"I don't care, you don't humiliate me in public!" Hamish shoved me into the wall.

"Stop! That hurts! Don't touch me!" He drove his nails into my arm. I yelped "ow! No! Stop!"

He released me then slapped me across the face. "You do not disrespect a lord, husband or not!"

The blow made me fall helplessly to the ground, I hurried and got back onto my feet.

He kicked me in the side making me go right back down. He placed his foot on my calf, he put weight on it. I screamed on the top of my lungs trying to free myself of my attacker. He kept going until an unpleasant crunch was heard.

"No! No! No! No! No!" I sobbed while I struggled for dear life.

"Alice, dear! Wake up!"

My eyes flashed open, Tarrant was gripping my shoulders lightly, but urgently.

"Alice! Are you alright? You were screaming." Tarrant looked me over, I've never seen him so worried and concerned. "What happened?"

I sat up and held my head in my hands. He sat up and rubbed my back soothingly.

"Tell me what happened."

I turned to him, "where's the bathroom?"

He inhaled sharply. "To the right, second door."

I got up walked to my door, I closed it behind me and staggered the rest of the way there. I opened it and slipped inside.

Luckily, there was a full-body mirror inside. I glanced back at the door. 'He knows better than to peep.' I undressed with the door open. I threw my dress to the ground and looked at myself. Dark purple bruises tinted my skin everywhere. I sighed and turned, even more on my backside. 'I wonder if he noticed them at all?'

The very moment I heard a gasp from the doorway. 'He had now.' I whipped my head forward. Tarrant stand there mouth open and staring. I quickly covered myself with my dress, blushing intensely.

His eyes darkened to orange and he approached me. "Le' meh see." He stopped just a two feet from me.

I slowly lowered my dress, sweat trickled down my face, lip quivering. His eyes turned scarlet. "Wha' the hell hap'nd to yeh?" He clenched his hands into fists, his voice deepened by an octave. "Some'on di' this to yeh. Who?"

I dropped my head and hugged myself. "I don't want to talk about it" I managed to say, but with a uneasy voice.

He lifted my chin softer than I would have expected "I do."

I sighed and redressed. "It's a long, rather repulsive story."

"Tell meh anyway."

I exhaled unevenly "you need to calm down first, then meet me in my room." he sighed and agreed.