Page 53 of The Time Of Queens

“Then your experience has never been such as wounding a woman’s pride.”And that of her heart,I wanted to add.

“Oh, I am certain that I have wounded many a woman’s pride in my days, for I have snubbed plenty, along with their affections.”

I scowled at him so hard, he actually looked shocked by such venom.

“Then this is a hobby of yours, is it?!” I snapped, making him frown across from me.

“A hobby… what? No, I merely mean…”

“Just a game, no doubt, but hey, it must get quite boring as some rich gentleman. You have to get your kicks somehow!” I shouted, making him jerk as if I had just struck him.

“That is not…”

“You know what, I don’t give a shit,my Lord. Stop the carriage!” I said, hammering my own fist on the roof beforereaching for the door, ready to face the weather rather than deal with Draven!

“Continue on!” Draven shouted the second we stopped, and I in turn yelled out,

“Stop, for I am getting out!”

I opened the door, only to find it slammed shut again after an arm banded around me from behind. Then just as I was about to yell some more, his hand covered my mouth.

“I said continue on!” Draven shouted, and pulled me back to the seat, now holding me firmly in his lap. I squirmed against him, something he stopped as he wrapped his arm across me, trapping my wrists to my own chest.

“Calm down!” he snapped, making me try and fight him harder, my anger hitting a new level. I heard him growl in frustration before telling me,

“I don’t wish to hurt you by mistake, but if you do not calm down, then I will have no choice but to tie you up, to prevent such.”

I stopped suddenly, knowing that fighting against him was pointless. Draven was nothing if not a man of his word.

“Now, are you going to calm enough for me to trust you not to scream when I take my hand away?”

I gritted my teeth, tempted to bite his damn hand! But knowing there was no point in that either, I just remained still. Something that wasn’t good enough for him.

“Well?”

I nodded, which was when he finally lowered his hand.

“Let me go,”I seethed, which only made his arms tighten around me.

“I think not,” he replied firmly, and again it was hard to control my urge to blow up at him.

“You have no right to do this,” I stated determinedly.

“That may be so, but here I am, doing it all the same,” he replied, and it was pure, unapologetic arrogance.

“Why? You asked me to leave, remember?”

I heard him sigh at this, as if pained by the memory of his mistake.

“I was wrong,” he replied, offering me nothing more.

Despite how much those words meant to me, they were unfortunately already tainted by the reasons he now thought this way. Because he had arrived at the farm and found himself once again without his Chosen One. Meaning I was his second choice. Which was why I answered the way I did, unable to keep my bitterness at bay.

“Just as you are wrong now by keeping me against my will,” I threw back at him, and again he tightened his arms around me as his muscles tensed.

“Once again, I stand by my answer and offer it once more, for that may be so, but here I am doing it all the same,” he repeated, making me shake my head and ask in a small voice,

“And what changed? Did your fiancé reject you or was the game simply not finished?”

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