The Cripple Was Never Weak

Liora Hale was a substitute bride forced to take her stepsister’s place and marry the young master of the Blackwood family, a deformed cripple rumored to have few months left to live. “Who would have thought that even a sickly wretch like Dominic Blackwood would find himself a bride?” At the altar, after their vows were spoken, she lifted her veil and knelt before Dominic Blackwood, pressing a hesitant kiss to his lips. The marriage contract was signed. No matter his deformities, he was now her husband. She wasn’t afraid of the scars that marked his face, nor was she repulsed by the wheelchair that confined him. Every morning, she prepared his breakfast, attended to his needs, and thought of nothing beyond her duties as a wife. “Young Master Blackwood is a cripple who can’t even perform,” her best friend argued. “When he dies, you’ll still be untouched. You should aim higher.” Later in their marriage, Dominic found himself wanting to enjoy his little wife in every way the press of her lips against his, the brush of skin against skin, the intimacy a husband and wife were meant to share. But Liora refused him, blushing furiously. “No, we can’t. The doctor said you’re not allowed to exert yourself.” Desire surged through Dominic, hot and relentless. He cursed inwardly. I should have gotten rid of that doctor and this wheelchair long ago. Unable to restrain himself any longer, he finally revealed the truth. In the blink of an eye, the deformed cripple disappeared, replaced by a powerful man tall, dark, and devastatingly handsome. He silenced Liora’s protests as he leaned over her, caging her against the bed with his arms. His voice dropped low as he asked, “What about now"?