Okay, the final chapter. Be warned, this one gets a bit M-ish. Enjoy! Thanks for all of your kind reviews, and constructive criticism is welcome! Thanks to the ladies at the forum for their encouragement.
"What on God's Earth do you think you're doing, Mrs. Murdoch?" William angrily asked.
"Mrs. Murdoch? You haven't acknowledged my existence in almost two days, refuse to take my phone calls, sneak in and out of our home in the dead of night, leave passive notes that are still most aggressive with lost articles on my vanity, suspect me of adultery, and suddenly I'm Mrs. Murdoch again?" Julia spat back, sitting up on the table while her arms flailed about wildly to make her point. But in doing so, her breasts jiggled most beguilingly, a fact not lost on William as he stared at them.
Rolling her eyes in disgust, Julia suddenly regretted her decision to disrobe-particularly as William was still fully clothed. She folded her arms over her chest.
Snorting, William removed his jacket and handed it to her, "Yes, Mrs. Murdoch. By all means, if you're going to practice modesty at all, do so around your husband," he acidly spoke as he turned his back and walked over to his desk, before suddenly turning around.
"I'm your husband, or did you forget that when you got naked and spread your legs for another man or even risked showing it all to your husband's coworkers?" he countered as she got off the table and slipped the jacket on.
Julia had expected him to be angry, but she hadn't expected this level of vitriol. In disgust, she slapped him hard across the cheek. William only laughed bitterly.
"Do you think that a mere slap is going to wound me after what you've done, Julia?" he replied coldly.
"You bastard! How could you? I heard most of your conversation with Monsieur L'Artiste. You know I didn't have relations with him, why are you being so ugly?" she shouted.
"Forgive me if I'm not charmed at the thought of my wife taking her clothes off in front of another man while simulating the act of physical ecstasy."
"A whore, you're saying I'm a whore? William, I've never lied to you, you've always known about my past with other men, you've seen me at the nudist camp and I've told you everything. I have no more secrets from you! If it bothered you before, why didn't you say anything then? You were always aware of what you were getting, so you can't act surprised or be disappointed that you didn't get a virgin bride. Why do these things matter all of a sudden?"
"Because you're my wife now!" he bellowed, surprising them both. "For the record, I've never considered you a whore. I've never found you anything but lovely -all of you. And your past is a part of you, Julia, so while I don't like the idea of other men enjoying your body, I came to accept it as a part of who you are-and I'd never want to change it-because that would change you. But you're mine now, and I don't like the idea of some artist touching himself to thoughts of your body when he's alone in his studio."
Julia flinched at the crude thought, but William continued.
"Like it or not, Julia, that's my privilege, and one that I'm not particularly interested in sharing. This ensemble," he stated as he touched her necklace before dragging his finger down her chest and torso "is for my eyes only. I have no desire to share you with other men-not like this. Pursuit of your career, women's rights, helping women who can't speak for themselves, are all fine, Julia; admirable even. But not your body, Julia, I draw the line there. Perhaps that makes me terribly old-fashioned and chauvinistic, but there it is."
"William, I only wanted to present you with a special anniversary gift. It was never my intention to hurt or betray you…" Julia trailed off
"Oh, is that all? Well, Miss Ruby Rosevear from my appreciation society is quite the photographer. Perhaps I can arrange for her to take some nude photographs for me to present to you," William retorted with a smirk
Julia was overcome with jealousy and rage of her own for a brief moment, and then she realized that she understood William's anger and jealousy. There was no way she wanted that girl anywhere near her husband's nude body.
But understanding didn't mean that she wasn't angry at such a suggestion, "Oh, tit for tat is it detective? You want to get nude in front of a girl who would love nothing more than an opportunity to show her appreciation for you in a multitude of ways," Julia shrilly replied.
"Well if Miss Ruby wants to show her appreciation in such a manner, surely you won't mind my indulging her."
"I've never known you to be so cruel and crass, William. Where's the man I love? He'd never say these things to me. He'd never refuse to hear my side of the story," Julia whispered.
"Maybe that man wanted to hurt you a fraction as much as you've hurt him. Maybe that man is an idiot who has the poor fortune to love you so much it scares him, and maybe because that love is capable of making him do things he's not proud of. I never considered myself jealous, but I am where you're concerned. I know you don't want to hear that, but there it is. I also now know exactly how Darcy felt when he refused to grant you a divorce -I could never do it either so long as I live; you're my wife or no one's at all. So there you go, it appears that you've gone from one owner to the next."
Julia snapped-she could take no more. She physically launched herself at William, pummeling him with her fists wherever she could make contact.
"You prick. Cad. You speak of love while you seek to destroy me-that's not love, that's …" she trailed off, noting that he barely deflected her blows and made no move to strike her back. He took her beating calmly, as though it were his penance and she realized that she was no better or different than he was.
She too was capable of things she was less than proud of where he was concerned, and before she realized what she was doing, she immediately leapt up onto him and wrapped her arms and legs around him, taking his mouth in an angry kiss.
Far from fighting her off, he fought for control of the kiss, their tongues dueling for mastery-as though their lives depended upon it, and he wrapped his own arms around her, holding her tightly as though she might escape.
Together, they both helped remove his jacket from her body as he carried her across the room, knocking into bookcases and cabinets as he made his way to the door, pinning her against it while they both removed his vest, tie, shirt, and undershirt in a none too gentle manner that caused him (and thereby her as well) to lose balance and crash against the window. There was no question of him setting her down either, as that would have meant relinquishing one another-something in which neither was particularly interested.
As soon as he was as nude as she was from the waist up, she tried to reassert control by nipping at his bottom lip, and he retaliated, by suddenly carrying her over to the table and dropping her most inelegantly onto it before hastily divesting himself of his shoes, pants, and trousers before falling onto her himself.
Using his superior size and position to his advantage, he assumed control of their dance, pinning her arms over her head while he fastened his mouth at the juncture of her neck and shoulder, applying slight but strong enough pressure with his teeth to leave a mark. Just like a vampire who claimed his victim for all eternity, but without drawing blood.
If he was going to be jealous and possessive, she could be too, and as soon as he shifted ever so slightly, she seized her opportunity to do the same to him.
He didn't resist, just angled his neck and shoulder ever so slightly to grant her more access while asking her to bite harder. She complied while digging her fingernails into his back while he groaned her name, wrapping her legs around his waist.
Having marked one another, William looked at her, wordlessly asking permission. She nodded and pulled his head down for a kiss as they reacquainted themselves with one another. Things weren't back to normal between them yet, but there was no doubt that they would be.
Concerned that the Murdoch's confrontation might indeed escalate to violence, George Crabtree did not immediately go to the armory as he had told the detective. He remained in the bullpen and waited for a sign that he might need to intervene. As he waited, he began to hear just how angry they were at one another, and George knew that the couple would be humiliated if they knew anyone had overheard them. He shouldn't be here listening, but he had to make sure that the couple weren't going to kill one another, which based on this argument, wasn't out of the realm of possibility.
Thankfully, the station was empty - it was only him and the Inspector, who came out of his office, wondering why George was just standing there.
Before he could ask, George motioned for the Inspector to be quiet and gestured towards the Detective's office. As Inspector Brackenreid listened, his eyes widened in surprise at the shouts emanating from the normally composed couple; he'd never heard anything like it.
"Never heard Murdoch this angry, Crabtree," the Inspector whispered.
"Neither have I. He's been avoiding Dr. Ogden for the past few days and has even refused her phone calls. He's been most upset and I assume she has been as well. I just want to make sure they don't harm one another," George whispered back.
"Right…" the Inspector countered, looking at the young constable skeptically.
Just then the shouting stopped, and they heard things being knocked to the ground and quite the commotion being made from the office. Soon, someone thudded against the door, and both Brackenreid and Crabtree were paralyzed with indecision-at what point did they intervene?
Both men looked at one another and by now sounds had replaced words, and they weren't really sure what was going on until they heard the unmistakable voice of the Detective moan "Julia." A few moments later, they heard the Doctor moan "William."
"I don't think they're arguing anymore, sir," George supplied rather uncomfortably.
"They're doing something physical, but it's not fighting, me old mucker," Brackenreid replied with a snort.
"Sir!"
"Why don't you tell me what the details are regarding this lover's quarrel over a drink in my office, son."
"Excellent idea, sir."
Both men quietly fled to the Inspector's office as quickly as they could.
After what had most definitely been one of their most intense and emotional lovemaking sessions, William and Julia dressed to return to their hotel.
Waiting for Julia to finish putting herself back together, William looked at the painting. At first he'd assumed that they wouldn't be keeping it, but it was indeed exquisite, and William actually found himself loathe to part with it.
"I'm assuming you want it destroyed?" Julia asked, taking his hand.
"I'm not sure that I do. I think maybe we should keep it as I enjoy a beautifully executed nude-even more so when the subject is you," he replied kissing her nose.
"I thought you didn't like the thought of other men looking at me, Detective."
"Oh, I never said that we'd prominently display it, perhaps in the back of the closet at the hotel for now, and perhaps my study once the house is built. It is my anniversary gift after all, it would be rude to refuse it."
"How splendid. Perchance you'll allow me to paint you in the nude as well, although I'm not sure I could do you justice. Perhaps I'd do well to brush up on my photography skills. I can't have you going to Miss Rosevear for such things."
"Perhaps you can practice, as I'm sure your model will be more than willing, and I'll help you with the developing process. After all, spending some time in a dark room with you sounds most enjoyable."
"How fascinating! I look forward to it, Detective."
"Indeed, Doctor."
Together, they quickly rewrapped the painting and returned to their hotel suite, where the painting was stealthily placed in the back of the wardrobe, available for William to look at whenever he wanted. Which, as it turns out, was quite often. It also wasn't long before some scandalous photographs of William joined it, developed at Station House 4 - after hours, of course.