Hothead

Zoe

Four days later, the bogy man returns. The atmosphere is so tense, I swear I can smell fear around here. I still wonder why all these people are here if they are so terrified of him. A part of me is grateful when I don’t see him the whole day, but I have to speak to him at some point. Maybe I can convince him to let me leave.

I can’t stop my heart from racing when Lord Duke informs me that he will be dining with me for supper.

I give myself a pep talk as I descend the stairs. I will not show any fear. I will not be bullied. My resolve is immediately tested when our eyes meet. Cold and murderous. He looks like he wants to strangle me.

Lord Duke, Lady Margaret and the maids are standing attentively a few feet away.

“Sir Leornard,” I greet as calmly as I can and ignore his girlfriend who is seated on his left.

“You are late,” he says with a scowl.

I glance at the clock above his head and back at him. I am one second late and that’s because his girlfriend bumped into me and spilled juice on my dress. I had to change, but I won’t waste my breath explaining this. He can go to the nearest hell for all I care.

“Brent!”

I am taken aback when the hefty guy from the wedding day shows up.

“Forgive me, Sire. I should have emphasised the time to Lady Maloy,” Lord Duke apologises and get a very loud clap on his face from the hefty man.

That was for me being one second late. I can feel my anger threatening to explode. Lord Duke is old enough to be his father. He should be respected not punished for such a stupid thing that was not even his fault. My rage overcomes me when I see the hand imprint on his face. I walk to his girlfriend and slap her hard across her face.

She made me late. If someone must be punished for it, it is her.

I am surprised that she does not say a word, but turns to him with misty eyes instead. I guess this is her way of asking him to avenge her. I am too angry and don’t care what he does at this point.

I expect him to act but he tilts his head to one side and narrows his cold piercing eyes at me instead. He chuckles when I stare back and signals for the food to be served.

Lady Margaret rushes to me when I take a seat opposite him.

“Your seat is always on his right,” she informs me, but I have no intention of sitting so close to him.

“Please,” she adds when I hesitate. I can hear the desperation in her voice. I guess she will be the one who gets punished if I don’t do it. This man is truly a monster.

I let of a sigh and take the seat on his right. I expect him to start dishing, yet he is just staring at me until Lady Margaret comes to me again.

“You need to dish for him.”

I look at him in disbelief.

“Who was dishing for you all this time?” the words are out of my out before I can bite my tongue.

My heart literally stops when he grabs my waist. The chair squeaks as he pulls me closer to him.

“Don’t push my buttons, Kitten.”

I swallow hard, my heart already galloping. He looks like he is going to snap my neck.

“Forget her, Leo. I will dish for you,” his girlfriend says and reaches out for his plate. He loosens his grip on me, giving me a chance to breathe. I guess her presence her is not so bad. She can dish for her monster.

My relief is short-lived because he holds the plate down, preventing her from taking it. I can see her face turning red with anger before quickly adopting her face smile. This is going to be a long supper.

“Get the priest and prepare for the ceremony. The marriage will be consummated tonight,” he instructs Lord Duke, who nods.

“Yes, Sire.”

I curse inside and hold my hands together over my lap to stop them from trembling. I should have just dished for him.

“The consummation, your father and brother. You might want to dish for me, Kitten.”

I nod my head. That is a reminder of why I married him in the first place. I don’t even know how my father and brother are because I have not had any contact with them since the wedding. He might have killed them already for all I know. I shut that thought out very fast. They have to be alive and I have to comply with this man to keep them alive.

“What do you want to eat, Sir?”

“I am not Sir to you.”

“Husband.”

I can taste bile as I utter the word.

“No longer a hothead huh?” he smirks.

I just look at him until he responds.

“Food.”

I can’t help but roll my eyes inside and dish a bit of everything on the table. I catch a glance of Lady Margaret giving me a thumbs up as I place the plate in front of him.

“Feed me.”

It is a command. I want to tell him to go to hell, but his unuttered threat on my father and Danny will make me do anything, and he knows it.

It is a miracle that my hand remains steady as I feed him. Jane has stopped eating and shooting daggers at me. I don’t know why. It is not like I want to do this.

I let out a sigh when I finish, but he does not seem impressed with me. I follow his gaze to the glass of water and roll my eyes inside. The bastard is really riding this wave.

I grab the glass and help him drink and wipe his mouth with a towel.

“You are in charge of this castle. Your only job is to serve me,” he declares as he gets on his feet.

Lady Marget’s face literally lights up as Lord Duke takes out a paper from his pocket and writes something.

He is at the door when I get on my feet too. I don’t feel like eating anything. Not with some priest on the way to witness the consummation.

I have just taken a step forward when the room starts spinning and my eyes become blurry…