The Duke's Masked Wife

Alessandra jolted when she felt someone suddenly touch her but relaxed when their arms settled around her waist. No one would be so bold to touch her like this unless they didn't fear Edgar. "What are you doing, Edgar?" She looked sideways to get a look at him.

"Trying to figure out why you are just staring out the window. Are you expecting a guest? The dressmaker is not returning right?" Edgar asked as he could not deal with Erin hanging around his house any longer.

"Erin," Alessandra corrected what he called Erin. "No, she will not be returning any time soon. I was watching Sally and Caleb leave to take her parents from her aunt's house. I hope her parents will hear her out and leave," she said whilst watching the carriage exit the gates.

Alessandra stood at the window next to the front door.

"Your mind is always filled with someone else but it is hardly me," Edgar said as sad as he could make his voice sound to make her feel guilty.

"Ow," Alessandra winced when Edgar randomly bit her neck. "I am not food," she tried to touch the spot but his head blocked her.

"I beg to differ," Edgar smiled against her skin.

"You are wrong that I do not think about you. You plague my mind these days because your birthday is near and so far I only have one gift prepared for you. No, I have not agreed to what you want me to do," Alessandra quickly spoke before he could remind her of his birthday request.

Time was running out as his birthday was only a few days away and nothing came to mind for what she could give a man who had everything. Alessandra truly started to consider seducing Edgar and going all out to make him speechless but there was a certain confidence she needed to do this with a man who reeked of confidence and sex appeal. She always found herself coming undone before him.

"That's a shame. I have wasted quite a lot of money today then," said Edgar.

Alessandra didn't see what her not choosing to be intimate with him on his birthday had to do with Edgar's wasted money today. "What money did you waste? Honestly, it is odd to hear you speak of wasting money when you always say money is never an issue. What made whatever you bought today a waste?" She asked, curious to know what it was he bought in the first place.

"I thought by now you would have given in to my birthday wish so on my time out of the house I stopped by a shop I mentioned to you before. I brought a lot of items we can use. Ropes, whips, chains," Edgar listed a few of what he bought. "There is even a mask that comes with the whips."

Alessandra's face quickly turned red as she knew what shop Edgar was speaking of. She remembered it clearly from when she wanted a mask on the night they got married. "Edgar, what do chains and whips have to do with us making love on your birthday? Do you plan to torture me instead?"

Edgar enjoyed the naive moment Alessandra was having. Of course, she wouldn't understand right away that what he bought wasn't to give the type of pain she was thinking. "There are two different types of torture for me. One that I punish my enemies with and one that I will enjoy doing to you or you can do to me. I am fine with whoever takes charge. I told you we were going to have fun."

Alessandra turned around to face Edgar. "I didn't know it would involve those things, Edgar. I do not want to be whipped, chained up, or whatever it is you have planned in your mind. I do not like pain," she placed her hand on his muscular arms.

"You dislike it because you do not know what it is truly like. You are probably envisioning just harming you for no reason," Edgar replied.

"How do you know what it is like? Have you tried it with other women?" Alessandra asked.

Edgar licked his lips, feeling like he was suddenly trapped. "I don't have to take part in it to understand what it is like but no, I have never taken part in this and I have only considered it now because of what I noticed from you."

"It is nothing like you are imagining, my sweet wife. Let me paint a good image for you. Let's say I shall take the ropes and tie you to the bed or wherever I see fit and while I have my way with you, there will be a touch or perhaps a spank at the right moment to make you excited," he stressed the word excited. "There are many ways we can do this to our liking. To your liking."

"One of us will be in control," Edgar gripped a handful of her hair, not too harsh to hurt her, to make her look him in the eye as he spoke. "While the other follows along. You spoke of wanting to be in control. This can be your chance. I won't mind you tying me up and having your way with me until you are satisfied. I don't mind giving my birthday treat to you."

"How kind of you," Alessandra sarcastically replied. "Fine. If this is the one thing you want, I will go along with it."

"Don't speak as if you are not excited now that you understand how pleasurable it will be. You are excited to be in control of me, aren't you?" Edgar mused.

Alessandra started to look everywhere but at Edgar. "I did not say that."

"You look beautiful in the sunlight right here. There is no doubt that this is one of the spots we shall make love on my birthday," Edgar made up his mind.

"Wait, I did not agree to us having sex all over the house. I only agreed to do what you spoke of a moment ago. I do not want the servants to see-"

"And I told you that I will clear the house. Trust and believe that I do not have any plans for anyone else to see you in the midst of our intimacy. I will gouge the eyes out of anyone who witnesses such a sight before killing them. Shall I give you a glimpse of what I have in mind for my birthday? After a day out I feel the need to soak in a warm bath. Care to join me?" Edgar asked, toying with the string of her dress to help her say yes.

Had Edgar not spoken of her being more adventurous Alessandra would have said no but this time, she did not want it to continue as if he always had to nudge her for something to happen between them. Something she wanted to work on was not overthinking when it came to their intimacy because she did in fact enjoy the things Edgar did.

"It must not be a long bath. I want to replace the old paintings with the new ones I have made before nightfall," Alessandra replied but she knew not to expect this would be quick.

"I cannot promise that it shall be- shit," Edgar cursed when something outside the window caught his eyes.

As she was facing Edgar, Alessandra did not know what caused him to curse and when she tried to look, Edgar forced her to look back at him.

"We should hurry to the bathroom," Edgar quickly spoke.

"Why-Ah!" Alessandra gasped when Edgar suddenly swept her off her feet and began taking her upstairs. "Edgar, who or what is outside?"

'My grandmother,' Edgar replied in his head. If Alessandra were to know, he could say bye-bye to this golden opportunity for them to have sex in the bathroom. Not on his watch.

He knew it wouldn't be long before his grandmother learned of what happened to Alfred but did she need to have such terrible timing?