Over the past few winters he had taken everything he wanted. And that had included practically every available lass in Bryton. Not that any had objected. His mama had brought every young Gothman woman she could into the household. He’d slept with each one of them; at least he was pretty sure he had. But then, he’d lost interest. Each one had taken the edge off, fucking him when he went to them. But beyond that, they bored him. The Lord of Gothman needed a claim. He would push on thirty winters before long, and he knew the town anticipated he claim one of their available women. More than once he’d told himself to just claim one of them and be done with it. But the thought of having any of those women under his roof for the rest of his winters rubbed him to the point of irritation.
His younger brother, Mikel, frowned upon his promiscuity. Mikel was too much like their papa, Lord Jovis, and although Darius hadn’t mourned his papa’s death, he could only imagine what his papa would have said if he’d learned Darius just had sex with a Runner—something he definitely planned to do again.
In Darius’ tenth or twelfth winter, his papa had engaged in a heated argument about Runners
with
a Runner. Darius hadn’t witnessed the event, but he remembered his papa’s tirade after it was over. And he had listened as the guards speculated over the results of the argument. What had stuck in Darius’ mind over the winters was that, according to gossip, his papa relented to the Runner’s wishes. He remembered thinking his papa was weak not to stand up to the Runner. It had also put a kind of awe in his young mind as to the type of man who could argue with the Lord of Gothman and survive to have his way.
It dawned on him suddenly that the argument had concerned Reena. And it was Reena who’d brought Tara to them.
Darius knew Reena associated with Runners from time to time. Word had reached him more than once that a passing clan would bring her gifts. In return, she allowed a lone Runner to spend a night in her secluded cabin before they continued on their way. He hadn’t seen reason for concern. Technically, the woman lived outside the town proper, and so had no influence on others. She didn’t gossip about her occasional visitor, and his guards never reported that the Runners caused problems.
But with Tara’s coming, something had changed. She was the first Runner to enter Gothman land and then venture farther into the community.
As he pulled into the backyard behind his house, he decided that before long he would know the life story of this beautiful woman sitting way too close. He would know why she was here and what she wanted. He already knew what
he
wanted.
Tara hopped off the bike and started walking toward the house without saying anything.
Lord Darius grabbed her arm and stopped her. “I’ll say it again, my lady. You’re different from any woman I’ve met. And I’m curious about why you’d like to see Gothman culture change. Changing to be like whom, I’m wondering.” He looked at her hard, but Tara remained silent, staring back with an expression so calm he couldn’t help but think it had taken winters of training to master it.
Darius studied her tanned complexion, the brown hair that fell past her shoulders and was soft as silk. Her lips were full, and he ached with a sudden urgency to kiss them. He focused on her eyes, a blue that darkened with her emotions, as he was quickly discovering. Right now they were like a dark sapphire, showing no sign of submission.
He moved his attention to her breasts, perky and full, with nipples hardened to a tempting peak under the fabric of her dress. He released her arm and ran a finger over one nipple. She didn’t flinch, which pleased him for a reason he couldn’t identify. Darius pulled her close. “I enjoyed you, though. We’ll do that again, soon.”
* * * * *
Tara smiled, tingles rushing through her from his bold touch, but then pushed against Darius’ chest, needing distance before she ripped that shirt free from him and begged him to do her again right there on his bike. She would have loved to escape to her room for a shower but Hilda was nearby, arguing with a teenage girl who appeared to have brought groceries.
“There you are, girl,” Hilda said, smiling when she saw Tara.
Tara knew she must look rumpled and wondered if Hilda had correctly guessed what had occurred between her son and her new assistant.
She turned away from the older woman’s speculative gaze and nodded to the teenage girl. The girl didn’t nod back but curled her lip as she eyed Tara from head to toe. Tara felt her cheeks warm and slipped past them and hurried to the small room where she could wash her hands and face and brush her hair.
Torgo appeared to be glad to see her, too. He reminded her she’d said she would spend time with him.
Tara gave the boy a hug and promised she would do so as soon as his mama permitted.
Chapter Five
Hilda insisted Tara was in their home to help with the household chores and not to be a playmate for Torgo. It took many days to convince her, but finally she consented to the two spending time together.
Tara knew Hilda didn’t understand why she’d want to spend time playing with the boy when she could be inside baking and catching up on local gossip. It seemed to Tara that was all Gothman women did for entertainment. But she craved being outside. She felt too confined inside the large house, even with its many windows and high ceilings. Tara knew she had to be careful not to arouse suspicion in Hilda, but the woman seemed content with the knowledge that Tara had grown up with just a Papa and brothers, and so therefore had spent time outside playing the
boy
games as a younger girl.
Darius wouldn’t be as easily fooled however.
Tara was relieved and frustrated that Darius didn’t spend much time at the house. She ached to see him more, to touch him, and to experience his touch again. But the leader of Gothman appeared to be so busy that he was awake and gone often before sunrise, and seldom returned before late in the evening. Many nights Tara, after she had supposedly retired for the day, sat in her bedroom with the door open so she could hear when he came home. Then she would strain to hear what he did until he finally went to bed.
The man appeared preoccupied with the affairs of Gothman. Tara itched to know what politics distracted him, but knew no Gothman woman would think of asking the lord about his business. She wanted to join him in his office, ask him about his day, and exchange stories. She wished she could share experiences with him and learn more about how the man ticked. But to attempt to do any of that would spread suspicion. And that was something she couldn’t do. As much as she ached to let Darius know her better, she knew that would be a fool’s mission. So she sat alone in the dark of her bedroom every night, and wondered what Darius thought of her, and when he would seek her out next.
Tonight she had fallen asleep before he’d come home. Her eyes fluttered open at the sound of his boots on the stairs while he ascended them. Slow and steady, her heart raced with anticipation that he might be coming to her. With every breath, her breasts swelled, pressing against the covers while she listened to him move down the hallway.
A door opened, but didn’t close. He had gone to his own room.
She ran her hands down her body, imagining Lord Darius touching her. A fever burned inside her, an ache for him grew with every moment that she lay in the dark, straining to hear what he might be doing. Her frustration peaked when his door finally closed, the house growing quiet once again. Embers smoldered while a fever she couldn’t control made her insides throb for a man she knew she could never truly have.
* * * * *
“What will we do today?” Torgo asked, as he sat on the stool in the kitchen watching Tara clean breakfast dishes.
“Well now, I will have to check with your mama and see if there are any extra chores she has in mind for me. I have to earn my keep, you know.” She smiled at his forlorn look.
“Mama will have you busy for hours, I’m sure,” he said with disappointment.
“I don’t know about hours, child.” Hilda stood in the doorway. “I’ll have you clean the first floor today. You’ll get your own routine down soon enough, I’m sure, as long as his Lordship doesn’t take you away from me again.”
Tara blushed.
Hilda grinned and chuckled as she walked out of the room.
“Has my brother claimed you yet?” Torgo asked.
Tara was surprised at the question, but the look of innocence on his face reminded her that this was his culture. “No, child, he hasn’t.”
“When I get older, I’m going to claim a girl as pretty as you.”
Torgo followed Tara around the house, talking to her as she dusted the rooms and cleaned the floors. The late morning air was brisk and a cool south breeze floated down from the hills as the young boy led Tara to the grassy meadow beyond the backyard.
“To be a strong warrior like your brother, you must start your lessons at a young age.” She squatted to collect several small rocks.
“And what do you know about being a strong warrior?” Torgo laughed.
Tara squinted at the boy who stood next to her, silhouetted by the sun. “I grew up with brothers who all worked to be great warriors, I did.”
Torgo accepted the explanation with a quick nod. Every Gothman boy dreamed of being a great warrior.
“Darius said he would teach me to ride a motorcycle when I was a little older.” The boy put his hands on his hips and stood a little taller.
“Ah, that’s good. Let’s see how your aim is today. Do you see that tree over that way? Hit it with these rocks.” She handed him the rocks.
Torgo hesitated. “It’s too far away.”
Tara held the rocks in one hand and with the other threw them, hitting the trunk of the tree each time. She bent down and gathered more rocks. “Now, you try.”
Amazed, the boy took the rocks and threw them, missing the tree each time.
Tara agreed they could move closer.
After many attempts, Torgo finally started to hit the tree. His excitement showed through his young eyes and he hugged Tara joyfully. “They won’t pick on me at school anymore.” He attempted a jig as he jumped around in a circle.
“This is just the beginning of the many things a great warrior will need to know.” They walked slowly back to the house together.
“Throwing rocks?” Torgo looked confused. “Is this something you did with your brothers?”
“Did you just learn to throw rocks today?” Tara eyed the young boy whose face showed his eagerness to learn.
“Yes. All I did
was
throw rocks.” Torgo sounded confused.
“Ah, I think you learned several things today. Give it some thought. Meanwhile, practice on different targets. Maybe tomorrow we can get outside again. It sure is a nice break from my chores.” To Tara’s surprise, the young boy jumped at her and gave her a tight hug. He held on to her for a moment and she returned the hug.
* * * * *
Hilda worried about Tara working with Torgo after school. One or two walks after chores was okay, Hilda guessed. And Torgo escorting the girl did keep her safe from the guards. But the two of them traipsed off daily, and Hilda couldn’t see the point in it.
Tara showed every sign of growing up without a mama. The girl had a bit of the wild side to her. Hilda felt obligated to her friend, Reena, to help the girl master the domestic skills she obviously lacked. Tara could clean well enough, but she seemed clueless about making many common meals. Hilda wondered more than once how Tara’s brothers and Papa hadn’t starved to death. Tara had no culinary skills whatsoever.
Hilda knew her son would not want a claim who couldn’t run the household. What man would? Her son hadn’t sent Tara packing yet, and that was a good sign. Granted he seemed busier than normal lately, but the Lord of Gothman needed a claim, and Hilda felt the two of them would do just fine together, if she could just get Tara to fine-tune some of her skills. And as long as she made sure Tara’s little adventures occurred when her older son wasn’t home, then no harm should come of it.
Hilda also noticed how happy her youngest son was with Tara in the house. The boy would run home eagerly each day, throw down his books, and call for Tara until he’d located her in one of the rooms of the large house.
* * * * *
“Remember you said we could hike along the creek today.” Torgo leaned against the doorway, watching Tara put fresh sheets on his brother’s bed.
“I remember.” Tara grabbed the large comforter from the floor and threw it on to the bed. She couldn’t help but wonder how many women the lord had brought to this bed. Her stomach tightened at the thought and she turned her attention to Torgo. “If I suggest something, could you keep it a secret?”
Torgo’s gray eyes grew wide and he grinned. “Of course I can keep a secret. What is it?”
Tara glanced into the hallway. No one else appeared to be upstairs.
Torgo turned his attention there briefly before focusing again on Tara.
“It would be a lot easier to take a hike along the creek if I could wear some pants. Your mama is resting, and your brother isn’t here. If you have a pair I could borrow, it would also keep my dress from getting dirty.”
Torgo almost leapt for the hallway, and then grabbed the doorframe as he turned to face Tara. “I’m sure I have pants for you, I am,” he whispered. “And you’re right about your dress, you are. Mama would have a fit if you got all messy. We can’t have that.”