Evil Duke, Please Be Gentle!

  Before she could speak further to convince him, he murmured.

"I am ready to let you apply even if it has poison!"

"..........." her grip on the porcelain bottle tightened as she looked at him dumbfounded while her heart started to run a marathon. She felt like it would come out of her ribcage any moment.

It took her a few seconds to compose herself and look at him. Heat had risen on her cheeks, making her rosy hue darker. 

"At last it would stop your nagging. You are worse than my grandmother when it comes to grumbling and fault finding!" his tone sounded lazy and tired as if he could not wait to get rid of her and even ready to get poisoned if she would leave her alone then!

"............" and here she thought, for once he was going to speak nicely with her! What had she even expected from an iceberg!

"Thank you for telling me. I will make sure to mix itching powder in the ointment for the next time." came her quick retort and though he could not see her face, he was sure that she was gnashing her teeth too.

  A soft smile formed on his lips just by thinking about it.

She opened the bottle and took out some ointment in her hands but he was too tall. Despite being popular for her long legs among girls, she was only able to reach his chin. She started looking around for a small stool or should she request him to take the pillow! She was only thinking when she felt his movement.

He had laid down on the bed on his stomach. She took a breath of relief and then walked closer to the bed and sat beside her. When her soft fingers touched his back, he trembled a bit. Her hands paused at the pain he was feeling, and her face turned down casted again.

But the man laying down did not tremble because of the pain. Yet there was no way that he would accept the thought that had crossed his mind. His teeth gritted when she stopped moving her hands, yet it stayed on his waist.

"Evangeline? Are you going to take the whole day? Even a snail is faster than you.'' His tone was harsh, making the girl dumbfounded again.

'He surely was a man suffering from menopause.' she mumbled in her heart at his cold and warm behaviour all this time.

'Just bear with it! After all he is injured because of you!' With that thought, she ignored his anger and started rubbing the ointment again. He had closed his eyes and his hands had clenched into a fist all this time.

How should he explain to her that he was feeling tormented!

Her steps turned slower again when she was about to finish. She did not know why but only one question was swirling in her mind all this time, even when he infuriated her.

"Evangeline! Are you a pervert?" he asked again when her touch turned so much slower. If it was not tempting him that what it was? She was not applying medicine for sure with that sensual touch of hers. This was not the first time when a woman was touching, his maids often helped him in getting ready, yet this was the first time that he could feel the touch.

He never knew that he was this sensitive or he would have denied her to apply medicine.

"If you abhor me so much then why did you even save me?" she asked as she gritted her teeth.

He had only mocked, laughed or fought with her. If not any, he had treated her like she was her staff to run around and do his bidding!

From the first day, he had wanted her to leave the palace. Yet whenever she faced the problem, he protected her. His behaviour towards her made her confused.

Even at this moment, he was insulting her again and again. Then why did he act so swiftly when she was not able to save herself with such a sudden attack!

"Why are you ready to risk yourself to save me if you hate me so much?" his whole body turned rigid when he heard her question in an aggrieved tone. 

His gaze turned complicated and he felt a sudden suffocation in his heart when he realised that he had hurt her feelings. It was not like the question did not pass his mind. But it was an involuntary reaction.

When the thought of her getting hurt passed his mind, he was not able to bear it! So, he moved and shielded her with his own body. But why? Why was he so worried about her? 

He was known for being cold hearted as he always took the decisions from mind. Even when it was about the lives of many people. That was why he was made the head of the war! Yet when it comes to her! He did not think at all! He did what he deems fit. But he could not tell her so!

'Could it be that I wanted to keep her close because I had doubts about her identity?' he asked his heart but then how would he justify the fear he had felt!

"Leo.. are you?" he came back to his senses when he heard her voice and her eyes turned cold and face was stern again. He looked back at her from sideways when he saw her face full of confusion but it only made him feel colder.

"Of course, I will protect you in the absence of my father. He had brought you here as he had promised your well being to your dying father. You are our responsibility till you are in the palace.

And as his heir, it is my responsibility to fulfil the promises he had made.. I can not see him getting disappointed with me and my aunt who was at fault this time."