Beyond(3)

To be useful, I help out whenever Dr. James needs assistance, or if someone needs stitches or a dressing. The doctor and the nurse, Lona, are training me, so I can be of assistance when I can.

“Yes, sir,” I reply quietly. I take a spoonful of canned corn and chew on it slowly. I look up to see Dane watching me. His stare makes me feel unnerved, and I shift on my seat. His expression gives away nothing, and it makes me feel uncomfortable. I’m the first to look away. I finish my meal, forcing myself to eat.

“May I be excused?” I ask.

“Olivia…”

“Yes?”

He sighs. “Goodnight love.”

“Night,” I say, kissing him on the cheek, standing up and walking out the door. I can feel everyone’s eyes on me, but I ignore them, walking with my shoulders back and my chin up.

“Olivia!” someone calls and I jump.

“Fuck!” I curse, my hand on my chest. I turn and come face-to-face with Dane himself.

“Yes?” I ask, not knowing what else to say. I try to compose my expression to one of casual friendliness.

He licks his lips and takes in my features. “Where are you going?”

“To my room, why?” I reply, narrowing my gaze.

“I want to talk to you.”

“Okay,” I reply hesitantly. “What do you want to talk about?”

“About you. Us.”

“Okay,” I breathe, butterflies fluttering in my stomach. “I suppose that’s a good idea.”

I didn’t know what to make of him. His words were softly spoken, contradicted by the hardened look in his eyes.

“Any man would be happy to marry such a beautiful woman,” he says, tucking my hair back behind my ear.

I inhale a sharp breath, a pang of hope forming in my chest.

“But I’m not any man,” he says, and I grit my teeth, hope plummeting. “I don’t like being pressured into a marriage I don’t want.”

I sink my teeth into my bottom lip. “Then don’t, because you know the saying be careful what you wish for? Well I’m wishing to marry anyone other than you right now.”

He looks amused. “She has fire, at least.”

He has no idea.

“Fuck you,” I snap.

“That’s no way to talk to your future husband,” he says, grinning as though he finds something hilarious. Never go for the good looking ones, never.

They’re always trouble.

“No really. We need to get out of this arrangement. It was a mistake,” I say, my eyes pleading with his. I hate admitting that I was wrong, but if it gets me out of this…

“You’re right about that. I’ve never once given you any indication that I was interested, so I have no idea why you chose me.”

Well, ouch. Lucky for him I don’t have low self-esteem. Asshole.

I shrug, pretending like his comments don’t shred me to pieces. “I chose the prettiest face.”

He flinches. “I respect your father, and owe him a lot. We’ll get married—for his sake.”

“Fine,” I say, looking down at the ground. I’m not exactly a romantic, but even I pictured something better than this. What woman wouldn’t? I deserve something better than this, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to get it. Life doesn’t work that way.

“Come on,” he says, walking ahead of me. I stare at the back of his head for a second. The man is even sexy from behind.

“Where are we going?” I ask, sounding resigned even to my own ears.

He stops and turns. “I’m walking you to your room. That’s what a gentleman would do, right?”

I shrug. “I guess.” I don’t know when he started caring about acting like a gentleman.

“Then come. I don’t like when people waste my time,” he says, nodding with his head towards the direction of my room.

“No one asked you to walk me to my room,” I snap, losing my patience with him. He ignores me and pauses, waiting for me to catch up to him. I close the few steps between us, my glare letting him know exactly how I feel about him and his bossiness. He ignores me, and we walk in silence to my door.

“Don’t wander the halls at night, it’s not safe for someone like you,” he says, staring down at me.

“What do you mean someone like me?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest. By the twitch of his lips, he doesn’t miss my defiant position.

“An innocent,” he says, raising an eyebrow.

“An innocent?” I repeat, enunciating each word.

Dane’s face takes on a thoughtful expression. “Your father mentioned you were,” he pauses, “untouched.”

What? I’m going to kill my father.