Calhoun was no good man, and he accepted it. In the morning, when it came to her being late, he had taken the opportunity to kick the servants out of the room so that he could admire the girl all by himself. To Madeline, it looked like he had been busy getting her dressed, hoping he wouldn’t be looking at her womanly curves. But Calhoun had seen the deep curve of her body with that sheer petticoat that tried to cover her bottom and the two mounds on her chest.

He had wanted to pull and touch her without any restraint over her clothes, but she looked like an animal that was ready to sprint out of the room, but Madeline knew not to test him further. Because he would chase her and the end would not be something she was looking forward to right now, but he would change it.

He had moulded people before to his own needs and wants. Madeline was refusing him now, but he would make her want him.

Madeline had asked him the question, and now that he was asking if she wanted to know, she wasn’t sure if it would be something she would want to listen to.

“It was love, Madeline,” Calhoun confessed, and this was not something she had expected to hear, “The moment I saw you in the ballroom I couldn’t take my eyes off of you.”

“If you truly love me, you will let me go,” Madeline tried to reason, hoping the King had a heart because if he did, he would listen to her.

“And then do what?” asked Calhoun, his head cocking to the side.

“If I return I am yours, if I don’t I was never meant to be next to your side-“

“That must be high-class bullshit I have heard in a while,” Calhoun interrupted her, “You like someone you keep them. You don’t let them go, little bird,” he explained to her, and Madeline could feel her heart growing anxious at the inability to not break free from his grip. She wished there was someone to advise him, to make him understand but Calhoun didn’t seem like a person who would listen to anyone but to his own words, “You will grow to love me.”

Madeline closed her eyes, trying to stop her head from spinning, “What if I don’t?” she asked him. Her brown eyes opening up to realise he stood right in front of her. She hadn’t heard his footsteps, how did he get here so fast?

Calhoun didn’t mind her resistance, no matter how much she would resist, he would never let her go.

“Your sister might be the most beautiful woman in your village and around the towns, but she doesn’t interest me the way you do. I would not be having this much fun if it weren’t for you,” he said it with a straight face before a grin broke through his lips.

“The King should have enough things to amuse him,” Madeline reasoned for her freedom.

“No one amuses me the way you do,” she caught sight of the fangs that were sharp, and that could kill a person. She knew she was treading on a thin rope that could break at any time, but if she was going to fall, it was still worth trying.

This was not love, thought Madeline to herself. Calhoun was keeping her against her will in the castle, forcing her to like him when she had told him yesterday that she had feelings for another man. They weren’t strong, but they were there for Mr. Heathcliff, and she knew he liked her back.

That was the kind of man she wanted to be with, not this begrudging man, “You cannot make a person love you by force.”

Calhoun chuckled over her words, “Trust me when I say things can be changed. Aren’t you heartless to let your parents suffer when they can live better lives? I cannot be the only selfish one here.”

Madeline clutched her hands that were resting on either side of her skirt, “That is playing dirty. Using emotional blackmail.”

“One needs to make use of all the resources, if I didn’t know I would never be a good King now, would I?” he asked her, “Take all the time you need because we have more than an eternity to spend together.” Madeline opened her mouth to speak but snapped it close. She came to realise that negotiating was not an option here because he would never agree to any of it and this led her to know that the only way to go about this was to escape from here.

Calhoun then waved his hand forward for her to walk and Madeline gritted her teeth before starting to walk. He knew how to exploit her weakness, and she would need to be strong for that.

“I am here now,” she said, “Did you help my father?” she wanted to see how far the King kept his word.

The question brought a smile on his face as this meant she indeed had a soft spot for her family. All one needed to know was to find a weak spot in a person, and that was enough to get things done, also make them listen.

“Theodore has sent men to build the shop so that your father can work there. Sitting outside in the streets and walking to different towns must be hard on him,” his voice was quiet and gentle on her ears, hitting the right spot in her, “It is commendable that he works for both of his daughters and his wife to have a decent life.”

At the thought of her father, Madeline felt her heart go soft. The last she had seen her family was yesterday, but with the hours that passed in the castle, she felt like it had been years.

“Do not worry about your family. I will make sure all their wishes are fulfilled,” assured Calhoun and he then added, “Except for having you back.”