LOGINShare
CHAPTER 31
Last Updated:
2023-12-03 15:16:44
Related chapters
Satisfying Her Darkest Fantasies CHAPTER 32
Bertha beamed at Mary. “Come, lass, you must celebrate with us.”Mary turned to leave the hall with the women when Edward cleared his throat. Slowly she turned around and peeked up at the laird. Surely he wasn’t angry with her. Not after having heard the full story.His expression was still stern as he crooked his finger at her. With a sigh, she left Bertha to go to her husband. The women remained in the hall, either curious over what the laird wanted or to defend Mary from reprimand. Mary wasn’t sure, but she was grateful for their support.When she was at a respectable distance, she stopped and folded her hands in front of her. “You wanted me?”He crooked his finger again, and she huffed as she moved even closer. He stretched out his finger and touched her chin, prodding until she was looking directly up at him.“You have instructions for me, Laird?”“Aye, lass, I do.”She cocked her head farther back and waited for his order.His fingers trailed over her chin to her jaw where Heath
Last Updated : 2023-12-03Satisfying Her Darkest Fantasies CHAPTER 33
After washing out her mouth and getting dressed, Mary headed below stairs where she was met by Gannon. She raised her eyebrows in surprise when she saw him because since her poisoning, Edward had made it a point to have either himself or one of his brothers guarding her every moment of every day. It was a fact she was resigned to and had accepted with good grace.“Good morning, my lady,” Gannon said cheerfully.“Good morning, Gannon. Tell me, what have you done to anger your laird?”Gannon blinked and eyed her with confusion. Then he laughed as he realized she was jesting with him over his duty.“Nothing, my lady, ’tis the truth I volunteered for the chore of looking after you today. The laird and his brothers have gone out to greet the McDonalds.”Her eyebrows rose again. Any talk of the McDonalds had been dispensed with after her poisoning. Why, she’d even forgotten the matter of an alliance herself. The McDonalds’ departure was not on pleasant terms, so the idea that they had retur
Last Updated : 2023-12-04Satisfying Her Darkest Fantasies CHAPTER 34
Over the next weeks, the weather grew warmer and Mary spent as much time outside the keep as she could. Though she wouldn’t admit as much to Edward, she kept a sharp eye to the horizon, watching for when her dowry would be brought by the king’s escort.Edward’s missive to the king had gone unanswered thus far, but Mary held hope that any day they would hear the news that the dowry had been carried to Woods land.Her belly had pooched ever so slightly. It wasn’t noticeable under the full skirts of her dress, but at night, naked, beneath Edward, he delighted in the tiny swell that harbored his child.He couldn’t keep his hands or his mouth from the mound. He’d palm and caress it and then kiss every inch of her flesh. His obvious joy over her pregnancy brought Mary great satisfaction. Her clan’s joy over the announcement warmed her to her toes.When Edward had stood during the evening meal and announced Mary’s pregnancy, the hall had erupted in cheers. The word raced throughout the keep
Last Updated : 2023-12-04Satisfying Her Darkest Fantasies CHAPTER 35
“I have bad news, Laird,” Gannon said in a grim voice.Not liking his commander’s tone, Edward looked up with a frown as Gannon strode toward him, still dusty from his travel.“Did you bring Father McElroy?” Edward demanded. Time was of the essence. Edward had sent Gannon to fetch the priest so that he could bear witness to the wedding ceremony performed for him and Mary. They only awaited the priest’s arrival before they departed for court.“He’s dead,” Gannon bit out.“Dead?”“Murdered.”Blasphemies spewed from Edward’s lips. “When?”“Two days past. He was traveling between McLauren land and McGregor land to the south when he was set upon by thieves. They left him to rot and he was discovered by McGregor soldiers the next day.”Edward closed his eyes. Thieves? Not likely. Priests had nothing to steal. A thief wouldn’t have bothered. It was more likely that Cameron had arranged for the priest’s murder to prevent his testimony before the king.The one card that Edward held was the fac
Last Updated : 2023-12-05Satisfying Her Darkest Fantasies CHAPTER 36
He turned to survey the many people seated at the tables in the hall. “Let us eat,” he announced.The servants lining the wall burst into activity, filling goblets with wine and setting out the trenchers of food. The aroma was tantalizing and the tables overflowing with bounty.“Eat,” Edward whispered to Mary. “You must keep your strength up.”Edward and Duncan’s presence at the same table made the tension so thick that the rest of the noblemen seated around them remained silent. Archibald suffered no ill effects and ate grandly, gesturing for seconds and then thirds of the roast chicken.Edward was ready to be done with the meal so that he and Mary could retire to their bedchamber, but Archibald kept up a steady stream of mundane and tiresome chatter that made Edward’s head ache.He had no patience for games played by courtiers. Everyone knew why he and his men were there, and the air was charged with anticipation over the potential confrontation. The people assembled were all but li
Last Updated : 2023-12-05Satisfying Her Darkest Fantasies CHAPTER 37
Alarm beat in Mary’s chest as she settled more comfortably in the chair. Her hands shook and she hid them in the folds of her skirts so as not to betray her unease.“I do hope His Majesty’s ailment is not serious,” she said politely. “I had looked forward to making the acquaintance of my only blood relative.”“That’s not entirely accurate,” Archibald said. “I am the king’s cousin, so that makes us related by blood.”“Aye, of course,” she murmured.“I would ask that you wait here, cousin, until you are summoned to the great hall. I will, of course, provide refreshment. You’ll want for nothing during your confinement.”Cousin, and then his casual reference to confinement, made the hairs on Mary’s nape prickle. Still, he viewed her kindly and seemed genuinely concerned over her well-being, so she smiled and offered her thanks.“I would speak to you, if permissible, about the matter before you, my lord.”He patted her arm. “ ’Tis not necessary, dear lady. I am sure the experience has been
Last Updated : 2023-12-06Satisfying Her Darkest Fantasies CHAPTER 38
A cry rippled across the room as Mary shot to her feet. “Nay!”Edward was in a state of shock. A man he’d trusted with his very life, with Mary's life, had betrayed them all in the cruelest fashion possible. It was also apparent that Edward had never had a chance from the start. Archibald was in league with Duncan Cameron. What wasn’t clear was whether the king was also in league with Cameron, or whether Archibald boldly plotted against his cousin.“My lord, please hear me,” Mary pleaded. “ ’Tis not true. None of it is true! My husband is Laird Woods!”“Silence, woman!” Duncan roared. He backhanded her in reprimand and she fell into the chair she’d just risen from.“She is distraught and clearly not thinking straight, my lord. Please forgive her impertinence. I will deal with her later.”Edward could not be contained. As soon as Cameron struck Mary, Edward went crazy. He exploded across the room, hitting Duncan in the chest. The two men went down as, once again, chaos reigned.This ti
Last Updated : 2023-12-06Satisfying Her Darkest Fantasies CHAPTER 39
“Aye,” Alan agreed. “What then do we do?”“We steal into his keep and take Mary back.”Caleb let out a deep breath, the sound loud in the quiet of the dungeon cell. “You make it sound like a simple raiding mission, Edward. Cameron will expect such a trick as well.”“We’ll succeed. We have no other option.”Caleb, Alan, Gannon, and Cormac voiced their agreement. Silence fell once again as they waited.An hour later, a sound outside the cell stirred them to action. Caleb leaped to his feet and charged toward the iron bars as a guard shuffled down the corridor, torch in hand.“You must hurry,” the guard whispered in an urgent voice. “Your men have staged a distraction. Follow me. I’ll show you to the northern gate.”Alan helped Edward to his feet and they hurried from the cell and up the stone staircase to the first level of the castle. The guard rushed down the long corridor, past the great hall, and beyond to the kitchens.They exited the castle through the small door where rubbish was
Last Updated : 2023-12-07
Latest chapter
Satisfying Her Darkest Fantasies CHAPTER 577
“I believe you. I’m sorry I left the way I did. I had a lot of time to think between Omaha and Wichita.”“About us?”“That and some other stuff.”“Like what?”“I’ve been thinkin’ about safety issues and helmets and all that since Ryan died. And then after what happened to Dirk, I realized I wanna do more than talk about it; I wanna act on it. It’s a murky idea right now, but I have an opportunity to make a difference and I’m going to take it.” He kissed her just because he could, because she was here with him, where she belonged. “Enough about that. Tell me how long you were in LA, because Hollywood, I was headed there first thing in the morning.”“A couple of hours after you left, I got a casting call for a new sitcom and flew back to LA. I should come clean and let you know that my agent called me three times over the course of our road trip, after she’d lined up auditions. And every time I declined to go back to LA to audition. I didn’t know what it meant at the time, besides I didn
Satisfying Her Darkest Fantasies CHAPTER 576
Ava gave Hannah an arch look. “Besides I know how damn good the man looks in chaps?”“Smartass. But really, what’s the point after Chase’s meltdown last night?”Her heart seized, thinking about how Chase had lost it on live TV. She’d wanted to jump through the screen and drag him off to comfort him. Assure him that not every wreck would have the same outcome as Ryan’s. Assure him she’d be there for him no matter what.“I know you can hear me, Ava, so stop ignoring—”“Ssh… They’re giving the injury report on Dirk.”The camera cut to an interview with the head of the sports medicine team. When he finished detailing the bull rider’s injuries, the announcer asked his opinion on Chase McKay’s comments about mandatory safety helmets. The doctor looked directly into the camera and said, “Helmets save lives. Period.”The camera returned to the main announcers. Their on-air banter circled to rider standings on tour and current matchups with bulls for the final round. When the list of the fifte
Satisfying Her Darkest Fantasies CHAPTER 575
“After a few years, we started having you boys and… Well, my life was busy. Good. Happy. But I never forgot about that sweet baby boy I held in my arms for one short hour. Not a single day went by that I didn’t wonder about him. Pray his life was good. Pray he was loved.”*****Gavin’s eyes were on the shot glass he rolled between his fingers.“So I was shocked when your Aunt Kimi confronted me after your grandpa Jed died. She said one night Jed was loopy on pain meds and he told her that my father told him that I was pregnant. My father bragged to Jed I’d rather give the baby up than have it raised in a godless home as a McKay. Which was a total lie, but Jed must’ve believed it. After Kimi told me that, I finally understood why Jed never liked me and why he refused to live with us.”“Aunt Kimi never told Uncle Cal?” Chase asked.“No. But she told your Aunt Carolyn.”Gavin said nothing.“When did you tell Dad?” Ben asked gently.“Right after Quinn and Libby got back together.” She loo
Satisfying Her Darkest Fantasies CHAPTER 574
Quinn? Yes.Ben? Yes.His folks? Absolutely.And probably any other McKay relation he called.They were just that way. They might fight like cats and dogs, but when it came down to it, family was everything. And he would do everything to reclaim his place in his family.“Chase?”“I’m here. Just figuring the logistics. If I leave now, I can be there by noon tomorrow. Is that early enough?”“You’re really not gonna compete in the final round and you’re coming home?” Ben said with total shock.“Hard to believe, but yeah. I’ve realized there are more important things than those eight seconds I spend on the back of a bull. I ain’t gonna be the one who lets Mom and Dad down.”Ben was very quiet.“What?”“You have changed. I’m looking forward to seein’ you. Drive safe.”Immediately after Chase hung up he called Elroy.“You’d better not be calling me to bail you outta jail, McKay,” Elroy barked.“Good morning to you too, sunshine. I’ll keep this brief. I have a family emergency in Wyoming and
Satisfying Her Darkest Fantasies CHAPTER 573
“Me.”“And who are you?”Gavin took a deep breath. “I believe I’m your son.”****The crowd roared behind him, ready to party at the PBR on a Saturday night.Chase braced himself. The PBR’s newest female reporter, a fiery redhead named Lissa, stuck the microphone in his face as soon as he cleared the contestant gate. He’d been expecting it since he’d avoided an on camera interview last night. To ensure his cooperation, the cameraman blocked him in. Bastard.“We’re here with Chase McKay after that amazing ninety-one point ride on Devil’s Due. Congratulations, Chase, that’s gotta feel good to be back on top.”He focused on the woman and not the camera. “It does. Especially after an extended break and such a poor showing in Dallas.”“Tell us about the ride.”“Well, Devil’s Due is an ornery little cuss and highly unpredictable, so I wasn’t sure if he’d go into spin mode tonight or hopscotch around. Luckily I was able to stay with him no matter what he did.”“So the past few weeks you’ve b
Satisfying Her Darkest Fantasies CHAPTER 572
“Okay. Thanks.”“And if that doesn’t work? Go with plan B.”Her mother, businesswoman extraordinaire, always had a backup plan. “And what is that?”“Track him down, tie him up and force him to listen to reason. It helps if you’re naked. And holding beer.”“Ah, Mom. I don’t think that will work.”“It sure did with your dad. Good luck, sweetie, keep in touch.”Ava packed her bag and booked a commercial flight to LA.“Why am I so nervous?” Ava asked Hannah, two days later.“I’ll tell you what I think after the audition.” Hannah straightened Ava’s miniskirt for the third time.“That’s not helping my nerves.” She tried not to think that Chase would know exactly what to say to her to calm her down. The door to the conference room opened and a long-legged blond strolled out. “We’re ready for you, Miss Cooper.”Ava squeezed Hannah’s hand and followed Corporate Casting Barbie into the conference room. Well, at least this production company didn’t have the clichéd casting couch. Ava chose the c
Satisfying Her Darkest Fantasies CHAPTER 571
“No. And here’s fair warning: that is not a topic of discussion. With you. Or anyone else.”“Never thought I’d be happy to hear you say ‘no comment’ and mean it. Warms the cockles of my cold PR heart, McKay.”“You’re a riot. What else?”“The PBR is picking up your transportation expenses. You’re in New York now?”“Yeah.”“I can’t get you to Wichita directly—”“Book me into Omaha. I left my truck there. I’ll drive to Wichita.”“Done. What day you wanna leave?”“Today. As soon as possible.”Ava stared at him with shock.“The event isn’t for another couple days.”“I’m aware of that. But there are other things I need to take care of first.”Elroy sighed. “Fine. Contact me when you get to Kansas. And I don’t gotta remind you no press unless you’re escorted by a PBR media liaison.”“I get it. I’ll keep in touch.”“Good.” Elroy hung up.Chase returned to the bedroom and picked up his bag.“You’re leaving? Just like that?”“Yep.”“No discussion. No yelling, no hashing it out?”“What is there
Satisfying Her Darkest Fantasies CHAPTER 570
Evidently he hadn’t realized she’d set up a goddamn camera in their room either.He hit the pause button, his head spinning, his gut churning, his thoughts focused on one awful thing.Betrayal.Yes, he knew she’d been taping all the fucking time, but he had no idea she’d been making a goddamned movie. The whole time they were together. To think he’d invited her to share his experiences on the road. He froze. Wait a second. He hadn’t invited her. She’d invited herself. Offering a convincing argument about wanting to see real life outside her poor, privileged upbringing.But Chase sure as hell hadn’t encouraged her to creep around, sticking that camera in everyone’s face. Capturing their private moments. Having no shame in using them for her own gain. For a woman who claimed to hate the intrusion of paparazzi, she’d become damn good at acting like one of them. She’d promised him she wouldn’t show her home movies to anyone.A new thought chilled his blood. Did Ava have footage of Ryan’s
Satisfying Her Darkest Fantasies CHAPTER 569
“So I’ll think of you whenever I wear it.” Like I’ll ever stop thinking of you. Ava tried really hard not to cry, but a couple of tears slipped free. The last man who’d given her jewelry had been her grandfather.“Ava?” Chase tipped her face up. “Ah, hell. Don’t cry. I told you that you can take it back.”She made a sound half-laugh, half-sob. “No way am I taking it back, McKay. It’s beautiful. Perfect. I love it. Thank you.”The guardedness in his eyes vanished. “You’re welcome.”Chase paced in the hotel room, glaring at his phone. He hadn’t minded that the fucker hadn’t worked at all yesterday, since he and Ava had spent the whole day in their room, most of it in bed after they’d returned early in the morning from the penthouse.Dammit. He needed to access his email. Nothing was showing up on his phone. And he’d been in such a hurry to get away from the sorrow in Nebraska he’d accidentally left his laptop in his truck at the Omaha airport.His gaze landed on Ava’s computer on the de
