The Bandido's wife

SIXTEEN - Being a Bandito's wife (part one)

Alise stirred from her slumber from the distinct smell of smoke drifting into her nostrils, and as she breathed in it caught at the back of her throat making her cough and open her eyes. For a moment feeling a sense of confusion as she wasn't sure where she was as she stared at the wooden wall, then the memories of her predicament came flooding back. She turned to find Diego doing battle with the stove, having lit the kindling, the smoke filled the room, and he was occupied trying to waft it away, perhaps it was as well some of the window panes were broken, so the smoke escaped the room through them.

Alise attempted to sit up, just feeling marginally better, her head didn't ache as much as her legs and arms did, which was something. The creak of the bed as she moved, caught Diego's attention and he looked across at her

"So, you are finally awake, I see you found the bed comfortable after all," he drawled in reminder of her earlier objections.

"It's not like I have much of a choice," she returned grudgingly still coughing a little, "now we will both probably choke to death in this hole you brought us to, so you will have achieved nothing" she added scathingly

"I see your tongue has recovered as well" Diego murmured dryly, as he closed the door of the stove with a slam, sending another belch of smoke around the room "It will clear, once the wood takes light properly" he then informed her

"You really think bringing me here is going to bend me to your will? Have you not realised yet the more you attempt that, the more obstinate I become?" she then pointed out, still looking mutinous

"Well, you still considered yourself above me at the Ranch because you belonged there all your life, being spoilt and cossetted, so of course you thought you could defy me; but you will not do so here. This is my domain, one I am familiar with, and you know nothing about, so perhaps you should take that into consideration. But do keep up that bravado, because you are going to need it" he smiled tauntingly.

"I hate you, and nothing will change that" she returned bitterly because she knew in this case, he was right, and it only filled her with more resentment

"You seem to think I care," Diego smirked, he walked over to stand in front of her, grabbing her arms and pulling her on her feet, his expression becoming ugly

"This is not about your feelings for me, this is about you learning to accept I am your husband, and I won't have you defying me at every turn, once you learn that lesson, you might find it makes your life a lot easier" he stated in a flinty tone that told her he was going to take no more of her nonsense, then he roughly released her, so that she fell back down onto the bed.

She remained sullenly silent as she sat watching him move over to the table to pull out some of the items from his saddle bag, and realised none of it included any of her belongings

"You can't mean to keep me here with just the clothes on my back, and not even a pair of shoes for my feet" she then objected

"That's exactly what I mean to do my little wife, and as for the loss of your shoes, that was you're doing, not mine; although it's probably to my advantage, as you will not want to stray far in your bare feet" he then mused in realisation

"You are despicable!" she spat back in a mixture of disgust and dismay.

Diego just rolled his eyes with an unconcerned air, "And once more, you waste your breath throwing insults at me, you should to save your energy for what lies ahead of you" he reminded her pointedly.

Realising he was right she subsided into silence again, the true reality of her predicament finally sinking in. As she now glanced around her new abode it was with the realisation her time here was going to depend on her behaviour towards Diego, if she went on being defiant, could he really mean to keep her here longer than a few days in this state without a change of clothing, or any other belongings even a hairbrush? and how would she cope? and yet the very thought of becoming subservient to him in anyway, was something she baulked at.