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42 & Epilogue
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Reluctant Companion: Futuristic Dark Romance 1
Chapter 1Madison paused in the process of wrapping baling wire around the fence post, suddenly sure she could feel someone’s gaze on her. She looked up from her task, seeing no one in front of her in the rows of grapes. The hiss of a steam engine made her jump, and she spun to find the source. It was out-of-place, since there were only a few steam cars in the entire province, and none of her neighbors owned one.The sunhat she used to shield her face also blocked her view, so she swept it off with one hand, using the other to shove the sweaty locks of gold-red that cascaded downward up and out of her face. Cupping her hand over her eyes, she had enough shade to make out the insignia on the door of the car. Arching a brow, she wondered what the governor of their province was doing out this far from the center of the village. Tom Blaney had no reason to leave Graceport to visit the wineries in the outlying areas. It wasn’t tax time, and he didn’t seem to care much about the people livi
Reluctant Companion: Futuristic Dark Romance 2
Chapter 2Her musings came to an end as they arrived at a building situated about a block from the impressive courthouse that served as Blaney’s headquarters. She recognized the three-story white building as the governor’s mansion, and it certainly seemed like one to her, having lived in a two-room house her entire life with two siblings and her parents.An elegant woman in a flowing purple dress waited on the marble steps. She flashed a bright white smile that contrasted beautifully with her black skin as she started down the stairs to meet them. The soldiers halted their horses, and the man she’d ridden with handed her down to the ground carefully.“Excellent, sergeant. I know Tiernan will be pleased you managed to find Miss Cole.” That bright smile, seemingly genuine, turned next to Madison. “It’s lovely that you could accept his invitation, Miss Cole.” She thrust out her hand in a motion that didn’t even allow Madison to think of refusing to shake it.“One doesn’t say no to the co
Reluctant Companion: Futuristic Dark Romance 3
Chapter 3Cleo had helped her dress in an emerald green dress that displayed an alarming amount of cleavage. It was a beautiful gown, as was the white silk slip she wore underneath. She hadn’t protested when Cleo gave her sexy lace underwear to put on before the slip and had managed not to ask about a bra, figuring she wouldn’t be wearing any of the clothes long enough to need one.Midway through their preparations, a maid in a white uniform brought them a selection of cheeses and a bottle of local white wine. There was also a pot of tea, and Cleo poured her a cup without asking. With a doubtful sniff, she looked up at the other woman. “It smells strange.”Cleo nodded. “It’s not the tastiest thing ever, but a little stevia makes it better.” She spooned in a bit of green powder into her cup before drinking it in one long gulp.Shaking her head, Madison started to hand back the cup. “I’ll stick with the wine.”“Drink it, honey.”She regarded Cleo with mistrust. “Is it drugged?”Her frie
Reluctant Companion: Futuristic Dark Romance 4
Chapter 4He didn’t wait for her assent as he tipped her chin higher and lowered his head. His lips were gentle against hers, coaxing a response she wanted to give. This gentle fluttering of his mouth against hers was nothing like the clumsy kiss a classmate had stolen from her when she was thirteen. Moving slowly, he deepened the kiss until she pressed against him, hand tangled in his now-dry curls.His tongue swept inside her mouth, igniting a spark that seemed to burn all the way through her. With shy strokes, she returned his caresses, darting her tongue into his mouth and out again as courage waned.After several minutes, he lifted his head and framed her face between his hands. “Do you know how beautiful you are?”She blushed, shaking her head.He smiled. “You don’t believe me?”Madison shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve just never thought about it, I guess. Papa used to say he’d have to run off the boys with a fencepost.” She blinked, remembering how silly her father had sometimes b
Reluctant Companion: Futuristic Dark Romance 5
Chapter 5The sun streaming through the windows woke Madison, and she blinked with confusion. It was late in the morning, much later than she ever rose, and it took a moment for the night’s events to come rushing back to her.Instinctively, she reached for Tiernan, but wasn’t surprised to find him gone. With a small sigh, she sat up and scooted to the edge. Her clothes were nowhere in sight. She grimaced, hoping some solicitous maid hadn’t absconded with them and left her nothing to wear but the sheet on the bed. With a sigh, she dragged it off and wrapped it around herself.As she entered the room where they had eaten dinner, she stumbled to a halt. Tiernan sat at the table, a stack of paperwork in front of him. She frowned, remembering Cleo’s assurance that he would be long gone. Perhaps he’d switched up his routine for this visit.Feeling awkward and shy, she couldn’t quite meet his eyes when he looked up at her to greet her. She returned his good morning in a halting voice, flippi
Reluctant Companion: Futuristic Dark Romance 6
Chapter 6Before Tiernan had morphed from tender lover to tyrant, she had briefly wondered how he and his troops had traveled to Graceport, since there weren’t enough steam vehicles in all of the surrounding area to ferry more than fifty people. Her mild curiosity had faded, but she still got her answer as Blaney’s driver brought the big station wagon to a halt near a train platform. Disdaining the hand the commander offered to assist her from the car, she slid out behind him and moved aside so Cleo and his personal chef could exit.He gave her no choice about walking beside him by reaching out to grasp her wrist and pull her along at a brisk pace. Perhaps he feared she would try to flee into the surrounding woods. Perceptive. The thought had crossed her mind, only to be discarded before he ever took hold of her. There were too many soldiers—who must have marched here earlier in the day to await Archer’s arrival—and she was still too close to home to risk an escape attempt.With as mu
Reluctant Companion: Futuristic Dark Romance 7
Chapter 7Tiernan could barely keep his pace casual instead of breaking into a jog as he neared the door to his room. Knowing Madison was on the other side put a bounce in his step. He wasn’t looking forward to the initial pouting in which she was likely to engage, but once that was over, a night of pleasure loomed.He opened one of the doors slowly, as if he had all the time in the world, strolling through in the same manner. He stumbled for just a moment at the sight of Madison sitting at the table, dinner already laid out. It was so domestic, and so alien, that it took his breath away. His personal companions rarely joined him before bedtime and were always gone by morning. Only the companions he selected on his travels had dinner with him or stayed in his bed, and that was usually a strategy he employed to put them at ease and get somewhat acquainted before sex.She looked right in his room, a black nightgown with a plunging V-neck skimming her curves. One of the straps had slippe
Reluctant Companion: Futuristic Dark Romance 8
Chapter 8Tiernan had kept his word, she discovered the next morning. Cleo arrived just after breakfast with several outfits that were appropriate for going out. When she peeked out the opened door behind the other woman, there was no sign of the soldier who’d been her guard the past two weeks. She exhaled with relief, though she still wasn’t confident their bargain could work. How was she supposed to try to be happy with him when her family needed her?She pushed aside the thoughts that had whirled through her brain most of the night to focus on her friend. Cleo invited her to tea that afternoon, and she accepted, deciding it would be her first test run of her newly returned freedom. Even though it was just down the hallway in a sitting room, it would be good to get out of the confines of her room.After Cleo left, she put away the outfits and took a bath, finding ways to fill the rest of her morning as she had the past two weeks. While she wanted to throw open the door and go outsid
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Reluctant Companion: Futuristic Dark Romance 42 & Epilogue
Chapter 42They didn’t have much more of a chance to talk until several hours later, back in their suite. She was curled against him on the spacious bed, providing what comfort she could. While she had stood by his side during the ordeal of removing Aidan’s body and explaining to his troops what had happened—and the need to ferret out all those loyal to his dead brother—she could only imagine how soul-wrenching it had been for Tiernan.It had been draining for her too, and she knew killing Aidan would haunt her nightmares for years to come, but now was not the time to have a cathartic release of emotion by discussing her role in his execution. That time would come after Tiernan had healed a bit first.At least she was sure he harbored no resentment toward her for killing Aidan. Tiernan had held her hand or kept her within touching distance throughout the time they had dealt with the aftermath. She’d had to bite her tongue not to counter him when he’d claimed responsibility for Aidan’s
Reluctant Companion: Futuristic Dark Romance 41
Chapter 41They stared at each other for a moment, hurt and confusion—along with a strong undercurrent of anger—in Tiernan’s eyes. “How could you do all this, Aidan?”Aidan shrugged. “I’ve already explained all that to Madison. Perhaps she can enlighten you, if you both survive.”Madison bit her fist as the men surged together, trading punches and kicks. They grunted in their exertion, and she honestly couldn’t tell who was winning for several minutes. It wasn’t until Tiernan managed to shove Aidan’s head up, his arm against his throat, that she saw a chance to help. Without hesitation, she grasped the pitcher on the dresser and slammed the pottery down on Aidan’s head. He slumped atop Tiernan a second later.Tiernan pushed him off, wincing as he got to his feet. He cradled his middle. “I think he broke a rib.”“Are you okay?”He nodded, though grimaced. “I’m glad you didn’t call out.”She frowned. “I didn’t? I just stood there frozen?” Shaking her head, Madison let some of her self-d
Reluctant Companion: Futuristic Dark Romance 40
Chapter 40“It used to be a bathroom,” said Aidan conversationally. “Joseph Archer was a bit eccentric and had a lot of unused rooms bricked off. He claimed it would reduce heating costs. There’s a shared bathroom down the hall.”Swallowing thickly, she turned slowly, not sure how to reply or even begin to justify her reasons for being here. “Uh…”He smiled, and it was full of gentleness. “It’s okay. I know why you’re here.”Madison couldn’t look away from the crossbow at his side. “Uh…”Aidan glanced down at it before setting it on the nightstand. “I’m not going to shoot you, Madison.”Relief surged through her. She had been wrong. Not about him being the missing twin, she was sure, but he clearly wasn’t the one who had killed Joan.Shaking his head, he said, “No, then they’d know it was me. It has to look like rebels.”Ice water coursed through her veins at his words, and she took a step back without thinking, running right into the brick wall. Her mind searched for a way out, but a
Reluctant Companion: Futuristic Dark Romance 39
Chapter 39She had reached no conclusion by the time Tiernan came back a little while later. Getting to her feet, she went to him to lean against her lover. “Do you have any idea who did this?”Tiernan hugged her tightly against him. “No, but I’ve asked Aidan to investigate. The shocking randomness of the crime makes no sense.”“Maybe it wasn’t so random,” said Madison, convinced of at least one thing. Joan’s secret had been the reason for her death. Drawing Tiernan over to a loveseat away from Catherine’s cold gaze, she put her arm around his shoulder and told him what she had learned as gently as possible.He sat in stunned silence for several minutes, before shaking his head. “No, that can’t be.”Madison understood his reluctance to accept it. “I’m sure she was telling the truth, Tiernan. Somewhere, you have a twin brother.” And someone willing to kill to protect his location. She didn’t voice that thought, not wanting to upset him further.His lips compressed. “How could she do it
Reluctant Companion: Futuristic Dark Romance 38
Chapter 38Her heart skipped a beat. “So he did die.”She shook her head. “No. Commander Archer was a good leader, but cold.”Madison nodded her agreement, having reached that conclusion just by what Tiernan had revealed about his childhood. “I can imagine.”“She didn’t want the Federation torn apart by two heirs, and she said there was no room for co-leaders. A commander had to make the final decision with no one having the authority to question him.”Madison grimaced. “She was thinking all this as she held her babies?”Joan scowled. “No, dear. She found out in her second trimester she was having twins, so she had time to think and plan. When the babies were born, she never held the younger one. Instead, she had me take him to his father, and troops escorted them from Seattle-Archer, along with instructions never to return.” Looking disgusted, she shook her head. “The woman just sent away her infant without looking back, as though he was no concern to her at all.”Madison’s heart stu
Reluctant Companion: Futuristic Dark Romance 37
Chapter 37Madison had expected to have some morning-after regrets, to second guess her decision to put the betrayal behind her and move on. To her relief, she had nary a flicker of doubt as she woke up beside her lover. Her only moderate regret was perhaps a lack of sleep. She was exhausted from their marathon lovemaking and couldn’t stifle a yawn.He grinned. “I wore you out.”To her amusement, he also yawned. “It looks mutual, my love.” Trailing her hand up his chest, she rested her palm between his pecs. “I had planned to go to the clinic today.”He frowned, but didn’t issue a dictate. She gave him points for diplomacy when he said, “Maybe you should take a nap this morning and go in the afternoon.”Madison nodded, having already reached that conclusion. “I think you should join me.”Tiernan lifted a corner of his mouth. “We both know there won’t be any sleeping if I stay.”Sticking out her lower lip, she said, “I need you more than sleep.”He shook his head, softening the rejecti
Reluctant Companion: Futuristic Dark Romance 36
Chapter 36She turned her head slightly on the pillow, so he could hear her. “Mostly in the lower part, but it’s sore everywhere.”Oh, his mind could conjure so many images to fit “everywhere.” He stifled a groan as he fantasized about spreading the oil over her back, down her legs, and back up to the apex of her thighs. “Okay.” His voice sounded scratchy.Still trying to be as aloof as possible, Tiernan sat on the bed beside her, straining awkwardly to reach her back. The first feel of her skin was heaven, and warmth suffused him. Not just the heat of arousal, but genuine tenderness at the close physical contact that she wasn’t immediately jumping away from upon realizing he was touching her. He’d gotten so desperate that he’d started waking up at least an hour earlier than her just so he could hold her against his body, in his arms, as she slept. That was the only time she wasn’t rejecting him.Besides now. Trampling his rampant hope with the reminder that a massage didn’t mean anyt
Reluctant Companion: Futuristic Dark Romance 35
Chapter 35God, he was stubborn, and she was getting frustrated. They had been engaged in a battle-of-wills for five weeks now. She hadn’t given an inch in her determination to make him accept she no longer loved him, and he hadn’t surrendered at all in his quest to regain her trust and love. Every night, she fell asleep in his bed, oftentimes waking pressed against him in a parody of a loving embrace. Each time, she had found the strength to pull away and go on as though nothing had happened.If only she could convince her damned hormones that nothing was happening and wouldn’t ever again, at least not with Tiernan. It was getting incredibly frustrating to have him so near, but not able to reach out and touch. Oh, she knew he would readily accept any overtures she made, but that was tantamount to giving in. She couldn’t do that.Not that she was certain why at this point. Was she still so hurt and angry that she couldn’t believe he was contrite? Was it just too unbelievable to imagin
Reluctant Companion: Futuristic Dark Romance 34
Chapter 34He woke her early on punishment day, not giving her the option of refusing to attend. Madison was undecided if she wanted to be there, and perhaps he’d picked up on her indecision, leading him to choose for her. Or maybe he was just an overbearing tyrant. Perhaps both.Grumbling in protest, she washed and dressed before following Tiernan. When they turned to go upstairs instead of down to the main floor, her heart leapt into her throat. As they climbed the stairs, she couldn’t help remembering how awful it was to be confined to the cupola. Had her continued insistence that their relationship was over made him so angry that he was going to imprison her in the tower again? Did he somehow envision that would make her realize she still wanted to be with him? In fact, it would certainly be the death knell of their affair—which was already over anyway, she hastened to assure herself.As they walked up the stairs to the fourth floor, she strove to control her panic and asked in wh
