Page 10 of Revealed

Early in my time here, another guard came to get me for my “scheduled meeting” with Ashton, but he didn’t bother to tell me Ashton was in a nasty mood. Michael always tries to warn me about the version of my husband I’m getting. So I walked into that interaction blind, with my usual level of snark, and met the backside of Ashton’s hand. My face was bruised for a little over a week.

“Yessir,” I comply with a salute before turning to open the door, earning a smack to my ass.

Michael walks me to the dining area, where Kathy and the kitchen staff are setting food. He gives me one final look of warning before going to handle his business. The smell of the pot roast that’s been simmering all day lures me into false comfort. One should never let their guard completely down when their murderous husband is expected at any moment.

“Good evening,” I say, addressing the room.

The staff responds in kind, but Kathy eyes me with a knowing smile. I don’t pay it any mind as I take my regular seat and wait for Ashton before filling my plate. She’s noticed a little of the flirting between Michael and I, but any time she questions it I play it off as we’ve just become good friends. Whichistrue.

“Where’ve you been all evening?” she asks, starting the interrogation.

I don’t get the chance to answer because the devil himself walks through the dining room, the sleeves of his dress shirt rolled up to his elbows and covered in blood. I hate when he shows up to dinner like this. Evander demands we share these meals together, but he hardly ever joins. Ashton could cancel the formal dinners, but I’m positive he doesn’t because it’s a flex of his power. He gets off on demanding my presence at his dinner table, but shows up and hardly says a word to me.

“Kathy,” Ashton addresses her with a nod.

She is the only person in this house his pleasantries are extended to. It was within my first week that I questioned why Kathy was the only person that Ashton treated like a human and not as property. Imagine my surprise when she tells me she practically raised Ashton. At least until he was old enough that Evander put him through training and stamped out any softness that she had tried to foster within him. Evidently Ashton was a strange child with an ill temper until he was taught to channel that rage. The use of violent torture as a coping mechanism made it extremely clear the type of family I’ve married into.

Kathy heads to the door, but not before giving me a look telling me to behave myself. A warning I don’t need when my husband is standing before me covered in blood.

We eat our dinner in our regularly scheduled aggravatedsilence. There’s never a time when we’re alone that I start a conversation with him unless it’s necessary. Instead, I allow my thoughts to wander. I should probably call my mom. It’s been a couple of weeks since we’ve spoken, and I know she tends to get antsy when she doesn’t hear from me. Apparently, my father has been taking more trips and working later, leaving my mother to her peace. I still worry about her safety, especially now, since I’m no longer there. My mom has never caused my father issues, so it’s harmless for him to keep her around.

The drop of Ashton’s cutlery onto his plate makes me jump in my seat. His eyes are on me as he stands, taking up space beside my chair. I can smell the blood on his clothes, and it makes me want to gag.

“Did you take the pregnancy test?” he asks, staring at me through narrowed eyes.

He is looking for a fight, but I’m not taking the bait.

“It was negative.” I answer concisely, not wasting time delivering his bad news. Even though I can read his shit mood, I never know if he wants to cause harm.

Technically it’smybad news, too. A negative pregnancy test means more passionless sex with the man I would rather not touch ever again.

“We’ll give it another month before involving medical professionals to figure out what’s wrong with you,” he sneers.

His response comes out cold and calculated, wanting to hurt me. He turns to leave the table intending to have the last word, and I can’t help the snark that falls from my lips.

“Maybe it’s the universe finding you undeserving of an heir.” I take a sip of my wine, satisfied with that jab.

Quick as lightning, he’s back with bloody fingers digging into my hair, wrenching my head back to stare into my eyes.

“You should hope not. Then I would have no reason to keepyou alive,” he says in a sinister tone, pushing my head away before leaving the room.

It’s midnight as I shuffle down to the kitchen for my insomnia snack. I’m not surprised when I round the entry to see Michael is awake, too. His head snaps in my direction as he comes from the pantry with his favorite chips. In his other hand is a kettle and a pack of lavender tea, my remedy for sleepless nights.

“Just in case,” he says, holding up the kettle for me to see clearly.

Butterflies take flight in my stomach at the attention to detail he showers me with. This has been our routine for months. One I’ve found myself looking forward to. Most times, it’s just me down here, but the nights when he can’t sleep and he joins me feel magical. It’s like the universe is granting us much needed alone time. We’ve learned so much about each other in these stolen midnight moments. It’s in this kitchen that he divulged being a mama’s boy, especially after losing his father as a small child. His favorite color is the same green as the tiny flecks in my hazel eyes. Winter is his favorite season. He learned that despite my thoughts on how my mother allowed my father to treat her, she is my best friend.

Michael fills the kettle before placing it on the stove. He is wearing grey sweatpants and a white undershirt that has his muscles fully on display, which I admire on my way to the pantry. I quickly turn my focus towards choosing my snack of choice for the night, attempting to distract myself from being reckless.

Shock moves through me when a hand comes around the front of my silk night gown, pressing me back into a hard body.Soft lips press kisses down my neck before I turn around, facing him, to find a seductive smile lighting his face.

“Starting trouble so soon?” I ask before leaning up to kiss him.

I fall into the kiss with a sense of urgency, but Michael’s hold on the back of my neck slows things down. My body relaxes into his, enjoying the feel of his full lips on mine. The stroke of his soft tongue licking into my mouth pulls a small moan from me as he pulls back.

“With good reason,” he says, voice rough with lust.

He places wet kisses down the side of my neck before working his way back to my mouth, kissing me so deeply that I feel dizzy with want. One hand moves down my back, grabbing my ass in a punishing grip. The other cups my breast before pinching my nipple to a hardened peak. Goosebumps rise all over my body as his hand moves lower, sliding the silk material against my skin. I moan at the contact of his fingers in my panties, rubbing my clit.