A Reluctant Companion by Kit Tunstall Read Free Book Online

residence.”
     
    “Unbelievable.” He was vibrating with anger and an emotion he tentatively identified as betrayal—not something with which he was familiar. “She tried to escape,” he said again, allowing the words to sink in.
     
    “Yes, sir.” Nash cleared his throat. “What do you want to do about her, sir? I understand public lashings are a common punishment in this province.”
     
    He literally saw red at the thought of someone marring her perfect, creamy back with whip marks. “That’s unacceptable.”
     
    “Yes, sir.” The sergeant seemed relieved. “Shall I escort her home?”
     
    That idea made him almost as angry. The harsh demands of his life entitled him to a few simple pleasures. He refused to surrender her. And why should he? There was still a lot he could teach her, and her innocence was refreshing. She was charming and beautiful. He smiled as he imagined her awed reaction to life in Seattle-Archer. It would be quite different for her. Once she settled in and realized she wasn’t returning to her old life, this childish rebelliousness would fade.
     
    “No,” he said decisively. “Return her to the sitting room where I’m staying. I’ll deal with her before we leave.”
     
    Determined to stay the course he had set, he decided to let her stew a bit. She deserved to suffer some fear about the unknown after trying to flee. It would also give him time to rein in his sense of hurt. No, not hurt. That was definitely not the right word. Anger. Just anger. He was enraged that she would dare throw his offer back in his face. Feeling that way, he couldn’t face her just yet.
     
    *****
     
    Madison sat quietly on a settee, curled into a ball. Cleo had come and gone after bringing her clothes to wear for their imminent departure. Perhaps she’d found Madison’s monosyllabic answers rude, but she couldn’t summon the energy to care right then. She was too consumed with worry and anxiety. What was Archer going to do to her? In her mind, she could hear the crack of the whip on her back and shuddered as her brain conjured phantom pain to accompany the image.
     
    At least if he whipped her, she would be home soon. There could be worse fates awaiting her than a lashing. As the commander of the Northwest Federation, he could order any punishment he saw fit, and someone would carry it out. No one would protest if he wanted her drawn and quartered or just “disappeared” quietly.
     
    She jumped when the door opened, but otherwise didn’t move as Tiernan entered the room. Anger emanated from him, and his lips were white from the way he’d clamped them together. Drawing further into herself, she waited to see what he would do.
     
    He stalked to her, stopping just a few inches from the settee to loom over her. “Why?”
     
    She didn’t have to ask for clarification. “I need to go home.”
     
    “No.”
     
    Madison shook her head. “You can’t just keep me here.”
     
    He arched a brow. “I can do whatever I want. You belong to me now.”
     
    Anger overrode fear, and she unfurled from the settee to stand up, facing him while leaving several inches between them. She shook her head emphatically. “Slavery is illegal, if you haven’t heard.”
     
    He leaned closer, his breath against her cheek when he spoke. “I’m the commander, in case you haven’t heard.”
     
    She balled her hands into fists. “That doesn’t give you the right to take what you want.”
     
    Tiernan snorted. “Who’s going to stop me?”
     
    “Ugh, you’re impossible.” She turned away from him. “I’m going home.”
     
    He let out a ragged sigh. “Why would you want to? Don’t you know what I’m offering you?”
     
    “Yeah, a chance to be one of your rotating bedmates.”
     
    His hand fell on her shoulder, his fingers stroking softly. “Is that what’s bothering you? If you don’t want to share, I’m sure you can find a way to keep me exclusively in your bed.”
     
    With a grunt, she