Jessica was yawning. “All right, I’ll sleep here. I don’t like sleeping alone anyway.”
Eleanor kissed her sister’s cheek. “You won’t regret this,” she said and left the room.
Jess was asleep in moments but woke when Alex entered the room. She watched him move about, his fat belly silhouetted in the dim light. He lit a candle, then drew in his breath when he saw Jessica.
“What are you doing here?” he said, his eyes widening at the sight of her.
She was not going to get angry. “We got married, remember?”
“I thought you’d be asleep now—in your own bed,” he said pointedly.
She clutched her hands together and gave him a sweet smile. She didn’t like the way he was treating her, as if she were an intruder. “Alexander, this is our wedding night.”
“I know,” he snapped, “but I’m tired and I have a headache and I want to sleep.”
He did look tired. His eyes were red-rimmed and his face was beginning to sweat. She tossed back the covers, then stood on the bed, putting her hands on his shoulders. “I can rub your head until it feels better. Come to bed and I’ll—”
She stopped because Alex pushed her down in the bed.
“Go to your room,” he said angrily. “I told you that I want to sleep. Alone. Do you understand me?”
“Yes,” she said, as much puzzled by his anger as anything. “I wasn’t planning to remind you of the past. I mean, remind you of when you could still—”
Alex had his back to her and didn’t turn around. “Just go, Jessica. Just go,” he said hoarsely.
Frowning, she went to her own room and snuggled down under the covers. She was asleep instantly, but something woke her. She sat up. “Alex?” she said, when she heard a noise.
“It’s me,” said a deep, accented voice that she’d come to know well.
The Raider was all over her at once, pulling at her clothes, burying his hands in her hair, kissing her face and neck. He was a starving animal, wanting her, needing her.
For a moment, Jessica clutched at him, as eager for him as he was for her.
But then, when he had her gown half off, she remembered who she was.
“No, no, no,” she chanted, pushing at him. “I’m married now. Get away from me.”
“Jessie,” he whispered, yearning in his voice. “I came to give you your wedding night.”
She pushed at him with all her strength. “You didn’t participate in the ceremony and you can’t participate now. I told you that. Didn’t you believe me? Now get out of here before you wake Alex.”
“He’s snoring too loudly to hear anything. Jessie, please.”
“Get out of here!” she said much too loudly, but she knew she was close to giving in to him. “I’ll scream until everyone hears me. They catch you, it’ll be your neck.”
“Jessie, you can’t mean this. That fool Montgomery is never going to sleep with you. Do you mean to spend your life alone in this bed?”
“If I must. But I’ll certainly not spend it cuckolding my husband. If you’re not out of here in thirty seconds, I’ll scream.”
He stood to his full height, towering over her, his black clothes making him almost disappear in the shadows. “I want to see how you feel in a week or so. Will you be able to resist me after that muscleless husband of yours has ignored you night after night?”
“I’ll resist you even if it turns into year after year.”
He laughed at that and Jess realized how little conviction she’d been able to put in her voice. After a quick caress to her cheek, he slipped out the window and was gone. It was almost dawn before she stopped tossing about in the bed and went to sleep.
* * *
Alex was awakened by Nick’s big hand on his shoulder. “Your father just sent for me. He wants me to carry him into the common room, and your sister says he plans to visit you in your bedroom. He wants to see the newlyweds together.”