His wife smiled at him, but it was as false as the molded smile of a mannequin. Her eyelids fluttered with restrained fear, because she knew what was coming. Rickard patted the bedsheet beside his naked body.

“Come here.” He held out a hand.

“I thought we were going out, Luke.”

“We’ll go when I say. I had a busy day today and want to relax first.”

Alisha sat on the bed, her bare back to him. Rickard stroked a finger down her spine and he felt her shudder under his touch. Her anticipation could be heard in the quickening of her breath. Rickard’s breath also grew faster.

“Please, Luke . . .”

“It’s okay, Alisha.” He slipped an arm around her body and cupped one of her breasts. “We can go out afterward.”

He pulled her down quickly, rolling on top of her, holding her down on the bed beneath his body. Snagging a hand in her briefs, he tore the flimsy material aside. He looked at the tears on her cheeks and he shuddered with an anticipation of his own. Her terror was the greatest aphrodisiac he had ever known.

“What are you afraid of?” he asked as he pushed into her.

“Nuh . . . nuh . . . nothing . . .”

Rickard knew she was lying. But that was okay: it was what he wanted. The lie only made the truth all the sweeter.

Rickard had the ability to put fear into the hearts of women. It wasn’t his looks, because his wavy hair, his deep-set blue eyes and the athletic build of his body had often proven the opposite effect. It was only when he got close to them that they realized they were in the presence of great danger. Usually at that point they’d come up with an excuse to hurry away from him, casting nervous glances in case he chose to follow.

But Alisha couldn’t run away. She was his wife.

Ordinarily a man like him would forgo marriage. But he’d desired something more than any whore or mistress could ever give him. He wanted someone who would be solely his. He’d found Alisha, charmed her, promised her a lifestyle she couldn’t resist. He had married her in order to exercise the very power of ownership over her. That way he could do to her whatever he pleased.