The Chinese Lantern Bride

This is a multi-part series about a widower who finds himself in possession of a mail-order bride.. who — doesn’t exactly turn out the way he expected. Gianna finds herself in a bad situation, and Anthony finds himself in a particularly sticky mess. How will the cards play out for this unwitting pair?

This chapter starts out a little slowly, but there is a bit of a non-consensual action near the end. Just a taster for what’s to come!

All characters are 21 years and above.

Chapter 1

“If you step out of that door, you are no daughter of mine.”

Gianna’s hand froze on the door knob, warm tears rolling down her face. Turning around, she looked into a pair of emerald green eyes – eyes that had watched her grown all her life — and saw only stone cold resolution.

“Papi,” she fought to keep her voice stable. “I love you, but I am sorry. I will not marry Antonio Martello. I will not marry a man who I despise.”

“Gianna, principessa. Enough of this talk of leaving.” Gianna choked back a sob as her mother wrapped her arms around her shoulders. “Listen to your Papi. He only means the best for you.”

“For me, Mamma? Or for this family?” She cringed as she saw the hurt spread across her mother’s face but steeled herself as she glared at her father. “You only care about the status of our family! I am your daughter, not some commodity or step on the social ladder.”

Gianna took an involuntary step back. The sun streamed through the stained glass windows over the arched doorway, illuminating the anger on her father’s face.

“You have come of age, Gianna. It is time for you to marry,” Mariella stroked her daughter’s hair coaxingly.

“Mamma, Antonio is a monster. His wealth is built on the backs of those under his employ. Giuseppe has been toiling to raise his young children since his wife died, even with that bad leg of his. He needed his wages, but Antonio cheated him of it before casting him out.”

“Nonsense!” Gianna winced. Gabriel Delucca had always been a loving father but in his anger, each word hurt as much as a slap on her face. “Antonio is one of the most influential men in Barri and Giuseppe is but an elderly widower with a weakness for a bottle. To think you would listen to the ranting of a drunk! Did I raise you to be an idiot?”

“You raised me to be a human being, with a conscience!” Gianna cried as she flung her suitcase to the ground in a temper. Drawing herself to her full height, she looked up at her father. “I would sooner stay single than marry him.”

“You preposterous little-” her father burst into a coughing fit as he shook an angry finger at her.

“Gabriel, calm yourself,” Mariella walked over to her husband, clasping his white face with one hand as she patted his back with the other. Gabriel sighed as he leaned into her caress. He sat heavily down on the sofa and pulled her along with him, clasping her hands in his own.

“Fine,” he sighed. “But Antonio will not be pleased. We will need a reason to decline his proposal in a way in a way that does not offend him.” He looked at Gianna thoughtfully. “You will travel to England and join The Little Company of Mary.”

“A convent?” Gianna’s heart sank. “Papi, I don’t want to be a nun.”

“Well, what do you propose?” Gabriel’s voice was thick with bitterness. “No man in Barri will risk offending Antonio with a counter proposal.”

“There is something,” Gianna smoothed her gown nervously, digging her fingers into the soft velvet fabric. “I have a job offer, Papi. To be a governess for a family. In America.”

“America!” Gabriel spat, as though the word was an expletive.

“Yes, Papi,” Gianna hurried, her words tumbling out in a rush. “I have my savings-”

“You will go to the convent or you will marry Antonio!” he roared, clenching his fists as he sprang up. He glared into his daughter’s red eyes. “And that is my final say.”

“Final say?” Gianna’s voice was bleak and echoed thinly in the great room. She turned to her mother who sat silently on the sofa. “Mamma?”

“Cucciola mia, you must listen to your father,” her mother refused to meet her eyes.

Her mother’s reticence pushed Gianna’s temper over the edge. “I will not live a life as a mindless prisoner, I will not become you -”

Gianna was thrown back by the force of the slap, its sound lingering in the deafening silence that followed. Her cheek throbbing from the impact, she realized the shock and rage she felt was mirrored in her father’s face.

“Gianna,” Mariella ran towards her daughter but was stopped by her husband. Gabriel’s mouth was set in a thin line, his chest heaving.

“Papi,” Gianna whispered, her hand to her face in an attempt to absorb the blow. She watched as her father strode to the door, and flung her suitcase out.

“You are no longer welcome in this house.”

“No, Papi,” Gianna ran to him, her hands clutching urgently at his coat lapels. He shoved her roughly in the direction of the door.

“Leave.”

Mariella’s voice rose in a wail in the background, but all Gianna could focus on was her father’s impassionate face.

“Papi, please. No,” she protested wildly, as he grabbed her by the arm and pushed her out. “Papi!”

Gabriel held out a restraining hand. “Don’t call me that. From this day forth, you are no longer my daughter. I, Gabriel Delucca, am childless.”

“No,” Gianna whispered as the door slammed in her face. She knocked desperately, her fists thumping painfully against the study wood.

“Papi! Mamma!” There was no response. Gianna felt the earth falling beneath her feet.

“Papi! Mamma!”

“Gianna?”

A voice broke into her frenzied train of thought.

“Good heavens, Gianna! Stop that.”

Gianna sobbed uncontrollably. Her heart clenched, the pain coursing through her veins like poison.

“Gianna! Oh godamnit, WAKE UP!”

Gianna sat up straight in bed, her eyes blinking at the sudden brightness. Her breath escaped in gasps as she took in her surroundings. She was lying on a thin mattress in a dingy little bedroom. A soft ray of light broke through grime coated windows, illuminating the specks of dust floating about her worn copy of Anderson’s Fairytales on her bedside table.

“Are you alright?” a tentative voice asked. She turned and saw a slight Chinese woman sitting next to her, concern apparent in her almond shaped eyes.

“Feng Ling,” she croaked, her voice heavy with sleep. “I’m fine, it was… just a nightmare.”

Smiling, her roommate reached out a hand and smoothed the hair stuck on Gianna’s sweaty forehead to the side.

“It must be the nerves,” she mused in her musical voice. “Well, come on then. Breakfast’s ready and you don’t want to be late for your new job!”

The weight over Gianna’s heart lifted. “Oh! Right!” She threw the covers off and ran to the window. The sun was rising over the New York skyline. She turned back and grinned at her friend.

“Well, today’s the day! My new life begins.”

++++++++

As Anthony walked into the store, an overwhelming cloud of sickly sweet incense rushed up his nose causing him to cough.

“Well, well,” a dry voice greeted him. “Look what the cat dragged in.”

“Ethan,” Anthony tipped his hat at the store’s proprietor while avoiding the statue of a stone lion at the door. “I see that your olfactory senses are as stilted as usual.”

Ethan scoffed as he walked around the store counter. “You wouldn’t know quality if it knocked you on your nose. This here’s an import from Mumbai. The very best!”

Anthony laughed as he clapped the man on the back. “Ah, it’s good to see you again, my old crusty friend.”

Ethan raised his eyebrows. “Likewise, I’m sure. Now what are you doing all the way down here? You know you can just fill in one of those mail catalogues.”

His eyes wandering over the well-stocked shelves of exotic knick knacks, Anthony mused, “Yes, well, I needed to get away for a bit. Clear my mind, you know.” Eyeing him critically, Ethan set down the jadeite statue of a cat he had been polishing.

“Suppose you join me in my study,” he suggested, tipping his head towards a curtained door way. Anthony shook his head. “Wouldn’t that affect your business with no one at the store front?”

“Ah, Anthony,” Ethan chuckled as he walked over to the door and flipped the store sign. “We both know that you’re the only rich simpleton who keeps my business afloat.”

“That is true,” Anthony admitted as he followed Ethan’s tubby form past the lush velvet curtains.

He sank into a leather armchair and accepted the shot of whisky that his friend offered him. Taking the seat opposite him, Ethan peered over his spectacles.

“Now speak. What brings you all this way over the border? I know you didn’t come all this way to insult my furnishings.”

Anthony downed the whisky in one gulp, the alcohol setting his throat on fire. “I’ve reached a new low, Ethan.”

“Pray tell.”

“Well, so I went down to the old bed house and managed to procure these lovely set of… comfort women. Both steaming hot and beautiful, with full breasts and the tightest little cunts I ever did fuck. Excuse my language.”

Ethan banged the table in mirth. “Well, that’s the language of saints to me. So what seems to be the problem? You fucked the whores, and yet for some reason, you’re here bellyaching to me. Something must have gone wrong in between.”

“That’s just the thing,” Anthony leaned forward. “They were the perfect pair. One was feisty and explicit, the other was obedient and submissive. It’s like any chap’s dirtiest fantasy.”

“You sure know how to give a man green-eye.” Ethan filled an ivory pipe with tobacco. “Here, got a light?”

Anthony tossed a box of matches across the mahogany table. “Here’s the thing. It’s just not satisfying anymore. I had the best case scenario thrown at me, and I still felt empty as all hell.” He rubbed his eyes wearily. “I think I’m done with life, Ethan. There’s only so much joy I can get out of collecting these curios and I’m fast turning into an antique myself.”

“Seems to me,” Ethan chewed on his pipe thoughtfully. “That either you’re suffering from an early onset of barrel fever or you need something more than a whore or a hobby.”

“Oh yeah?” Anthony raised her eyebrows. “And what’s that?”

Ethan pushed himself off the chair and lumbered heavily to a bookshelf. Muttering to himself as he pawed through the files, he snorted in triumph as he found what he was looking for. Tossing an envelope on the table, he twinkled at Anthony.

“I was saving this for your name day, but here. There’s what you need.”

Anthony reached for the envelope and pulled a stack of papers from it. “The Halcyon Matrimonial Co. procures desirable partners for those romantically inclined,” he read aloud. Raising wide eyes to his smug friend, Anthony thumped the notice with his fist. “This is your answer? A mail order bride?”

“A wife, Anthony. Compliant, caring and one hundred percent yours. And best of all, willing.” Ethan gestured to the envelope. “I found one that particularly suits your exquisite tastes. The settlement sum was high, but it’s no penny over what I owe you after decades of business partnership and friendship.”

“Feng Ling, Age 20. A compliant, obedient Chinese sparrow yearns to serve a Western stallion,” Anthony read incredulously. “You found a Chinese mail order bride?”

“Indeed,” Ethan’s broad face was smug. “A Chinese Lantern Bride for the Chinese Lantern Hotel’s owner. Could anything be more perfect?”

Anthony skimmed the rest of the advert, several phrase catching his attention. “Slim and soft, untouched by no man,” he read. “By God, a virgin?” He looked at his friend in alarm. “You know my inclinations. How can a virgin be a good idea?”

“So you’ll deflower, awaken and educate her, you love a challenge.” Ethan shrugged. “Come on Anthony, you need this. And not just for the sex. You’re getting old, my friend. The Wild West is dusty, and its woman are scarce. Who’s going to care for you when you’re hobbling with a stick and coughing your lungs out?”

Anthony was torn. “I don’t know. Anyway, she’s all the way from,” he squinted at the paper. “New York. Ah. It’ll take months for just the correspondence to happen. I have time to think about it.”

“On the contrary, she’s probably boarding the train as we speak,” Ethan laughed as Anthony stiffened in shock. “Come now, I told you I’ve handled the settlement. All fees are paid, the train ticket is sent and she’s on the way to you now.”

“This is madness,” Anthony spluttered, his hands gripping the ends of his chair as his fingernails left marks on the leather upholstery.

“It’s been years since Esther passed. Annie is a mother herself now, all grown up and away in Markleeville. It’s time you started living your life properly again. Open your heart to someone else.”

“Love makes you weak,” Anthony intoned resolutely. “I can’t do that. I can’t go through that kind of pain again.”

“Hey, no one said anything about love. It’s a possibility, that’s all it is. Anyhow, if you find her unsuitable, you can just break off the engagement and send her packing. Just do me a favour, and don’t say no until you’ve given it a fair shot.”

Ethan quirked a questioning eyebrow at him. Anthony sighed.

“Oh alright then. I’d say thank you, but I just know this is going to be bag of nails.”

“Well, that’s the fun, isn’t it? Another drink to celebrate, I think.” Ethan rose and reached for the bottle of whisky.

“Wait,” Anthony thumbed through the forms. “There isn’t a picture of her?”

“Nope! Blind matches only.”

Anthony was exasperated. “Then how do you know she’s who she says she is?”

“Faith, old man. Faith. And a fair touch of derring-do.”

Anthony shook his head. “That, and a full bottle of your finest whisky.”

++++++++

Gianna hummed a merry tune, her hair flying as she pranced down the sidewalk in excitement. If everything went well with the interview today, tomorrow would mark the beginning of her new life as a governess in America. “Two children, ages ten and twelve,” she read from the paper that the agency had sent her. Letting out a squeal of delight, she did an unladylike hop over a bump in the cobblestone path and giggled.

Stopping to look at a road sign, she confirmed that the house was just around the corner. “Come on,” she told herself as she smoothed down her dress. She was wearing her best silk dress with a flowing skirt that cascaded down her hips. The high collar was professional and she had complemented that by taming her dark curls into a sleek chignon. “You can do this, Gianna Delucca. You can be the best governess any family has ever had.”

Taking in a deep breath, she turned the corner.

“What?” Her eyes widened in dismay.

The only house within miles was an abandoned old cottage with a garden overrun with weeds. A rusty gate lay creaking off its hinges.

“Impossible,” she plucked the letter out of her purse and scanned through it quickly. “I know I double checked the address.”

A quick confirmation assured her that this was indeed the address that she had received from the agency. “Alright now, don’t panic,” she took in deep breaths in an attempt to hold the wave of hysteria at bay. “This must be a simple mistake. I’ll just go back down to the agency, clarify everything and telephone the family from there to let them know I’ll be late.”

Satisfied with her plan, Gianna turned and hailed a cab. During the journey, she occupied herself by playing with the cameo on her necklace. It was a gift from her grandmother, one of the few items that she had packed with her before her father had thrown her out of the house. As the scenery flashed before her, she gripped the porcelain piece in determination. Everything has to work out, she thought fiercely. It has to.

This had always been the goal. Establish a successful life in America, find a good husband and one day return to Italy to prove herself to her parents. She knew their anger would dissipate into acceptance once she proved herself.

“Well there’s a right crowd now,” the driver rasped. He tilted his head towards the crowd that had lined up haphazardly on the sidewalk. “Are you sure this is the right place, missy?”

Gianna broke out of her daydream and looked out of the window. “Oh no,” she gasped. Hastily throwing some notes at the driver, she hopped out and took in the scene in dismay.

“Cheaters!”

“We want our money back!”

The angry mob had their attention focused on one store along the entire street. The agency which had gotten her the governess job. Its glass shop front had been garishly covered in red paint. The store itself was empty.

“Excuse me,” Gianna grabbed at the elbow of the nearest woman. “What’s going on here?”

“Didn’t you hear? That darn store owner has ran off with our money. All the fake jobs and void contracts!” The woman’s voice rose into a scream.

“No!” Gianna felt her heart sinking to her feet. “No, it can’t be.”

“Did they get you too, then, missy?” A man who had overheard their conversation nodded at her. “You’d best start making new plans. I’ve seen this happen before. No one has ever gotten their money back. I hope you weren’t fool enough to make the full payment up front.”

She bit her lip so hard that she tasted blood. “They told me it was the only way I could secure a job.”

The man whistled. “Well, good luck to you then, missy. You’ll need it.”

Gianna walked back to her apartment in Chinatown in a daze. She had spent all her savings on engaging the agency to get her this job. As she entered the door, she barely registered the screaming match that was ensuing between Feng Ling and her mother in the kitchen. All that she wanted to do was crawl under the covers.

After lying on her bed and staring at the ceiling for what felt like hours, Gianna heard the door creak open.

“Hey, you got back early.” Feng Ling called out to her as she flopped on the opposite bed. She tossed an envelope at Gianna. “This came in the mail for you.”

Turning her head to nod in gratitude, Gianna started as she took in her friend’s face. Feng Ling’s eyes were puffy and her cheeks were white and tear stained.

“What happened to you?”

The girl sniffled. “My ma informed me that she has accepted an offer. I’ve been sold, by my own mother, as a mail order bride. I’m leaving for Nevada tomorrow.”

“What?” Gianna sat up in shock, her own problems forgotten for the moment. “That’s horrible!”

“That’s not even the worst part,” Feng Ling’s voice trembled as she fought back tears. She met Gianna’s gaze with shaky determination. “I’m gay, Gianna. You know what that means? I like women, not men.”

Gianna nodded, confirming what she had already suspected. She had noticed her friend’s eyes lingering on her curves all too often.

“I can’t imagine being married to a man, having to satisfy him. I can’t imagine having to spend the rest of my life, living a lie.”

“Ling, that’s terrible,” Gianna’s heart went out to her friend. Feng Ling shook her head and laughed.

“Well, go on and read your letter. I’d like a moment in silence, to process the evil turn that my life has taken.”

“Of course,” Gianna murmured, lowering her eyes as she tried to give her friend the privacy that she needed to cry.

Opening the letter, there was nothing that Gianna could do to prepare herself for the third and worst shock of the day. Her muffled cry of distress caught her friend’s attention.

“What is it? What does it say?”

“My Papi, he’s dreadfully ill. He needs treatment immediately but my mother says he lost their savings to gambling. She’s asking me for a loan.”

“Well, how did your job go? You should have received a nice sum of money when they confirmed your employment.”

“That’s the thing. There is no job. The agency cheated me and countless others of our money.”

“No!” Feng Ling’s eyes widened.

“She says that they’ll have to take a loan from Antonio Martello if I can’t help them with the money.”

“That evil millionaire scum you told me about?”

“Yes! He’ll drain them dry, Ling. Oh, this is dreadful. I need to try and raise the money for them somehow.”

Feng Ling’s eyes narrowed. “Gianna,” she said slowly. “I think I might have a solution, but I’m not sure that you’re going to like it.”

“What is it?” Gianna turned towards her friend’s uncertain face eagerly.

“I received a significant portion of the settlement sum that the man paid my mother. It should be more than what you need to help your parents. I’ll give it to you, if you take my place as his bride.”

Gianna’s eyes widened in shock. “You want me to… to take on your identity?”

“Yes. It’s not that bad, Gianna. It’s different for me, but I know how much of a romantic you are. Many women find romance in the West. Maybe it’s time for you to stop fending for yourself. He is a rich and successful man. Older, but well respected in his community. He will take good care of you.”

“Yes, but I think you’re missing one important thing, Ling,” Gianna’s voice grew shrill. “I’m Italian. You’re Chinese! How am I going to pretend to be you?”

“So you’ll make up a lie. Tell him you have mixed heritage, I don’t know! He doesn’t know what I look like anyway. The important thing is, you’ll be able to help your parents, and you’ll be saving me.”

Gianna looked down at her letter and back at her friend’s pleading eyes. “This is madness,” she muttered.

“It’s the best chance for both of us. Look, I’ll pass you the cheque now. If you cash it and wire it over to her by evening, she’ll have the money in no time.”

Sighing, Gianna closed her eyes and pictured her mother’s worried face.

“Alright. Alright, I’ll do it. But I’m going to need your clothes.”

++++++++

He pinned her to the spot with his gaze.

“Strip.”

He saw the petite woman’s eyes widening at the stern command as he advanced towards her, backing her up against the wall. Smiling slightly as he caught a whiff of her fear, he slammed his forearm against her chest as he pinned her in place, her luscious bosom heaving against his skin.

“My, my. We’ve got a naughty girl, haven’t we?”

His taunt provided her flight response as the woman started fighting back, her legs kicking ineffectually against his cowboy boots as her hands pushed against him. She was such a tiny thing that even though she didn’t have a chance of budging him, he was impressed at the vehemence of her fight.

Snarling at her, he raised a hand and lightly grazed his fingers over one breast, and then the other, and then back again. Slowly, tauntingly, like a cat playing with its prey. He felt her nipples pushing up against the fabric of her cotton blouse. He’d ambushed her before she had a chance to put her corset on, and she was ripe for the taking.

“You like this, admit it.”

The woman shook her head rapidly, hot tears of frustration seeping from her eyes.

“Stubborn little kitten.” He laughed mockingly, increasing his pressure against her pretty throat as she gasped for air. At that same moment, he tore open her top in a single move. Her buttons flew off, hitting the wall before falling to the ground as her top fell above. Her naked breast spilled out into his waiting hand. Cupping one possessively, he hissed in triumph as he rolled one delicate nipple between his finger and thumb as he felt it hardening.

“Pretending to be all pure. Ha! Look at how your body’s betraying you? All the fighting, all the resistance. But you know the truth of it all?”

He leaned forward, lightly nibbling along the side of her ear before biting down harshly as she released a strangled cry of pain.

“You want to be fucked.”

Squeezing down viciously on her nipple, he kicked her legs apart, pressing her up against the wall as he worked at hiking up her skirt. It took more effort than he realized. Small as she was, the woman had spirit and she was putting every effort to stop him.

Growling in pleasure, he released his hold on her neck, only to effortlessly lift her up. As she struggled futilely against him, he slammed her down on his desk, capturing her wrists above her head in a firm grasp. Her naked breasts were heaving, and the erotic sight of her gorgeous nipples sent a twinge of desire right to his groin. Bending down, he captured one of those luscious buds in his mouth, sucking down hard and lapping at it with his tongue as he relished her mewling squeals. Of pain? Pleasure? He didn’t give a fuck. All he knew was that he wanted her. Wanted to ravage her, rut her, own her.

Growling in lust, he ripped off her petticoat, pulling down her bloomers impatiently. There. Her naked, virgin pussy on full display. To his triumph, her folds were already glistening with the telltale signs of early arousal. Obviously, the little one had sensitive nipples. The thought pleased him to no end.

Ignoring her desperate kicks, he continued his ministrations on her breast as he plunged a finger into her tight entrance. She released a heart-rending cry from the invasion, her muscles unsure of how to react to such a foreign assault. Swirling his finger round and around, he felt his cock hardening at an alarmingly fast rate. The prospect of such a thick slab of meat ramming its way into such a tight, pure little cunt was so intoxicating that he found himself sucking in a desperate gulp of air.

“I will have you now.”

He released her nipple long enough to spit on his hand. Pressing it up against her sex, he lubed up that tight little entrance that wasn’t anyway wet enough for the invasion of his cock. It would hurt for her. He knew this.

He didn’t care.

Releasing her nipple only to launch an attack on the other one, he circled his tongue around and around the fresh bud as she whimpered. He positioned his throbbing cock right at her entrance, and she cried out in alarm.

“No! Please, please. No! I… I’m not.. I don’t.. no. No, no, no- aaargh!”

Her garbled words broke into a shriek of pain as he slapped her across her face. At the same moment, he thrusted his hips forward in a hard, savage motion. He felt the resistance of her hymen for barely a second before the most overwhelming sensation of blinding pleasure bordering on pain wrapped itself around his cock. He had taken her virgin pussy to the hilt, his heavy balls right against her folds. She screamed and screamed in pain, her head thrown back as her tight canal spasmed in desperation as it fought to accommodate his girth.

“Good girl… good girl.”

He grunted out absentminded words of praise as he started to move his hips. The sharp, metallic tang of blood made his nostrils flare as the battered remains of her maidenhead slipped out of her pussy entrance. The desk rocked precariously against the floor as he slammed into her repeatedly with the entire weight of his body.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!”

He could barely hear his his guttural groans since her screams were so loud. And still he fucked her. Wildly, insatiable. Like a predator hellbent on breeding the tiny, defenseless prey he had pinned down. And defenseless she was; for all her struggles, the only success she had was to take him in deeper.

As he sucked down hard one last time, he released her raw nipple with a plopping sound as he found her neck. Biting down hard on the side, he relished the vibration of her screaming vocal chords as he continued to ram his huge, thick cock into her tight, pure little pussy.

“Fucccckkkk!”

He knew that he was moments away from blowing the largest load he ever had. His first virgin – it felt like nothing he had ever experienced. Nothing like he had ever expected.

Harder. Harder. He took her harder with each savage thrust of his hips. His cock head was throbbing as it hit the entrance of her womb repeatedly. By this point, it seemed as though she’d lost her fight, her head was turned away from him as his teeth continued to hold her neck in place. For a moment, he felt a twinge of disappointment at the lack of fight in his little prey. But as his orgasm suddenly kicked up its gears, his full attention went smack onto on the need to blow his load into her beautiful, pristine body.

“I’m going to cum!”

He barely had the chance to finish this declaration before his cock jumped, tensing before it released rope after rope of thick, viscous seed into her tight little cunt.

“Yessssss,” he hissed, his eyes closing in pleasure. In the distance, he heard a rapping sound and wrinkled his brow in frustration.

“Mr Davies!”

What? Was that.. his housekeeper? Surely she knew better than to interrupt when he was with a woman. Hell, he could still feel his cock spewing cum at that very moment.

“Mr Davies! I don’t mean to disturb you, but you did say you wanted to check in on the horses before you turned in for the night.”

“What…?”

Anthony’s eyes flicked open in irritation and he started in surprise. Rather than finding himself balls deep in a beautiful virgin, he found himself lying in his bed – with his pants soaked through with a huge patch of semen.

A wet dream? A fucking wet dream?

“Are you alright, Mr Davies? Should I come in?”

Jumping to his feet in alarm, he kicked off his pants as he called out to his housekeeper.

“N-no, no, Mrs Beauchamp! I’ll take care of the horses.”

“Righty-o, sir!”

He squeezed his eyes shut in irritation as he made his way into the bathroom. He hadn’t ever lost control over his sexual faculties for decades – and there he was. Cumming like a sleeping whelp just at the prospect of his little virgin bride-to-be.

“I knew this was a bad idea,” he muttered as he turned the faucet on.

++++++++

Anthony rubbed down his chestnut horse and popped it a lump of sugar before leaving the stables. Locking the door to the paddock, he walked up the moon lit path slowly.

A possibility. That was the way Ethan had put it. Well, that could either work out fine or it could turn around and bite him in the nuts.

“If all else fails, I can just send her back,” he reassured himself as he neared the hotel that was his home. The light encrusted signboard flashed merrily in the darkness, illuminating the large oriental lanterns that stood on either side. A decade ago, he had redecorated the hotel’s façade as a project to distract him from the pain of losing his wife. It turned out that incorporating the Chinese art pieces and statues he had collected over the years into the décor was a good idea, since its uniqueness turned his hotel into a landmark. Tourists starting piling in to get a glimpse of the oriental hotel that was so exotic in the dusty west. The pair of stone lions that guarded the hotel’s entrance was a particular oddity that his guests seemed to enjoy.

Walking up the stairs to the penthouse which he had claimed as his personal residence, he caught sight of his head housekeeper who was preparing to leave for the evening.

“Mrs Beauchamp, if I could have a word.”

“Be right with ya, Mister Davis,” she called out as she walked towards him. Plump and matronly, she was dressed in the hotels uniform that he had the tailor fashion out of silk brocade fabric that Ethan helped him import from Beijing.

“Mrs Beauchamp, I have… news. I have acquired a mail order bride. She will be arriving tomorrow at noon. I have some things to attend to, and I would be most obliged if you could pick her up at the station for me. I’ll tell Jack to ready the wagon for you.”

The older lady clasped her hands in joy. “Oh, a wife! What a wonderful thing. I’d be happy to pick up the young lady for you. I’ll also tell the maids to report to you so you can prepare for her arrival.”

As she hopped down the stairs in a merry jaunt, she called up to him, “things are going to be so different around here!”

Anthony gave a half-hearted smirk before returning to his bedroom and slamming the door shut.

——————————–

And so ends this installation of the story. How will things play out for Gianna? Will Anthony accept her crazy scheme?

If you’ve made your way to the end of the chapter, thanks for sticking with me throughout! It’s a little slow-going for now. But things will start to heat up soon. Please leave a rating or a comment — it’d mean a lot, and will help me improve! Thanks for reading!