Page 37 of My Dangerous Duke

“Watch your language,” Xander bit out, quickly growing angry again. “And you tell me.”

Eleanor looked at him in shock.

“Tell you what?” She asked, flabbergasted.

“I have never heard you laugh like that,” he repeated again.

Eleanor huffed out a laugh, thinking he could not be in earnest, but when she saw the look on his face, she immediately frowned.

“You cannot be serious,” she stated in disbelief.

“How much time have you and Patrick spent together?” He asked next. “How well do you know each other?”

Utterly stunned by this sudden jealous behavior, Eleanor turned on her heel and walked away.

“Where do you think you are going?” He asked, following her. “Do not just walk away from me while we are talking!”

“We are not talking, Your Grace,” she replied matter-of-factly-, “you are accusing, and I do not have to stay put and accept such disrespect. Especially when I have done nothing to earn it!”

“Youmustcontrol yourself,” he insisted, catching up to her as they walked briskly up the stairs. “We are in a precarious position.”

“Control,” she scoffed, not moving, “That is all you want, isn’t it? You just want everyone around you to obey and behave exactly as you wish.”

“Do notdaretake Richard’s side on this,” Xander growled, following behind her closely as she opened the doors to her quarters. “You have no idea of the responsibilities that come with my role and how many times he has made mehatethat reality. I do not like what I have become but I did it in order to protect this family. A family that you are now a part of!”

“For how long?” She shouted back, whirling on him so fast that his eyes widened in surprise. “You cannot wait to get rid of me, can you not? Just like your cousin. What did we ever do to you?”

Xander was on her in an instant, his much bigger body pressing her against the wall as his left hand touched her chin. Heat poured through her body and pooled in her lower belly as his eyes burned into his.

“You donotput yourself in the same category as him,” he stated, deathly serious. “You did nothing wrong. You hear me?Nothingyou did was wrong. You are the only innocent one in all of this. Which is why I am trying to protect you until I can get this sorted out.”

Eleanor reached out and put a palm on his cheek, and saw that he foughtnotto pull away.

“You are putting so much on yourself,” she whispered, worried for him. “It will destroy you if you do not stop. Talk to me. I can help.”

Several tense seconds ticked by before Xander answered.

“It is best I handle things alone.”

“But if you allowed help, you would have more time to rest,” she explained with a sigh. “More time to discover what makes you happy. Don’t you want to do what makes you happy?”

“Trust me, youandthe world do not want that,” he scoffed bitterly, glancing away.

“Of course, I do,” she answered, giving him a puzzling look. “Why would I not?”

Xander’s eyes turned back to her possessively, making her breath hitch.

“For starters, I would have beat your dear little Patrick to a bloody pulp for putting his arms on you.”

Although she was sure Xander was trying to shock her, Eleanor’s body only grew more sensitive instead. She knew it was wrong, but the image of Xander defending her only made her nipples harden and a warm moisture seep between her legs.

“You are jealous,” she panted, suddenly unable to catch her breath. Xander growled as he braced his free hand against the wall beside her ear, and stared at her like a predator ready to catch his prey.

“I. Am. Not. Jealous.” He bit it, emphasizing each word with both his voice and the tightening of his fingers around Eleanor’s throat.

She smiled up at him almost wickedly, meeting his stare full-on.

“Yes. You. Are.”

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