A Lady of the Realm Read Free Page B

said.
    “I’m never going to learn anything if you keep playing with me,” I wailed.
    I bumped into a bookcase and grabbed the first thing I touched. I heard the muttered oath as I slammed the object on his head. At least I’d found him.
    “You’ll pay for that,” he growled.
    I flew onto the plush bed. The downy pillows cocooned me in softness as I landed. Tendrils of energy, electrifying bands, wrapped themselves around my wrists when I tried to get up. With my hands pulled over my head, the skylights opened. Thin streams of night light illuminated the room.
    He stood at the foot of the bed, his fingers kneading the side of his head. “Your temper will be your downfall,” he said. “You must never show anger, no matter how angry you become.”
    “You lose your temper all the freaking time, asswipe,” I said.
    “Yes … but I may. I’m Lord Alek; it’s expected. You, on the other hand, may not. You’re my allodial, and I demand a certain level of comportment from my people,” he said.
    “Let… me… go,” I demanded between angry breaths.
    “Promise not to hit me,” he said pulling up a chair to sit closer.
    “I don’t need to promise shit. Stop teasing me when we’re fucking working, and I won’t have to hit you,” I said.
    He was stronger, faster and had centuries of experience. I had to do what I could to defend myself. Screaming, throwing objects and on occasion biting, were my weapons.
    “We need to work on your choice of adjectives next,” he said.
    “Arrogant, self—centered sod. You enjoy tying me up,” I said.
    He smiled and leaned closer, his lips caressing my neck. “I do enjoy bondage, but with you, it’s the only way to get you to cooperate sometimes,” he said softly.
    My body jerked in reaction when his tongue flitted against my racing pulse.
    “Why are you so pushy?” I asked.
    He was pushy to the extreme, and I didn’t like it. We’d had many battles in his rooms. Loud arguments turned violent in the blink of an eye when he grinned condescendingly. I was the one to draw first blood in every confrontation. He was the one who tied me up until I regained control.
    “Let’s go out tonight instead of studying,” he said ignoring the question.
    I sighed in resignation. He’d already answered the pushy question before and wasn’t going to repeat himself now. I was his allodial. I was an important player in Court politics. I had to act properly, speak properly, and be prepared before I stepped into Court.
    “Where do you want to go?” I asked.
    My voice had gone to a normal level. I wasn’t angry any more. It defeated the purpose of my learning anything if I was constantly tied up. The tendrils around my wrists disappeared. He sat ramrod straight on the chair and crossed his legs.
    “Ernst, I need some air,” he said.
    I smiled at his choice of words. He was always subtle in his answers. He needed to get his groove on is what he needed. Since I wasn’t a willing female, he went out at least three times a week to pick someone else up to soothe his appetite.
    “I don’t want to go,” I said.
    I curled on my side, refusing to meet his eyes. I didn’t want to go out with him tonight. It was depressing how he found willing partners so quickly.
    “Why?” he asked.
    “Go have fun with your groupies,” I said, closing my eyes. “I want to stay in. Maybe order junk food for dinner,” I said.
    “Malachi is busy tonight. Do you really wish to stay alone?” he asked.
    “Not really. Tell you what, I’ll go home and visit Nola.”
    It wasn’t a happy thought. I had my own room here. I didn’t actually spend much time in it but it was big, clean and had every amenity I could’ve wished for. But I rarely slept in it, never had been able to sleep. For years, I blamed it on hunger, on the gnawing pangs that clutched from within. But, it wasn’t hunger. The elf had quickly remedied the food problem. Every room in the house had a mini fridge stocked with vodka and junk