We Are Leaving

Amelia unable to grasp his intentions, looked numbly into his jet-black eyes, hovering a hairsbreadth from her own.

Ryder sighed, as if his patience was being tested yet again. He pushed her chin down and thrust his soft, wet tongue into her mouth. Shocked, she found herself gripping his arms to steady herself.

Ryder bit his lip and muttered in annoyance. “Should’ve taken off my armor first….”

It happened so quickly that she had no chance to brace herself. She stood there uneasily, until he pushed her down onto the sofa behind her and with a knee pressed into the side of her thigh, he deftly removed his silver gauntlet.

The long, thick fingers that emerged from the gauntlet tenderly grazed her cheeks. Her hands clutched his tunic, as if they had a mind of their own.

Again, Ryder pressed his lips to hers, and he removed the other gauntlet to bury his other hand into her hair and roughly grasp the back of her head.

Ryder tongue twisted and tangled with Amelia, roving over her teeth. She found it harder and harder to breathe. She shoved at his chest, but he clung more firmly to her. “Just a little more…”

Her heart skipped a beat at his pleading tone, his warm hands slid over her face and neck, stroking the curve of her back before sliding along her ribs and up to her breasts.

When Amelia squirmed in embarrassment, he pulled her in by her waist and laid her down on the sofa then, without delay, he pulled up her skirt. “R-Ryder…!”

This time, she immediately knew what he wanted. Her eyes darted toward the door. How could he do this in the middle of the drawing room? And in broad daylight, no less! Someone could burst in at any moment!

But Ryder didn’t seem to care. He nibbled on the back of her neck, pressing his body insistently against hers.

When she felt his hardness between her legs, she cried out in shock. He began to rub against her, slowly, and with each movement, the steel cuisses that covered his powerful thighs brushed up against her, the cold metal raising the hair on her skin.

Unable to bear it any longer, Amelia squeezed her eyes shut, but the intimacy abruptly ended when Ryder sprang up without warning and threw a cloak over her body.

Someone was watching them. A blond man dressed in the same armor as Ryder stood at the door, his eyes wide and mouth agape.

“What are you looking at, you little rat?!” Ryder roared.

Amelia leaped to her feet, startled by Ryder shout as much as by the man at the door. For a split second, the poor man was taken aback by the intensity of Ryder ire, but he was soon growling a retort.

“Commander, how could I have known that you’d be engaged like this in the drawing room? I assumed you’d hear me approaching right away, as usual. I didn’t see the need to knock.”

“Get out!”

Ryder bellow turned Amelia face white as a sheet. She dreaded what was to come if the  man left the room, so she sent a pleading look in his direction, but he simply cursed through gritted teeth and turned back toward the door.

“A carriage is waiting for you outside, Commander. You said you didn’t want to stay a moment longer than necessary in this house.”

“Keep it waiting,” said Ryder.

The man paused, as if struck dumb by Ryder words then, he scowled and let out an exasperated sigh. “Please be quick, Commander.”

With that, he shot a displeased look at Amelia before exiting the room, the door slamming shut behind him.

Amelia searched Ryder face for signs of anger as he scratched the back of his head. When his eyes slid away from the door and back to her, Amelia withered under the intensity of his stare.

Ryder scoffed. “I won’t pounce on you again, so there’s no need to tremble like that. Hell, I wasn’t planning to jump on you here at all.”

She dared not raise her head. Instead, she stared at her clasped hands, as if trying to bore a hole through them with her gaze.

Ryder rose from the sofa and straightened out his disheveled clothes. “You heard him, didn’t you? A carriage is waiting. It’s leaving soon.”

Amelia blood froze. He had tried to ravish her only moments ago, and now he spoke of leaving?

She hadn’t managed to convey even a single coherent thought to him, let alone persuade him.

“B-But…” In her panic, Amelia clutched at his tunic, oblivious to how rumpled her own clothes had become. “C-Could we t-t-talk for a m-moment…?”

“There’s no time to lose,” said Ryder. “Have a servant pack your things. We’ll talk in the carriage.”

Ryder had been shaking with fear, but now she was confused. She hesitantly repeated his words. “My…My th-things?”

“Yes... your things. Do you not have things to bring with you?”

She blinked, still not understanding. Ryder sighed heavily and deftly adjusted her clothes back into some semblance of propriety before calling to the maidservant waiting just outside to pack Amelia bags despite all the evidence unfolding before her, Amelia could not believe that Ryder truly intended to take her with him.

“Pack only what you need.”

“Th-There’s n-not much to t-take. J-Just a few…”

“Good. We’ll leave now, then. Anything you might need, you can find at my house.”

Ryder sent the maidservant away and led Amelia out of the drawing room. She almost had to run to keep up with his massive strides. Everything was moving so quickly that her thoughts could not keep up.

“Your…Y-Your house…?”

“What? Does it amaze you that a lowly knight would have land of his own?” He glowered at her over his shoulder, his voice brimming with scorn. “King Adrian bestowed an estate upon me when I became a knight, along with a castle. A castle that should have become your home after our wedding.”

Amelia looked up at him, bewildered. A castle that should have become her home?

Ryder seemed uninterested in explaining further. He was already marching down the staircase and into the expansive courtyard beyond.

Next to the fountain stood an extravagant carriage pulled by four horses. An entourage of fifteen or so knights stood guard around it.

Their boisterous voices died down when Ryder and Amelia approached. Some of the men threw furtive glances at Amelia, who followed awkwardly behind Ryder. Her cheeks burned under their curious gazes. “What are you waiting for?” Ryder asked her. “Get in the carriage.”

“B-But…F-F-Father is w-waiting for…for me. I n-need his p-p-permission….”

Ryder face hardened when she mentioned the duke. Tightening his grip on her arm, he dragged her toward the carriage.

“You are my wife. Why must I seek anyone’s permission to take you with me? Your father has no right to interfere.”

With that, he lifted her up and placed her in the carriage, where she sat in mute astonishment. “My wife.” those thoughts filled her head over those two words. Could this mean he did not intend to divorce her?

“Go!” Ryder shouted out the carriage window as he sat down across from Amelia.

The carriage rattled to a start, and soon her father castle shrank into the distance. It was unbelievable. Amelia had imagined dozens of different scenarios as she prepared for their reunion but this was not even close to being one of them.