Trapped By The Ruthless King

of Si

elted int

d over them. The estate was huge, its grandeur stretching far beyond what I could explore in a day, but no

ur was e

to the glances exchanged by the staff when they thought I wasn't looking. He was a king in his castle, a ruler wh

, I avoi

d the rhythms of the house and the schedules of the staff. I told myself that if

afar, the more I started to reali

't just

as l

control, yet somehow. Distant. It was in the silence of

built a

led himself

-

ng in t

n his office

mly lit, the glow of the dying fire casting flickering shadows against the dark wood-paneled walls. The scent

y curled over a crystal glass, his eyes fi

since I'd arrived

e to understand, but a man weighed

ve turned a

left him to

I stepped

presence always was. His grip on the glass didn't tighten, his

oice broke

'm a monster

h something I couldn't quite

sita

hear? More importantly,

ed. "I don't know

t near enough. "Your intelligence surpass

iment o

e turned and

I di

that one question

y m

ght of

ir sh

ass. The ice clinked softly against the sid

ather owed me m

udying him. "That's

econd-something flickered beneath the surf

gr

rtai

ince I'd met him, Ar

t terri

d've meant ther

Mor

e o

etween them, thick

is fingers went lax around his glass and finally released the hold altogether. Th

o know why that i

ter, yet laced wit

even a

sn't bac

tbeat thudding in my ears

lips, but it didn't re

allo

t sure.

I fe

n't abou

't about

as per

had cho

eded to

me that the answer wo

Burns, A Col

o mock me. To dismiss my w

intensity, his fingers tapping once ag

energy, as if every motion had weight. He crossed the room, coming to stand a few feet aw

His voice was low, but there wa

n't a

e truth wa

re

want

d. His gaze dropped for one fleeting instant, his expression

stand," he said. "Things that wou

pped

y m

in his eyes was gone as

nd deliberate. But the

y f

d

ous comb

areful what you

arn

pro

aps

o have fe

scarie

asn

Unrav

t, I coul

for

here was one unanswered question

Arthur s

ng, did a part of me feel