Before She Ruled (Before Series, Book 1)

Chapter Eight

Adam's carefully placed smile twisted as he stepped into the dim passageway. The footman took off at a brisk pace, and Addie fell in line behind him.

They continued to walk through the echoing halls for a quiet minute until Adam abruptly stopped, twisting to look at her. Addie, unsurprisingly, ran into him. But somehow, he managed to catch her from falling completely. "My apologies," she mumbled and moved to pull away. However, instead of letting her go, Adam's fingers tightened around her arms. His hot breath wafted over her ears, alarming her at how close he was.

"Ya need to be more careful, Addie," he whispered, and Addie knew. She knew this was no playful warning. And though she tensed in response, Addie found herself unable to move or speak. Her tongue caught again as it always used to do when she was nervous, unhelpful and lame. Adam's body pushed into her, an unwelcome and unfriendly presence.

"Ya haven't been here long, so maybe ya don't know how it works," he continued, nearly spitting into her ear. "Pretty little maids shouldn't overstep their place. I've seen the way that ya been speaking with the duke. And now meetings in the library?"

Addie gasped, speechless in horror as his hands moved from her arms to her waist in an unwanted advance.

"Want to be someone's whore, Addie? Pick a man who is more ya own level," he goaded, giving her a squeeze.

Addie broke away quickly at that, her body finally spurring into action to escape the distressing exchange. "Get away from me, Adam," she choked out, pushing past his tightening hands. Surprisingly, he let her go, and Addie nearly tripped over her own feet in her efforts to get away from him.

As soon as she was at least five paces from the footman, Addie wheeled back to ensure he wasn't following her. He wasn't. Appearing unbothered, Adam merely chuckled after her, a peculiar glint in his eyes that made Addie's stomach churn unpleasantly. Clutching her skirts, she tried to keep her hands from shaking.

"That's what I thought," he yelled out at her. "Ya just a ladder climbing urchin, Addie." And with that, Adam walked away.

Addie's feet did not stop moving until she reached the library's double doors. Upon reaching her destination, she forced herself not to burst into the room. Addie longed to fling herself past the doors and collapse in Theo's arms.

She knew that was precisely what Adam had warned her against, but Addie could not help but recognize that Theo was the only person in the world who might be able to comfort her at this moment. He was always so warm, so reassuring and strong.

Addie wished to drown in that warmth and forget the cold touch of Adam's hands on her. She did not know what it was about the Duke of Kingfield, but he was the only one in the past years who had made her feel safe. He was the only one who had made her feel as though she belonged somewhere again. And she could not ignore that. She could not walk away from it.

Addie pushed down the bile that had risen in her throat. She pushed away the thoughts of leering footmen. She pushed everything aside and straightened herself.

And then, once the shaking had subsided, she walked into the library.

****

Theo was not a particularly patient person. But he did not mind awaiting Addie. The anticipation of her arrival was sweet, addicting. He even grabbed a book off the shelf near him and flipped through it, as if he were a man of leisure.

Theo used to be a man of leisure. Or rather, a boy of leisure, after his father had died. Theo would always find shame in the way he had acted in the years following his parents' deaths. Simply put, he was an ass.