Page 12 of My Dangerous Duke

He was a man of control; had lived his life by a certain set of strict standards, and because of that, he had succeeded greatly. As of late though, it seemed his ability to maintain that grasp on control had been slipping. First with being unable to control Richard, and now unable to control the reactions of his damned body. What the hell kind of man was he turning into?

“So, we are just not going to speak then?” Eleanor asked, pulling him out of his wallowing. Drawing his eyes upward, Xander met his bride’s honey eyes and saw they were glittering with annoyance and hurt. A mixture of pity, annoyance, amusement- and arousal- shot through him. Why did she have to be so beautiful when she was angry? It was like her entire body filled with fire and she began to illuminate. Even her hair seemed to crackle and come alive when she was annoyed.

“What is it you would like to talk about?” Xander, biting back a grin as he sat up straight.

“Well, for starters, why you were acting so cross today,” Eleanor immediately replied before going into a long list of his bad behaviors. “Do you not think people will deem it odd that you did not talk to me all day?” She asked then, adorably and fully worked up now. Xander was trying his best to take her seriously.

“Of course, I talked to you,” Xander replied with an escaped chuckle. “Plenty of people saw it.”

“What if it was not enough?” Eleanor pushed.

“And why are you worried?” Xander quipped back, raising a curious brow. “In your father’s study, you seemed not to care what others wanted or thought. Was that an act?”

“Well, no,” Eleanor countered. “But areyounot worried about rumors of unhappiness? Most will think I trapped you in the marriage.”

Not entirely untrue,Xander mused silently.

“Which means the unhappier you appear, the more they will believe that to be true,” she finished.

“And?” Xander drawled, smirking at her.

“You want people thinking you are trapped?” She asked, giving him a look of pure surprise. Xander shrugged his shoulders.

“I do not care what people think of me,” he murmured. It was true. He did not give a damn what people thought of him personally. But he would doanythingto protect his grandparents’ legacy. Such as marrying a honey-eyed fire goddess for example.

“Perhaps you should,” Eleanor muttered, “It might surprise you.”

“I think you are not being truthful,” Xander stated bluntly, wanting to get off of the particular subject. “Whatreallyhas you vexed so?” He pushed, rubbing his jaw as he rested his elbow on his knee. Eleanor looked back at him for a moment, as if she were struggling for an answer. Finally, she let out a huff, flopping ungraciously back into her seat, and rolled her eyes- an act Xander found quite amusing.

“This is just not how my wedding day was supposed to go,” she confessed, letting her hands flop down into the lap of herdress. “I know we are not marrying for love, but it all felt so- impersonal. Cold. Like a poorly cast play almost.”

At this, Xander could no longer hold in his laughter.

“I do not know if I would saypoorly,” he chuckled.

“Do not laugh at me,” Eleanor demanded, her peach cheeks flaming to crimson.

“Apologies,” Xander offered, then broke into another chuckle, which only served to fluster his bride more.

“But I must ask. How many weddings have you been to?”

Eleanor’s annoyance shifted to embarrassment as she suddenly looked away from him.

“Just my sister’s,” she admitted begrudgingly.

“Mhmm,” Xander hummed. “And how was it?”

Eleanor shrugged.

“Pomp and circumstance,” she said, then finally looked back at him. “But that was not the same. My sister and I are completely different and want different things-”

“Agreed,” Xander interjected quickly. At this, he saw a brief smile flitter across Eleanor’s frown but it quickly vanished as she continued talking.

“Shewas marrying a baron. It had to be official. You are not a baron. Donotsmile at me like that!”

“Apologies,” Xander replied quickly but made no effort to stop. “But I must ask,” he went on, leaning further toward her, “If you think a wedding would have to be official for a baron, why would you not think it would have to be official for a duke? I am, after all, of higher noble rank than he.”

Xander watched her in amusement, thinking he was about to see her give another adorable pout. Instead, her beautiful molten eyes hardened into an emotionless mask, and she pressed her lips together tightly. With an assured nod, she wrapped her arms tighter around her small ribcage and looked out the window.

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