Chapter 8

S he was scared of me.

Aaron felt his chest clenching with anger as he thought of his wedding night. Marina seemed to have been enjoying his touch until she had whimpered. Had she been scared of him, or had she found him too repulsive? The sound that emanated from her throat when he had lain on top of her still haunted him at night.

He had tried to be gentle at first, yet his desire for her body had overpowered him in the moment.

Kicking at a pebble that lay in the middle of the road, he made his way past the quaint little cottages and picked a path that led into the woods beyond the village. He had needed some time away from the house and Marina. The sleepy little village allowed him the necessary quiet and anonymity that he needed to gather his thoughts. Leaving his wife on the day after the wedding had not been one of the best decisions he had ever made, yet he needed the distance to keep himself from hurting her again.

"Help me! Please!" A woman's scream echoed through the high canopy of the trees as Aaron looked up in shock.

A nearby flock of birds took flight, making his pulse jolt with adrenaline.

His blood ran cold at the sound of the bloodcurdling scream. Whoever had screamed, was in a great deal of danger.

Setting out at a run, he headed in the direction of the scream as he pushed through the underbrush and low-hanging branches. A few thorny bushes tore at his clothes before he reached an opening where his blood ran cold at the sight before him.

"Please! Don't hurt me, I beg of you!" A young woman with light brown hair and a terrified face lay at the foot of four older men who seemed to be enjoying her discomfort.

"Did you hear that, John? The lass is begging us now." One of the men laughed as he turned to his friend.

The tallest of the men who sported bald head and dirty clothes, looked down at the woman with a wild look of lust in his eyes. "She did not seem so humble when she pulled her nose up at us in the tavern." His voice was icy cold and devoid of emotion.

Looking back at the girl who had raised her arms in defense, Aaron realized that she wore the stained dress and apron of a young woman who presumably served beer in a tavern.

The other men snickered in unison, advancing on her as she attempted to back away from them in the rich earth of the forest floor.

"I think we had better teach her some manners. She needs to learn her place in this world. What do you say, lads?" The first man with messy blonde hair and even dirtier clothes spoke up again.

The first man licked his lips before taking a step forward and raising his hands as if he were about to reach for her.

"No!" The girl gave another gut-wrenching scream as she curled into a ball at the foot of a giant, oak, covering her face with her arm.

Aaron did not wait any longer as he lunged forward, gripping the tallest man by the back of his shirt as he yanked him to the ground.

"What the devil?" The man who had spoken first took a step back, raising his fists in defense as his friend landed on his back in the dirt.

The other two men who had remained silent exchanged a look of fear before running off into the forest.

"I suggest you do the same if you know what is good for you." Aaron narrowed his eyes at the man standing opposite him while keeping an eye on his friend who groaned in pain.

"And just who do we have here? It is not often that a lardy-dah lord wanders into our forest. This could be our lucky day, John. A virgin to share as well as loot to buy a round at the tavern." The man's eyes flashed with greed as he glanced at Aaron's fine clothes.

John scurried to his feet and stood between Aaron and the girl on the ground, licking his lips hungrily as he narrowed his eyes in anger. "I think we had better show this so-called lord who he is dealing with." He spat in the dirt before wiping his mouth on his grimy shirt.

Aaron's body tensed as he readied his body for a fight. He never relished a battle, but he was always ready when one presented itself.

The girl whimpered in fear as her body shook, never looking up as she attempted to make herself as small as possible.

The man who had been referred to as John, let out a fierce cry of battle before lunging at Aaron with both fists raised.

The maneuver was all too easy to dodge as Aaron stepped to the side, sending the man sprawling into the trunk of a tree as he lost his footing.

"You think you are better than us, you bloody bastard!" The other assailant pulled a knife from his belt, lunging at Aaron with his teeth bared.

Acting quickly, Aaron gripped his arm in with vice-like pressure, squeezing as he stepped aside until the man yelped in pain and dropped the knife in the dirt. His movements were quicker than lightning as he placed his boot beneath the dagger and flung it into the bushes.

John seemed to have regained consciousness as he came barreling toward Aaron with his head down.

Using the first man as a weapon, Aaron swung him around, using the short stature of his body like a pole as he flung him into his friend.

The men's eyes widened in shock as they found themselves colliding with one another in the middle of the clearing. Their bodies went sprawling into the dirt in a tangled mess of arms and legs as they both yelped in pain.

"Have you had enough, or do I need to obliterate you both?" Aaron growled in anger, taking a step forward.

The first man scurried to his feet, helping his friend up before he backed away.

John narrowed his eyes as she seemed to be considering his options, looking from Aaron to the girl who still lay in a ball with her face hidden.

Feinting in their direction, Aaron made a mock flinch that sent the men falling over their feet as they attempted to scurry away.

"Who was that bloody bastard?" John asked his friend as they moved quickly through the line of trees.

Their voices grew fainter as they disappeared into a ticker of trees.

Shaking his head in disgust, Aaron turned to the cowering girl when he was certain that the assailants were not coming back. "You may stand up now, you are safe."

The girl continued to shake, refusing to look up as she curled into an even tighter ball with her knees pulled up to her chest.

Feeling his anger subside, he knelt at her side and gently touched her arm, retreating when she flinched. "You may open your eyes. The men have gone, you had better leave these woods in case they come back."

His words seemed to reach her as she slowly stopped trembling and lowered her arms.

"Why were you alone in the woods?" He pushed himself up and took a step back, allowing the girl enough space to come to her feet.

It took her a few moments of staring into the trees beyond her head before she swallowed and attempted to stand. "I… I… I was gathering some berries for a pie. I think those men followed me into the woods. They are not regulars in the tavern." Her voice was horse from screaming.

Aaron nodded and scanned the surrounding trees to make sure. They had not seemed like men who would live in a small village that mainly consisted of farmers. Their clothes and even the smell of strong drink on their bodies spoke of a life of thievery.

"I am not sure what I would have done if you had not come along. I owe you my life, sir." She pushed herself up from the dirt and began to dust off her dress without looking up. Her hands were still slightly shaky from the whole ordeal.

"You had better carry something with you like a knife for protection, or even better, do not come into the woods on your own." He watched as she took a deep breath and struggled to compose herself.

"I will be sure to ask one of my brothers to accompany me in the future…" Her words trailed off as she looked up in shock, her eyes filling with fear and dread.

Realization dawned on him as her eyes darted back and forth over the scar on his face.

A final scream of terror escaped her throat as her face turned red. Darting past him, she sped off in the direction he had entered the forest.

Aaron swore under his breath as rage filled his chest. He had saved her life, yet the horrid appearance of his scarred face had sent her running. The sound of Marina whimpering beneath his body echoed in his mind.

Will I ever escape the curse of these scars?

He waited a moment or two for the girl to gain a head start before begrudgingly following her at a distance. The thugs were bound to be waiting in the shadows and watching their every move, waiting for a second chance to pounce.

The path out of the woods seemed to take forever until he reached the end, keeping his distance as he watched the young girl run to safety.

Is this the thanks that I get?

He clenched his jaw in anger and crossed his arms over his chest before leaning against a tree. All he had wanted was a few days of peace before he headed back to the mess that was his marriage.

Men from the tavern came rushing out to hear the girl's tale of woe before one of the other maids escorted her back into the tavern.

"It is time to go back home," he whispered to himself when the coast was clear. Picking a path that would lead away from the tavern and most of the distress, he made his way back to the room he had been renting above the stables.

"Aaron, what in the devil's name are you doing here?" Adam's voice made him halt in his tracks.

Turning around, he searched in confusion until his eyes landed on his brother who seemed to be coming from the direction of a brothel. Irritation churned in the pit of his stomach as he caught sight of his brother's tousled hair. "Certainly not the same thing as you." He clenched his jaw.

Adam's eyes narrowed in suspicion as the corner of his mouth curled into a smile. "No, you should be at home doing what I have been doing, but with your wife. Are things not going well after all the effort you put in to upstage me?"

"Not everything in life is a competition, Adam. It is a concept that you still need to learn." He turned on his heel and headed toward the stables, wanting to get as far away from his brother as possible.

Hurrying to keep up, Adam fell into step beside him. "Come now, big brother, you know as well as I do that everything in life is always a competition. At least with us, in our family, everything has always been a competition."

Feeling his blood boil, he stopped and turned to look at Adam. "Our father is no longer here, Adam. There is nobody left to impress. The sooner you realize that the sooner you can grow up."

Adam's eyes froze over for a second with a look that could have easily been mistaken for hurt. "Father may be dead, but the competition between us is far from over." The tone of his voice was more serious, almost threatening.

"It is for me," Aaron replied coolly after a moment of contemplation and pushed past his brother.

Unrelenting in his pursuit, Adam once again hurried to catch up. "Now don't be sour just because you have lost at the bed games with Miss Wallace." He taunted Aaron.

"I have not lost; she is my wife, is she not? And she is now the Duchess of Harper." He found himself being dragged into the conversation against his better judgment.

Laughing from the pit of his stomach, Adam continued. "Forgive me, but the game has not been won until you have bedded the woman. Duchess or not, your marriage will remain a farce until you have been successful in that regard. And judging by your sudden appearance in a village miles away from your home, I think I am correct in assuming you have not."

"Go back to your paid pleasures, Adam, I am heading home. I suggest you do the same, yet I am not certain where you reside these days. Have you taken up permanent residence in one of the many brothels in and around London?" He shot back when they rounded a deserted street that led to the stables.

Adam smirked. "You know that your biting tone only confirms my suspicions? And I will have you know that paying for my pleasure adds to the excitement. There are plenty of eager ladies around the ton that could warm my bed."

One of the stable hands greeted Aaron when they entered through the large wooden doors.

"Ready my horse as well my belongings in my chambers. I wish to leave at once," he barked at the young man who sprang into action, clutching at his tattered hat as he ran from the stables.

Adam placed his arm across the doorway when Aaron made a move to leave. "One challenge to prove who is better, that is all I am asking for." He narrowed his eyes with a malicious smile that somewhat distorted his features.

"I do not wish to play games with you. We are no longer children." Aaron placed his hand on his brother's arm and moved it aside. He began to walk away when Adam called out to him.

"Shall I see you back at the house then? Usual time, usual place?"

"Give it up, Adam, I refuse to play these games with you." He called over his shoulder and waved his brother away before heading onto the main building of the stables where he intended to collect his belongings and return to his wife.