Further, it wasn’t smart. It wasn’t cautious. It wasn’t treading carefully with a kidnapping madman.
But she also didn’t care.
In the face of what appeared to be his rage, she didn’t back down. No matter that he was way bigger and way, way stronger than she. No matter that he told her he’d executed two men last night because they’d touched her.
She was just that tired of this whole situation.
“Let me see if I’ve got this right,” she snapped back. “You’ve told me what to eat. You’ve made me be somewhere I don’t want to be. Now, you’re telling me what to say?”
“You got it right,” he ground out.
“Oh, you’re right I got it right,” she bit out then yelled. “You are a big, bossy jerk!”
His eyes narrowed and he clipped, “I asked, is that understood?”
“I speak English, Callum, it’s understood,” she retorted. “I also heard you say I could use that word when I wanted you near me, when I wanted you to hold me and when I wanted you to f**k me so don’t hold your breath because you’ll never hear me call you ‘wolf’ again!”
She was panting when she was finished, her chest rising and falling with her breaths.
His voice dipped lower just as his face dipped to hers when he warned, “I’ve a mind to test that threat.”
Her breathing escalated, as did her pulse, but she still invited, “Have at it. Let’s see if you can make today a grand slam in demonstrating all the ways to make your supposed mate hate you!”
He scowled at her.
She glared at him.
And she felt no triumph whatsoever when he broke the staring contest, did a push up, knifed away from her getting to his feet but leaned low over her. “I’m getting you tea. You move from that couch, Sonia, this farce ends now.”
Her breath stopped.
There it was.
“What farce?” she whispered.
He stayed leaned over her but threw out an arm and answered, “This one. Me giving you this ludicrous courtship. Waring called you queen and bowed to you out of deference to me and who you’ll become. You defy me again, I’ll take you to that bed and make you my queen right… fucking… now.”
“Wh… what?” Sonia stammered in confusion (and, a great deal of fear) as she lifted up on an elbow.
“My people don’t need ceremonies and rituals even though we have them. But if I f**k you and claim you, the deed is done. You’re bound to me. That’s all there is for my culture that makes one bit of difference. I f**k you, you’re officially my queen.”
“You’re… you’re… courting me?” she whispered.
“Did you hear a word I said this morning?”
She thought she heard all of them.
With a swift movement, he straightened and tore his fingers through his hair, leaving his hand at his neck before looking up to the ceiling and asking, “Who would f**king believe I’d rather be on a battlefield?”
Sonia wouldn’t believe it.
At that moment, Sonia didn’t believe anything.
Except the heartbreaking fact that he was crazy as a loon.
His head tipped down and he scowled at her. “Now stay there, don’t move and I’ll bring you your goddamned tea.”
Then he stalked away and she did what she was told.