Evil Duke, Please Be Gentle!

Though Leonardo had closed his eyes, his senses were sharp enough to hear even her heartbeat in this enclosed carriage.

He just didn't want to see in those desperate eyes. Those eyes reminded him or his mother. And the way she was trying to run away from him was making him uneasy.

He could still hear her desperate voice which was filled with anger, frustration and helplessness. Why did he not want to marry him! He still could not understand that no matter how much he thought about it.

Since young, girls have flocked around him like he was a jar of honey. And he had to use underhanded means to get rid of them many times. But not even once have he faced the dilemma that he had to follow a girl who was trying so hard to get rid of him and his family.

"Ignorance really is bliss." he mumbled.

The country girl must not know who they were, that was why she was so much against them. He nodded at his analysis. He felt the sound of the door and his eyes snapped open.

The girl had a pin in his hand as he was trying to open the lock. He could not believe that she was trying to jump out of the running carriage to get rid of him. He had never felt this speechless in his whole life.

"What are you doing?" he asked in a cold tone and she stilled. Drops of sweat fell from his forehead to her nape.

"Nothing i was just playing.. Since I was getting bored. You know.. Checking the door and all!" she laughed awkwardly as she fidgeted with the pin in her hand only to wear it back in her hair that had turned messy.

He had never seen a girl who did not care about her appearance at all. That also in front of a man who was going to marry her. She was looking anywhere but me. Her eyes were moving discreetly like a thief.

"Come here.'' he ordered, but she moved further away, almost making herself one with the wall of the carriage and his eyes narrowed.

He moved and took out his scarf from his neck and pulled her towards him. Her ankle bent and she fell straight into Leo's lap. They both looked at each stunned for a second.

Leo could see her fluttering eyelashes and her rosy cheeks from this close. She really was beautiful and her eyes were just like her mother. Bright emeralds that were shining more than the rarest gem on the earth! Was that the reason his father was so adamant in marrying them. But those lips, they looked.. wait!

He jerked her off and she fell straight on the floor of the carriage.

"Owwww." she winced as she rubbed her ass and glared at him.

"What are you doing? You could be brute!" She complained but he did not pay any heed to her. He held her hand and bound it with the scarf tightly. And then he took the end and attached it to his hands.

"You.. what are you! I am telling you, I am not a thief or prisoner! You could not…" god! How much this girl could speak!

"Shush. Or else I will tie this sweet little mouth too." he grumbled and she fumed. But stayed silent as she knew that the threat was real. He would actually bind her if she continued to test his patience.

Once he saw that she was obedient enough, he closed her eyes to take rest. But how could it be that simple? Evangeline continued to stare at him and mumble. "This is just a dream, this is just a dream."

Her continued gaze and incoherent words irked him but he stayed silent but things crossed when she continued to move her hands, dragging his hands in the process.

"Would you stop fidgeting. I am trying to sleep!" he mumbled as Evangeline continued to annoy him.

"You can always open the scarf and sleep comfortably, my hair is blowing in the wind." she replied as she looked at him. Her hair was all over her face as the pin had gotten loose. He moved and held it only to see that she had bent it too much to fit in the lock of the carriage and it was not able to hold her hair any more.

He shook his head and took out a handkerchief from his pocket. He moved closer to her face only for her to move away as much as possible.

"I am not a flesh eating demon, you know!" he pointed and she looked away.

"You are kidnapping me though." she added but closed her mouth when he glared at her once again.

Holding her hair tightly in his hands, he tied them in a handkerchief so perfectly that a cute ponytail formed. Taking the last pin, he tucked the astray hair falling on her face.

"There.. Now stop fidgeting." he added as he closed his eyes leaving her stunned that how could a man like him is versed in handling the hair of a girl as there was no way a noble like him have ever helped his sisters in getting ready who was given bath by and even clothed by a dozen of maids.

Then the thought stuck in her mind making her fuming,

'He must have a lot of lovers and mistresses.. That was why he knew how to handle the long hair or the girls.'