Devoured Read online

“It was the day you worked late so I got the mail,” Tess said quickly. “Remember? Last Wednesday?”

  “Oh. All right.” He frowned. “Look, from now on I don’t want you messing with the mailbox. Even if I work late, just leave it. I’ll get it myself.”

  “All right.” Tess felt her throat closing as another little piece of her world was chipped away.

  There was so much Pierce didn’t allow her to do. He didn’t like her shopping by herself or running errands. He didn’t want her going back to school even though she had quit in the middle of the nursing program she’d been in back in North Carolina to move to Tampa with him. “Too many horny guys running around a college campus,” he’d said, even though he had sworn she could finish her RN degree once he got settled in his new job. He barely let her work part time at the Happy Rest Nursing Home and he had only approved that place because it was full of old people without any “horny guys” to worry about. Now she couldn’t even get the mail!

  Tess noticed that her husband was still staring at her with narrowed eyes and realized that she’d better start defusing the situation quickly.

  “I saw it online,” she said, letting him know she hadn’t been out shopping by herself. “And I thought you would like it. I…I got it just for you.”

  She hated herself for lying again—for trying to cater to Pierce’s uncertain temper. But if she didn’t she would pay the price. And really, she just wanted to get out of the house for once and go somewhere that wasn’t work.

  “Just for me, hmm?” His look of suspicion softened and he smiled at her, the corners of his green eyes crinkling in the way she had found so attractive when they first met.

  “Just for you.” Tess breathed an inward sigh of relief. Maybe everything would be all right after all. Maybe they could just go out and enjoy a nice dinner together the way they used to when they were still dating.

  “Well, well…it is a sexy little number…” Pierce grabbed her by the waist and kissed her neck.

  Tess stiffened but kept the smile fixed on her face.

  “I’m glad you like it. But we’re going to miss our reservation if we don’t hurry.”

  “Screw the reservation. How can I concentrate on food when I’ve got such a sexy little wife?” Pierce muttered, kissing her again. “Come on, Princess, let’s see what’s under that hot little dress…”

  Tess bit her lip. This could go one of two ways. If she gave Pierce what he wanted they might still make the dinner reservation if he was quick. If she resisted, there would certainly be a huge fight and Pierce might “punish” her. He believed it was a husband’s right to have sex whenever and wherever he wanted it and it was the wife’s duty to provide it. The same way Tess provided his meals exactly on time every day, cleaned the house to his specifications, and did his laundry just the way he liked it. Pierce was king of the castle in every way and he always claimed she was his princess.

  So why did she feel more like his prisoner?

  “Come on, Princess,” he muttered in her ear.

  There was really no choice.

  “I’m so glad you like it,” she said, hoping her smile didn’t look forced. “Come on, let’s go in the bedroom.”

  After ten minutes of staring at the ceiling, he was finally finished. Tess breathed a sigh of relief when he rolled off, satisfied. She had to be careful not to react no matter what he did. If she seemed like she was enjoying it—not that she was—but if she even looked like she was getting pleasure from what he was doing, Pierce got really upset. Apparently, even though a wife was supposed to provide sex on a daily basis, only “sluts” and “whores” actually enjoyed it. In the early days of their marriage that had been hard for her to understand but after being “punished” if she moaned involuntarily or even moved her hips in time with his rhythm, she had learned to put up a wall between herself and any sexual feelings she might have. It was easier that way…safer.

  “Well, that was nice,” she said carefully, sitting up and smoothing her dress, which was somewhat wrinkled from the encounter.

  “Yeah, it was.” Pierce gave her a lazy grin. “Really worked up an appetite, there. How about you go in the kitchen and make me a sandwich, Princess?”

  “A sandwich?” Tess felt her heart sinking. “But…what about our dinner reservation? If we hurry we can still make it.”

  Pierce raised an eyebrow. “You really want to go out tonight, huh?”

  “Well…” Tess twisted her fingers together. She hated begging but there was no other way. “We haven’t been out in a long time,” she pointed out. “And it is our anniversary…”

  “Plus I’m sure you want to show off your body to the guy you bought that dress for,” Pierce said conversationally.

  “What?” A red warning flag suddenly went up for Tess. Trouble coming! But she tried to stay calm and defuse the situation. “I bought it for you,” she said, trying to smile. “Just for you, honey.”

  Pierce sat up suddenly, his big body tense with anger.

  “Did you try it on for him right there in the store?” he demanded. “Did you let him fuck you in it? The way I fucked you in it, Princess?”

  “I would never—”

  Pierce slapped her hard across the face. Her head rocked back with the force of the blow and her ears rang.

  “Oh!” Tess put a hand to her cheek, tears springing to her eyes. Her face felt puffy and swollen. She licked her lips and tasted blood—her bottom lip had split and was already swelling.

  “Now, look what you did.” Pierce shook his head sorrowfully. “Why did you make me punish you on our anniversary, Princess? Now your pretty face is all messed up and we can’t go out.”

  “I…but I…” The tears in Tess’s eyes now were not just pain but rage. It wasn’t just the hurt he’d inflicted—it was the disappointment. She hadn’t been out of the house except to work and for a single weekly trip to the grocery store in months. Pierce had been building their “special anniversary date” up to her for ages—telling her how good the food was at the restaurant he’d picked, promising her the best bottle of wine they had on their list.

  But it wasn’t just the food or wine Tess wanted—she had dared to hope that they might get back to their old relationship—the one they’d had back when they were dating.

  Back to the time when she felt more like a princess than a prisoner.

  “Why do you do this?” she burst out, before she considered how unwise it was. “Why do you act like such a…such a bully?”

  “A bully, hmm?” Pierce’s green eyes were suddenly flat and cold.

  Shark’s eyes, Tess thought. More trouble coming… But still she couldn’t stop herself.

  “You never treated me like this when we were dating,” she went on. “You were sweet and kind…you said…you said you loved me. And I’m such a stupid fool I believed you.”

  “Is that right?” Pierce stood suddenly, towering over her. Tess tried not to cower from his huge form but it was hard not to be frightened.

  “Yes, that…that’s right,” she said, lifting her chin.

  “Well here’s something else you’d better believe, Princess,” he snarled, his eyes narrowed to slits of green rage. “Fucking your little whore gash made me hungry. And if you don’t get in the kitchen and make me a sandwich right fucking now, you’re going to get a lot worse than a slap across the face.”

  Tess jumped up, putting the bed between them.

  “I’m sick of this—you never intended to take me out, did you? You probably didn’t even make a reservation!”

  “You little slut…” Pierce was around the bed in a flash. Though she tried to run, he had her by the throat almost before she could blink. “Don’t antagonize me, Princess,” he ground out, glaring down at her while Tess choked and gasped for air. “You know how upset I get when you antagonize me.”

  “Let…let me go,” Tess wheezed. “I’ll…I’ll…”

  “You’ll do what?” Pierce sneered, finally releasing her. “Call the police?