The Kinsman: A Sequel to Hwarang: The Saga of the Sooks Book #5

Chapter 7: Unearthing Agony

She glanced up at him with trepidation in her eyes. It made him uneasy. But he decided to make the first move anyway. The only times he had ever touched her had been a week ago and today. He'd held her hand during part of the wedding ceremony. And on the walk home. But his lips had yet to brush hers. Perhaps, he should start there. After he'd embraced her gently.

Just to test out the possibilities. To see what was real. And what was merely a figment of his imagination.

He reached out and slid his arm around her, and she winced. Her whole body tensing. Instantly, he stilled. His hand resting against the bottom of her back. Lightly.

"Mi Sook?" he queried. "What's wrong?"

She remained silent.

"Are you afraid of me?" He frowned. He despised the idea that she might fear him.

Her eyes grew wide. "I...I'm fine."

He decided to test that theory. And another one. By increasing the pressure of his fingers against her back. He had noticed today that she had avoided sitting. As much as possible.

As his fingers pressed lightly against the back of her waist, he watched her countenance, so he didn't miss her reaction. He felt her cringing away from his touch. The fabric under his fingertips slid away from his fingers as she pulled herself up straight. Clearly drawing away from his hand. But he also witnessed her face convulsing.

"Mi Sook." Those two syllables were rife with passionate pain. "Take off your robes."

Shocked, she stiffened. Her eyes flew to meet his. He hadn't even attempted to kiss her, yet he wanted her to undress?

Her heart sank. But then she upbraided herself. Had she been hoping for a show of tenderness on his part?

Silly girl that she was, his emotional breakdown at her home a week ago had led her to believe that perhaps more lay beneath the quiet façade of this mysterious man than simple self-interest. But, clearly, she'd been wrong. Hadn't she?

"What?" she croaked.

She hadn't expected him to insist that she undress before him this soon. She had hoped to buy at least another hour. Her heart began to trip along. Stressing her breathing.

But his next words surprised her even more than his last had.

"I want to see your back. Turn around and remove your robes. Or lift them up," he finished a moment later when she didn't move. "Here. I shall help you."

He reached for the belt holding her robes closed. She recoiled from his touch. And he heaved a deep sigh.

"I thought you weren't afraid of me."

"We – we barely know each other," she insisted through clenched teeth. "I didn't think that you would demand your rights tonight. Not this soon. I – I thought that we'd take some time to get to know each other first."

His face fell as he watched her countenance tightening. But she missed his disappointment since her eyes were trained on her feet. She held herself erect. She was quite evidently on edge.

Could he shock her into being comfortable in his presence here?

"I'm not going to rape you, Mi Sook," he spoke baldly.

She gasped, and her eyes flew to meet his.

"I want to see what he did to you," he breathed, disguising his fury under a soft voice.

She swallowed. "It doesn't matter."

His frozen mask cracked, and some of his anger leaked across his face. "How can you say that?"