Page 120 of The King's Maiden

I glared at him. And while I couldn’t argue his point, I didn’t confirm it for him, either.

“And the point is, you got through it.” He tossed something toward me, throwing it underhand so I could react and catch it. “And you didn’t needthatto do it.”

Holding the tiny canister in my hand, I shook my head in complete and utter disbelief. He had no idea what he was talking about. No idea how much I’d gone through since the accident. The doctor appointments, the prescriptions, the bills, and the fucking pharmacy?—

The pharmacy.

I don’t know why I hadn’t realized it sooner. There I’d been hiding my asthma from him. Assuming because he never mentioned that day once The Quest began, he must not have remembered it as acutely as I did. Or he hadn’t been paying attention to my back-and-forth with the pharmacist.

The assumptions I’d made when I first met him, before Iknewhim, seemed foolish now.

Because of course, he had noticed. Of course, he remembered.

“You’ve known since that day in the pharmacy.”

“No, Quinn.” He scoffed and shook his head, disappointment in his voice that didn’t feel solely directed at me.

He hadn’t known. He’d missed it, andthatdidn’t happen often. Maybe ever. So, it had to be what bothered him most

I’d been able to hide it from him.

I wrapped the tiny canister in my fist. “Then, when?”

“Yesterday. Or really, the night before. When you couldn’t breathe and fell asleep clutchingthatin your hand. If not then, maybe I would’ve put it together if I asked you to expand on the scar you never told me about but just let slip out.”

I shut my eyes, cursing my stupidity.

“I’m sorry if you’re hurt today. If you feel like I kept something important from you.” His gaze darted to my neckbefore he quickly looked away. “But I guess that makes two of us.”

For a second, I considered if he could be right. But I quickly brushed that aside because he had no idea what he was talking about. No right to be angry. No rights tome.

“Oh, fuck you, Landon Scott. You think I owed you that information? Things you can use against me!” I laughed harshly, the force of it making my throat ache. “And you’re mad that I didn’t tell you?”

“Yes, I’m mad you didn’t tell me!” he shouted. “But what’s worse is that you think I wanted to know so I could use it against you. I could’ve hurt you, Quinn! I could’ve pushed too far without knowing that limit existed. Don’t you get that?”

Staring at him and hearing the sincerity in his words, my resolve wavered. But I didn’t let it crumble. I straightened my spine, lifting my chin and reinforcing my anger.

He took in my reaction, and his tough exterior cracked. But the difference between us was that he let it happen. He let me see the emotion driving his reaction.

And it wasn’t anger.

“Quinn, I’m supposed to trust you. But how do I do that knowing you don’t trust me?”

“Just because I’m your Maiden for The Quest doesn’t mean I owe you every little detail about myself!”

I couldn’t take it. The emotion cracking his voice, the pained expression on his face—they threatened to break down my walls. The look in his eyes could level me completely.

It was too much. Too fast. And I couldn’t breathe.

So instead of answering his question, I shoved him, ready to leave his room and end this whole thing before I fell too far.

But before I could get away, he snatched me by the wrist. He whipped my body into his, spinning me around and pinning me against him.

“You. Belong. To. Me.”

My heart pounded.

With his chest to my back, he grabbed my hips, digging into my flesh as he turned our bodies away from the door. His breath, hot and panting in my ear, fueled my outrage. His words, possessive and demanding, spurred my indignation.

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