Chapter 8: The gift

Connor lifted his head and stared at me, I was breathing unevenly, I almost begged him to continue!

A corner of his lips lifted and he smirked.

"Your punishment can wait, I have a gift for you" I felt a little disappointed and ashamed at the same time, That wasn't supposed to happen, I shouldn't have let him touch me.

"Wear something and meet me down in five" He said curtly like he was deeply annoyed.

He left me there digging my nails into the bed, I closed and opened my eyes several times not believing what happened. It felt like a betrayal, he had touched me and I had let him.

He treated me like an animal for so long and suddenly changed his mind to treat me like an item, invading my body and taking whatever and whenever he liked, and what was even more frustrating was me liking it!

I got up slowly and headed to the closet, aware that the five minutes was fast approaching and I didn't have to do anything he said but I was curious. His gift could be a punishment but I wasn't going to go back to that life. I'd slit my own throat if I had to but never!

I took off the bottom short I was wearing and found something more appreciating of a queen.

*

Author's POV

Connor was getting mad before he saw Ava walk down the stairs. He didn't like his time getting wasted and it was already 15 minutes since he told her to meet him downstairs.

His breath almost hitched in his chest before he caught himself and frowned, the girl was gorgeous but the effect she was starting to have on him was crazy.

Ava wore a knee length green gown, with a low cut on the chest, a wide full skirt flowing from the waist.

He had received the bill when his bank manager called Nicolas, she had charged millions of expenses on his account and when Nicolas asked, he had told him to release the money. There was no need to create a scandal involving HIS queen. She was his slave, not the rest of the world's.

"Hi" Ava said lightly to Nicolas who stood rigid beside him, he expected his cousin not to reply but it annoyed him when Nic bowed and mumbled greetings and compliments. The monk like Nicolas acknowledging a woman? Mystery.

"Thank you" She smiled sweetly, avoiding Connor altogether. She didn't dare look at him, knowing the brief passion she just shared with him, it embarrassed her that she had behaved like a starved dog wanting his hands and mouth on her.

"You took your time" Connor remarked dryly, he didn't like his time getting wasted.

"I couldn't find a dress" She said, still not answering him.

Word went around fast in the palace that Connor had arrived and more people gathered to welcome him, but he was in the middle of something and they didn't dare talk to him till he acknowledged them so they just stood around, waiting.

Sooner or later, someone in the palace would sell the news to the press and they'd be swarming around the gate, he'll never grant a press conference but they'll still try hard to get him to.

"Bring him" Connor signalled to his men. Ava stared at him for the first time since she descended the stairs, she wondered what his gift was, but she couldn't help but notice his lips, her stomach trembled slightly at the memory of his mouth on her.

He was very much aware of her staring at him, but he continued his little discussion with Nicolas because for the first time in his life, he wasn't sure he could control himself and not take her right there in front of everyone.

The men wheeled in a skinny kid with long dark hair, similar to Ava's.

"I'm assuming you know him?" Connor looked at the boy, amusement in his eyes, he wasn't planning it when he rescued the boy but now he thought of all the ways he could use him to bend Ava and break her- if he was right of course.

She snapped her eyes over to the boy and at first she thought Connor was playing games but on a closer look, her heart froze. She clutched her chest tightly,

The boy stared at her like a zombie hibernating.

She tried to talk but she couldn't even breathe, she clutched her chest even tighter, trying to call for help but it felt like she was drowning.

Her chest was tightening in pain and she couldn't keep her eyes open, she was aware of hitting the floor but couldn't feel or hear anything.

Connor was watching her reaction and was shocked when she fell, he knew if he was right she was going to be surprised but he wasn't expecting her to fall unconscious, he moved without realizing and scooped her into his arms. He took the stairs three at a time, barking orders and at the same time praying nothing happened to her. She couldn't die yet, he hadn't punished her at all.

*

"She's fine now your majesty, she should wake up soon" The doctor said to Connor cautiously, his team had spent 5 hours reviving the queen, he knew he couldn't go out and tell the king his wife had died while in his care.

"Tell me what happened" Connor demanded harshly, impatient.

"Heart failure, her heart is fragile" The doctor scratched his head nervously,

"I would advise that she doesn't do anything stressful or get news that would shock a person, she could go into a panic attack and it would affect her heart and she could die" He said as a matter of fact while staring at his shoes.

"What?" Connor couldn't believe his hearing but he had to admit the news might have been a little shocking but shocking enough to cause a heart attack?

He watched them unhook the heart monitor and oxygen tank, the doctor had vowed that his wife was stable and could breathe on her own again, but he still stood there watching her.

He couldn't believe she almost died, until he allowed it, even death wasn't allowed to touch her!

Even though she looked better than the last time he saw her before he went to war, she was still a little skinny, beautiful but so fragile.

Ava's eyes fluttered open and he moved closer, her eyes were unfocused and he almost called the doctor, but her next word stopped him.

"Cyprian"