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“He’s so cute,” she whispered to me when Peter left to get another helping of rolls.
“He’s the male version of you,” I laughed. “Of course you would like him.”
Miles claimed the seat next to me during dinner while Sie sat across from me. He wordlessly ate his meal, but I was aware that he was listening to everything Miles said to me. Every now and then, I would meet his gaze, and our eyes would lock. I had to ask Miles to repeat himself more than once.
I was sad to leave Lakewood the next morning. I found it much harder to say goodbye to Vallie and Miles the second time, but the trip wasn’t over.
We had two more villages to tour today, Narway and Backerly, both of which I’d never been to before. I was thankful that we would at least be arriving back at the castle tonight, so I wouldn’t have to worry about sleeping in the same room as Sie again.
That was, until our wedding night.
TWENTY-SIX
SCOTLIND
I could barely keepmy eyes open by the time we finally arrived at the castle. Pure exhaustion overtook me as I pushed open the heavy doors to my chamber with the intention of plopping down onto my bed.
But the doors didn’t shut behind me.
I turned around slowly. Kole stood in the middle of the frame with one long arm outstretched to prop the door open. He stared at me before taking a step forward into the threshold.
“What are you doing?” I asked when the door clicked shut, locking us in my room together.
“That one night alone with your Prince must have gotten to your head, nix. You know why I’m here.”
“That’s not what I meant,” I said slowly, cautiously. “I know you are my night guard, but why are you in my room?”
He kicked off the door he was leaning on, closing the gap between us in two long strides. My hand instinctively clutched my necklace as I backed up a step. Then another and another, until I was pressed against the wall.
He breathed hot air into my ear. “If you think I’m going to let you out of my sight again, you’re an idiot. You will not make me look incompetent in my job ever again. Do you understand?”
He shifted to grab my arm, holding me in place. I tried to shake him off, to escape his grasp, but his hold on me only tightened, causing pain where his fingers pressed against my skin. My head was level with his neck, and beneath his guard uniform, a glimmer of a bruise spread across it, bobbing in time with his Adam’s apple.
I let out a gasp as he growled, “You will never leave my side while I’m on guard, and you will never fucking sneak off again without me knowing.” He then pushed me away, causing my back to slam against the wall.
“Get out, Kole. This isn’t funny.”
“Oh, I’m not laughing,” he sneered as he dragged one of the leather armchairs across the floor. A horrible scraping sound filled the room as it scratched over the oak floor. To my horror, he positioned the chair at the foot of my bed and sank down into it. Slouching low, he crossed his arms over his chest and looked up at me triumphantly.
Dread filled my stomach as I realized he wasn’t planning on leaving. He really would stay in my room all night. By the smirk plastered on his face, he knew how uncomfortable he was making me. I was sick of everyone walking all over me. I was sick of not having a choice. And beyond that, I was tired. I just wanted to sleep alone.
I stormed to his chair and swung my fist at his face before I could think better of it. His smile broadened as he easily dodged it. I tried again and again and again.
I knew I was fighting carelessly thanks to a mixture of lack of sleep and the headache that was now pounding in my temples. I never fought well when rage overtook me. Kole knew it too, but I didn’t care. It felt good to move my body, to take my anger out. And there wasn’t anyone I wanted to beat up more than Kole. Well, maybe Alec.
The next punch I threw, he caught my fist in his large hand and didn’t let go, making it seem like up until now, he’d been humoring me and decided it was enough. He dragged me by my arm, pulling me into him.
“What are you doing, Kole? Stop,” I pleaded as he pulled me into his lap. “I won’t sneak out again, I promise. Please,” I added when he looked into my eyes.
“Since when did you get manners? I like it. Beg me, and maybe I’ll go.”
I attempted and failed to shrug out of his arms. He pushed me harder against his lap for emphasis as I said through gritted teeth, “Please, leave my room, Kole. I just want to sleep alone.”
“Hmm, I don’t think so,” he smiled. I started to protest when the arm holding me began to turn gold. “You will not fight me. Stay still, nix.”
My eyes widened as I looked at him, then his arm. He was compelling me. His voice sounded different, softer, almost lyrical, even though it had no real effect on me.
I swallowed the lump in my throat as I hoarsely replied, “Yes.” I wanted so badly to push away from him. I wanted to reach for my necklace and press the button to alert Sie, but Kole kept both of my wrists taut against his chest. Any movement I made would tip him off that I wasn’t really being compelled.
