~Penny~I could feel Leo coming after me like a storm cloud, his fury looming large. Fleeing the scene was not the best idea, but I failed to think of a better alternative. The raw fear of being executed consumed me fully, pushing me to run for survival like a hunted animal.I darted down the long hallways and out into the wildflower garden. The fallen leaves that carpeted the sun-dappled lawns crunched under my bare feet, their noise adding to my anxiety. No matter how fast I ran, Leo was always just a few paces behind me, his movements fluid and effortless. He didn't even need to run. He grew up in this castle and knew every possible shortcut while I sprinted around like a headless chicken in random directions.Just when I thought I had lost him for a second, he emerged before me with a scowl. A storm was brewing within those gray eyes that were fixed on me. My heart was pounding hard in my chest. Every inch of my body pushed me to run. And yet, I stopped to stare at him like a sill
~Penny~"Leo, please, I---""Shut the fuck up and walk," he snapped.I expected him to go ballistic or hurt me. Except for the unrelenting grip on my arm and the callous pace at which he pulled me towards the gatehouse, he showed no signs of physical aggression. I wasn't sure I could handle any more assaults today after how Lawrence treated me. But Ben would get killed if I told the truth, so I'd rather welcome some physical torment from Leo than tell him the truth. A cold wind picked up as the sky began to darken. Flurries of snow, large and heavy, pelted my face and stung my cheeks. I shut my eyes tight with fear. Leo was probably taking me to the grand hall where everybody waited for us. I was most likely going to get branded. Branding was a harsh, humiliating public punishment where words like traitor, murderer, or slut were written on the forehead or hands. Hot iron was used to do the marking which left scars for life. But most branded criminals didn't really live a long life.
~Penny~The rain had begun to pour as we hopped into a sleek black carriage. The silence between us was deafening, broken only by the rumbling sky. I half expected Hannah to be joining us on this carriage ride. My chest tightened at the thought of another woman.No matter how hard I tried to approach Leo, words failed me. I was surprised he hadn't tried asking me even once about who I was working with. He had barely spoken two words to me ever since we saw that bloodied corpse. Guilt was gnawing hard at me, but I felt even smaller and insignificant when I thought about the plausible reasons why he never cared to mention Hannah to me before. I glanced at him nervously and was met with a cold stare. His jaw clenched as he tried ignoring my sniffles. Wiping tears off my cheeks, I cleared my throat, drawing his full attention toward me, "Please don't get mad. I need to kno---""Mad? I'm fucking furious."I opened my mouth and closed it but couldn't return to being quiet again. My voice
~Penny~"What are you doing?" He asked as I reached for the hem of my dress to wipe my face off his cum. I was sure my eyeliner was running. My lipstick was probably smeared too. I looked up at him in confusion."That stays on." It was an order. "It's all over my face, it's even on my lashe---""I don't care," he retorted. "I want everyone to know you are my slut. You will walk with my cum all over your face and body because I told you so.""Oh---" My mouth stayed open in an O while he continued."You will be my maid, whore, cook, everything I ask you to be until I'm done with you.""Uh I can't cook---"He was out of the carriage already while the valet opened the door on my side so I could step out as well. I heard him talk to someone, instructing them to be sure to check all the passengers thoroughly before they boarded.The minute my feet touched the ground and I took in the sights and smells, I exclaimed, "A sea port?" I thought we were going to take the train but a ship made mor
~Penny~The sight of Leo standing so close to his lady friend made me forget all about Lawrence. While everyone else was seated at several round tables, Leo was leaning against the railing with a drink in his hand, looking hot as ever in his black twill shirt. He was listening to Hannah, looking amused by whatever she was telling him.She touched him at every chance, eyes wide and sparkling with excitement, her hands dancing in the air animatedly. I couldn't really blame her. Which woman could keep her hands off that tousled hair and charismatic face? At every lurch of the ship, she threw herself at him playfully and he caught her with his free arm. A heavy weight pressed down on my chest, making it difficult for me to breathe.Until now I had hoped Leo was meeting her for the first time and would take some time getting to know her. Tears stung my eyes like tiny hot needles when I thought about the possibility that he was sleeping with her when he told me he was busy with town hall vi
~Penny~Once we were out of Hannah's and everyone else's sight, he spun me around and yanked me off my feet, throwing me over his shoulder. I whimpered at the sudden move, my pulse racing even more as he stepped into his cabin and tossed me onto his bed. Jerking on the collar of his shirt after unbuttoning it, he lifted it over his head and flung it on the floor, revealing his broad shoulders and muscular arms."Spread your legs." His demanding voice got my blood pumping. My nipples turned hard when his gaze landed between my legs. Crawling onto the bed, he ran his hands over my shaking thighs, his fingers digging in. Pulling my panties to the side, he ran his thumb over my folds before pushing it into my pussy. My cheeks flushed at how wet I was for him."When I'm done with you," he said, his rough voice showing a hint of anger, "this tight pussy will be dripping with my cum. But I promise I won't let you come, no matter how much you beg or cry."I whimpered in protest. Not letting m
~Penny~ I slowly rose from the fog of sleep, every inch of my body feeling either sore or stiff. Bright rays of sunlight filtered through the cabin window. Jeez, what time was it? This wasn't Leo's cabin. He wore me out so badly that I passed out from exhaustion at some point and somehow ended up back in my tiny cabin, naked. As I rolled over with a groggy sigh, my body throbbed, all the way from my arms down to my calves. God, was it torture. There was something terribly wrong with me to have secretly enjoyed it so much. I could still feel the heat of his eyes on me, the way he watched me take it all in as he emptied himself between my lips, the sound of his quick breaths, the hard shudder of his body because of the things he made me do to him, fuck! My hand reached my clit instantly, gasping at how sensitive it was. My body needed a release, no matter how tender my pussy was. I rubbed on the sensitive bud, remembering how his fingers circled it lazily. Too bad he didn't let me
~Penny~A deep sense of dread and anxiety took over me as I slowly turned around to face Mr. Rolfe. His scrutinizing gaze seemed to freeze my blood, making my mouth dry and my knees weak and shaky."Pardon me, My Lady, I think the purser was holding five letters addressed to His Grace. Did you by any chance happen to see the fifth one?""Um, letters? For me?" I asked, hiding my sweaty palms behind my back and slowly crumpling the thick paper. The blue envelope I had opened so carefully to glue it back later was still sitting on the wooden railing. I used my body to block it from him."Letters for His Grace, My Lady, did you---""Oh, there they are," I said, quickly throwing the crumpled letter into the water as he turned to look at the approaching guards. "Just when I was wondering if I would ever get a minute away from them to appreciate these gorgeous views, here they are..." I waved my arm at the rolling hills draped in snow, gusty winds howling across them.Feigning my disappointm
~Penny~I shook my head in refusal. "I hate you after what you did with Hannah. Your touch disgusts me.""My touch? You get wet just looking at me." He whispered, his breath warm against my ear. As he traced his fingers down my spine, I shuddered against him, hating how soaked he was making me. "I don't have to feel your pussy to know how wet you are for me."I took a deep breath, desperately shaking my head in a no, denying the truth in his words and the caressing strokes of his fingers against my lower back. My nipples hardened under my dress, yearning for him to fondle my breasts."You let that handsy fucker touch you. You forgot who still owns this pussy, didn't you?" His fingers reached my folds as he buried his face in the crook of my neck."It's not yours. I'm NOT yours. I hate you!"I scrambled against his hold, refusing to acknowledge how shaky and breathy my voice was. He wrapped his hand around my throat and pulled me closer, tugging me into a wild kiss while using his othe
~Penny~How could I be so irresponsible? I cursed under my breath, the chill of the late night air seeping through my coat. At two in the morning, after tossing and turning for hours, the realization suddenly struck me–where did the letter that Mr.Rolfe handed me go?It must have slipped out of my dress at some point. But where? I forgot all about it when I got off the carriage and settled in the cottage for dinner. It was snowing lightly now and the moon was out while I looked as suspicious as ever, tracing my way back to the garden and lawns I walked through earlier in the evening. Dawn was approaching soon. I glanced up at the second story window where Leo's room was. He must be fast asleep, maybe with Hannah curled in his arms. As I turned away, I thought I saw a flicker of movement.Was he awake? Could he see me out here in the cold? I had to hurry back to my room, hoping no one else stumbled upon the letter once the snow melted. The next morning, we set out to the ocean with
~Penny~ As the ship touched land and everyone rushed to get offboard to the freezing Tundra, Mr. Rolfe walked to me with a stack of letters. The one on the top was in Lawrence's handwriting but with Ben's address. So Lawrence somehow knew we were going to stop at this town for a few days. “For me?” I asked, snatching it from Mr. Rolfe's hand before he attracted Leo's attention with his deep, ringing voice. For Ben's safety, it was best that Leo never knew about his existence. I was still upset with Leo and didn't want to talk to him. After that slap, he also avoided me. "How is this water not frozen?" Lucy exclaimed, covering her face with a scarf. "I wanted to say goodbye to Marie before she left but can barely see in this fog." "I know, it's crazy! Not even three in the afternoon and the sun is setting already." And I thought Mountbatten was cold. This place was surrounded by impressive snow-covered mountains just like Mountbatten, but that gorgeous pale wintry light was missi
~Penny~We were about four hours away from our destination by sunrise. But where did the sun go? Even at nine in the morning, it was so frigid cold, and foggy. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say the ship sailed really close to the North Pole overnight. As I walked into the open deck area, the crew wore heavy wool coats, hats, and gloves. The steward seemed to have used a hammock by the wood-burning stove at night to keep warm.Alice was serving alcohol to everyone on board while Lucy and Marie were busy getting the breakfast ready. Leo was probably still in bed. I dared to snuggle up to him once he passed out last night, but he wasn't a deep sleeper apparently, since I woke up in my bed this morning."Good morning, My Lady," Lucy said, beckoning me to join them in the galley kitchen. "His Grace likes these added to his eggs." She passed some cold smoked herring and cheese to me without explaining much.I wasn't very helpful in the kitchen, but I was glad to be here as it was nice a
~Penny~"Get my bath ready," he ordered, stripping off his shirt without caring to look at me. I stepped into the bathroom quietly to do as he said. Once I got the sponges and soap ready, I stood awkwardly by the large vanity, rubbing my palms on my thighs. He walked in wearing nothing but a towel, sending a warm tremor of heat straight to my core."Fetch me some new towels and change my sheets." He glowered at me, shutting the bathroom door to my face. Someone was in a terrible mood, probably because his torture didn't work on me. I wondered what else he would do to make me talk tonight. It was so strange that I wanted him to push my sexual boundaries to the extreme, even when the thought scared me.I changed the sheets and cleaned the room, picking clothes off the floor. Did he get physical with Hannah today? The thought bothered me as I clutched his cream-colored shirt, looking for any lipstick marks or strands of rose gold hair.Pushing his shirt to my nose, I sucked in a deep br
~Penny~A deep sense of dread and anxiety took over me as I slowly turned around to face Mr. Rolfe. His scrutinizing gaze seemed to freeze my blood, making my mouth dry and my knees weak and shaky."Pardon me, My Lady, I think the purser was holding five letters addressed to His Grace. Did you by any chance happen to see the fifth one?""Um, letters? For me?" I asked, hiding my sweaty palms behind my back and slowly crumpling the thick paper. The blue envelope I had opened so carefully to glue it back later was still sitting on the wooden railing. I used my body to block it from him."Letters for His Grace, My Lady, did you---""Oh, there they are," I said, quickly throwing the crumpled letter into the water as he turned to look at the approaching guards. "Just when I was wondering if I would ever get a minute away from them to appreciate these gorgeous views, here they are..." I waved my arm at the rolling hills draped in snow, gusty winds howling across them.Feigning my disappointm
~Penny~ I slowly rose from the fog of sleep, every inch of my body feeling either sore or stiff. Bright rays of sunlight filtered through the cabin window. Jeez, what time was it? This wasn't Leo's cabin. He wore me out so badly that I passed out from exhaustion at some point and somehow ended up back in my tiny cabin, naked. As I rolled over with a groggy sigh, my body throbbed, all the way from my arms down to my calves. God, was it torture. There was something terribly wrong with me to have secretly enjoyed it so much. I could still feel the heat of his eyes on me, the way he watched me take it all in as he emptied himself between my lips, the sound of his quick breaths, the hard shudder of his body because of the things he made me do to him, fuck! My hand reached my clit instantly, gasping at how sensitive it was. My body needed a release, no matter how tender my pussy was. I rubbed on the sensitive bud, remembering how his fingers circled it lazily. Too bad he didn't let me
~Penny~Once we were out of Hannah's and everyone else's sight, he spun me around and yanked me off my feet, throwing me over his shoulder. I whimpered at the sudden move, my pulse racing even more as he stepped into his cabin and tossed me onto his bed. Jerking on the collar of his shirt after unbuttoning it, he lifted it over his head and flung it on the floor, revealing his broad shoulders and muscular arms."Spread your legs." His demanding voice got my blood pumping. My nipples turned hard when his gaze landed between my legs. Crawling onto the bed, he ran his hands over my shaking thighs, his fingers digging in. Pulling my panties to the side, he ran his thumb over my folds before pushing it into my pussy. My cheeks flushed at how wet I was for him."When I'm done with you," he said, his rough voice showing a hint of anger, "this tight pussy will be dripping with my cum. But I promise I won't let you come, no matter how much you beg or cry."I whimpered in protest. Not letting m
~Penny~The sight of Leo standing so close to his lady friend made me forget all about Lawrence. While everyone else was seated at several round tables, Leo was leaning against the railing with a drink in his hand, looking hot as ever in his black twill shirt. He was listening to Hannah, looking amused by whatever she was telling him.She touched him at every chance, eyes wide and sparkling with excitement, her hands dancing in the air animatedly. I couldn't really blame her. Which woman could keep her hands off that tousled hair and charismatic face? At every lurch of the ship, she threw herself at him playfully and he caught her with his free arm. A heavy weight pressed down on my chest, making it difficult for me to breathe.Until now I had hoped Leo was meeting her for the first time and would take some time getting to know her. Tears stung my eyes like tiny hot needles when I thought about the possibility that he was sleeping with her when he told me he was busy with town hall vi