Divorce The Duke, Marry The King!
Chapter 118: A necklace

Chapter 118: A necklace

"Ermm..." she began, then paused, struggling to find a solution. Just as she was about to give up, something came to mind, and she quickly said, "Steve will take over once we reach our destination. If we aren’t near each other, we should be able to overcome it."

Quinn chuckled, and she frowned in confusion. Wasn’t he the one asking for a solution? Why did it seem like he wasn’t taking her seriously?

"You think Steve can stop me from reaching you when I am at my wildest?" he asked, deliberately emphasizing the last word. He wanted her to realize just how futile her plan was. If he hadn’t been able to keep away from her back at the castle—even with countless threats hanging over his head—why would he now, when he had every opportunity? All he had to do was send Steve on an errand. Now that he commanded the warriors, no one would stand in his way.

"I-I don’t know... I just thought it might distract you," she mumbled, lowering her head as if deep in thought.

Quinn lifted her chin with his fingers, forcing her to meet his gaze. "I want to get you pregnant," he murmured.

Belle’s eyes widened. "What?" She gasped, swatting his hand away and turning to leave the stream.

Before she could swim further, Quinn’s arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her back against him. He lowered his mouth near her neck, sending a shiver through her.

"I am so glad you are not wearing a chemise today. Makes it easier to take this off," he teased.

Belle immediately began struggling against his hold. She had no intention of getting pregnant, not for him, not like this. Why would someone suddenly decide they wanted a child?

"I don’t want to get pregnant! Let me go, Quinn!" She protested.

His laughter rumbled in her ear. "Teasing you is fun," he whispered, his breath warm against her skin.

A deep warmth curled within her. They were mates, after all, his touch alone was enough to make her waver. And she had to admit it... she missed being touched. It had been so long. Quinn had only touched her twice in their marriage, leaving her with little experience in such matters.

"Belle..." he called suddenly, his voice low and seductive.

"Quinn," she responded instinctively, not even knowing why. She simply wanted to answer him.

"It’s getting harder to stay away from you," he admitted. "And I don’t want to stay away. I don’t want to restrain myself. I plan on winning you over during this war."

Belle swallowed hard. His words left her unsteady.

"Do you enjoy toying with me?" She asked, tilting her head slightly to glance at him. "Your soon-to-be wife is probably sulking in one of the tents as we speak. How do you think she would feel if she saw us like this?"

Her reminder of that unwanted memory made his expression darken.

"I told you, I do not love her. I agreed to marry her for a reason," he repeated, offering the same excuse as before.

"I don’t care. I am not interested in being any man’s side lover," Belle retorted. "Besides, I promised to start over with Hezekiah. I can’t give you what you want."

Quinn fell silent, making her think he had finally given up, until, without warning, he whirled her around and seized her lips.

The urgency in his kiss sent her heart racing. She pushed against his chest, trying to break free, but he cupped the back of her neck with his other hand, deepening the kiss, refusing to let her escape. Belle struggled at first, but when she realized resistance was futile, her hands fell limp at her sides.

Sensing her surrender, Quinn took full control, claiming her lips with a fervor that made her close her eyes, cursing herself for her weakness. They were both guilty of betraying their partners, sneaking around, indulging in forbidden desires. Perhaps they truly were suited for one another.

Quinn’s hand moved to her breast, kneading it through her bodice, making Belle’s body ache for more. Without thinking, she rested her hand on his waist, letting him lead, allowing his lips to devour hers like they would vanish if he stopped.

When he finally withdrew, both of them gasped for breath. With his hand still cradling her neck, he lifted her chin and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"You just kissed my forehead?" She asked, more startled than anything. Does he even know the meaning of a forehead kiss or was he teasing her again?

"Yes," he murmured, his voice resolute. "And this is just the beginning. I will kiss every part of your body...soon. I will mark you as mine. I don’t care about the rumors and I will never let you return to him."

A lump formed in Belle’s throat as she watched him vow with such conviction. He wasn’t joking. She wanted to speak, to challenge him—but she was strangely speechless. And deep down, a part of her longed to see him keep his promise. If he truly meant it... could they have another chance?

Reaching into his pocket, Quinn pulled out a necklace, unclasped it, and fastened it around her neck. "If you are certain you do not want me," he said, "then remove this necklace in front of me."

Belle frowned, confused. "I never said I wanted you."

"But you are not stopping me from putting the necklace on you," he countered, making her flush with embarrassment.

Chuckling, he brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear, then kissed her cheek, her lips, and, finally, her collarbone, making her shudder.

"I will protect you with my life and guard you with my soul," he vowed under the starlit sky. At that moment, something streaked across the heavens—a sign that the promise had been sealed.

Belle stared at him in silence, a new wave of emotion stirring within her. Was she making a mistake? Or was this exactly where she was meant to be?

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.