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Chapter 36: Derek

I found a defense against Eh I kneas a weak one to the level of control she had over ht after that encounter with the young wooing to focus allabout Sofia One hme that I wanted toher to even respond, so when she wrapped her arms aroundand saying, "Yes," it was definitely a taste of heaven on earth

"What?" I asked her, stepping back, so that I could look at her and"Did you just say what I thought you said?"

She laughed at my reaction "I’ auburn locks falling over her shoulders "What did you think I said?"

"It sounded like you were agreeing toon her feet When she heaved an anxious sigh, I was already certain that I was just hearing things

But then a huge sht"

I was so preoccupied reliving that laring at me from across the table until she slapped ht you said you lovedto me!"

That’s the point I don’t love you "I’ot another blow and then another and then another Every fiber of ed to retaliate, but I could not What she was doing was such a stark re my mind and I knew it I could accessthat was going on at the castle Everything was confusing I knew that I’d only been there for a few days, but it felt as if I’d been there for centuries Mysarcastic quips and flat-out rejections E to feel differently I was beginning to feel like I was in love with E the battle and I knew it, but I was clinging to every last straw of hope that I could still overcoet back to Sofia

"You loveuntil I couldn’t take it anyth caround

And for so over ed forward to attack her I hit her and clawed at her I watched her heal then I did it again By the ti ca I watched her heal before she fisted a clump of my hair and kissed me full on the mouth

When our lips parted, she smirked, tilted her head to the side, and said, "Welcome to the darkness, Derek"

I then realized why she was acting so triu in to my dark side She had provoked the part of me that would react with unbridled violence – a side of me Cora knew very well

"She doesn’t know about this side of you… I’ll introduce it to her when I ain and I could feel it happen It was almost as if every memory I had of Sofia faded into some sort of subconscious black hole I couldn’t even re sense of conviction that told me that I was a man in love with Sofia

I was under Emilia’s full control for the rest of the day and I couldn’t even think of anything apart froht remained: I love Sofia Claremont I love her Not Eht didn’t take long to disappear

My stay at the Elder’s castle felt like an eternity I couldn’t escape fro in love with the woman I found myself so deeply attracted to froirl for me and I had no doubt about it, but when it came to her, I was also consumed by another e about her – even the sweet, doting side of her – consuht, after we made love, I’d already drifted off to sleep and I had no clue how long I’d already been sleeping when she once again did so

I had no idea why she was so furious with me, but the mo over e to screa what on earth I did to deserve the punish her so much that she would wake ain, Derek, and I will kill you!"

I sed hard, wondering whose name I just said, but I knew better than to ask