Owning Arabella by Shirl Anders Read Free Book Online Page B

his attractiveness. He had yet to believe it, but his brave Arabella had even touched his damn scarring. Caressed it . . . And taken the pain away. How much gold would he have given any person to take the recurring pain away? All of it! His entire fortune. Yet still, he questioned if Arabella's healing had been fortuity. Conceivably, it had just been a light spell to begin with, he had those as well. Darth gathered his resolve, he had too many needs not to see this through. Wicked, depraved, or even a beast, he was all of that and his face proved it.
    He rolled up off the bed, ignoring Arabella's weeping as he went in search of a brandy. Which he downed in one gulp with its fiery liquid searing his belly, making him realize it was morning and he was hungry. However, he ignored this also. He wondered briefly where Chicery was. Normally Chicery would have been here by now. Going about his self-imposed duties of opening the heavy drapes that darkened the room and setting out his Lordship's clothes for the day, with a bath being brought up. Darth knew that he'd locked the door earlier, but that would not keep Chicery from at least knocking. The thought of a bath propelled him into imagining other ways he could use to subjugate Arabella to his will.
    It was then that Darth noticed that Arabella had fallen silent and his gaze returned heatedly to her nimble shape, displayed in such a heady and decadent manner. Immediately, Darth saw that Arabella's heels were up off the ground. Damn . . . He returned quickly to Arabella's side, untying her slim wrists. A moan escaped her as her arms fell to her side and he caught her slender waist in his big hands before she fell, turning her to sit on the bed. The physical touching again, of her pliant flesh in his hands, shook him with fierce needs that took him moments to control.
    Arabella, clutched her breasts and between her thighs with her long auburn hair falling forward as her head hung down. "I beg you for clothes, my Lord," she whispered in a small voice.
    "Darth," he corrected. "And no, no clothes." Arabella's head came up at this, sending her long tresses falling backward over her bare shoulders "You will not cover yourself to me unless I wish it," he stated firmly under her horrified golden eyes.
    "You cannot keep me unclothed!" Her small chin rose upward, becoming firm.
    "I can, Arabella, and I will. You are mine now and you will do everything I say."
    Knock-Knock-Knock . "Lord Peregrine, I have the hot water here for your bathing and I have brought the sick young lady some gruel."
    "Damnation." Darth cursed at Chicery's timing, just as Arabella leaped to her bare feet with a horrified squeal and began to run toward the only other door in the room. It was his dressing closet
     

Chapter Eight
     
    Darth frowned, feeling haunted and edgy. His hooded gaze never leaving Arabella as she fidgeted on the other side of his bedchamber, pretending great interest in the things on top of his armoire.
    Chicery had come and gone, bringing food and a bath, while Arabella closeted herself in his adjoining dressing closet. When she had exited at his command to come partake of the food, she had been wearing one of his white silk shirts. He had not yet, commanded her to remove it. Instead he sat in the brass tub of hot water, with one of his hairy calves propped over the edge as he brooded. Fighting his lust was a more accurate description, as he watched Arabella trying valiantly to pretend that he was not present. Perhaps she thought, if she bided her time quietly enough, he would vanish from the chamber on some important morning duty. Alas, that would not be the case.
    Instead, he sat in his bath contemplating his lust . . . or rather, his rigid and fully aroused cock with its obese head poking out of the water. Finally, unable to live with the torment one second longer, he grasped the ample root of his manhood into his hand.
    An embracing stroke, up the shaft, brought his head back to lean against