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But if he touches me, I also know I'll break.

For good.

"Will you listen to me?"

All I can do is cry harder as I shake my head.

How...how can he not see what this means?

How can he not realize...that a part of me could never understand why he chose me?

How...how does he not know that him pitying me...makes more sense than the idea ofMonsieur Le Dernier falling in love with a silly little pickpocket like me?

"Listen to me, please."

Why can't he just stop and let me go?

"These women...are why I wanted,neededyou to be strong and brave."

"Please stop," I sob out.

"Their secrets will be your secrets, too."

"S-Stop, please—"

"Because if you stay with me, they'll also be yours to protect—"

"I said, stop!"

And yet...it's as if Sylvain doesn't hear me at all.

"I didn't know it then, but I know it now. I don't need any tests to know that you're the one I've been waiting for—"

"Stop, just stop!"

Why does he keep giving me hope when we both know I'm not the girl for him?

"I don't want this anymore," I cry out. "So just stop!"

But when I try leaving one more time—

"I can't."

It's no use. He has me pinned against the wall in no time, and I'm trapped.

"Let me go," I beg him.

"Never."

His handsome face is hard as steel, his dark blue eyes nearly feral.

"Can't you see it won't work?"

"Can't you see that means nothing to me?" he growls back. "The one thing I never lied about was who I was." Violence underscores his tone, and all I can see in his eyes is someone who's willing to tear kingdoms apart if that's what it will take to chain me by his side.

"You knew what I was when you married me."

I start pounding his chest, try shoving him away and kicking him, but nothing works.