Retribution Read Online Free Page B

nursery—but the howls had only grown
louder, driving the entire household to distraction. Dominic and I
made love less frequently in the time since Val was born than in
the previous years. We arranged daytime trysts, meeting in an
outbuilding or a guestroom, hoping to enjoy an illicit, spontaneous
sensation. But Val had the sensitivity common in children of
telepathic parents. He seemed to have a perception of our activity
and, more often than not, would set up his wailing just the same.
Once he could walk it was hopeless. He would give Isobel the slip,
track us down, always coming in on us at awkward moments.
    Dominic made his frustration known early on,
needing the physical release more often than I did. “It won’t
last,” I had assured him each time we were interrupted, kissing him
maternally since wifely attentions provoked such a storm of
protest, and sending him off, sometimes willing, sometimes sulky,
to find comfort in Niall’s arms. The demands of motherhood took
enough out of me that I could not be as passionate as my husband.
But for Dominic, the balance between wife and companion is
everything. Being with the one does not substitute for being with
the other, only intensifies his desire.
    As Val grew more independent and I had energy
to spare, I had begun to share Dominic’s need. Lying now in
Lucretia Ladakh’s wide guestroom bed, overwhelmed by thoughts of
gratitude and love, temporarily free of my responsibilities as
‘Gravina Aranyi, the children downstairs at the evening meal, I
thought with longing of the last time we had managed a quick
rendezvous: in the clean, sweet-smelling hay already being
stockpiled in the winter barn.
    Dominic-Leandro, I spoke
telepathically in formal speech, the language of courtship and
love, my lord husband. It has been too long ...
    For me, too, Dominic answered the
thought. His hand moved down from my lips, followed the curves of
chin and throat into the wide neck of the borrowed gown to brush my
tender nipples with open palm. My mouth opened, blood rushing to my
face, my heart pounding.
    Amalie! Reynaldo’s voice was in my
mind. I opened my eyes that I had shut to receive Dominic’s kiss.
The face leaning over me was a bloody horror, an infected hole
where a nose had been, dirty beard caked with dried blood. The eyes
squinted in pain. You know me, Amalie , the thing
whispered.
    “No!” I shouted, raising my arms to block the
sight, swatting as at a buzzing fly. “Keep away from me!”
    Dominic jerked his hand from me as if it had
been scalded and sat back in the chair in surprise. “Amalie!” It
was his voice, although I had rarely seen him look so angry. “By
all the gods, Amalie—”
    I had never rejected Dominic, not like this.
With our gift it was easy to know when I was in the mood, when not.
Dominic had never approached me when I was unwilling or could not
be persuaded. And I had just now invited him…
    I felt unable to tell Dominic what had
happened. After Lucretia’s chastisement, I was frightened at what
Dominic might do, provoking another ugly confrontation with our
strong-willed hostess. I held my hand out to Dominic. “Forgive me,”
I said. Tears stung my eyes. “I don’t feel well– I’m not
myself—”
    The cruel smile I had seen earlier was back
on Dominic’s face. “So I see.”
    “Hold me, Dominic,” I said. “Just put your
arms around me.”
    Dominic shook his head. “No, thank you. I can
take a hint. And hot-and-cold is not a game I care to play.” His
voice, as I recognized now, was scratchy with fatigue. There was
even a suggestion of relief, as if Dominic welcomed the easy
escape. With the remainder of communion between us, did Dominic
suspect something of the truth? If intimacy with me had become a
risky business, his masculine pride would not allow him to admit
it.
    There was the lightest of knocks at the door
and Niall slipped silently into the room rather than waking me with
talk. When he saw Dominic and me in apparent