Remington and Skye sat vigilantly beside their sister, fighting off smiles and praying Gaston was not far behind. The afternoon was waning away as the sun moved lower in the sky and Remington knew they could not fight Derek off much longer. He and Calvin stood in a huddle several feet away, whispering to each other and glaring at the women.
Finally, Derek broke off from Calvin and marched to Remington.
“A word, if you will,” he said.
Remington rose reluctantly and faced him. “Well? Are you going to take us home?”
His jaw ticked. “You do not seem to understand. Mt. Holyoak is no longer your home, which is why I am taking you to Knaresborough. Is Jasmine well enough to travel?”
She crossed her arms stubbornly. “No.”
Derek put his hands on his hips. “Then that is her misfortune. We are leaving now, ill or no.”
“You cannot,” Remington cried. “She shall…. she shall retch violently the entire way. She shall faint and take to convulsions.”
Derek snatched her arm. “Let’s go.”
She dug her heels in. “Let me go, Derek. I told you we do not want to go with you. Why can you not understand that?”
He stopped suddenly and she almost fell down. “Because you do not mean it. I do not know what de Russe has done to you, but you are not acting yourself. You are coming home with me.”
She fought and twisted. “No, Derek. I do not want you, and I do not want to go to Knaresborough.”
His grip tightened and his eyes narrowed as he studied her. He did not say anything for a moment, but she could tell by the way he was looking at her that he was not thinking pleasant thoughts.
“You are his whore, aren’t you?” he said in a low voice as if the thought just occurred to him. “That is why you do not want to leave. He showers you with meaningless gifts and lies and you have fallen for his ploy.” He yanked her hard when she tried to turn away from him. “Remington, how could you be so blind?”
“You do not know what you are saying,” she said through clenched teeth. “Let go of me.”
Instead he grabbed her face, forcing her to look at him and she struggled to free herself. “He has brainwashed you. Can’t you see that?”
She kicked out and succeeded in breaking his grip. She stumbled a few feet away, still feeling his harsh grip on her face. “All I see is a spoiled young man who is being told no for the first time in his life,” she spat. “You cannot understand why I do not want you and you are therefore trying to plant lies in my head to force me to bend to your will.”
He looked at her, pleading. “He is not for you, Remington. He is your captor, for God’s sake. He shall use you a little while and then when he tires of you, he shall move on. They all do.”
She was starting to lose her composure. Derek was voicing her very own negative thoughts that she had fought so hard to suppress, thoughts she was even afraid to admit she had. Dark, shapeless phantoms in the corner of her mind; how could he know exactly what she had been thinking?
“You are wrong, Derek,” she said hoarsely. “Take me home. Now.”
Derek took a timid step toward her; smart enough to know she was wavering. “He tells you that you are the most beautiful woman he has ever seen, and he tells you that he is mad for you. He likes to hold your hand and he is very kind to your son, anything to gain entrance into your heart and into your bed. Tell me if I am wrong.”
How did he know? Her breath began coming in short pants and her knees began to shake. Tears, hot and confused, sprang to her eyes. It wasn’t true. Derek was trying to unbalance her; anything to convince her that going to Knaresborough was in her best interest. He was being spiteful simply because she had said she did not want him.
“You are wrong,” she whispered.
“I am not,” he countered softly. “You know I have always had a weakness for you, love. I shall make you happy, I promise.”
She took a deep breath, fighting for control. A thin smile played on her lips. “So that I may be your whore? Really, Derek, how hypocritical! You accuse me of being another man’s lover, yet you would have me do the same thing with you.”
Derek’s face went tight. “You need me.”
She looked surprised. A guffaw of laughter bubbled from her throat. “Need you? Why on earth do I need you?”
“Because I am the only one who would care for you, treat you as you should be treated. I’d take care of your sisters, too, so that they would never know want or need.” He was truly sincere and approached her with open hands. “Why can you not understand, Remington? I am saving you from hell so that your life may be happy.”
“With you,” she supplied drolly.
“Aye,” his eyes glittered. “Withme.”
