The Crown’s Obsession

Chapter 53 - Provoking

Calhoun returned to the carriage after a few minutes later, taking the seat right next to her. Madeline wished there was another door to get out from the carriage, but there wasn't one. Her lips trembled; therefore, she didn't open it. Too stunned to say anything and react, she sat quietly as she felt his overbearing presence in this closed space.

She waited for Theodore to join them inside, but when the door of the carriage was closed, she felt her heart almost slip out of her chest. Internally she was a mess, and she couldn't think straight. By the screams that she heard from outside, it was evident that the King had finished the man off who had given her the ride. The horses started to pull the carriage, and they began to head back to the castle, the same place she had tried to get away.

He didn't speak to her, not a word and Madeline wasn't sure if it was a good or a bad thing. She was scared of what he was going to say or do. She didn't dare to look at him nor utter a word.

Madeline's eyes moved to the side, trying to look from the corner of her eyes to see what he was doing. Calhoun sat with his leg cross one over the other. His eyes turned to look outside the window as if they were going back to the castle after a regular trip. She knew this was the calm before the storm.

When the carriage stopped, the coachman opened the door for Calhoun to step down. He looked ahead of him before turning around, offering his hand for Madeline to take.

Madeline would have told him she was fine to step out without his help, but she could feel the guilt of being caught. No matter how much she wanted to stop trembling, her hand couldn't stop it, and she placed it in his hand for him to clasp. And the grip was tight that made her flinch before he loosened his hold on her hand without letting it go as he pulled her inside the castle.

He continued to drag her without letting go of her hand, passing through the halls and corridors before he came to his room. Pushing the doors, he locked the room to push her on his bed.

Calhoun moved towards her like a feline, and before she could move, he had moved himself to hover above her.

His red eyes glared down at her, "You have the nerve to give me the slip when I warned you not to run away and look where we are now," he moved his hand forward to have her lean back against the surface of the bed. Madeline supported herself with her two hands, her eyes staring back at him, "Did you think you could run away, and I wouldn't find you?"

"You lied to me!" said Madeline, "You never had any intention to let me go-"

She had to stop talking when he brought his face close to hers, almost feeling his lips which were an inch away from her, "Makes me think you have not been listening to me, my sweet girl. How naive of you to think that I would let you go when I have just found you."

"Why did you lie to me then?" she asked angrily, pushing him away but Calhoun didn't budge.

Using both her hands she tried to get away from him but Calhoun caught her hands in his. He pushed them behind her back to hold them single-handedly, and it would be a lie to say that he didn't enjoy the state she was in.

Her eyes mellowed, and she said, "Why did you give me hope if you were only going to take it away from me? Why would you do that?!"

"You should have known better that I wouldn't let you go. We could have negotiated if you had returned to the castle but look what you did," he tsked at her, blaming her, "Now I will need to exercise for what you just did. I told you not to run, and you just did that."

"No," Madeline whispered, "If you hadn't lied-"

"What?" asked Calhoun. The man invaded her space, not caring as he looked at her. His eyes piercing her, "You should be happy that I am treating you gently."

"This is not gentle," she gulped when his face came close to her face again, his full lips a breath away from hers.

"This is gentle in my terms. Do you want me to show the other side," at his words, her heart started to race in her chest. His lips then moved to her cheek, "Shall I?" he asked her, his breath falling on her skin that raised goosebumps.

Madeline had closed her eyes, feeling every little movement of his. His lips didn't touch her skin, but that didn't mean his breath didn't evoke the helplessness she felt under him, "Please," Madeline pleaded.

"You should have thought about it before deciding to step out of the castle," his nose drew in the scent of roses on her which he had smelled the first time he had her in his arms during the time of the ball, "You should have known better than run away from here. Do you know how furious I was when I didn't find you in the maze? Provoking me when you have been warned more than two times, do you think you are worthy of asking to be released from my hold? You need to remember that you brought it upon yourself."

"I am being patient with you. Waiting for you, yet you do things that will make me upset," his lips had moved down to her throat, every word of his reverberating against her skin, "As much as I loved the chase to having you back by my side, it is time for you to be punished so that we don't have any repetition of what occurred today."