The only thing from the cabin she packed was her medication. She didn’t need anything else, his people would see to the dirty laundry and food. And, as they’d be returning, hopefully soon, it would be good that she had clothes and toiletries there. In fact, he’d order her to stock what she needed so they could return there at his whim.
He came into the room and stopped at the foot of her bed.
“I thought I explained I’d be giving you your injections.”
She shifted her attention to her other foot but not to him. “You did.”
“Sonia, look at me,” he demanded.
She slammed the tube of lotion down on her nightstand and then turned to face him. Or, more accurately, glare at him.
“I’ll not tolerate another defiance like that again,” he stated.
Her head tilted to the side. “You won’t? Well then…” she leaned forward and snapped, “good. Because you won’t be defied because you won’t be around.”
He felt his muscles grow taut as his control on his temper started slipping.
“Perhaps you’d like to explain that,” he invited in a way that said, very clearly, she wouldn’t.
Recklessly, she did it anyway.
“After today, I’ve decided I don’t want to be your queen. After today, I’ve decided I don’t want anything to do with you. Not,” she stated boldly, “your people, who all seem very nice, except that crazy woman who was, sadly, though you didn’t seem to notice it, not well at all. But you. I don’t want anything to do with you.”
“Little one,” he advised softly as he moved to the side of the bed, “I’d stop talking now.”
“You would? Well, of course you would, since all day you’ve been saying a lot but not much of it good. However, since I haven’t been allowed to talk nearly all day, I’ve got a lot of words left in my stockpile.”
He stopped beside the bed and watched her nab a tub, open it and start to rub moisturizer in her face.
And he watched her do this as he sought patience.
Finally, he explained, “As Ryon told you, you weren’t allowed to speak in the throne room. You didn’t speak of your own accord the rest of the day. I thought you were quiet because you were letting things sink in.”
She slapped the tub down and looked up to him. “I wasn’t. I had no idea what was going on! No one told me anything. Including the fact I could speak, which, I will note, you didn’t even notice I didn’t!”
“Sonia –”
“However,” she broke in, “the fact that I can’t for any length of time is… is… medieval! And that you made me sit in your lap during that… that… whatever-it-was, was…” She paused and cried, “I don’t even know what it was!”
“What it was, was the way of my people,” he told her.
“What it was, was your way because you are king,” she shot back, grabbing another tube. “Which brings us back to my earlier point that I’m done with this queen business. Done. You can go now,” she finished, dismissing him.
Dismissing him.
Callum lost what hold he had on his patience at the same time he lost his temper.
She’d opened the tube and started to squirt it in her palm when Callum tore it from her hand and tossed it on her nightstand. It skidded through all of the other tubes, bottles and tubs sitting there, leaking lotion the entire way and she glared at the mess.
He leaned down, grabbed her ankles and hauled her down the bed.
“What are you –?”
He then entered the bed and settled his weight on top of her.
“Get off me,” she demanded, shoving at his shoulders and writhing underneath him.
“Sonia, look at me.”