The Duke's Passion

I weakly opened my eyes, furrowing my brows as I realized Sam was kissing me and I was back on the bed. Just then, something small slipped inside my mouth and I instinctively chewed it.

"Hmm?" I watched him draw his head back while this sweet and sour taste of grape filled my mouth. "What is this?"

"Grapes," Sam replied while chewing the other half of it. "If you're wondering what I was doing, I'm multitasking."

His words just confused me even more. I stared at him in silence as he propped his jaw against his knuckles.

"By multitasking, I mean, I'm eating while kissing and waking you up. I was so busy, and I had to use every second." He raised another grape and carefully placed it between my lips.

Sam didn't even waste as a second and leaned in, biting the grape before pushing the other half inside my mouth with his tongue. My eyes dilated as I just instinctively opened my mouth for him and ate it.

He was chewing it as he drew his head back. "Time management. You should learn from me."

"…" I was speechless for a moment. This was not what I expected to wake up in, eating grapes and spending a lazy morning with him.

"It's good right?" Sam smiled as he held another grape in between his fingers and slowly attempted to put it in between my lips. I stopped him by grabbing his wrist, catching his attention as he raised his brows.

"You don't like it?" he asked cluelessly. Of course, I liked it! But this wasn't the time for this! All the memories from last night came surging in my head, and I looked at him intensely.

"Where have you been?" I inquired, without letting him go. "Do you even have an idea what happened while you're away?"

"Uh… I don't, but I was wondering why there's the lingering scent of Stefan in here."

I studied his nonchalant expression. Disappointing, I thought, but keeping his cool was perhaps the best right now.

"He was here last night." I rolled to my tummy, stretching my arms and toe as I arched my back. When I bent my arms, I rested my cheek on them with my eyes on him.

"He wants to start an affair with me…" I told him, trying to see his reaction. "… I was reconsidering just for fun."

"He, what?" Sam narrowed his eyes as he leaned forward. "And what did you say?"

A mischievous giggle slipped past my lips as I bat my eyes coquettishly. I knew teasing him like this was toeing the line, but I had to do it.

"Someone told me that right now, I am the most desirable woman because of my blood." The corner of my lips curled up into a sly smirk. "And yet, my husband couldn't even spare me a second or tell me anything. It makes me wonder if this is all I worth for my husband."

"Ohh… I'm sorry if you feel that way," Sam frowned as he cupped my cheek while his eyelashes fluttered sweetly. "I didn't mean to. But, no, they're wrong. You're the most desirable woman in my eyes, and not just right now. So, please, don't leave me. "

My eyes rolled. "That's not what I want to hear." 

"What do you want to hear, then?" he tilted his head to the side, knitting his brows. Did I have to spell it out to him? My husband was not this dense, but if this was what the game he wanted to play, then so be it.

"Your plans, my husband. I want to be in it."

Sam smacked his lips and averted his eyes. "Our plan is to escape. I was busy preparing for our dramatic farewell, my darling."

"You won't tell me anything in the end, huh?" I murmured and my teeth gritted behind my lips, gazing down as the memory of his decapitated head flash in my head.

"Stefan showed me your future, Sam. In it, they will serve your head to me on a silver platter." My eyes panned up to meet his pair of crimson orbs.

"On a silver platter? Not even a golden one? Aren't they a little rude?"

I smacked his chest, glaring daggers at him. "Stop joking, Sam! Stefan knew all your movements and I don't know if this grand escape you're talking about is even right!"

I huffed as he stared at me in silence. He let out a deep sigh after a while and tucked my hair behind my ear.

"They have the advantage as they had prepared during my slumber. I won't lie about that. That's why I figured that to defeat them, I had to play just as sly as them." His eyes glinted and his tone was low. "I did want to run away with you and had been preparing for it. Tomorrow before dawn, meet me in the west wing palace."

I pursed my lips in a thin line and bit my inner lip. "Sam, I have a bad feeling about this."

"Do you want to stay here?" 

"No." I shook my head, reaching for his chest, and clutched it. "But is this the only way?"

"There is another way… and that is to commit treason."

"Let's do it." I urged almost immediately. "Don't be a hypocrite, Sam. Stop acting as turning the world against you bothers you the slightest."

"Ahh… how can my wife see me in this light?" 

I sighed dejectedly. "I don't need to be protected if that is what you're worried about."

"Huh? What gave you that impression that's my worry?" 

"It's not?" I knitted my brows and frowned. "I'm a damsel in distress here!"

"Oh, darling~! You're a holder of Lakresha and my wife. I will have to be a fool to underestimate you!" Sam's eyes darkened as he stared at me dead in the eye. "But despite that, I won't deny that you concern me."

"About?"

"That Quentin." My forehead creased as I attempted to recall who it was, leading me to Zero's first name. "Be it the Stefan or Quentin, there is nothing on them that is worthy to covet. But alas, they won't leave you alone."

"So you planned to escape?" that didn't make sense even more now. His words blinded me at first, and only now I realized how his actions didn't match his character.

Sam smiled and leaned over, brushing the tip of his nose against mine. "Escape? I'm abducting you. Do you trust me?"

Lies. Was the word that my mind whispered upon his remark, but I ignored it and smiled back.

"I do, but not blindly."

Sam grinned as he pinned me down. "Now, we're talking."

****

I had said this before, that if I knew the consequences of my abrupt decision, I would have made a different choice. If only… would things have changed?

My answer back then and now was different. One harsh truth that reality slapped me during my stay here was that, no, they won't. The situation would be the same… or even worse.