by Sue Lyndon
“Now, young lady, are you going to try running from me again?”
“No, sir. I won’t run.”
“Good. Now go sit on the couch.” He rose to his feet and pointed at the blue sofa against the wall.
Ally bent to pull her pants up, but he grasped her forearm and hauled her up straight. “You’ll be permitted to pull your pants up after you answer a few questions.”
Her eyes widened and a fresh blush spread across her face. “But sir…”
“Go sit on the couch, Ally, or I will turn you back over my knee.”
She nodded, looking both miserable and mortified, and shuffled over to the sofa with her pants and panties still tangled around her ankles. She winced as she sat down on the cushion.
Rick chuckled. “Sore?”
She lowered her head further, but surprised him with her next words. “You’d be sore too if you’d just been manhandled by a barbarian.”
“Behave yourself, little girl, and you won’t get any more spankings.” He pulled a chair closer to the couch and sat down, staring at her with the most intimidating expression he could muster. The sort of stern, hard look he usually reserved for violent Raiders. “Now, Ally, tell me about the people you lived with before you went out on your own.”
She gazed at him, her face suddenly white. “The Elders will want to kill me if I tell you the truth.” Her lower lip quivered and she buried her face in her hands. A deep shudder moved through her, and his heart went out to her.
Fuck. If she worried about the Elders’ reaction so much, that meant one thing and one thing only.
Ally had lived with the Raiders.
Chapter Three
“You were a Raider?”
Ally uncovered her face and met Rick’s gaze. Defeat resonated in her soul. Maybe this was all for the best. Death by hanging had to be better than whatever punishment Brent had planned for her. “I wasn’t a Raider. I just lived with them. I-I had no choice.”
“Did they kidnap you?”
“Not exactly.”
“Tell me what happened.” When she hesitated, his expression softened and he said, “I won’t let the Elders hurt you, Ally. I promise to protect you.”
God, how she wanted to believe him. A glance into his dark eyes stirred memories inside her, and for a moment she could’ve sworn he looked familiar. She blinked a few times and gave her head a shake. Stop imagining things, Ally. This man’s a stranger. And he’s your captor.
“Ally,” he said in a warning tone.
After a deep breath, she said, “I went to live with my grandparents during the war. They lived in the country, miles from any town, and for a while it was as if the war wasn’t really happening.”
“What about your parents?”
Sadness enveloped her as the dark memories of her early childhood swept through her. “My father died in the first wave against the Russians, back in 2025. My mother died in the second attack on D.C. She’d gone to collect my cousins, who were recently orphaned…but…but none of them made it out of the city alive. That was in 2027.” The dates were burned into Ally’s psyche. The fifth of April in 2025. Dad. The twenty-third of December in 2027. Mom.
“I’m sorry for your loss, Ally.” The sincerity in his voice strengthened her resolve to continue.
“After my mom died, my older brother and I went to live with my grandparents. They lived in the middle of nowhere and rarely turned on the television or the radio. Sometimes I would go days pretending all was well, that there was no war, and that Brent and I were just visiting them during the summer.”
“What happened to your grandparents and your brother?”
“My grandfather disappeared without a trace. He set off one morning for a neighbor’s farm, but he never made it and was never heard from again. I assume he met with a Raider who wanted his truck. Then several weeks later my grandmother passed away in her sleep. Not long after that, a group of Raiders came to our house and asked my brother to join them. They promised us safety in return for my brother’s allegiance. I begged him not to trust them, but he didn’t listen. He also wouldn’t let me stay in my grandparents’ house and forced me to go along. I spent several months living in the Raider camp before I was able to escape. I-I’m headed south not just because it’s warm, but also because I worry Brent has his men searching for me.”
“His men? Is he a leader?”
She nodded. “He’s one of their commanders. After killing another Raider commander who was allegedly a spy for a nearby settlement, his status among the Raiders was elevated.”
“Why escape now? Why not wait until spring? I admire your courage, Ally, but it’s a miracle you haven’t frozen to death yet. This winter has been unusually cold so far.” Rick suddenly studied her with an intensity that made her squirm.
“The Raiders think they are the future of the world. They think it’s up to them to repopulate the Earth and begin society anew.” Sickness rose in her throat. “Yet they steal and murder outsiders without remorse, and they treat women like commodities. Forced marriages are common, as are marriages to complete strangers who live in Raider camps miles and miles away, when they wish to form an alliance of sorts. I-I was to be married in the spring, to a man named Harold who makes my skin crawl.”
Something akin to rage flashed in Rick’s gaze, and Ally struggled to understand this man who’d captured her. Who was he? He seemed to hold a position of power in this settlement, but he wasn’t an Elder. At least she didn’t think he was. Though the Elders—a council of men and women who were appointed to maintain order in each settlement—were not always advanced in their years. Most were, but she’d heard of younger men and women winning spots on the councils, if they proved their wisdom. Of course, all her knowledge of the Elders and the supposedly peaceful settlements came from tidbits she’d overheard while Brent was speaking with his fellow commanders.
Silence stretched in the large living room. The fire crackling in the hearth mesmerized her. She stared at the orange-yellow flames and waited for Rick’s next question, or for him to announce her fate.
“How old are you, Ally?”
“Twenty-six.”
“How large is the Raider camp you escaped?”
“When I left, their population was dwindling. Others either disappeared or ran away, and an illness was sweeping through the community, leaving death in its wake. But the commanders and their men had access to medicine. They hoarded most of it for themselves.”
“Give me a number. Guess, if you must. I need to know what Emerald is up against.”
“Emerald?”
“That’s the name of the settlement you’re sitting in, little thief.” A smile tugged at his lips, and her heart raced with the realization that Rick was teasing her. “You’ve been a very good girl answering all my questions truthfully, Ally. Answer this last question and I’ll allow you to pull your pants up.”
She blushed hard and avoided his gaze. She’d been so lost in her memories as she answered his questions that she’d nearly forgotten her nakedness. She shifted on the couch, trying to keep her legs closed tight, and the cushion brushed abrasively across her sore bottom cheeks. Gulping, she forced herself to meet his stare.
“There were about two hundred people left in the Raider camp, but I’d guess there are much less now. If the commanders continued withholding medicine, I’m sure people fled, or died.” Hatred vibrated in her chest. She hated Brent and the other commanders. She’d seen the stash of medicine they possessed and had begged her brother to help the sick. But he’d refused. When he’d caught her trying to steal medicine, which she’d planned to disperse in the camp, he had punished her severely. Then, when she’d gotten sick, he’d left her suffering in her bed for three days before allowing her medicine. The bastard.
Rick nodded at her, and she seized the opportunity to lift her bottom off the couch just high enough to yank her pants up. She breathed a sigh of relief at finally being covered. She still couldn’t believe he’d spanked her,
let alone forced her to keep her pants down while he questioned her.
“Do you think your brother is searching for you after all these weeks?”
“Brent has a temper and when someone wrongs him, he doesn’t stop until he makes them pay. He was like that as a child and only became worse in the Raider camp. They have vehicles too, five trucks and two cars. I’ve witnessed them track down defectors before.”
“Solar or gas powered vehicles?”
“Solar. Most of them have reserve batteries that allow them to drive at night, too.”
“Do you think you could locate the Raider camp on a map, Ally?”
“Yes, but I don’t see how that could help you. Emerald doesn’t seem like the kind of place that has a large fighting force. Even if more people in the Raider camp have died or fled, their soldiers still probably outnumber yours.”
A crooked, almost boyish grin spread across Rick’s face, and once again she thought he looked familiar. “Emerald might not have the numbers the Raider camp has, but we have the skill and the firepower to defeat any force that threatens us.”
“You were in the army?”
“No, I was a SEAL.”
Of course he was. He looked like he could take down a dozen Raiders single handedly without breaking a sweat. The warmth of his gaze as he continued to smile left her feeling lighter and hopeful for the first time in ages. Maybe she really could stay here in Emerald. At least until springtime.
I won’t let the Elders hurt you, Ally. I promise to protect you. His words from moments ago resonated in her heart, and her eyes burned as a wave of hopefulness swept through her. God, she wanted to believe him. If he was lying to her, after showing her several small measures of kindness and seeming so fucking sincere, she would never trust another soul again.
“Now, Ally, we need to discuss your future in my settlement.” His visage grew serious.
“My future? Will I be tried for trespassing or for theft?”
“The Elders drafted a constitution for Emerald when this community was founded years ago. It dictates the circumstances under which newcomers are allowed to remain within our walls.” He leaned forward. “I could release you right now and the Elders would never know, but I can’t in good conscience let you go, Ally, because you wouldn’t last another week in the forest.”
“You don’t know—”
“Don’t interrupt me, little girl.” His gaze darkened. “Children and the elderly are permitted entrance without being asked anything in return. We believe in showing kindness to the most vulnerable among us. Healthy young people such as yourself, though, are expected to contribute in specific ways. Young men are expected to work hard, train to defend Emerald, and join the hunting parties. Young women of childbearing age are expected to marry and provide comfort and keep a happy home for their husbands.”
Her eyes widened and coldness gripped her. This was no different than the Raider camp. She would be forced to marry a stranger. Someone else would decide her life for her. Just like Brent ordering her to marry that fucking creep Harold.
“Forcing a woman to get married is barbaric. Don’t you realize that rule makes Emerald no better than the Raider camps?”
“We’re living in a barbaric world, Ally. I promise you will be matched with a decent man. You needn’t fear your future husband. But you must be reasonable. If you stay and marry one of us, you become one of us, and that means you’ll be protected behind these walls. Your brother and his men won’t be able to hurt you. Surely marriage to a man in Emerald would be preferable over the Raider your brother planned to make you wed?”
The room spun around her. Ally’s breaths came scarce and short. His words registered in her mind, leaving behind a numbing sense of disbelief.
Rick rose up and reached for her hand. She tried to push him away, but he drew her up to his chest. To her utter surprise, he wrapped his arms around her and started caressing her hair. She was too stunned to fight back, and his next words sent all the air rushing from her lungs.
“Perhaps I’ll keep you as my wife, Ally.”
* * *
“You’re insane. Let me go.” Ally pushed at his chest, but Rick didn’t allow her to escape his embrace.
God, it felt wondrous to hold a woman in his arms. Even if said woman didn’t appreciate the comfort he was offering her.
“Let go of me, you sonofabitch!”
He withdrew from her but gripped her upper arms. Leaning down, he kept his eyes level with her blazing blue gaze. “You still remember what it was like before the war, Ally, and that’s why you’re resisting. You still remember when men and women used to date, fall in love, and get married the old-fashioned way. But that world doesn’t exist anymore. It’s gone. The movies you saw and the love songs you heard are all history.”
Tears brimmed in her eyes. She blinked hard and went limp in his arms. “My parents loved each other. So did my grandparents. You can’t fault me for wanting what they had. Please, just let me go. I’ll make it south.”
He shook his head. “It’s supposed to snow heavily during the next few days, according to our Elder who tracks the weather. If I let you go, you’ll either freeze to death or get caught by the Raiders and taken back to the camp, where you’ll be forced to marry that man you said makes your skin crawl. This is the world we live in now, Ally. Society is rebuilding itself, and strict rules governing families are necessary to keep order and help us grow our numbers and remain strong.”
“Well,” she said sarcastically, “just let me go fix my hair and then we can be off to the wedding chapel.”
He grinned at her sass. This was the kind of woman he’d been waiting for. A pretty, headstrong girl to tame. His cock throbbed against her stomach as he moved closer to her. She’d looked so fucking sexy draped over his lap while receiving her spanking. With her mouth and her attitude, she would probably require regular discipline, which Rick was only too happy to administer to her cute little bottom.
He should feel like a bastard for the way he was treating her, but what other options did he have? She would die if he released her, if her brother didn’t catch her first.
If Rick didn’t take her as his wife, another man in Emerald would claim her in no time. He’d been aching for a woman to call his for quite some time, but none of the women brought into Emerald had made his blood heat the way Ally did.
As he stared into her eyes, he made his decision.
He would keep Ally for himself. Come morning, he would make her his wife, even if he had to redden her bottom again to ensure her good behavior in the church.
“Would you like to take a warm bath, Ally?”
Her breath caught. “You-you have running water here, and it’s heated?”
Grasping her hand, he led her toward the stairs and guided her up to the master bedroom. This house had been built before the war and contained a huge tub in the master bathroom, large enough to fit two people. “All of our houses are fitted with solar powered hot water heaters. Wood stoves keep our homes warm during the winter. Hopefully by next year, we’ll have all the houses fitted with electricity as well.”
“I’m impressed by your running water, but I still think you’re all barbarians.” Ally walked ahead of him into the master bedroom. She stumbled when her gaze fell upon the king-size bed. He steadied her and pointed at the bathroom.
“Come morning, you’ll be Mrs. Barbarian.”
She entered the bathroom and immediately started shutting the door between them. “I know how to work the bathtub. I don’t need any help.”
He smirked at her, keeping his boot wedged in the door, preventing her from closing it. “I’ll find some clean clothes for you while you clean up. I expect you’ll lock the door, and I can’t say I blame you, but know that it will only take me a second to knock it down.”
She frowned as he moved his boot from the door. He expected her to slam it hard, but she instead closed it with a quiet click, then he heard the clicking of the lock being turned. He grinn
ed and stood outside the bathroom for a minute, waiting to make sure she actually knew how to work the bathtub. There was a control panel above the tub which set the temperature of the water that was probably very different to what she’d grown up using. Just as he was about to call out to her, he heard the water running.
Scrubbing a hand up and down his face, he turned and strode to the large dresser across from the bed. He didn’t have any women’s clothing just lying around the house, but he had plenty of extra shirts that would do until he collected more appropriate attire for her from a storage shed. They kept extra supplies on hand, including clothing in a variety of sizes, specifically for the newcomers that wandered into Emerald.
He pulled out a white, oversized t-shirt, and imagined she would look fucking hot wearing nothing but the shirt, with her wet hair cascading around her shoulders and her skin flushed from the hot water. He doubted she would consent to sharing the bed with him though, and he realized he had his work cut out for him. Most of the women who came to Emerald were more subdued than Ally, and none had openly questioned or argued against the rule that they must marry a man from the settlement upon their arrival.
Ally had already proven herself a challenge, but Rick reveled in a challenge. He wouldn’t have become a SEAL and nearly died in the war if he couldn’t take a fight. He didn’t want to fight Ally, but he wouldn’t shy away from using force when needed.
A woman like her—a woman too proud and stubborn to admit she would never make it on her own beyond the walls of Emerald—needed a firm but caring hand. Ally didn’t realize it yet, but she needed a man exactly like Rick. And after all the shit he’d been through, all the fighting and the horrors of war and losing everyone he’d ever known, he longed to settle down and enjoy a simpler life.
Now that Ally had come into his life, he wasn’t about to let her go. No fucking way.
She would belong to him.