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317. AS THE DONKEY TO THE WHEAT
KATHERINE"I'm just taking a look around the facilities. I can manage on my own, you may leave," I replied firmly, though inside, my heart was pounding."I insist, you really shouldn’t—""Who are you to tell the Duchess where she can or cannot be on her own lands?" The Duke’s authoritative voice made me let out a breath of relief.I had been just about to scream at the top of my lungs."Duke… Your Lordship, I wasn’t—I was only trying to help…" The man turned, lowering his head and dropping his thug-like stance."No one asked for your help, and I didn’t like your tone with my wife at all. Mr. Philip, remove this man from the harvest fields," he ordered mercilessly.His displeasure was obvious, his threatening aura making everyone tremble."Yes, yes, sir," the accountant stammered, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe his sweaty forehead.The laborer remained silent, about to leave with his head down, but I stopped him."Wait! Before you go, move these bales. I want to see what’s behind a
318. SURPRISE ATTACK
KATHERINE"Oh, for heaven’s sake, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry!" I pulled out the handkerchief from the inner pocket of my dress and leaned forward slightly, bracing one hand between his spread legs.I started blotting the stains on his shirt, my fingers working their way down the buttons, trailing lower along his abdomen."I think you should change. Damn it, I’m so clumsy…""It’s fine, Rossella, it doesn’t matter…""No, no, at least let me dry it," I insisted, continuing downward. The wine had trickled lower.I was flustered, too distracted to realize my mistake—until my hand brushed against something hard.My eyes widened as I became fully aware that I had nearly polished the Duke’s crotch, where a growing erection was forming."I…" I looked up.We were so close, practically on top of each other. His breathing was deep, heavy—as if he were scenting me.His eyes, those wild and breathtakingly beautiful eyes, locked onto mine with a predatory intensity.I swallowed hard, my gaze driftin
319. KIDNAPPING
KATHERINEOh no, no, no—this was terrifying.I was trembling uncontrollably, gripping the bread knife like a deadly weapon in front of me. I sharpened my hearing, moving cautiously to avoid making a sound that would give me away.I couldn’t hear footsteps anymore, but with the chaos of the battle outside—screams, the clash of weapons—it was impossible to tell what was happening.Suddenly, the handle of one of the carriage’s side doors began to turn slowly. My heart nearly burst from my chest, fear tightening around my senses, indecision flooding my mind.It was the door facing the forest—of course, the least guarded side. The fight was happening on the other side of the carriage, out on the road.I straightened slightly, my head brushing against the ceiling, gripping the knife so tightly that my knuckles turned white.I was shaking all over, my eyes locked onto the entrance, debating whether the smarter move was to escape through the other door.Too many choices, too little time. Then
320. DANGER IN THE DARK
KATHERINEI tried to crawl back to the safety of the forest with one last desperate breath."Aahh!" I screamed at the sharp sting when the sole of his shoe pressed against my hands, bound tightly with rope.I felt the tiny bones in my fingers creak, on the verge of breaking."HELP! ELLIOT! SOMEONE... HELP!""Shut the hell up, damn it! You’re getting on my nerves!""Just finish her off already! The boss said—""Shut up and don’t tell me what to do! Come here, talk now or die, bitch!"He grabbed my bound hands, yanking me like a rag doll.I panted heavily, my vision blurred with tears. I tried to fight, though my strength was fading fast. The icy blade of a dagger pressed against my throat."Tell me right now, who told you we were stealing? Are you working for someone else, trying to screw up our business? Speak!""Go to hell… you bastard," I spat in his face, hanging on my knees.Blood and saliva splattered across his murderous expression."I'm so sorry, my love, I'm so sorry," I sobbe
321. TAKE OF MY LIFE
ELLIOT"ROSELLA!" I roared with even more urgency, a sinister premonition assaulting my senses.I ran toward her scent and then… that suffocating, intense smell of iron.Before I reached her, I saw her stepping out from the shadow of the trees—her pale skin, trembling lips, and disheveled hair.My eyes dropped, stunned.Her hands… her hands clutched the hilt of a weapon, buried deep in her chest."NOOOO!" I bellowed, rushing toward her.She tried to take steps toward me, staggering, stumbling forward.I caught her midair in my arms; the coldness of her skin clenched my fears. I lifted her immediately, afraid to touch her chest, feeling her life slipping away with each breath.I sat on the ground, near the precipice, my back to the forest."No, no, Rosella, you can't do this to me, you can't! Damn it!" My fingers reached for that damned weapon.When did this happen? How could I be so careless?"I… I'm sorry…""Don't talk, don't talk, baby, damn it, no, no…" I bent over her dirt-streake
322. VACUUM JUMP
ELLIOTHer reddened lips stopped sucking on me.I watched, exhaling deeply, as color returned to her face. Lifting my wrist, I licked the wound, tasting the faint traces of her saliva.My heart finally settled into place, and that entity within me was calmer now that Rossella was alive.Why was she so important to him if I knew he had once hated her?Part of my visceral disdain for her came from his own raw emotions.Now that the immediate danger had passed, I carefully scanned my surroundings.I had positioned myself with my back to the forest and my front toward the cliff to block the view from any lurking spies.I was always on guard for a sneak attack, but there seemed to be no one left nearby.However, before I could get up and figure out how to escape this precarious situation, with threats still looming, a thunderous noise of frenzied galloping and wheels dragging something reached my ears.My own horse, left to the side, reared up on its hind legs, neighing nervously."Tom, ea
323. I AM YOUR ALLY
KATHERINE"Shhh," he brings a finger to his lips, signaling for me to stay quiet.I immediately press my lips together. The Duke closes the door and steps closer, his brow furrowed as his gaze drops to my chest.I watch as he sits on the edge of the bed, my mind a whirlwind of memories, my urge to bombard him with a thousand questions barely contained.He leans toward me, and I shudder at the closeness, his deep, low voice pouring into my ear."Don't call me by my title here. No one can know our identities. We're just a married couple who were attacked by bandits on the road," he whispers, and I swallow hard, nodding.He straightens slightly, his piercing blue eyes too close.I start to feel nervous—not just because of his proximity, but because I might have done something unnatural to heal myself.Did the Duke notice my magic?He couldn’t have—otherwise, he’d be tying me to a tree and setting me on fire like a torch."I… thank you for saving me, Du— I mean, E… Elliot," I say, tasting
324. THE REAL SITUATION
KATHERINEOur breathing grows heavy, rushed.I feel the sparks crackling in the air, the scent of excitement."I think… I’d better check if dinner is ready. The lady of the house said it wouldn’t be much longer. You must be hungry."He springs up like a coiled wire, putting distance between himself and the bed, leaving me there, leaning forward like a fool, lips pursed, as he strides toward the old wooden door."Aren't you going to check my wound?" I ask in a soft voice—seductive, or so I think.I won’t give up so easily."Mrs. Nora gave me some medicinal herbs; they should take effect. Besides, you told me you were fine," he responds curtly, and before I can deploy all my charms, he’s out of the room."Damn Duke, stiff and uptight. But what you don’t know is that crazy women are persistent, and I won’t stop until I conceive your heir," I mutter, already scheming how to take advantage of the fact that, whether he likes it or not, we’ll be forced to stay together.****Later, I got the
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