Mated To The King’s Gamma By Jessica Hall

Chapter 6

“Is Ester being troublesome?” Clarice asks, going back to drying dishes, and Gannon grunts as an an swer and Clarice sighs. ”

“Well, since you are free then, Abbie, you might as well come into town with me,” Clarice says, and I stop mid-bite.

“Is that allowed?” I asked her, shocked that I could leave the castle grounds.

“Yes, why wouldn’t it be? You’re not a prisoner here,” Clarice laughed, shaking her head while I stared at her in confusion. Wait, I could leave the castle grounds? It made no sense that a rogue servant could come and go.

“I am off for a few hours. I will come with you,” Gannon says with a shrug, and Clarice looks at him.

“You want to come grocery shopping with us?” Clarice asks.

“Or you can give me the list, and I will take her,” Gannon says, finishing the last bite of his sandwich be fore taking his plate to the sink. Clarice watches him before she shrugs. “Works for me. I wanted to send Ester, but seeing as she is now preoccupied and you’re willing, you can go with Abbie.”

I watched as she retrieved a pen and paper; she scribbled on it and handed it to me before handing me a keycard. I had seen one before but never used one. Mrs.Daley usually sent us with a list into town but never gave us money. The townspeople would just take the list and bill her at the end of the month.

“Just grab these things. They weren’t on the delivery,” Clarice says with a sigh. She held the list out to me, and I took the list and glanced at her cursive writing and gulped. I chewed my lip, wondering if I should tell her I couldn’t read it, yet I didn’t want to embarrass myself. So I remained quiet, and I figured I could just ask the clerk at the store. I put the list in my apron pocket as Gannon walks off toward the doors before stopping and waiting for me.

“Are you sure I can leave?” I whispered to Clarice, not wanting to get in trouble with the King. He was the one that put me on that floor, so I could be close to Ivy, yet I hardly saw her.

“Gannon is with you. And as I said. You’re not a prisoner here, Abbie. If you want to go to town, you only have to ask,” Clarice says, confusing me.

“Abbie,” Gannon says, and I hurry over to him, not wanting to anger him. Gannon leads me out of the castle, and I follow a few steps behind him.

“I’m not walking. Come on. I will drive us,” he says, gripping my arm and leading me to some garages at the back of the stables. He rummages in a little cupboard full of keys before finding the ones he was after.

| pause, watching as he moves toward a car. It made me nervous about getting in the car with him. Not that I had any reason to be, and Clarice knew where I was and who I was with, yet unease crept over me at the thought of being in a confined space with the intimidating man.

He opens the driver’s side door before glancing at me. “Abbie?” he says, and I chew my lip before he sighs, walking over to me.

“I don’t bite,” he says, ‘grabbing my hand, and I pull away from him. His brows furrow. I knew these sorts of niceties, and they always led to some expectation.

I knew that better than anyone. The butcher was nice at first, then he started stealing touches, then forcibly taking them until Mrs. Daley told me if I didn’t help him in the basement, she wouldn’t let us eat, promising us food if I just helped him. Panic courses through me. Is that why he was being nice? Clarice said to steer clear of him, so I found it odd he was trying to be near me. What were his intentions?

stepping away and toward his

escape were, yet even I knew it would

and I jumped at the bang of it before he walked around the other side and

Abbie, I should have run. My fingers trembled as I reached for the door handle as he start ed the car. The movement did not go unmissed by the man, who quickly looked at me before following my gaze to

hand falls on my knee, and my lip quivers as I look at him to

car beforehand,” he says, leaning down and snatching up the rest of the stuff in the

before opening his door. “Just work equip ment,” he says, getting out and moving toward another car where he opens the back door. He tosses the stuff on the back floor while I try to calm

did he do that required duct tape, rope, and a bloody crowbar? Gannon climbs back in the car. Yet my hand was still on the door handle when he

I watched him as he clipped in his seat belt and turned his attention back to the front. I fiddled with my fingers as he pulled out of the garage while playing with

music?” He asked, and I nodded, chewing on my fingernails. I know it was a terrible habit, but I

one cuticle from my fingertip with my nervousness until

chewed it entirely down to the flesh beneath. He clicks his tongue and curses before reaching into the glove box, where he pulls out a tissue. Gannon wraps it around my fingertip,

He asked. Disapproval is clearly on his face. I don’t answer. I hardly felt pain, especially mediocre pain like that. It was merely a flesh wound, and it would

up at some kind of

bell sounds as we enter, and I see aisles of stock lining the store and a friendly enough looking woman behind the counter. The woman says hello to Gannon be fore waving

Leisha,” he says, nudging me toward the aisles and passing me a basket. I take it while he wan ders off to speak with the friendly clerk he seems to know. She was an older

minutes, I still hadn’t found a single thing that matched her handwriting when I felt a presence behind me. The warmth of him seeped into my back as he

are you doing?” He asked curiously. Heat flooded my cheeks as I showed him the list. He takes it, looking at it before looking at me. My cheeks burn

I whisper to him, and

I would have helped you,” he whispered, taking

aisle. He reads each thing out, grabbing it from the shelf and placing it in the basket. He had found everything in a matter of minutes before walking back to

the total.

woman behind the counter smiled, and Gannon handed me the ca buy smokes while I stood there

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head back,” Gannon tells me, and I nod, gathering up the bags, but he swiftly

the trunk before grabbing my hand and tugging me across

him in side the store. A man stood behind the counter with a huge smile on his face. It was clear

while walking up the back after the man told

as | looked at the color display of candies when he held a jar out to me. “Try these. I made these last night,” he

thought to myself before remembering she wasn’t here. Still,

lip before taking one of the sponging red clouds from the jar. It was covered in

the man asks?” He seemed genuinely interested if I liked his candy. I