Hardin's POVAs I finished dealing with Jim for his unacceptable behavior towards Freda, I instructed my guards to escort him back to his house, making sure he understood the seriousness of his actions. My main concern now was Freda. I knew she must be feeling incredibly low after the traumatic incident at the motel. The weight of guilt settled heavily on my shoulders, as I couldn't help but blame myself for putting her in harm's way by sending her to train with Jim.With a heavy heart, I made my way home, my mind consumed with thoughts of Freda as I replayed the events of the day in my head, tormenting myself with the what-ifs and the regret. I knew deep down that I had made a grave mistake, underestimating the danger that lurked within Jim.As I got to the house, the silence seemed to echo the turmoil within me. I longed to find Freda and offer her comfort, to assure her that she was safe now and that I would do everything in my power to make things right. But I also feared how she

Freda's POVI stood there, popping each balloon with a mischievous grin on my face. I could feel Hardin's gaze on me, intense and filled with desire. It was as if he was undressing me with his eyes, and I couldn't help but revel in the attention.The room was filled with balloons of all colors, a whimsical display that added an air of playfulness to the atmosphere. Hardin had surprised me with this day out, and I was determined to make it unforgettable for him. Tonight, I wanted to give him the best night of his life.With each pop, the sound reverberated through the room, creating a symphony of excitement. I could sense the anticipation building between us, a magnetic pull that grew stronger with every burst balloon.Thoughts of the day we had spent together flooded my mind. Hardin had gone above and beyond to make this day special for me, and I wanted to reciprocate in the most memorable way possible. This was my chance to show him just how much he meant to me.As I continued to pop

Freda's POVI opened my eyes slowly from sleep and rolled to the other side of the bed, but did not find Hardin. He was out of bed again for the umpteenth time we had slept together over the night on the same bed. I sat up slowly on the bed and could not help but reminisce on what happened last night. I only chuckled as everything played in my head like a movie that I had watched before. He always came up with something new and enjoyable anytime we have sex, and then I knew that when Shelby said his cock was part of what was making me stay, she was partially saying the truth.I stood up from the bed, and I discovered that I had nothing on me. I looked around the room to check for my dress, but Hardin had already picked them up and put them where I had no idea. I heaved a sigh as I walked naked into the bathroom to take a quick shower and get ready for the day's activity. I was not going to train today because Hardin had told me to take a break for today. Not long after, I came out of

Freda's POVI sat there on my bed, with my mind filled with different thoughts. “How could Shelby be so cruel and mean?” I asked myself as I tried to understand why she behaved the way she did. I heaved a heavy sigh as I leaned backward to rest my back on the pillow. My mind was split in half as I could not make the decision whether to go ahead with the fight or just call it a quit. However, I will have to go with the former because the latter is not a viable option to choose. I thought as I rolled over to the other side of the bed.“Hardin would not let me leave even if I wanted to.” I thought, exhaling rapidly as I slowly brought my hand to wipe my face. I had grown so close to him that spending time without him now seemed difficult and almost impossible. A knock suddenly came on the door, jolting me from my reverie, and my heart skipped a beat as I tilted my head to look at the door. “Who could be at the door?” I asked myself as I tried to guess the person from the way they knocked

Freda's POVI watched him look at me keenly, waiting for me to ask what I wanted to ask. But, I did not want to ask again, as the answer to my intended question was obvious. I heaved a sigh as I tilted my head away for a moment as I tried to quickly think of a new question to ask, but before I could think of any, he cleared his throat, grabbing my attention as I tilted my head to look at him before he talked.“What is it you wanted to ask?” He asked, and I heaved a sigh, placing my palm over my face for a moment before I talked.“It's nothing. I am fine.” I said and hoped he would take his mind off that. He took a deep breath, tilting his head away for a moment before he brought it back, clearing his throat slightly to talk.“I spoke to Shelby already. She would not be troubling you until the day of the duel. The wait is almost over. It's in the next four days.” He explained, and immediately I heard him say the number of days that remained to the duel, my heart skipped a beat and I im