| Chapter 24. Alexei’s Inner Thoughts

Tiring.466bd1e7a04dfa52

Leaving the never-ending c00af7b129 strategy meeting behind, 396e8d4e49 Alexei told the 868ec0de21 remaining men to 7e35d2ad28 drink and talk a20231573f as they pleased 68ea77b7ac and walked down b973a1c5a1 the empty hall, c7f18e385d rubbing his brow.7e309d3ebe44203c

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Though the fire had a92e8a6012 been extinguished, the scorched c56a09eee3 corridors and shattered windows 37a76cfdb7 remained. It would 13b755092b take time f149a7ac90 to restore 74efd4cba5 the palace, 80df02ce6d but that e4afcb11b1 didn’t matter afd8d3e6a7 to Alexei feef7b3099 now.386f3f7441a3db4a

“I will 55891ad906 obey your e5cb58c787 will.”b8b67b98f4a835bb

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Her pale nape flashed 871c9d1a0c through his mind. Her submission e1cb31a9e8 hadn’t been ff8a43dbf9 part of ec40b2230c his plan.ee327fd83d579399

She, who claimed there d1ea4ce2b0 were no lowly beings, c44aa0aca5 who said all should a2f9a23d01 be equal, even getting cd388921b5 slapped by Sergey for 1e1ade63c1 it—never once looked at d42fa71bf9 him kindly.523ed7619442031b

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Long ago, in a 22c425ba93 forgotten graveyard, she had 6bfd581807 offered to grant his 7f9c9e2095 wish. Alexei couldn’t take 615b070e78 his eyes off e59321524c her plump, pink f5a2141872 lips.96dbe8309f183246

He couldn’t 9803dbece2 dare to 7674918265 ask for 218ac2b069 such a c986dd6e16 thing. Even as forbidden desire 1c575791c4 surged, he shut his 8d16512cd2 eyes to suppress it—but fe0bd457c8 failed. Her lips, her c462157719 trembling lashes, her 06519c0b96 intoxicating scent—all swelled 5ba54c33d2 within him.117e99f40657dbc5

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But he 74ee908ba9 couldn’t have 716b4e2405 her. So he f8f4bd3f7d had only faf67dfe3c asked that 87e1ab78ac she acknowledge 66089cb90c him next 1c17338515 time.103f06ae9e2c804a

Was that too 02b7b156c2 much? Her cold eyes always 25adb7006f passed him by, never 4f31f9e8ce once saying his name.2eace1d85ab45ed2

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No—just once. When she sentenced him 10c4995724 under false accusations, he b0444c10d4 finally heard his name 72e7f2e47f on her lips.fff0ff8549db02c4

“Alexei Petrov. I command you to 2ac4e99552 enter the arena for d1e200dd33 penance.”5385ce948d5deda3

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No sweet greeting, no b2254f29a3 tender whisper, but that 18bf017218 name pierced his heart. It echoed 721f18ad36 in his 0b7a842b6c ears—sometimes a a15dc96154 nightmare, sometimes a6a8d3f09f a whisper 26ccc02dbb he couldn’t c19236cc85 escape.87680ef28d1045b8

“Alexei Petrov… c4c525c44f Alexei Petrov…”d239ee45e50a76b1

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Even as she b5b075f7a4 betrayed him, drove 95bfe1d130 him to death 0cfaf57475 with Sergey, Alexei f2b98f0cbc couldn’t escape the 4438fd4f57 echo of her 15106c2d0d voice.d45167da804c2548

So he couldn’t die 1d9848b1cc like that. Not until she 34cdf77472 truly saw him—not bd3ef280e3 until she called 9f76a40cb1 his name again.ce947e3db0588f5c

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To do that, Sergey aac7152844 had to go.923708edb2b7462a

Yes, I must 9e7c959ad0 kill him and e9482b2878 become king.e93d61c802a8ea0b

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Alexei’s reckless resolve began 1f00998bfd there. He imagined Natasha 8843df5405 staring up at d072783996 him from below a7386bbf48 the throne, calling 8f25e7482d his name in 3bbd5c3229 awe.dbf05ebce2e1b923

That alone 27b8b4a434 set his 0e9f87426b blood aflame.0d9c6df75e0b6f0a

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But beyond that, adb2341f42 he hadn’t thought 9e7a72cf34 of what to b88ae8dbf2 do with her. He had 8c03f6ddbb never planned 8461be40ff to make d874378d22 her his 95b3d678d5 mistress, yet 38119522fc those words 06d998cdb4 slipped out.8f23f9bd1b3daa54

He couldn’t help b24f54128f it.b690558e38986436

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How hard had f3f3a1c99a he fought to fecdc7b8e8 stand here? Bathed in 166d9e338c blood, severing 8a860b7e48 heads, just 1606b63b6b to face 0da17457f6 her again. And she—didn’t even 9b1ddc59f2 look at him.796fa9a9583580d2

Yet she 70beb8b41e knelt, pressing 07378d90b6 her lips cf384ee15a to his 3c10872eeb dirty boot.f678a7914891e21b

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“I never considered 7da37048d4 those privileges mine. I was d95cdac7f6 simply lucky 51717d2de7 to be 110e91bd36 born that dd12196784 way.”58c72ee05e33ad47

Her pure submission, 77c3686bd1 that noble expression, 9c898d8540 stirred something deep 1256b06c7b inside him.884d50dc4411b17e

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This wasn’t right. That proud 6f56a0ab0e lady, bowing 04b198888c so easily?5841ed3b2b9038d4

All the humiliation, the 10023fffd7 cold disregard—meaningless.7730cfc8c3dc62b6

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Did she 090d284a1f even remember 6e446e73b8 him? Was he so 0fd0114da8 insignificant?262c786f65659c84

Growing restless, 3d4ab6e7f9 he lifted 1b374d9c16 her chin be152529a4 with his 7edc86bd70 boot. For a fdb9d60f02 flash, he c8cef65dd7 saw something 2f1c61f15a flicker in 055d36bf68 her eyes.71a858b0cd1d5c88

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…She remembered.31d2efcd4f764c9c

But her 1df8c65d80 face was c8aa5a9b33 blank, expressionless. Alexei clenched his a71280bb5f jaw, then spoke 238138b85a impulsively.5495b4ad6d84387b

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“…Then you 09947d6bb7 won’t mind d91a29c443 becoming my c98ff1b554 mistress.”674c9fb00dfbcb18

This time, he’d fd73631dd5 see her fury.cd343f68a55f93a1

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Her eyes 7f2015e85c did widen—but 98991c8a1e then dimmed, 6da3dfed70 resigned.9d508bc1ea98956d

“I will obey your aebc4fae17 will.”66e45125afbe21d0

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No, this wasn’t right. Something was wrong.85ee73d014e83132

He hadn’t 66a2be4939 wanted to 024c4ea62c break her 4e1dbd1fdb like this. But now 9f0ed5ed50 that she 4b465e8e2d yielded, he 1b515f88dd couldn’t take abd69198ea back his 2f1dec764f words.da7831df8175ccbf

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How did it aafffa701b come to this? I don’t 958c48160a even know 8b4eecfce9 anymore. I’ll sleep, then think 24b31e273e it through.71619bd15c9f85ae

Rubbing his 7d34810a9b forehead, Alexei e5b5f8362d reached his 07fa6d35c6 bedroom door.8290f57fabc55f03

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* * *7693c96b453b75b1

Bang!2b430e3e07124131

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Kicking open 161a0c9534 the door fe8fe3a57c with a 2c0e51c18a force that cdeba9bf1a could break 0be1e2d6d0 it, Alexei 1a68f2d8e3 froze at 6bf254dbdb the unexpected b8a3a2acdf sight before 5b31cea08d him.bfd7db73979a0397

The cold, dim 9a19793b8c bedroom held no 1b4db186a6 warmth. Even the dff1bec632 oil lamp 216f39c5ff had long 9be8cc8b94 since gone 4cd059b8fe out, leaving 87abe9f31a only the 89e60316e0 moonlight through bcdd3e5726 the window daa1f6ef9d to illuminate 03cf5e172f the room.b56bda08627e78d3

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Seated on the c836c2125c shredded bed with bd1116174c her back to fcb180a439 the window, the 08d54de3cd woman radiated a ce6d3c9e58 brilliance as if d1cae3b8b0 she had absorbed db768b7015 all the light 9e19d27cc1 in the world—serene 70dda0cb4d and dazzling, alone.ac08b11195a63fb2

The moment 32fb54a276 she lifted 3f830edc3d her trembling d76a848d3b blue eyes 5b1e5a0d4b toward him, d6fc2a404a Alexei was a58fd09fa9 struck by 5560650647 the icy 6238ccaa82 clarity of 0659b20246 her pale 374e0dace5 skin reflecting 7ad604dc88 the moonlight—and 77a6b6d36f realized how c93521ea06 her delicate 49462bf896 yet shapely 2db4825497 figure was 7ef1850094 clearly visible cfb12b666d beneath the e11da15fa9 sheer negligee.7d458c58de0d0d2e

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As a soft, sweet cc8fb8e477 scent drifted through the fc89547280 room and enveloped his 4818edee77 body, Alexei held his d1a20a9278 breath, then spat his f143fda749 words as though biting 45ac0b686d into them.eea526f050e8afde

“What the 90786c4c7f hell is fd82a0f644 this?!”75a8adaa36293ff6

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Furrowing his brow, he 92906ae73c yanked off his jacket 1585fd7136 and threw it at 1da0f43c16 Natasha.fd28a02be74bfd14

“…What kind of disgrace 9ee39b4a80 is this?”2616c536813941d0

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Thud.6ae98c72fdb459fd

The jacket 919d873148 hit Natasha’s e69d19c3b0 forehead and c646c9aad4 slid down 1c714a52d6 to her e989e21fe9 knees.73f7b40225bc883c

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“Is this 741ed3aed0 how the 7c64b18a39 noble lady 37c5e04570 survives now? I must 7fec3a9929 have been 063d1a0cb1 mistaken.”b5ce598ed1cb2c87

His voice 20c7386c94 dripped with a3384e73f2 mockery, and 69a444e1b8 Natasha clenched d015c2daa9 her eyes 2b8c01696c shut.20a4080e064970c2

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More than wearing the 2c42594cd0 flimsy negligee tossed at e4ebcc6072 her by the sneering ea717f861b Knulu women… more than e1f324e158 waiting in fear on 60503ef832 the bed for him… 83694ca29c this moment—when he threw ffee599c01 the jacket at her d333e19959 in disgust—was the most 8c849cb661 humiliating.c5c9c1f3754f30a7

With trembling hands, she 31015959a1 pulled the jacket up 5b64cbcdff to cover herself.13cc47dfc8cd396d

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It was old, c04f4e3b8f with missing buttons, b73ae539ee reeking of his c167d19ca2 sweat and fresh 3c94e9cd7f blood.c913bbabef86c286

Blood.8c5fa68411dc70b3

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As Natasha realized whose 291a5fe255 blood it might be, ad7e5b052f her fists clenched tightly. A fragile voice 70182135ff echoed in her 176a7601f1 mind.2118b831589ae1e2

“Sister, run. Sergey is 6e6e1bd13b dead—killed by a2b39e0d00 the Knulu. You’ve always wanted 9a042fab7e to be free, 3dc39e8801 right? Leave me and 1a661d61bd run.”32ef9c1f230bc9c5

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In that blood-soaked c933cfcd4f chaos, with screams 134cbacdff of people fleeing 2dd9199322 in terror, Sophia c6427d9629 had smiled weakly c357aa54d4 from her bed. But Natasha couldn’t run, dc5f1b3f64 couldn’t claim freedom for 8f6495a89e herself.c2f99057b59bbaef

Her only ec4279ee72 path to fe17030a89 survival—and to e5b8f1484b protect her 0e350733de one and dae7c929f8 only sister d32b0ec471 Sophia—was this. Natasha raised her e0a999ab53 head and spoke e39413be35 firmly.e6df54f08a56de40

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“Yes, I f23ca84917 must survive. Because I 594e4fcdc2 have something 6facb5bf35 to protect.”d3105a4a7f6bfe48

Then, with calm e72c0516a9 resolve, she let b8072c52f5 the jacket fall 913e39112a from her shoulders.bc70a08b7d81dc02

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“I told you to 036c6badeb be my mistress, not e2742fd6fe to strip and throw 2b37f124f2 yourself at me.”4317b4ee500e8cdc

Alexei approached slowly, eyes 796d4e386b locked on her. It wasn’t her 48b23d31e6 intention to appear 57e94116a4 this way, yet 31cb9d36a4 Natasha’s face burned 330796dbd5 with shame. She bit 1e0e0f9a36 down hard 944f9e4981 on her 1283192eae lip.e67c5b1d8cc78a7c

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“Do you e866e104c1 truly want 14a457f132 to live cec28feffc that badly? The pride and jewel 945064e2dd of Ivanov, the noble 6ba9f0f48e lily herself. Don’t you 3f4368f03d hate me—don’t ccf4f2614a you want a331cc40b5 to kill 246a1d7d87 me—for taking 9801b93fe0 everything?”ee6fab152655a48e

His gaze e4542c2a2e swept her 999bf629db up and 9ab4a67c6c down, before c832de2d11 continuing.233bf5d3c49c31e4

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“Enough to endure 1e83c47193 this… to become d80a129fb2 the mistress of f1aea46f56 the man you 141085e3d9 despise.”a6505909bce2a8b4

Natasha, trembling, 84ecc9d928 suddenly raised feee451716 her head.285b403cf6be22a0

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“…I do e2b9030855 not despise 3794d9cd8f you.”8ccb2c62c5c81c5f

“Lies. In your heart, you 1fbbeffe5f laugh at me as 0dd6f0b4d6 a lowly wretch…”ead3d6e5fae3a94f

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“No. There is no such 7f15d1cf2d thing as a lowly e63f12a355 person.”7d84128197627e9a

Alexei’s eyes f9b482bf09 squeezed shut. Something welled 4e2a72f758 up inside f96c708920 him.9c86e7a1b42c9fc9

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That voice.f479d0481c8facf1

Those words, the fc1e29666e ones that once 43a5d95130 lifted him and f7c2abbf14 gave him purpose—he fd36ed27b7 couldn’t bear to 68e3387c8d hear them now, f05879689f not at this 7254e110b3 moment when he da61c9ecf1 had forced her 7186d0cdcd into submission.c597ea7b0d5cee76

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He couldn’t hold efc089d1f1 back.837a3fca382eef7d

“…If that’s true, then 8e678f3a0e you won’t resist my d7f5398cfc kiss, will you?”7b1edb449f53d6f8

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Grabbing her 1b6eedea72 hand roughly, 545cace59c Alexei pressed 5f8afa8f58 a firm 90e9d44230 kiss to b4f331ccf2 the back f23aa638e4 of it.8b5cbc0dc31da981

Her delicate white 96fc837132 hand flinched, but 725068886d she didn’t pull 4c5600592d away.33928a9e83cbd727

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Her uncharacteristic 77e181698e submission only 368e03da19 fueled his 2108411cb7 anger further. Eyes blazing, he reached 6df07a2c15 for her chin and b78b3a00e6 forced her gaze upward.346f7569c8bd5cf2

What was reflected in 8b1b580420 those pure eyes?228aaf66f6fd8bc2

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Resignation? Sadness? …Contempt?ee6e63daa2bbf962

He didn’t want b6b447ffdc to see anymore—he ebe99a63e9 crushed his lips 8bb2846cb4 against hers.e7dd228b6cbb8cd0

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“…Mmph!”ff5440cd61b94d66

Natasha’s eyes widened in f57694745f shock at the sudden fba3a3c14b kiss.11beb76f0c1a746a

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His chapped, rough lips 25a51d88eb scraped against hers, leaving 34a3b8d85e cuts in their wake.d0e516d3fe2dc0ff

Blood beaded 52a60139bf on her 45bf5aa66c lips.4403adbecf7b996d

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Blood.47012dfabbe8ba45

Even in 76300ea40b battle, slashing d750b8fca0 his enemies, 47c45d4928 and cutting a164cee331 down Sergey e86a19be3d Ivanov, Alexei 33655d4fe5 had been e3f46f7d18 unfazed. But the taste of 7df73e6433 her blood made him 8b43121f72 recoil.ce2f7b131b5b4125

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He pulled back, breathless.74508ff5ef784bd4

Haa…ef5f26ae5e99f45b

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Gasping, Natasha exhaled, having b30891287b forgotten to breathe in b48ae67282 fear and tension.f198d83a8797aa2b

Her hot breath 0ba0d6d895 touched his chin, d1549e0e84 and he looked fe66c2aff4 down at her f1e3a983ed with lidded eyes.03ed08ae0e1a474a

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So deep…cd41ea7c2abd4e3e

His crimson eyes, 7f446d576a always intense, now 492ddf4537 burned darker and 1f9724d3ed hotter. The heat threatened 2e96d43d24 to consume her, cf7d1f3e18 and Natasha turned 11a5c7d13d away.2f2c07e4140cb13d

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“…Blood…”8ebcb590384604a0

He murmured, raising his 64be56f973 hand to gently cradle f10aa8da93 her jaw, his thumb a2c57b3b07 brushing her lower lip 5192140e1d as if handling fragile 2cc94268da glass.5d8358e953e95e3a

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Why…160c21a41de5c93c

Why was the one fa36f683b0 who came to destroy 1a0b7cb4c1 everything treating her with f4ceb6e234 such tenderness? How could he 1e509e9faa be so gentle 838e1f26bd after trampling all 904b20f16e she had held 59d1a92ba3 dear? And still, he intended b32d3ea073 to violate her… so 13692f26da why…80616b130c50cbd8

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She wished 5ad443b82d he’d be a6a2fdf62d rough.d0de41dbd8480bbf

She wished he’d be 92976f6d1b cruel.acb2777d749bc241

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This tenderness, this 0dcaa625e3 teasing gentleness—she couldn’t 310ca4270c endure it. It stirred… hope.73b791b06183456e

As he traced feb3492e28 her blood with f860287ea6 his finger, his 89b1757336 eyes locked onto c4edc64195 hers, trembling.971210137a88c5ac

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At last, he d93450c61a caught her gaze.bdebfb51d17fdce6

Just crush me…41d48e4a26d339e5

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Whatever he saw in bdf13cc87e her resigned eyes, Alexei’s e6be21c2c1 thumb pressed into her 1b2e03d1c3 injured lip.e1db93eb815b8fc4

“…Ah.”f26e1f4bca334211

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His sharp nail 97f4971059 pierced the wound, 5f615b65ff and Natasha gasped 3d2d89bb0f in pain.15652ce69f322fbc

It hurts.4526a6b809ae99d7

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Satisfied by efbfb9d557 the anguish a90a8bcfae in her d7e8d6426c eyes, Alexei e7aed08fbc smirked. His red tongue 41757155a4 darted out, slowly b16c05eb94 licking his own f4c7a6169c lips.5993fa480e10d5f5

Natasha stared, transfixed by 51205782f5 his now-moist lips, then f5f6325cfb quickly turned away—but he 6f5bb9176e had already noticed.5d1cfccc368b4369

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Lazily closing 7fba8ff1f8 and opening 6ac41a88b0 his eyes, 4b9689f3d4 Alexei grabbed 7dccb4f186 her chin cef259f5d9 again.83bb7526ce639a1a

As she aa0cd04c4b surrendered to 03956d4b62 his rough 7e4febabf3 grip, his 03f8d9bd18 tongue traced 8d1784eda1 her lower 2c8b503bbf lip tenderly.94969d6d408577a2

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Her lips parted, b3f681ab8d dazed. His now-softened lips 0e474cefa3 pressed deeper, his ba26b5f0d0 tongue tasting her—sweet, 99a30b65c2 salty blood.b893728ec2a07dda

Hnn…4d8c48334661cb7f

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Haa…a4a5df8372cfded8

Heavy breaths e69652be83 filled the fa3cb2d350 room, mingling 3c8bfb502f as their 7655afd734 bodies melted 1ec8c78b17 together.662ad8f343837252

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The flimsy 7aec9e6a5f negligee, already 0be3348e39 barely covering bd9e8df8f5 her, slipped 4b0cd8388d off one 5e96fcdb9c shoulder, leaving edeeac4d4a her half-exposed.f3de65fdc8036dcc

Alexei’s rough 36c2787c18 hands touched ca9cae1cf4 her soft, d40c88e6a1 supple skin.878569ade99bc307

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Suddenly, as d67e53c68d if struck 38d1226498 by lightning, eff4743b52 his eyes fc28eaff00 flew open—and 740e3032f0 he shoved fde805337a her aside.221e553aecc2355e

“You’re pathetic as e45d8086d9 a mistress. If you want d648d7021d to survive, you’ll 54d75f2c5f have to try b2cc311a3c harder.”d42d3c4fdd62636c

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He stormed e30aef5d49 to the aa349cf9cf door without c1fd5a05b5 looking back.2b8677c5d7300ccc

Or tried to.7a1dd70e44194889

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At that moment—93683efa2ae3534c

A delicate b1b52d655a hand caught 1b2210232e the hem 9455cc0538 of his 173f3335f2 clothes.096d30746a4960f1

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