#Chapter 84: Dance With Me

“You are asking me to deny the King of the kingdom,” I tell him. “The man who does not take no for an answer.” “Threaten to kill yourself if you have to,” Samuel says. That slices through me like a blade. Samuel would rather I hurt myself than be ‘spoiled.’ How can this cruel, apathetic man be the man I love? Unless… have I been fooling myself, thinking Samuel was my one true love? Someone who loved me wouldn’t be happy with my situation… But they wouldn’t think I’m tainted because of it. They wouldn’t think I needed to hurt myself or die outright. Seeing this side of Samuel makes me glad I decided against running away with him. His love seems entirely conditional. I hate to think it, but at the first real sign of trouble, he might have left me flat. “What are you thinking?” Samuel asks. “Why are you looking at me like a stranger?” “Because you are one,” I say. “I don’t recognize the man I love. The way you are talking about me, it’s –” “There you are.” I turn and find