She can't be Tamed

Chapter 35 - Proceed with caution

Ashe rubbed his temples after reading the latest reports from his scouts. The day just begun and his problems seemed to stack up. No news about a missing high-class girl in surrounding countries, but they did bring some other disturbing news.

A large group, partly military, seemed to march towards his castle. The scouts had tracked their movements and were sure they were heading this way. It was not quite an army, but the group was big enough to cause some trouble, if that was their intention. Although it didn't really seem to be an attack group, according to his scouts. Maybe they'd only pass the castle on their way to somewhere. He couldn't really do anything but wait, and that frustrated him. As a precaution he doubled the guards, and decided that nobody could leave until the threat had passed.

Maybe he could send his brother John to welcome the group in advance and investigate. Normally he'd handle these situations himself, but he didn't want to leave his little fox behind. And he certainly didn't want to take her out on such a trip. He grinned at the thought. She'd definately escape while he was occupied.

Satisfied with his plan, he gave the orders to increase their security and went to find his brother.

**

After the initial shock of seeing John and finding out Ashe could have been her husband already, she examined the shackle around her wrist once more. But like last time, she couldn't find the hidden mechanism. Angry at the stupid, helpless situation, she started slamming the metal against the bedpost, cursing her fate with every hit.

"Stupid... brothers! I... should... happily... married. Why... did... fucking... turn... disgusting... pig... ARGH!" With a final blow she fell onto the bed, next to the food, energy spent. It didn't help, of course. She eyed the metal around her wrist. Only a few dents and scratches here and there, but not even close to opening. She only managed to hurt herself with her tantrum. Well, at least she felt a bit better now that she got her anger out.

In fact, when she calmed down she wasn't even too shocked about Ashe being her fiance. She was actually a bit surprised that she hadn't put two and two together a little sooner, although in her defense she never picked up on his last name while she was here.

A.L. Brighton. He always signed his letters with the official seal, opposed to her swirly handwritten C.C. She'd thought he knew her last name already, seeing he was in possesion of their marriage contract, so she never mentioned it in her letters. They'd agreed on sharing their names when they first met in person, and until then, they'd just guess. Maybe that had been a huge mistake, but maybe it had been fate. At least this way her identity was still protected.

Although she should be cautious he didn't find out. A new plan formed in her mind. Now that she knew Ashe was the man she once wanted to promise to spend the rest of her life with, escaping him was no longer her number one priority.

Not now she knew there was a reason for his earlier behaviour against her. Sure, his actions were still not right, but if she remembered their comprehensive letter-conversation well, he was a totally different man before their wedding was prohibited by his brother John. And that made her fear for Ashe completely dissolve. In fact, on paper, he was still her husband to be.

Of course this didn't mean she'd offer him her virginity, but him being her promised husband made her realise he would've already gotten it by now had their wedding not been sabotaged. He would have owned her body and, seeing how much pleasure she already received from him, even without cooperating, she would not have any regrets about it. A blush colored her cheeks at the thought. Despite the things he already did to her, she was still shy.

Shaking her head to keep her thoughts from going in a direction she didn't like, she came to the conclusion that the only guy she should really be afraid of, was John. He was the one that tried to jeopardize her virtue, her wedding, her whole life. She didn't know why, but she wouldn't give up on her happily ever after just because one miserable guy had a different agenda.

If she was right, there might be hope that the Ashe she fell in love with was still present under his tough facade. Finding out would be a challenge.

But since when did she walk away from a challenge?