The Duke's Masked Wife

"Why are you pinching me, Alessandra?" Edgar asked as he felt her digging into his skin.

"You were going to wait until I was asleep and do something, weren't you? Keeping something from me is just as bad as lying to me. I would rather hear what you plan to do than wake up to the news of it. You deserve a good pinch," she said, doing it one more time. It felt good when she got to attack him like this.

"When are you going to admit you enjoy a bit of pain? Specifically harming me. I do not mind if you want to add it to our time in bed."

"Edgar, why are you like this?" Alessandra asked, stepping out of his hold before anything could happen.

"Like what? Perfect? I recall I am not the only one who enjoyed last night and you were the one who moaned so lovely whenever I was rough with you. I am simply looking for ways to make you enjoy it more and pain seems to be something you like. There is no need to be shame in front of your husband," said Edgar.

Alessandra shook her head. She opted not to respond to his words because anything she said right now would be flipped and used against her now or when it was time for bed.

"Why are you silent?" Edgar asked, poking Alessandra with the sole intention to piss her off. He wanted to take her mind off asking him what he planned to do with Sophia and her husband.

Alessandra swatted his hand away, annoyed with the pokes. "You are like a big child," she said.

"Far from it. You need to blame yourself for being so amusing that I cannot help toying with you," Edgar replied.

"You should just keep your hands to yourself-"

"Says the woman who takes every chance she gets to either pinch or harm me some other way. You are lucky that I have fallen for you or I would have punished you. Perhaps I should try other ways to punish you," Edgar said as something they would both like came to mind. "Is there anything else I should know about your time in the palace?"

"No. Oh!" Alessandra remembered something. "Emma is trying hard to use you to become closer to Oliver. She seems to think mending your friendship will make Oliver appreciate her or at least acknowledge her. She is trying to get an invitation to our home so that Oliver may come."

"Hmm. Annoying little thing isn't she? Keep her far away from our doors. I do not have time to deal with Oliver's one-sided anger," Edgar replied. He started to unbutton his shirt to prepare for a warm bath. It would be even better if his wife would join him.

"I think she would be really upset if she were to learn you were actually her competition. You must feel on top of the world to have men and women lusting after you," Alessandra said, knowing it most likely fueled his ego.

"It is quite annoying," Edgar honestly replied. There were annoying people and then there was Oliver on another level. Women had always been a pain in the ass but Oliver's delusion that he was responsible for what the man felt was something else. He didn't need any more men liking him.

"I will be planning a sleepover for a few girls. No one you would dislike being in your home. You either have to leave the house that night or pick a room far away from us so that we do not see you. Or you can have your own sleepover with Tobias-"

"No," Edgar quickly turned down the idea. "I plan to stay out of the palace for a while and you should too. That is all?"

Alessandra nodded. She wanted to ask him about the young woman found but kept quiet since he might not be able to speak with her about it. Alessandra's thoughts shifted from the palace to Edgar standing shirtless before her. She was more comfortable in his presence like this after last night but she needed to make an escape before…

"Care to join me in the bathroom?" Edgar asked after noticing her intense gaze on his exposed chest. If not for being in shape, he had another reason to keep up his training. "A warm bath will do us well after being out in the cold."

"No thank you. You can use the bathroom first. I will check the kittens to see if they have been fed. This is Alfred's last day as a butler until he comes up with some smart plan to get his job back so we should celebrate with him tonight. We should have stopped to buy him a gift on our way home," Alessandra muttered.

After years of managing Edgar's home and raising Edgar like his own child, Alfred was finally able to relax. He deserved a mountain of gifts for all his hard work.

"Edgar, why hasn't Alfred gotten married or at least dating? Did he have someone in the past?" Alessandra asked. With how much Alfred wanted Edgar to settle down, he couldn't be against marriage so why was he alone?

"He said he never felt the need to get married. I recall him spending more time than needed with my nanny I had for a little while in my youth but that was all. I don't know much about his relationships before working as a butler for my family. Perhaps he also knew relationships were pointless. Makes him a hypocrite for always trying to convince me to get married. Why? Are you planning to set him up with someone?"

"No. I don't want to meddle in his love life but I can't help being curious. Maybe he knew you would be too jealous if there was someone else important in his life. I will ask him at dinner. I am going to check on the kittens so have fun being alone," Alessandra said.

She started to leave the room but didn't make it too far when Edgar grabbed her hand.

"I was being serious about the offer for you to join me. The servants wouldn't have let those creatures starve," said Edgar.

"I have not been playing with them recently and as tempting as it is to join you, I still need a moment after what happened last night," Alessandra blushed, looking away to hide her embarrassment.

There had been a few moments she still felt the tingling sensation of Edgar inside of her. Either because she had not fully healed from her first time or she was lusting after him.

"You have a dirty mind, Alessandra. I only meant for us to bathe together. I fully intended for you to rest tonight but now I wish to know what you imagine inside that mind of yours. Were you planning to ride me- Ha!" Edgar chuckled when Alessandra covered his mouth with her hand and pushed his head back.

"I wasn't imagining anything. It is you who has the wide imagination."

"I do," Edgar admitted to it. "I can't wait for the day you tell me the desires you hid from me. I will be in the bathroom if you change your mind. I promise to be gentle."

Alessandra bit her lip, feeling tempted to join him but at the same time, she wanted to enjoy leaving him hanging at this moment. She considered it payback for Edgar trying to be sneaky with his revenge on Sophia. "I shall take my bath when you are finished. Goodbye."