Page 37 of Vengeful Princess

“You can’t fight it, Thea,” Landon said as he leaned back against the glass door, completely unmoved by the girl giving him heart eyes two feet away. Had he fucked her? Probably. “You’re mine, so accept it.”

“I’m not anyone’s,fuckboy.”

“I’m not a fuckboy!” He looked positively outraged at the thought, but I scoffed.

“Look around and tell me how many of the females in the immediate area youhaven’thad sex with.”

I watched as he scanned the area, catching the eye of at least 10 girls, all of whom lit up with delight and then wilted when his gaze passed on to the next female.

“Not many,” he admitted. “But that doesn’t make me a fuckboy. It just means I have a lot of love to give.”

My lips curled up with reluctant amusement. “Sure, whatever. Now move. I’m hungry.”

“I know, which is why I’m here.”

“How do you know?”

“Cassian messaged us during your lecture to say the sounds your stomach made were distracting him.”That fucker.

“I skipped breakfast.” By the time I’d showered after working out this morning, there hadn’t been time for food.

“Come on.” He reached out for my hand, and to my surprise, I let him take it. Some girl heading toward us gasped with outrage, and a small part of me preened that Landon had chosen me over her.

“Lan!” she yelled, but he ignored her. Feeling bitchy, I threw her a wide grin as Landon led me across the lawn toward the student parking garage.

“Is this your car?” I asked, staring at the matt black G-Class.

He grinned. “Like it?”

I shrugged. “Sure, it’s pretty cool, I guess. So where are we going?”

“Hop in. It’s a surprise.”

He better not be taking me to some luxury hotel for anafternoon delight.That wouldn’t end well for him. Still sure I was making a terrible mistake, but desperate for some decent food that didn’t contain my weekly recommended allowance of trans fats, I climbed up into Landon’s obnoxiously luxurious SUV.

Ten minutes later, we were off campus and on the road out of the glen. The mountains loomed over the valley, brooding and magnificent. The longer I stayed here, the more I liked the wide open space and muted colors of Scotland.

It was nothing like my home country. There, the landscape was a mix of raw sienna and burnt umber, with flashes of green and yellow from the lemon groves. My father’s lawns were always green thanks to the extensive irrigation system, but in the heat of the summer, only the aloe plants thrived.

I still hadn’t acclimated to the damp, cold climate here, but Eden had recommended some warm clothing brands, and I’d ordered a few fleeces and thermal leggings, which helped. In all honesty, the climate of southern Europe suited me better, but the sheer beauty of this country never failed to impress.

Landon’s car ate up the miles easily. He connected his phone to the Bluetooth speakers and soon music filled the air. To my surprise, he’d selected a classical playlist.

“I figured you’d be more into Taylor Swift,” I commented with a smirk.

He snorted. “I have a varied taste in music, but today feels like a Bach day.” He indicated left and a large expanse of water appeared through the trees. High above, a huge bird soared on air currents. “A golden eagle,” he said when he saw me staring up, enraptured at the size of the thing. “There’s a breeding pair around here.”

Thank God my father wasn’t with us. He’d have shot it without a second thought. I shivered at the thought of such a beautiful creature falling prey to my father’s relentless cruelty.

We continued to follow the winding road that hugged the shore of the loch. As it narrowed, the trees thinned and a castle-like house appeared in the distance, sitting high above the water.

It was magnificent, with a gray stone edifice and pale cream spires reaching up to the sky. I leaned forward in my seat, eager for a closer look. Was it a hotel?

“The Rothmore Family seat,” Landon explained as the road ended at a set of wrought-iron gates. “My family owns properties all over the world, but this one is my favorite.”

The driveway snaked up to the house, and the closer we got, the more impressed I was. Abernethy was stunning, but this place was next level. I’d always known Landon was wealthy - almost everyone at Abernethy was, but seeing his family estate cemented it.

“Ready for lunch?” Landon asked as we pulled up outside the main entrance. I was about to say hell, yes, when a rotund woman wearing a tweed skirt and white blouse came running outside with a huge smile on her face.

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