, but I need this, I need her, and I don’t give a fuck about anything else.

So I force myself inside her, feeling that delicious way her cunt welcomes me and, though I’m being as gentle as I can in the circumstances, she still whimpers.

“You’re mine, Liliana.” I groan. “All fucking mine. For now and forever, do you hear me?”

For a second, I consider taking out the IUD, forcing another thing onto her, forcing her to bear my children on top of everything else, but the thought of sharing her, of seeing her body change and morph, and sacrifice for someone other than me—no, I won’t do it. I want her all to myself. Every single part of her. Besides, I don’t actually have any desire to be a parent. It’s never been a want of mine. And with Conrad soon to be married it’s a burden he can take on, a chance for him to finally give back to our family for a change.

She digs her hands into my back like she wants to tear my flesh off and it reminds me of all those times I’ve had her, all those times I’ve forced her, all those times I’ve made this woman submit to me.

I’ve ruined her in every imaginable way possible and yet she still loves me, would still die for me.

What more could I ask from a life partner than that?

What more could I possibly want?

She is pure perfection. Created exactly the way I need.

I thought I wanted someone to simply submit, to give in to my every want, and yet I realise now that what I enjoyed all along was her defiance, her fight. She’s everything I needed. And more than that, she’s a true equal to me in every way.

So I’ll take all those sharp edges, I’ll take all those unguarded words she has, and I’ll make sure future wife is seen as that, is honoured as that. Is worshipped alongside me, as an esteemed and revered Chapter Lady.

And with her beside me, watching my back, I know our future is secure, our destiny is assured. I’ll be the most powerful man in England.

And with Liliana at my side, I’ll also be the richest.

What must be a million candles flicker around us. Magnus keeps my hand firm in his and part of me is grateful for that, despite me knowing that it’s meant to be a form of control, of dominance.

I can feel all the stares, all the looks. I may now technically be a Brethren Lady, but I’m still the outsider and in many ways I always will be.

My teeth bite down hard on the piece of metal resting in my mouth. It’s part of the mask obscuring my face and it’s the only way to ensure it doesn’t slip because it has no ties, no ribbon, just this mouthpiece to keep it up. Every Lady here has one, a full face, ornate thing, each unique, each hand-gilded toreplicate their individual features. Magnus had mine commissioned the day after he put a ring on my finger and sealed us both together for life.

The Lords all wear masks too, though theirs are simpler, covering only the top part of their faces, stopping above their lips, and they tie around their heads so they don’t require them to keep their mouths shut all the time. No, they’re allowed to speak freely, to smile and sneer, and to show expressions that we are forbidden from doing.

We ladies are to be silent. Silent and beautiful. That is our place.

A chorus of bells rings out. The crowd of robes moves like a flock and they turn as a man walks down the centre, waving a great incense burner that billows smoke all around us.

To our left stands Titus Ratcliffe and his wife, Elaine; he’s the only Lord daring enough to challenge Magnus for Chapter.

Magnus hasn’t even deigned to look at him and I’ve followed his example, keeping my eyes ahead, off to the distance as if they’re not even worthy of breathing the same air as us.

I’m wearing a long black dress that flows around my body, cascading down to my ridiculously high heels with a split right down the centre. All the other Ladies are dressed similarly, the only difference is my dress is sheer and underneath I’m wearing absolutely nothing.

I’m bare.

Exposed.

And I’ve caught more than one Lord already leering at my breasts.

But this is how Magnus likes me. I’ve realised that now, he enjoys showing me off, showing to the world what he has, what he’s created. Flaunting my body and my beauty like a prize no other man can have.

The old me would hate myself for being so obliging, for standing here, as good as naked and allow myself to be effectivelytreated like I’m some sort of trophy, but the new me, the one Magnus moulded, she can’t get enough of it.

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