Rickard rolled her over, avoiding her nails as they raked at his eyes. He slapped her arms away, then lashed her across the face with his palm. Then he climbed on top of her, bracing his knees either side of her ribs, holding a wrist in each of his hands and forcing them above her head.

“Are you like this when you’re with Hunter?”

“Get off me. Get off! Get off!”

“I can see why he likes you, Imogen. Quite the spirited little thing, aren’t you?”

Imogen screamed again, words lost in her terror.

Rickard smiled, liking her response. “I even made myself look like him for you. Though, I must say, I’m more handsome. Don’t you agree?”

She screamed again.

Rickard leaned in very close. Imogen thrashed and their foreheads bumped. He forced his head against hers so that she was pressed down against the mattress. They were eye to eye.

“Do you look into his eyes when you’re together?” Rickard asked. “Do you search his soul?”

Imogen screwed her eyes tight.

“Open your eyes, Imogen. Open them, or I’ll cut off your eyelids so you have no option but look at me.

Imogen cried.

“Now!”

Her lids flickered open. He was so close he could see her pupils dilate.

“Do you see it?”

She mewled like a cat.

“You do? You see it? Tell me what you see.”

“You’re a monster!” Imogen howled.

“Yes . . .” Finally, Rickard thought, proof that he was right all along. “Tell me more, Imogen. Describe it to me.”

“Get away from me, you bastard.”

“Tell me what you see.”

Moaning loudly, Imogen tried to fight free. Rickard forced himself against her, bearing down with all his weight. It was no contest. He forced her wrists together, grasping both in one of his hands. His other fingers he twined in her hair, twisting it tight.

“Tell me, you goddamn bitch.”

“Touch me and you will die!”

“No one can help you,” Rickard said. “I can do to you anything I wish.”

“Joe Hunter will kill you. He’ll come for you and you’ll die.”

“I didn’t go to all this trouble for nothing. I want him to come. But he’ll be too late to help you.” Imogen struggled again, Rickard laughing at her ineffectiveness. “I’ll kill him as easily as I’ll kill you.”

Imogen screamed.

Surf crashed below the house on its cliff-top promontory. Surf crashed below them and gulls wheeled in the iron-gray sky. Her scream was lost amid the tumult of nature beyond the walls.

He let go of her hair, sliding his knees out behind him and forcing a leg between hers. “Joe Hunter will suffer before he dies, Imogen. He will know that I’ve had his woman, and the shame will make him burn.”