The Devil's Inheritance Ch. 01

"Well," he started, "I'd say I enjoyed you better with your clothes on, Sophia. I almost want to thank you for putting up a fight."

"You rotten bastard!" she said, recovering. The emptiness inside of her replaced the pleasure of his thrusting cock and suddenly the pain of it returned. The fire he had burned straight through the center of her was all she could feel right now. She lay on her side on the table, clutching her ripped clothing and curling her knees upward. Her core ached as never before all at once from the soreness of her previously untried body and also from the very new feeling she could neither attain nor understand.

"I have a proposition for you."

She turned to look up at him as James adjusted his clothes calmly, carrying on like this was every day business. What deal could he possibly make with her? He'd already just proved that he could take anything he wanted from her at will, and that his splendid touch would reduce her resistance to nothing in taking it. She hated this man beyond hate, with the fire of a thousand suns, "Say it, and leave."

He closed the distance between them fast and Sophie winced, sitting up and trying to back away from him, thinking that he would assault her again for her impudence. Her traitorous body almost wished for it, to feel him inside her once more. Instead he took her chin in his hand and brought her mouth up to his, kissing her deeply.

Her desire burned just as deeply as her hatred. His tongue slipped between her teeth, melting into her. She felt her pain start to disappear again, replaced by the same flaming pleasure. He brought a hand to her back as she let go. He cradled her and pressed himself to her once more before withdrawing from her lips.

"My thought is this: You in exchange for the farm."

"What?"

He walked to the coat rack, putting on his frock as casually as if he had just stopped by for breakfast, "I have business to settle here with my uncle's other holdings and I detest the inn at Ashford. The pub girls over there look like pigs. I'd much rather stay here. My exchange is as follows: when I come to visit my lands here, you will spend the night in my bed and continue what we started today. If you do this to my satisfaction then in two years when you reach the end of your contract the farm will be yours."

She curled back up again on her side, lying on the table where he had taken her. Sophie thought about this place, her home. It had been the only thing she had been able to call home, and if she refused he would turn her out to the crossroads or have her shipped to the Americas, or worse. The exchange she understood but for one part. She crinkled her brow, "What do you mean 'to your satisfaction'?"

"Submit to me willingly any time I desire in any manner I desire, for as long as I desire, and you will get everything you ever wanted out of this piece of dirt you love so much. I could care less about the farm, to be honest, but since you do, I figure it's a fair exchange."

"To be your whore?"

"But of course; however only a whore to one man. And considering the reward, I believe you'd do well to think on it. It's either that or I sell the farm and turn you out to the crossroads so you can whore to the multitudes. But it doesn't have to be all that terrible, Sophia. Think on it this way: technically, I am your master and you are my apprentice. Just as your arrangement was before, you will learn the trade I have to teach you," he said, his voice almost singing. James lifted the satchel containing her contract over his head and brushed down the flap at his hip.

Sophie remained dumbfounded. This wasn't a choice; this was a command! ...from her new master. She looked at him with unbridled hate burning in her eyes. Hot tears started rolling down her cheeks once more. He grabbed his hat by the front corner, wiped the sweat of his exertions from his brow, and placed it on his head.

James opened the front door to leave, "For now, I'll take your silence as your approval, but I'll be back to discuss this with you further. Good day, Sophia Latwicke," he said tipping his hat toward her and exiting, "It's been a pleasure."

The door slammed behind him, leaving Sophie alone, still clutching at her torn dress and curled up on the table. She felt tears stinging her eyes as she laid there the shock of what had happened and let what she had tacitly agreed to start to sink in.

James packed his case at his side and sat down in the seat of the chaise. He would clear his thoughts of her and go about his business for the rest of the day. His body was telling him to turn back, to properly take her to bed and lose himself in her arms again and again but he resisted, trying to regain his control. It was to no avail. The only thought he had was that glorious moment he had branded her as his, the look of surprise on her face as her maidenhead had been pierced. She had bewitched him, cursed him to suffer the torment of being apart from her sensuous body.

Damn his night's rent to the inn! They could keep his money for all he cared. It would pale in comparison to where he planned to sleep instead: next to her body. He flicked the whip, his horse cantering back to the inn. He would take care of matters in town with the local barrister, pack his things and be back here by sunset. Her name echoed in the recesses of his mind as his horse rode on. Sophia... Sophia... Sophia... Sophia...