Apparently, I'm the Infamous Earl's Legendary Bride

Book 2: My Lord Saves the Citizens - Chapter 47

It was well past eleven when Aldric finally returned to the penthouse after another rigorous day of working, training, and learning. Since they had moved into Norsewood Lodge, his routine had been fixed—an early morning drill, breakfast, official work duties as the lord of the land, which was followed by lunch, afternoon training, dinner, and then self-study or more work duties before retiring for the night. His priority was to get as much stronger as he possibly could before spring arrive and that meant putting his nose to the grindstone, intensively. That also meant he had to learn new techniques, too, the likes he had never heard of before as demonstrated by Vicky.

He knew he was neglecting his duty as a husband and father, but that couldn't be helped. His duty as the lord of the land weighed more heavily on him. If he and his warriors weren't strong enough to protect the land and the people, then he was a failure, as he had been a failure four years ago during the dungeon break. He stubbornly refused to let that kind of disaster happen a second time, especially now that he had more to protect. Especially when he had his children and Quinn, the girl who was unexpectedly thrown into his life and turned his world for the better.

The thought of his beautiful bride drew his gaze to the master suite upstairs, and Aldric inhaled a shaky breath, remembering the way she had kissed and tempted him this morning.

Heavens, but she had been enchanting, and now more than ever, he wanted to kiss her, touch her, and do so much more to her but...

Ah, there was that but. Aye, he was afraid, fearful that once he'd touch her, he could never stop. That once he had kissed her, he would never be able to walk away. More importantly, he was terrified, alarmingly so, that he'd hurt her as he had Caroline, his late wife.

Caroline had been a Norsewood woman—beautiful, tall, and robust. He had loved her, and she him in return, yet every time he touched her, she shriveled away like a wilted flower. Every time he entered her, she'd cried in pain and agony, begging the lovemaking to stop. It had been a miracle that he had been able to release his seeds into her womb twice and produce three children in the process.

Aldric knew he was a mighty big man, and his beast down there was... well, a beast to say the least, which explained Caroline's terror every time she saw him naked.

And Quinn? She was such a petite, slender thing, and he knew he'd break her if he didn't control his strength. He'd surely, surely hurt her, make her cry in agony if he were to enter her. She'd be terrified of him and shrivel away every time he touched her, just like Caroline, and he didn't want that.

Yet, it had not been terror that he had seen in her eyes this morning when she happened to see him without a shirt on and his body dripping wet with sweat. Nay, he had been very sure that what he had seen in her eyes was... marvel. And the way she had touched his skin, light as a feather, teasing and toying with him, stirring his blood hot in wanting something fervid and passionate that could make her run from him in fear, that could possibly make her hate him. Aldric couldn't, wouldn't be able to handle that. It'd destroy him if she hated him.

He raked his fingers through his hair, and switching his attention away from Quinn, he turned on his heel toward his children's rooms.

Abi and Alex were both sound asleep, and as he sat on the softness of the bed and gazed at his beloved daughter looking snug, he felt his heart glowing with a sense of happiness, the likes of which he now knew he had never felt before. He felt a sense of gratitude, too, for it was because of Quinn that they were able to live in this warmth and comfort, that his children were able to sleep so soundly.

He leaned down and planted a light kiss on Abi's forehead, and then he whispered, "Sweet dreams, poppy."

On the other side of the room, he did the same to Alex before heading out and entering Jonah's room. Watching his eldest sleep, he gently stroked Jonah's hair and wondered if the boy had started warming up to Quinn yet. He knew both Abi and Alex had. In fact, they were so smitten with her that they had started tailing her and begging for hugs and kisses whenever they had the chance, which pleased him.