The Clan MacDougall Series Read Free

instant punishment on anyone, regardless of age or gender, who had either defied or displeased him. The earl was merciless.
    Aishlinn now lay upon the floor of the earl’s chambers and prayed. She prayed that he would grow weary and give up or that God would strike one of them dead, preferably the earl. She was saving her purity for a husband she knew she would probably never have, but saving it nonetheless. As far as she was concerned, the earl could shove hot coals up his arse; she would not bed him.
    It was no longer important to him to hear her utter the word “yes”. He bent down and grabbed Aishlinn by her arms. His eyes were filled with rage as he lifted her and threw her upon his bed.
    Her heart shattered into a thousand pieces as she flew through the air. No matter how hard she fought, no matter what she did, he would have what he wanted.
    The next moment he was straddling her and she felt the cold hard blade of a dagger against her throat. A repulsive smile had formed across the earl’s face when he saw the first hint of fear in her eyes. Grabbing the top of her dress, he began to cut it from bodice to hem. His movements were careful and slow and he would pause frequently to glance at her face. The fear flashing behind her green eyes excited him more.
    She could no longer fight him. In the recesses of her mind, she heard a small voice tell her that if perhaps she gave in to his demands, then afterwards she could flee this place. Perhaps she could find safe passage to London and start her life over. No one would ever have to know what the earl had done to her this night.
    As the last bit of her dress gave way to his knife the earl angrily tugged at her sleeves. Rolling her out of her dress, she landed face down on the mattress. She gasped when she felt his knee in her back and his hand grab her hair. Violently he jerked her head back and she could feel his hot breath on her ear. Droplets of blood from her cut lips ran down her chin. Angrily he whispered in her ear, “You have a decision to make whore. Do you choose life or do you choose death?”
    Aishlinn had no fight left in her. Let him have his way and then she could be gone. If she had to walk all the way to London she would. Surviving the night was all that mattered now.
    Nearly retching on her own words, her throat and mouth dry, she answered, “I choose life.”
    Though she could not see the earl’s face she knew the evil smile remained upon it. Victory was his; defeat hers. When he rolled her over onto her back the sordidness in his smile terrified her.
    With the dagger still in his hand, he grabbed her dress and wiped the blood from her mouth. It mattered not to him that her lips were cut and swollen and still bleeding, he kissed her anyway. Harshly and savagely his tongue found its way into her mouth. His breath smelled of whiskey and onions. The vileness of it caused her to gag. Her stomach churned with disgust and shame. She had never been kissed before and this was not how she imagined her first kiss would be.
    He stopped for a moment still displaying that same nasty smile, “You’ll be choking on more than my tongue momentarily dear.”
    Aishlinn had no idea what he meant and dreaded the thought of finding out.
    More revolting kisses came as he began grabbing at her shift, tugging at the sleeves. Trepidation, fear and disgust washed over her. Thoughts and images of her family came rushing into her mind. She saw her father’s face, shaking his head and telling her he had known all along that she was no good. Then her three brothers appeared, laughing and taunting her. “’Tis what you get for thinking yer better than ye really are! Yer worth nothin’.”
    Then she saw her mum, beautiful, strong Laiden, and she held such a curious look upon her face. ’Twas her mum who said “Nay! Do not give in!”
    Aishlinn’s heart sank when she felt the earl pulling her shift down, his hot hands upon her small breasts, squeezing them forcefully.