The Assassin's Bride Ch. 04

Carina drearily sat up in bed and rubbed her face. After a terrible night's sleep, her eyes were swollen from crying. Upon entering the bathroom, she was confronted by a mirrored reflection of her untidily knotted hair, pale face and reddened eyes with dark circles beneath them. Knowing she looked a complete wreck hardly improved her mood, and she gave the mirror one last dirty stare as though daring it to comment, before stepping into the shower.

Turning the water to the hottest temperature she could bear, Carina stood under it and blankly stared up through the clear screen at the blue sky beyond. The heat helped her unwind, and she felt quite refreshed after washing the tears from her face. Recent events passed through her mind as she idly combed her fingers through her hair. Carina eyes slightly narrowed at the reminder that Michael effectively snuffed her intention to engage with the stranger.

A feeling of light-headedness passed through her with the sudden realisation that she had met a new person unsupervised. Taking a moment to trawl her memories, Carina genuinely couldn't recall the last time she had that kind of autonomy. The encounter was the closest thing to a first date she had experienced before meeting Eduardo. But though the newcomer was a shiny new toy she ached to play with, she feared she might go insane if Michael carried out the punishment he threatened her with.

"Carina?" Michael spoke from the doorway, and she slowly turned from the water to look at him.

Michael was casually dressed in a dark grey sports tracksuit, but his feet were bare.

Carina didn't answer immediately. Churning emotions kept her lovely face bitter, her eyes burned a dark navy, despite the sun streaming through the skylight barrier to brighten her striking features. Her detangled dark hair now attractively framed her face, wetly adhering to parts of her chest.

Taking in her mood, Michael looked to the lively rivulets of water travelling down her breasts, his gaze moving further down her taut legs, then back to her face. Despite the severity in his expression, there was a smugness about him that conveyed he was satisfied she was adequately tamed.

"Yes?" Carina finally answered. Her voice was cold, though she wasn't sure he could hear above the steaming flow of water.

Michael approached and Carina backed into the large stall, wishing there was a glass door between them.

"You're upset with me," he murmured, passing his hand beneath the spray. "Hot," he remarked, withdrawing. Carina watched him warily, anger still etched across her features.

"Breakfast is ready. Don't take too long," he said, holding her resentful gaze.

"I'm not hungry," she sharply replied.

"Carina-" Michael began impatiently.

"Are you going to threaten me with...with that, whenever you don't get your way?" she shrilly interrupted, unable to keep the panic from her voice.

"Calm down," Michael said shortly. "I told you. The punishment applies if you disobey me where that visitor is concerned. I have no other need for your cooperation."

"No, you'll just rape me, when you feel like it," Carina said bitterly.

Michael shrugged, with no answer to the accusation. "I will be outside. If you take too long, I will come for you," he said softly, and once again Carina watched his eyes boldly roam her nudity before he left.

Praying for strength, Carina let the water hit her in the face as she savoured her last moments alone. She certainly wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of fetching her.

Leaving the bathroom wrapped in a towel, she saw Michael waiting on the bed with the breakfast tray beside him. Wanting to be more quick than discreet, Carina abruptly let the towel fall and swiftly dressed in the first thing she laid hands on.

When she turned to Michael, she wanted to scream at the appreciative look on his face. The jade dress brought out the purple tone of her eyes, and pulled flatteringly tight across her figure.

"I always liked green on you," he said, before standing to lift the breakfast tray. Carina took a few deep breaths and tensed her shoulders before following him onto the balcony.

Carina barely touched anything, refusing to look at Michael as he somehow maintained an easy flow of conversation, despite it being noticeably one-sided.

After enough time passed, Michael tried to clear the air.

"Carina, I did what I did, because there was no other way," he explained, gazing out at the glimmering water on the horizon.

"It was despicable," Caring snapped, still not looking at him.

"Yes," he admitted. "But are you going to tell me that you would obey my rules otherwise?"

Carina remained stubbornly silent, refusing to acknowledge he was right. If there was no ultimatum, she would have leapt on the stranger if he returned.

"I didn't want to do it," Michael muttered more to himself, sounding annoyed. "The current job is demanding. I can't have you tempting some moron on a submarine."

Then he froze, his dark eyes growing fierce as the effect of his careless words sunk in.

"That's how he gets here?" Carina remarked in a mild tone, but watched him like a hawk. There was a distinct spark of interest lighting her violet eyes as she waited for Michael to continue.

"Stop fishing, Carina," he snarled, standing to pile what was left of their breakfast onto the tray. While his brooding thoughts escalated, plates broke and cups were chipped as he angrily heaped them together.

"I wasn't-" Carina began to argue, but her voice died at the terrible look on his face.

Michael didn't speak, but bent and seized her wrist. Dragged from the chair, Carina stumbled in his wake as he pulled her into the suite and flung her toward the bed.

"Ouff!" Carina gasped, landing on her front. Before she could get up, he was on top of her.

Michael curled an arm around her waist and lifted her lower body so she was arched for him, her face forced into the bed. The green dress was roughly pulled up to her waist.

"Michael, wait!" Carina pleaded, her voice slightly muffled by the mattress. One of his hands gripped her hip and the other restlessly wandered down between her legs, around her pussy.

"Don't! Michael, Please!" she moaned. She heard Michael spit on his fingers and knew he stroked it down his cock. Then he spat again, and his fingers briskly rubbed over her pussy, coating it in warm saliva. Then, he lined up.

"No! Owww....uhhhhh..." Carina huffed, trying to crawl away as Michael slowly forced his cock inside her. It was uncomfortable taking a man his size without being in her usual state of arousal. He was persistent, but gentle. Slowly, he eased in and out, inch by inch, going deeper with each new thrust.

Carina squeezed her eyes shut and clutched at the bedsheet, hoping it would be over quickly. Michael wasn't his normal talkative self, and there was no affection or teasing playfulness in his touch. He fucked her in angry silence, keeping a firm grasp on her hips to assert his physical control. The quiet room was tensely filled with sounds of the bedsheets rustling, Carina's soft whimpers and Michael's heavy breathing.

"Uhhhh," he groaned, pumping with long, steady strokes. His cock shone wetly with her juices as her body adjusted to the assault. His hands tightened on her hips, and she wriggled uncomfortably. Then he bent and seized a fistful of her hair, continuing to fuck her.

"Uh...mmm...uh..." Michael's hand cruelly tightened and Carina cried out as he mercilessly ploughed into her. Then he pulled out for the last time and sprayed her ass with cum.

Determined not to react, Carina didn't move. A cloth ran over her, then Michael gave a dismissively push to indicate he was done, and she collapsed onto her stomach. Curling up and pulling the blanket over her, she seethed beneath it, hoping he'd leave immediately. But his weight remained at the end of the bed, and an eternity seemed to pass before Carina resentfully lowered the blanket to peer over the edge.

Michael lay on his back, his eyes closed. With her movement, his eyes immediately opened and she quickly retreated before he saw her. Then she felt him crawl up the bed, and Carina clenched her teeth as Michael tiredly spooned her, pulling the blanket from over her head so his mouth could reach her neck.

He inhaled her soft, long hair, still damp from the shower, then brushed it aside so he could press gentle kisses behind her ear. Carina thought she might actually explode from rage. She was so offended she couldn't move or speak, frozen with an indignant loathing. How dared he abruptly rape her, just because he was angry about his mistake?

"Leave. Me. Alone," she ground out, her voice quivering with hatred. Michael's intimate chuckle seemed to echo mockingly about her ears, and she lost it.

Abruptly twisting to face him, Carina slammed her fist into his cheekbone. She yelped as immediate pain flashed through her wrist and up her arm. But that didn't stop the assault, and she continued to blindly punch and claw at him. The brief attack ended very quickly as Michael easily rolled on top of her, crushing her under his weight and pinning her wrists to the bed.

With immense disappointment, Carina saw Michael's handsome features were undamaged, his hair only slightly ruffled, and that she'd done a better job tangling herself in the blanket.

"Meow," he grinned, and Carina's eyes spitefully gleamed at the faint claw mark down his cheek. But she hadn't drawn blood, the victory was hollow, and she squirmed angrily, feeling more pathetic than ever.

"Carina, Carina," Michael chided, sounding entertained. He squeezed her wrists tauntingly. "How shall I teach you a lesson?"

"Give me the silent treatment, and fuck off!" she yelled, trying to tug her wrists free. "Let me go, Michael!"

"If you will let me check your hand without a fight, I will leave you be," he answered, his eyes serious.

Carina resentfully nodded, and grudgingly allowed Michael to lift her hand and gently move her fingers back and forth. Then he lightly pressed her palm, around her wrist and down to her forearm, all the while carefully watching her face.

"Ok," he said, satisfied. "It wouldn't be the first time someone broke their hand on me," he confided, climbing from the bed.

"Good," Carina grumbled, relishing the thought of him being beaten to a pulp. It didn't help her temper when Michael laughed as he left the room. But at least he was gone.

Petulantly turning to her side in a huff, Carina began to think about Michael's ex-friend, on a submarine of all things. She wondered how long he floated around the area before plotting to come ashore; whether he arrived and departed, or constantly hovered surreptitiously beneath the ocean surface.

Though she no longer dared plot a seduction, Carina remembered him watching her in the bed, staring into her eyes, his delicious kiss, and his hands on her body. The disgruntled expression slowly melted from her face, dissolving into a dreamy smile as she played over the provocative encounter in her mind, unsure who teased whom.

The man's controlled flirtation baffled her. Any other straight male would have tried to fuck her against the wall, but not this one. He left her hanging, which was a first. Was that his game, to draw her in, or was his desire for her purely neutral?

After a while, Carina decided not to mope in bed all day, though the idea was tempting. She wanted to relax in the bath, but didn't feel safe in it when Michael was around. Peeling off the green dress with a shudder, she brutally balled it up and dropped it into a small, gold cylindrical bin by the desk.

After another shower, she donned a fluffy bathrobe, and settled comfortably on the balcony to resume reading her book. Almost an hour passed before she glanced up curiously as an unusual glint flickered in the corner of her eye. Carina stood from the table with a yawn and snapped the book closed. The gown hung open by her sides of her chest, her stunning body on display to the green surrounds. This time she was certain of the flash of light amongst the trees, an unmistakable sign of the sun's reflection on glass.

"Huh," Carina mused, one hand on hip, completely unabashed by the exposure of her full breasts and smooth torso.

She couldn't be sure of the reflection's source, it obviously came from deep within the forest. Instincts told her she was watched by her new interest, but it could be anyone. For all she knew, Michael had pissed off too many people to keep count of. Though his instructions were clear, and she was forced to abide them, she wasn't going to do him any favours by mentioning what she had seen.

As though her thoughts summoned him, Michael emerged onto the balcony with another tray of food.

"You said you'd go away," Carina said irritably, quickly drawing her robe together.

"I did go away," he answered, having the gall to sound indignant. "You've been alone for hours. Stop being childish."

"Me being childish?" Carina exclaimed, moving back as he placed the tray on the table.

"Ok. I'm sorry for being a bastard earlier," he lamely apologised. "I'm only human."

"I don't think you are," Carina retorted, keeping a wary eye on him as she sat in the farthest seat. She looked him over critically, as though analysing a revolting specimen.

"You befriend people, betray their trust, and kill them for money," she thoughtfully continued, as though contemplating the weather. "You are a kidnapper, and a rapist," she musingly added, but her eyes flared angrily on the last word. Then Carina smiled maliciously as a macabre thought twirled about her mind.

"And if Carlos got his hands on you, he would peel off your skin and probably find scales," she sneered with a cold laugh.

"That is not very nice," Michael dryly remarked.

"Neither are you," she shrugged carelessly.

"He's hunting you quite tenaciously, if you're interested to know," Michael said, reaching for salad.

"Hunting me?" Carina repeated with narrowed eyes. Though the news of Carlos' search was welcome, she didn't like Michael's tone.

It was Michael's turn to shrug. "Well, he's at his wits end. He's worried about you, but suspicious, of course. He doesn't know why you disappeared, and probably thinks you fled since I packed your things to bring here. And I knew you'd be too chicken to tell him I was coming back."

"Now that is going too far!" Carina shouted, losing her temper. There may be a lot of things he could call her, but she was not a coward. As her agitation increased, the bread roll in her fingers was rapidly torn to pieces.

"Carlos could easily presume I disappeared because...because-" Carina suddenly faltered, and Michael watched her expectantly.

"Because...?" he drawled meaningfully, and Carina flushed.

"Because he...because he knew I was upset about Eduardo," she finished lamely, forcing bread into her mouth.

Michael burst out laughing. "It's remarkable," he chuckled. "It's just remarkable what a good liar you can be. And then other times, like now, you fail abysmally."

Carina glared at him.

"I know he hit on you," Michael said simply, pouring two glasses of sangria. "Nothing you say could convince me otherwise. I knew when Eduardo died, Carlos would crack and start drinking. And then he would lose control. But I am curious to know how you escaped, before I could rescue you."

"That's nice," Carina replied with a placid smile. Ignoring the colourful drink he offered, she forced herself to swallow more bread.

"You're not going to tell me?" he inquired with mock offence.

"No," Carina said flatly, looking very irritable as a new thought occurred to her. "And you say you packed everything to make me comfortable here, yet none of my toys-"

"Why on Earth would I do such a thing?" Michael said incredulously. "I want to be your source of pleasure."

"Yeah?" Carina's lip curled with contempt. "Well, you're shit at it."

"I am happy to prove you wrong, right now."

Carina didn't answer. The table slightly tremored as she viciously stabbed a piece of salami into a small dinner roll.

"Go easy, Carina," Michael said with fake concern as specs of food scattered across the table. "I can hear your lunch crying."

Glowering at Michael, Carina forced half the roll into her mouth in a very unladylike manner, hoping to offend him with revolting table manners.

"Wow, Carina," he clapped admiringly, not repulsed in the slightest. "You look so good with your mouth full. It's just a shame there's no one else...watching."

Carina choked and spat into a napkin. It was a natural way to respond to his innuendo, but there was an edge to Michael's last word that truly startled her.

"Are you ok?" he coolly enquired, steadily buttering bread. "That was quite a reaction to my little joke."

With some dread Carina noticed he looked quite fierce. Did he know they were being watched? More importantly, did he know that she knew?

"I don't like your humour," she snapped, quickly hiding behind an indignant demeanour, though her heart was pounding.

"I suppose that makes sense," Michael slowly acknowledged, now watching her shrewdly. After a thoughtful pause, he leaned forward, gently waving the butter knife as he spoke.

"I can't always prove my suspicions are right. But if I find out you are keeping secrets from me..." he warned softly, trailing off with an easy smile. "Well, you know exactly what will happen," he said on an easy laugh, but his eyes glinted ominously. Then he resumed eating, seemingly oblivious to Carina's discomfort.

"And how do you know what Carlos is doing?" Carina tentatively asked, genuinely curious.

Michael shrugged. "When a man like Carlos wants you dead, it's prudent to keep an eye on his activity."

"Maybe he'll send someone to kill you."

"No. Even if it took a decade longer, he would want to do it himself."

"I can't wait that long."

"So nasty, Carina," Michael admonished, as though she were a naughty child.

A short while later, Michael piled the plates onto the tray and pushed it to the other end of the table.

"Come here," he said softly, scooting his chair back and patting his knee. Carina recognised the hungry look in his eyes as they devoured her.

"Why?" she asked suspiciously, shrinking into the fluffy gown and trying to stall the inevitable.

"Because I want you to," he smiled pleasantly, but his eyes were stern.

"I'm comfortable here."

"I can lay you back on the table if you prefer?" he offered, though it was nothing more than a polite threat. Almost immediately Carina's chair scraped the ground as she rose from her seat.

"Good girl," he breathed, sliding his arms about her waist to draw her into his embrace. Then he leaned back slightly to peel the front of her robe open.

"Mmmm," he said, kissing her breasts, tickling her sensitive nipples into stiff peaks with his tongue while she stared despondently into the forest.

"Kiss me, Carina," he insisted, pulling the robe to bring her closer.

Sliding his hand up her neck and into her hair, he held her steady so she couldn't break the kiss. Carina sighed wretchedly against his mouth, his ardent desire heating her body in response. Michael's chest was hard and warm beneath her palms, his heartbeat thudding rapidly.

As his other hand kneaded her breasts, Carina suddenly remembered the stranger and how much she wanted his touch. Brow slightly furrowed with irritation, she realised the combination of Michael's attentions and her fantasising made her increasingly excited. Michael's hand left her breasts for a moment, then his hard cock sprung free from his trousers.

"Touch me," he murmured huskily against her mouth, and Carina frowned as she complied, feeling his body tense as her hand found his cock and began to half-heartedly stroke it. His hand sneaked between her thighs, and found the slick proof of her arousal.