"She's my maid." I explained to the Fey King. Trying to think of a more apt way to describe Ginny but not finding any. So I moved onto the other part of his question.

Why I think Bodin capable of having killed my father.

Right beneath my very nose.

"He's been behaving oddly since father died. Like he's hiding something for me."

And he's nothing like I'd thought.

Not once he's in this house.

"If you think so, you're likely right." He patted my knee in a distant manner. "But my son is no killer. Not unless a man deserved it."

His brow furrowed thoughtfully. "How has Bodin been behaving oddly?"

"Stronger. More determined. Ruthless."

"He gets like that when he's on some sort of mission."

"What mission would he be on?" My brows shot up.

"I'd assume, getting you."

***

Those words would ring in my mind as I made my way back toward the door. It seemed shocking to hear it aloud.

I pulled open the door, still processing the crazed conversation. I was met with hard brown eyes and a twitching jaw.

A furious man.

"Bodin?"

"Where have you been?"

"I was talking to someone in the garden."

He reached over my head to push the door closed, drawing him far too close.

I stared up at him worriedly.

"Who was that?" He said in a calm tone.

Too calm.

He was vibrating with rage.

"Someone who wished to have a worried with me."

"Randy Demetrius?"

I gasped and blinked at him in genuine surprise. "No! I wouldn't want to be alone with Cousin Randy and I'd think he'd have the good sense to know I wouldn't wish to meet with him in the gardens. And he would know he wouldn't be welcome here since you've never been particularly fond of him."

I figured he'd agree with me on that but instead he didn't move. Still tense.

And his jaw was ticking.

Not good.

My skin tingled with an instinctive wariness.

"Who was it you did wish to meet with in my gardens, Belle?"

***

His meaning was instantly clear.

I lifted a finger at him. "Oh, no you don't! Don't you dare. I'm no possession of yours. I'm not this house or the boots you walk in. You'll not take that tone with me."

"Won't I?" He cocked his head dangerously.

I probably should've stopped. But some little devil in my head was determined to push him.

"No you won't." I jutted my chin. "I'm not some thing to own."

His face changed. Becoming instantly unreadable. "Perhaps not..."

His gaze dropped over my figure. Dragging over me from head to toe with such slow precision that I could feel it like a hot touch. "But you can be possessed, as I recall."

Possessed? I stared at him in horror. Is that what he called that?

My cheeks flushed in reaction. My hand flung out to slap him, but he caught it, inches from his cheek.

His eyes suddenly shined silvery yellow, animalistic and his lip curled as if I had defied him too far. He was such leashed violence, that for a moment I thought he might slap me.

In panic, I followed a defensive reaction and swung my free arm.

He smoothly ducked under my swing and stepped in closer. Pinning my back to the door. And lifting the wrist he held to pin just above and to the side of my head with a dull thud.

"Bodin!" I cried.

***

He hoisted my leg up to his thigh. Slowing his movements as he slipped it inch by inch up his hip. His stared unblinking as he watched my face. "Are you going to answer my question. Or should I make you talk to me?"

"How would this make me talk to you?" I asked impudently.

What was he going to do? I looked at him worriedly. My body was already starting to tremble.

With fear or anticipation? I didn't know.

"You'll find, I can be incredibly persuasive..." He was already leaned so close to my shoulder that his chin nearly rested on my shoulder. He turned his face into my ear and added huskily. "Especially when I'm buried in your delicious warmth."

"Bodin." I struggled against him. Thrusting my pelvis toward him to try and push him back. "This is nonsense!"

"Is it?" He drew back to look at me. "It depends...What were you doing out there and with who?"

He thinks I was joining? And with Randy of all people?

Utterly disgusting.

"If you are implying I was making love to another man out there, I wasn't."

His face lifted as he drew a long breath of what I could only assume was relief. But he said nothing to confirm that suspicion.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

This Bodin seemed so much icier than the boy I'd known.

Far more guarded.

"Because I'm going to say something to you that you're not going to like."

"I haven't liked much of what you've said lately." I mentioned dryly.

The truth.

"That's a shame."

"Why?" I blinked up at him.

"Because I've been hinting at a far bigger picture, and I'd hoped you'd catch on far faster than you seem to be."

"To what, Bodin? That you may somehow be a part fey man descended from the great Fey King himself?"

His brows shot up and he stepped back. Letting my leg slip back to the floor. "He was here?"

***

My mouth whitened and I glared at him.

"That was who you were talking to." He supplied.

"Why hide it from me? Why'd he want you to meet him in secret?"

"Well," I tossed my arms in exasperation. "If I had to guess, I'd assume it would be something to do with just this reaction."

He blinked at me. "I wouldn't be acting such if you'd simply answered my question. Are you allying with him?"

"Is allying with him, against you?" I countered. My curiosity mounting.

I'd heard nothing but pride and fondness in the Fey King's voice when he mentioned him.

But in Bodin's voice I heard annoyance and betrayal.

That the Fey King came to see me? Or that I'd gone to meet him?

"What are you so upset about, Bodin?"

"I don't appreciate him meddling in my affairs?"

"Oh, is that what I am? An affair?" My voice rose and I turned my head, irritatedly.

His face sucked in and he crossed his arms over his chest. "Don't be difficult."

"Am I ever not?"

"Touche."