I frowned at the strange words he'd said. 'Not now.'

Why is he saying it like that?

"He's harmless." I added slowly.

Bodin's fury flared, and he rounded the bed to stalk toward me. His rage seemed to consume the air from the room. Making it seem far too small. He caught my upper arms. "What is wrong with you?"

"What are you talking about?" I hissed up at him. Trying to finch away from his unrelenting grip.

"Do you not recall the pantry at all?"

"When he was pinching the maid?"

"Pinching?" Bodin asked baffled. "The maid? He was trying to do far more than that! To you. Not a maid."

My gaze fell as I recalled it. "I opened the pantry and saw him pinching the maid."

"Why do you think he was pinching her?" Bodin asked outraged. His chest heaving.

I eyed him cautiously. Sensing I was treading dangerous ground. "I asked her later what he'd done to make her cry."

"Ugh." Bodin rolled his eyes Heavenward. Begging for patience. His jaw jerking in that way that told me he was highly annoyed with me. "She couldn't explain to you because you were so innocent."

Bodin released one side of me to massage his temple, in his frustration.

"Explain what?" My voice rose in aggravation.

"He was trying to force her."

"No..." I looked at him, in confusion. Understanding dawned as I revisited the memory with new eyes. "He was...He grabbed me and..."

"I know!" Bodin tossed up his arms.

"But you..."

"I know." He said more softly. His arms dropping. "You didn't say anything."

"I sent you away."

"Yes, but..." I felt like he should've told my father or explained it to me.

Something.

"What would you have had me do, Belle?"

"Tell, Father!"

"You told your Father! He made sure I was always with you when he was around, after that."

"Why you?"

"Because I beat him stupid."

"When?"

"When I caught him with you in the pantry. When I saw him trying to fondle you under the table. When he grabbed you on the stairs." He paused to let it sink in. Pain written over his face.

I stared at him wide eyed. The memories clicking into place as he mentioned them. Remembering the bruises I'd seen on Randy the following days, but thought so little of back then.

There hadn't been much that affected me back then.

Every time he tried an ontoward touch. Until he was afraid to touch you ever again...Until now."

"Now?"

"He came to my chamber tonight. Thinking it was yours."

"Here?" I cried.

"Yes, that's why I told you to let the servants believe I was gone."

"You knew he was coming here?"

"Yes."

"Why'd he go to your chamber?"

"He thought it was yours. He was going to rape you."

I covered my mouth in horror. "Why would he do that?"

I backed up until my back hit the wall.

"Because he was going to force you to marry him afterward."

"What manner of bastard would do such a thing!" I cried in outrage.

"Me." He said flatly.

***

My eyes shot to his face, and I shook my head. "Trying to take in his words."

Did I hear him wrong?

I gave him a questioning look. Unwilling to ask 'what' for the four hundredth time tonight.

His face hardened. "I told you, you don't have a choice."

He strode to the bed and swept rolled blanket form under it. Raising it, I noted it was faintly familiar.

"What is that?"

"Your blanket. From your bed." He held one end and let it unravel. Revealing the dark stain saturating the middle. Clearly blood from the tint and metallic scent emanating from it.

I looked from that to him.

"You kept it? Why! Why would you do that!" I charged toward him. Feeling humiliated.

"It's evidence, Belle."

My mouth gaped and I blinked slowly. "You seduced me in my bed and kept the bloody blanket to force me to marry you?"

"I did."

I opened my hands before me in a quizzical gesture.

"I knew Randy had persuaded your father, in his disoriented state, to sign you and Demetrius House over to him. Despite that your father had disliked and not trusted him. Especially not with you."

"I didn't know how he'd done it. Or what had made your father so sick, so fast. I was pushed into a corner and saw no other way to ensure your father would have to sign you as ward to me instead."

"You made him by telling him you took my maidenhead."

"Yes." Shame was clear on his face as he rolled the blanket back up and tossed it against the wall.

"My poor father." I fell to my knees.

"He told me 'good', Belle."

I looked up at him.

"He said 'good. Keep her safe. Thank God for you, Boy.' And signed the legal documents. He couldn't even remember signing the one Demetrius had tricked him into. I suspect Ginny engineered that too. Somehow."

"Why are you telling me all this now?" I cried. Feeling betrayed by everyone.

Embarrassed and alone.

"I'm sorry, Belle. I never wished to wound you."

"Well, you certainly have!"

"I'm aware." He stared down at me. Jaw tight. His fists tight as he resisted trying to comfort me. Knowing I'd just shrink from his touch.

He's right.

"I'm never marrying you, Bodin. Especially now." I shook my head violently. Climbing to my feet to add venomously. "Not even if you ruin me."

"Belle." He groaned. "Have some sense. This is checkmate."

"Not nearly." I hissed.

***

"I have legal documents saying you're my ward. I have the power to reject ever suitor who ever came calling for the rest of your life and keep you here. There's nowhere you could go, that you'd not be returned to me. You're mine. By law."

"I belong to no one."

"You belong to me."

"Atop that, I have claimed you as my mate so every fey will be watching for you, everywhere you go."

"I've never seen a fey, unlikely they'll see me."

"They're everywhere, Belle." He said chidingly. "They're very good at poising as human when they wish."

I glared at him. Fists working as I considered striking him. Every word he said was making me madder.

"There's a reputable witness willing to testify that you've already lain with me and are ruined for any other man."

I scoffed. Crossing my arms over my chest. "Now you bluff."

"I don't." He shook his head. "I'm ashamed to admit to you that I had James observe me entering your personal chambers that night."

He nodded toward my blanket in testament.

"Then I collected the evidence directly after and produced to him. It was in his keeping until I brought you here."

"I could've been dishonored!"

He shook his head slowly. "James would never tell a soul."

We stood nearly nose to nose. In a ferocious stare off. Neither of us willing to concede.

"Unless I bid him too." He added threateningly.

"You wouldn't dare."

"I would, Belle." He gestured to the blanket again. "And I have the evidence still. Clever as you are, you've no way out. I've closed every door. You're only way through the web I've wove is straight into my arms."

"Never." I shook my head.

"Dammit, Belle." He leaned forward to shout. Something I'd rarely ever heard before.

"I'm good enough to meet between the sheets, to fit atwixt your thighs, but not to wed?"

"You know the manner of man, I'd have for my own."

"A fantasy! You have flesh and blood at your command." He gestured down his body. "Warm, willing. Vicious in your defense and formidable against anyone that'd dare harm you."

"Ever the great protector..." I sneered. "My answer is no."

I stalked from his chamber and slammed the door with a resounding thud.