Read Online The Governor's Sons by Maria McKenzie - Free Book Online Page A

with his arms, pressing his chest into her back, then removed the potato peeler from her hands, and the potato stump she’d almost peeled away to nothing.   He set them on the cutting board, then firmly grasped her shoulders and turned her around.
    “Kitty, after everything I said to you Friday night, now you act like it doesn’t even matter.”   Kitty squirmed, trying to release herself from his hold, but it only tightened.   “I love you,” he said softly, “And seeing you with another ma—that boy --just ‘bout drove me nuts.”
    Thomas’s words played through Kitty’s mind again.   They’ll talk sweet, but most likely use force.   She didn’t like the force Ash was using now; he clutched her shoulders too hard.   Looking him coolly in the eye, she said, “What’s it to you, Ash?”
    “What’s it to me?   How can you say that?   You know what it is to me—you know what you mean to me.”
    “Do I really even matter to you?” she asked coldly.
    Ash held her tightly, then kissed her firmly on the mouth.   His kiss was almost primal in its ferocity.   Kick, scream, fight—that’s what Russell had said.   Kitty squirmed harder, and tried to scream. But despite this, Ash kissed her more fiercely.
    When Ash finally stopped, Kitty was able to push him away.   Breathing hard, she grabbed a knife from the cutting board.   She’d used it to chop potatoes, but now pointed the sharp steel blade in Ash’s direction.
    “Kitty,” he said incredulously, “put that knife down.”   Ash moved toward her slightly, but she thrust the knife at him.
    “Stay away from me!”
    Ash stood looking at her, unable to speak for a moment.   “Kitty--you’re like a different person! What the hell’s gotten into you?”
    “Don’t touch me again!   And don’t you dare curse at me!”
    “I’m only cursing ‘cause you’re not making any damn sense!   You’ve never complained before about me touching you!”
    “Well—you—you’ve—never touched me like that—like some—rabid dog!   You’re no different from any other white man, are you?”
    Ash looked at her like she’d gone mad.   “What do you mean?”
    “You know exactly what I mean!”
    “But—Kitty—I thought—”
    “You thought wrong!   Just because I’m a Negro girl working in your kitchen—that doesn’t give you the right to—to—violate me!”
    Ash turned pale.   For a moment he looked like he’d been punched in the stomach and couldn’t breathe. “Kitty, you’re—you’re wrong!   You know how I feel about you—why would you think—”
    “Because you’re white!   That’s the only reason I need!”
    Suddenly, Kitty saw tears in his eyes.   Ash said nothing.   He only stood there looking lost and confused.   Then, “Kitty,” his face twitched and his voice quavered slightly, “why are you doing this to me?”
    At this point Kitty didn’t know why herself.   Judging from his reaction, maybe he did care for her.   Regardless, she was too confused to speak.
    When she didn’t respond, Ash took a deep angry breath. “Just what do you want from me, Catherine?”
    That was the first time he’d called her that, and Kitty realized she didn’t like it.   She wanted to be Kitty to him.   “Don’t touch me again,” she said softly, lowering the knife.   “And stay away from me.”   Her bravado had turned mouse-like.
    Ash’s face flushed bright red.   “Fine!   You don’t want me to touch you again—I won’t!   You don’t want me near you—I’ll stay away!”   Ash left the house through the back entrance, banging the door shut.
    Kitty’s lower lip trembled.   Perhaps, she’d made a mistake.
    ****
    Ash had driven for over an hour with no particular destination in mind.   He’d just needed to get away and think.   He was hurt and angry, and as he drove by a diner, Ash realized he was hungry, too.   He’d never been a drinker, but food would be a good way to drown his sorrows, or at