Karl was like a man possessed by a demon. He relentlessly pounded into me with such fierceness that it threatened to rob me of consciousness due to excruciating pain and sheer exhaustion. He finally collapsed next to me after what felt like eons, his energy depleted from the violent act he'd committed. I was left in a daze, unable to gauge how much time had passed before I felt the tight bonds around my wrists and ankles loosen. He scooped me up in his arms as if we were newlyweds crossing the threshold and began walking. Destination unknown. I was too spent to utter a word or make any attempt at movement. My eyes were swollen and bloodshot from crying so much that they were barely more than slits. It wasn't until he gently laid me down inside the bathtub and turned on the faucet, filling it with warm water that I realized we were in the bathroom. I was naked and rendered vulnerable. Curiosity sparked within me about what I must look like after such an ordeal. Karl step
I was so bone-tired that the gentle dawn light barely registered in my consciousness. The sun's tender and warm rays seeped into the room, painting my skin with a soft golden hue. It felt like an artist had dipped his brush in a palette of fresh colors and was gradually bringing the world back to life; it was the start of another day. My eyelids fluttered open at the incessant prodding and reluctantly focused on the woman who had been trying to coax me out of my sleep. "Madam, please wake up; Mr. Sullivan is waiting for you downstairs," she pleaded, her voice laced with such genuine concern that it stirred something within me. She was dressed in a maid’s uniform with an apron tied around her waist and exuded an air of respectfulness. Her head bowed slightly as if acknowledging some invisible hierarchy. I gave her a weak nod, hoping this would appease her enough to allow me to drift back into sleep's comforting arms. But she persisted, shaking me gently yet insistently. "Mad
Daylight soon bled into twilight. I found myself sitting on our bed, waiting for Karl to come home and tell me last night was all some twisted prank and that we could go back to being normal. But there was no apology or explanation when he finally arrived home from work. He simply undid his tie with an irritated expression as if it had personally offended him. "What's up?" He asked nonchalantly when he noticed the look on my face. I guessed he expected me to welcome him with open arms and a bright smile despite the turmoil raging inside me. Oh, how wrong he was! "We need to talk, Karl. I can't turn a blind eye to what you did to me, and even though I loved you very much, I can't continue to live with you. What you did is inexcusable and cannot be forgiven. Let's get a divorce and put this whole thing behind us.” His face was painted with a sarcastic smile as he listened to what I had to say. "Divorce? Forget about it because it won't even come close to happening in the next five
I got out of bed slowly the following morning. No one jolted me awake this time, but the rumbling of my stomach was loud enough to shake the graves of the recently deceased. I rolled over groggily and instinctively reached out across the sheets, expecting to find Karl's solid warmth lying next to me. However, my questing hand met only cool, crumpled fabric. His side of the bed was empty, with a lingering trace of his cologne being the only evidence he had been there at all. I let out a long, resigned sigh. Of course, he was already up and about. The man seemed to run on a perpetually efficient internal clock, rising with the sun no matter how late we had been up carrying on our activities the night before. My rebellious stomach let out another insistent growl. So much for trying to catch a few more winks of sleep! I finally surrendered to the demands of my hunger and threw off the cozy warmth of the downy duvet, exposing my bare legs to the cool morning air. I padded across t
"Oh god...Karl, please..." I heard myself moan, my voice thick and breathy.I wasn't even sure if I was pleading for him to stop or to never stop.My hips rolled in a sensual undulation, silently begging for more delicious friction.Karl simply grinned at me, his eyes glittering with dark, feral intensity. He looked like a male model - ruggedly handsome and confident. He was utterly at ease with his own sexuality. The man was pure carnal sin given form."You're so responsive to my touch," he purred in a low, gravelly timbre that made me shudder. "So soft...so needy..."To emphasize his words, he curled two fingers up into my molten core, crooking them firmly against that electrified bundle of nerves.Hot sparks of pleasure detonated behind my tightly clenched eyelids as I threw my head back with a keening cry."Does this still hurt, baby?" Karl asked, his voice a wicked purr against the heated flesh of my neck. "Or does it feel good?""I...oh god...I hate you," I managed to grit out t
The next few weeks passed by in the same dreadful pattern - Karl leaving early each morning for work and not returning until well into the night, while I spent endless vacant days alone, cooped up inside binge-watching TV shows and chatting with loved ones to fend off the creeping loneliness and despair."Lavinia...I think I'm in love," Rosie's dreamy, wistful voice made me gape in shock through the phone line.Rosie had been my closest friend since childhood, and her falling in love with someone was essentially a modern miracle, given her track record of rapidly cycling through flings and casual boyfriends."What?!" I yelped, unable to stifle my knee-jerk response. This was precisely why I often hesitated before answering Rosie's calls - never knowing what shocking revelation might tumble out next."Yeah...I really think I am, Lavi. Oh god, it's such a weird, intense feeling but so wonderfully giddy and intoxicating too," she gushed unabashedly. "Every time I see him, I get these int
"Oh, come on, fill me in on everything right away. Who exactly is this man? Where were you when you first met him? When exactly did you realize he was the one for you? I am interested in every detail!""Well, well, would you mind slowing down a little bit, all right? The fact that his name is Richard Shoppers is the most important thing to know about him. I first met him at your wedding, where we were both honored to be guests. We exchanged numbers and we started talking. We do not get to see each other very often since he does not reside in Heartland but in Yorkshire. Therefore, all we do is talk.”I centered my attention on what she said, "Richard Shoppers.""Did you say Richard Shoppers? You met him at my wedding. He lives in Yorkshire! Is what I thought I heard true?" I was completely taken aback by her response.She gave a nod. "Yeah, exactly. Why is there a problem?"A small smile graced my face when I spotted a familiar figure come in. “Hello, Mr. Will. We missed you," I said j
"So, my little bitch, how do you feel about spending a merciless night in the Red room as a consequence of your defiance?"I couldn't help letting out a disbelieving chuckle."Punishment? My defiance? Is that what you're calling it now?" I shot back, my tone laced with incredulity. "I didn't commit any sin that warrants punishment from you. And even if I had, who gave you the authority to judge me?"My voice grew more assertive as I continued, "I have every right to voice my thoughts and fight against injustice. Your eagerness to punish me only underscores your fear of opposition and your desire to stifle individuality. Instead of trying to break me down, perhaps you should try engaging in an open conversation to understand why you act as you do."“Conversation?” His retort was swift and harsh. "Every time you feel pain... remember that it's your own doing, not mine. You need to see the beast you've turned me into."Karl's words were punctuated by a guttural roar that made me involunt
When they finally broke apart, he maintained a feigned frown. “Is that all we’re going to do?” he asked gruffly.Lavinia giggled at his attitude. "You're being ridiculous."Before he could retort, she carefully lifted Jan from his arms and settled onto the couch, preparing to nurse the hungry infant. She pulled out her breast from under her light shirt and guided the baby's mouth to her nipple so he could contentedly suckle.Karl watched them for a moment with a complicated mix of tenderness and jealousy. "I think we need to start weaning him off breastfeeding soon so he can drink regular milk," he commented.Lavinia just rolled her eyes at him. She was long used to hearing this complaint from her husband. "Are you seriously jealous of your own child? He's still so young, I can't just stop breastfeeding him like that," she sighed.Karl turned his gaze away, feeling unreasonably envious of the peaceful intimacy between mother and child. He tried to push the feeling aside.“Finally, he's
No sooner were the words out of her mouth than a piercing scream tore from her throat. “Aaaaaggghhhh! It hurts so bad! Karl, help me, please!” She clutched at him wildly.Karl was at a complete loss, watching his wife suffer so terribly.All he could do was hold her and try in vain to comfort her. "I'm here, I'm here...you're doing amazing, just keep breathing..."The medical team burst into the room in a flurry of chaos at the sound of Lavinia's screams. They swiftly but gently transferred her to the bed with the doctor taking charge."Okay Lavinia, you're fully dilated. It's time to start pushing on the next contraction," she instructed."No no no, I can't...I can't do it!" Lavinia shook her head even when the next contraction seized her body.Karl stroked her damp hair back. "Yes you can, baby. You're the strongest person I know. Just focus on me and push, I'm right here..."With a guttural, almost primal scream, Lavinia bore down hard. Her face turned beet red from the exertion."I
~Time flew by in a blur~"I am very nervous," Lavinia confessed while fidgeting with the hem of her maternity dress.The swell of her belly was now undeniable. It was a constant reminder of the life growing within her.Karl reached out, taking her hand in his and giving it a gentle squeeze. "It's okay, everything will be fine. No need to stress," he reassured her before turning his attention towards the doctor in anticipation.The doctor was getting ready to deliver the news that everyone had been waiting for."Here we go. Are you both ready to find out the gender of your little one?" the doctor asked.Lavinia and Karl nodded eagerly. They had discussed this moment countless times while imagining the different scenarios that could unfold.The doctor smiled. “Congratulations, you will have a son."Karl's face lit up with joy, "Did you hear that, my love? We're going to have a little boy, a little Sulivan who will look just like you," he exclaimed.Lavinia's smile mirrored his happiness.
Now that he was fully awake and alert, Karl pushed himself up on one elbow to study her expression. “Are you in pain?” he asked urgently, his mind instantly leaping to worst-case scenarios about her and their unborn child’s wellbeing.But Lavinia was quick to ease his fears, offering him a small, almost embarrassed smile. "No, no, it's not that at all," she reassured him before pausing momentarily. "I...well, I have a craving. For oranges."The tension seeped out of Karl's shoulders after registering her words. He let out a quiet chuckle of relief.He reached out and gently caressed her cheek. "Oranges? At this hour?" he teased. "You do realize it's well past midnight, and we're not exactly in peak orange season right now."Lavinia's expression fell into a mild pout. The desire for those oranges seemed so strong, so urgent in that moment, even if she understood the unlikelihood of finding any at this late hour.Sensing her letdown, Karl quickly backtracked. "But don't worry, my love. I
It was truly a night to remember.Andre and Rosie found themselves in the quiet of their hotel room, where they were able to spend some quality time together.While Andre's hands were softly put next to Rosie's head against the door as he gazed into her eyes intensely."What are you doing?" Rosie's voice trembled."Why are you so tense? Are you afraid?" Andre asked before caressing her cheeks tenderly.Rosie offered him a smile and shook her head. "I'm not... I just...""Don’t be nervous, just let yourself go. I'll never hurt you, my love. Everything will be fine, trust me," Andre reassured her.Rosie battled to restrain her reactions as he moved in and pressed soft kisses along her neck. She bit her lip in an attempt to suppress her moans."I love you, Rosie, you know that," Andre murmured.Rosie nodded. "I know, my love, and I love you too," she managed to say before their lips met in a tender kiss.Andre carefully lifted Rosie in his arms before carrying her to the bed. He gently s
Karl’s grin broadened at her words and he drew the quilt over them both before they welcomed dreamland together.The next day, Lavinia was standing in the middle of the dressing room, clad in just her underwear, angling her body towards the full-length mirror. With a small smile, she ran her hands over the gentle swell of her baby bump, admiring the changes pregnancy was bringing to her figure.She grabbed her phone and started snapping a series of photos from various angles in an attempt to document this special journey.The bathroom door opened and Karl stepped in, fresh from the shower with a towel slung low around his hips.He raised an eyebrow at his wife's actions. "Uh, what're you doing there, babe?"Lavinia glanced over her shoulder with a smile. "I'm taking belly pics! Wanna get in on this?" She motioned for him to join her. "I want to have photos documenting my whole pregnancy so we can look back on it."Without hesitation, Karl crossed the room and wrapped his arms snugly ar
“Is my husband still angry with me?” she murmured.She could feel the scorching heat of his body through the thin silk of her negligee and smell the warm, musky scent of his skin. It made her head spin with a dizzying rush of want.Before Karl could respond, Lavinia closed the scant distance between them and captured his lips in a deep, hungry kiss.For a long, heated moment he seemed to melt against her. His mouth moved in tandem with hers as one of his hands slid up to fist in her hair.A low rumbling groan of pure masculine appreciation vibrated against her lips and it made her shiver with delight.Then, all at once, Karl seemed to come to his senses. He tore his mouth away from hers with a harsh curse. His hands quickly dropped away from her as if she had scorched him."Dammit, Lavinia," he growled.There was an unmistakable bulge tenting the front of his pajama pants. "Don't do this, not tonight. I'm serious."Lavinia felt her heart plummet at the rejection. "But Karl--""No buts.
Lavinia felt her stomach twist itself into an anxious knot when the realization struck her. Karl must have retreated upstairs to their bedroom, no doubt seeking the solitude and space his anger and hurt seemed to demand.She wavered in the doorway for a long moment, chewing nervously on her lower lip while weighing her options.Part of her wanted nothing more than to leave him be, to give him the time and distance he so clearly needed to process whatever emotions were raging inside him over the disastrous misunderstanding.Another, deeper part of her, however, knew that putting off a reconciliation would only breed more resentment and pain between them.No, better to bite the bullet and face the awkwardness head-on no matter how painful it might be.Drawing a fortifying breath, Lavinia finally turned on her heel and slowly headed for the stairs.By the time she reached the bedroom door, her heart was pounding a staccato rhythm against her ribcage. She could hear the muffled sounds of
Martin gestured grandly at the table laden with boxes of crispy fried chicken, mounds of buttery mashed potatoes, biscuits, and other picnic fare. “We were talking about food, you nutters! This glorious chicken, to be exact.”The revelation hit the women like a ton of bricks.Rosie’s face flushed a brilliant crimson, slowly lowering the rolling pin, suddenly feeling very foolish.“We…we thought…” She stammered, unable to meet anyone’s eyes when the weight of their overreaction crashed down on her shoulders. “Oh god, I’m so sorry.”Talia scoffed loudly. “Wow? After our whole dramatic scene?” She shook her head in disbelief, but carefully set the skillet down.Andre stepped forward. “It’s okay, really. I can totally see how it sounded out of context.” He shrugged. “But we were just a bunch of guys enjoying some food and…well, guy talk. That’s all.”Lavinia forced an awkward laugh while pressing a hand to her reddened face as the absurdity of the situation fully registered.“Chicken…we re