| Chapter 24. Alexei’s Inner Thoughts

Tiring.0d5745830c2fc33c

Leaving the never-ending ff92d0a797 strategy meeting behind, 04c35ad153 Alexei told the 4f8e686d8c remaining men to ee7699b95b drink and talk 947d9a2d55 as they pleased 8d8447cdbe and walked down f665701aa7 the empty hall, d11008a7f6 rubbing his brow.1aefeffb761b1683

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Though the fire 46e4621049 had been extinguished, c573f4afe3 the scorched corridors d4ab78f522 and shattered windows 3bd1ecadfe remained. It would a04c7748c8 take time e5599c9be2 to restore 196a2192ad the palace, 0d0db5d512 but that c87c7d2d6c didn’t matter 0697d9552a to Alexei 7468957065 now.63019b4395ac5ddc

“I will obey 6edb8bc634 your will.”66e4571546074387

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Her pale nape flashed 28de0ded5b through his mind. Her submission hadn’t 6f442e3cba been part of 554c31c0d8 his plan.547a04475be81a11

She, who claimed there 43c15418e2 were no lowly beings, 5967e259e4 who said all should 1af7662f31 be equal, even getting 21ce520210 slapped by Sergey for 69dc2eae29 it—never once looked at 432afee502 him kindly.ba9e9a7cb4249a72

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Long ago, 967fe8af03 in a caa6720fde forgotten graveyard, 1374c8de03 she had a6b3d5a00e offered to 28b6836edb grant his 4239a0273c wish. Alexei couldn’t take 6dc5540dd5 his eyes off 7581e2ca6b her plump, pink 7e72b0977d lips.184080b98c71bbb4

He couldn’t dare to 139a6ad253 ask for such a ca1fa44dd0 thing. Even as forbidden 1d59d992eb desire surged, he b6aa876ab1 shut his eyes 56337ad8d6 to suppress it—but e5ec9fa803 failed. Her lips, 2eaf5cd4db her trembling 4992d55fec lashes, her 50ab6b503c intoxicating scent—all 8cc1e1daef swelled within 1cd47c49c5 him.ad6b2c3fb891d5c0

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But he couldn’t have dfd2a5e672 her. So he had only f330bcced1 asked that she acknowledge d2b7b30838 him next time.826ea68e8afbfce2

Was that too much? Her cold eyes always 05198f7f98 passed him by, never b925db0973 once saying his name.319af484b054eedd

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No—just once. When she 96483c80fd sentenced him 50c4e972fc under false 9add11017f accusations, he 5e1e71c4f9 finally heard 417b1daa3f his name e453ed793a on her df637fa630 lips.180f0059d6467624

“Alexei Petrov. I command you aa1959273a to enter the cccd02795e arena for penance.”f7d3e84b9a3606bd

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No sweet greeting, c86d4fd58b no tender whisper, 0d35b42ded but that name ae75fde462 pierced his heart. It echoed aacaeec1d6 in his 00521da9bd ears—sometimes a cc5ffbaf43 nightmare, sometimes e40628f47b a whisper 3594fd2be3 he couldn’t 974dd72aa5 escape.fc515c4f254728cb

“Alexei Petrov… Alexei Petrov…”0cde6e40e8dd6e98

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Even as she d0dff19382 betrayed him, drove 232c65025f him to death 31c4fa510d with Sergey, Alexei 1e3350e6d7 couldn’t escape the 5eb05bece3 echo of her 7ef6dd0570 voice.82bd2e13bb6344e8

So he couldn’t 262f982f48 die like that. Not until she 413ea41f60 truly saw him—not 8694ca68db until she called dd3f6cfdd5 his name again.0bf41fbaa1daa098

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To do that, Sergey 36d1ac3d94 had to go.5ba63f8e5cc0c0f1

Yes, I must e3deda718b kill him and 8b5cde40e9 become king.530e86aa3eb0125d

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Alexei’s reckless 6582137efc resolve began 9bc4d071e6 there. He imagined Natasha 1c46213cad staring up at 4be60ea043 him from below d3f479fbf1 the throne, calling 082c078b08 his name in 8eb63bdca6 awe.dc4c185d6f1f6f9e

That alone set his c54e790829 blood aflame.fa31b40baac88d41

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But beyond that, he 5d416c4aa1 hadn’t thought of what 404fbb63f3 to do with her. He had never b03506debb planned to make f27035168c her his mistress, ffeaaeec35 yet those words 8d96f12d7c slipped out.a26576c7f646c2e8

He couldn’t help ab26faf5cc it.303bdbb85d78e5a7

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How hard 2f41fba21a had he 0ed2ea4066 fought to 71fcb801dc stand here? Bathed in blood, faba6fa16b severing heads, just da8a596ed1 to face her 297fb6c18e again. And she—didn’t 6c88437c12 even look d5d599511b at him.82db773da9fd2a61

Yet she knelt, 6c9c18d2c6 pressing her lips aa3cb5731f to his dirty 006b3df95d boot.902eb03de6aa1190

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“I never considered those 561f1f243e privileges mine. I was simply lucky eea1cc416a to be born that c7b795caa5 way.”12c2e9e8d3865131

Her pure submission, 294136afab that noble expression, c6b9fc356b stirred something deep ebd65010d0 inside him.760908258baef0e9

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This wasn’t right. That proud eeccc348c9 lady, bowing 7ea3a54879 so easily?db4f0de0ea7ed02e

All the fcddf91c25 humiliation, the 335805eb8f cold disregard—meaningless.26a5055fc8971c09

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Did she a7f18cba9e even remember b40e1532a5 him? Was he so insignificant?71d1ed6514e3a5ff

Growing restless, he lifted 2b73ffbd18 her chin with his dc0cd5d337 boot. For a flash, 4ae1fadbd6 he saw something a7fe22f9b7 flicker in her d111a10963 eyes.843fcbe2dea24875

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…She remembered.f30957dddb9d4b91

But her 1e77b3fe96 face was 064d73544a blank, expressionless. Alexei clenched a1ef0c1199 his jaw, 14c41b70b6 then spoke 12e7aefcb3 impulsively.fa6c106626d184b9

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“…Then you won’t mind 2a9ffd943b becoming my mistress.”2e08ef6507c149fa

This time, he’d 1ed220a248 see her fury.42038529f04b3494

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Her eyes 4d8ebc21ca did widen—but 03b559b1f2 then dimmed, 5b88080515 resigned.9375f07ccb8c8be3

“I will obey your 74c0e9a80d will.”45d7ffba6c03a051

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No, this wasn’t right. Something was wrong.c9b4dab69cb34331

He hadn’t wanted 9ace6c871d to break her 7a6cc17352 like this. But now that e29e32a7c1 she yielded, he 9317743f64 couldn’t take back dde8fa1235 his words.9af927d60dad9014

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How did it come c00ae174c0 to this? I don’t even know 9f8418cdd2 anymore. I’ll sleep, d391ad6e12 then think 7001243c40 it through.33d31e55e9e66fea

Rubbing his forehead, 0b10729555 Alexei reached his c4e5aa5781 bedroom door.a86f38cde82fda5b

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* * *3d083930c0bfc204

Bang!34db020a6ddb684c

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Kicking open 595defd386 the door fccfbd60f3 with a 9992034b0e force that a7e91c6d73 could break d9aa2edb02 it, Alexei 5954843538 froze at aa5c735da7 the unexpected c8ef3ed43e sight before 0f75c80f60 him.2303f823d8433761

The cold, dim ca6880850f bedroom held no 4a3bbf6739 warmth. Even the 41ae2d80a9 oil lamp 3e4458659c had long 34cd3d32d3 since gone 99492aeb35 out, leaving 4163f6deb4 only the 4e6086ca22 moonlight through ac5dfbabf5 the window 3bc87fefb1 to illuminate cfe3951e45 the room.a017ce27e6333f5b

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Seated on db48ea8a9a the shredded e8fcf9c644 bed with 7260162b9c her back 6b9dd6b550 to the 2c2b32a0a8 window, the 8336b93ece woman radiated 3c9d6bf020 a brilliance 1648985320 as if f60db85a13 she had 60e258ef53 absorbed all 29c40b0bc7 the light b68fbe4319 in the ed0baf55ce world—serene and 27d3cf40a3 dazzling, alone.81e73d1df42987c5

The moment she 2fe712b52e lifted her trembling 940f913300 blue eyes toward fa0a278490 him, Alexei was 366644c376 struck by the c38a4b0ea8 icy clarity of 3b4023bab4 her pale skin 7695906c63 reflecting the moonlight—and 1d9ce2183d realized how her 1745a5137a delicate yet shapely 3ed337db0b figure was clearly 5cf35789e8 visible beneath the 6a8acb2b81 sheer negligee.19b60c9478542d34

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As a ca2c1c523a soft, sweet 1d77d1a306 scent drifted 70a278a8c8 through the 399c4101e4 room and aae1cc0f54 enveloped his 2758d66eaf body, Alexei 1a05f6894f held his d3194ca31a breath, then eef90eb6a4 spat his 3d9c3882ee words as 18f65e73fc though biting 12a7427b0d into them.8f36120e6aba5924

“What the hell 872cf9b9fb is this?!”9f0997bc6452011b

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Furrowing his brow, he 18985ec2ce yanked off his jacket 04fba4122d and threw it at c27741998c Natasha.413816ad54a2500c

“…What kind of disgrace 02e7ef0fd8 is this?”a186d96078fd9266

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Thud.e7ef54e92e67a5ea

The jacket hit Natasha’s c11f641c00 forehead and slid down 495d643ccc to her knees.cbef69de8b571820

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“Is this 636a232c17 how the e5ca98e44b noble lady 02a44c6d18 survives now? I must have 103718a71c been mistaken.”888a5ce6aed46ed9

His voice dripped 50f1a1e833 with mockery, and ef1d3c5d8d Natasha clenched her 7894905769 eyes shut.fea5706bdb995f7e

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More than wearing the d6325437f4 flimsy negligee tossed at 339b02ba10 her by the sneering bf647c144e Knulu women… more than 7ab09cd066 waiting in fear on 478f606f74 the bed for him… 0eb5b5ed5d this moment—when he threw cf5f9d7870 the jacket at her e9dd9c5c3e in disgust—was the most c1663c29ea humiliating.0dc7baedfc32acfc

With trembling hands, c150e591a3 she pulled the ba28c5f75c jacket up to 76d734fdbb cover herself.7c66979696a89d39

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It was old, with d403c622e4 missing buttons, reeking of 9260d2ec77 his sweat and fresh e3d35d7626 blood.7f2373db2a5ae00a

Blood.42d9c188c2164101

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As Natasha b45ac91d97 realized whose 1aba891397 blood it 54ec1b9460 might be, 1c921a60b5 her fists 080d797e69 clenched tightly. A fragile 03b3393307 voice echoed 935c9f65d4 in her 3759103192 mind.a7a39d8a6c9cf30d

“Sister, run. Sergey is 5c6f733708 dead—killed by 07bf27c248 the Knulu. You’ve always wanted a2c53357ff to be free, 3b6ce50c3a right? Leave me 08b16225fb and run.”63f9e26a1d7c5b76

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In that blood-soaked chaos, bc0ccba285 with screams of people 2fc43a5405 fleeing in terror, Sophia 59e85f738e had smiled weakly from cfe61e235f her bed. But Natasha couldn’t 90c8dce687 run, couldn’t claim 50ac5a405c freedom for herself.300c784051f1cda5

Her only path to d09950eb41 survival—and to protect her 45ac8a3e81 one and only sister 4bf085c0e6 Sophia—was this. Natasha raised her 24d6ae3b4b head and spoke 49fa483764 firmly.ee5dd82934e44a2d

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“Yes, I must survive. Because I have something 1d435cb4fd to protect.”ecf48472318a0588

Then, with calm bf0b503b4c resolve, she let b5d4210fd5 the jacket fall a451a03530 from her shoulders.5c9237f22d54a65f

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“I told you a639e98196 to be my 3820df7ff8 mistress, not to c09d74bef8 strip and throw dc573316f0 yourself at me.”2dfa766b56e4fa39

Alexei approached fcd05e642a slowly, eyes c7d033a3eb locked on aa47b0b831 her. It wasn’t her e302637476 intention to appear e8fd97fbac this way, yet ae9b8079b3 Natasha’s face burned e533359ecb with shame. She bit e212b2cd96 down hard e2d8b4b0d2 on her 0b283ade6f lip.2f7cd70a113d54c2

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“Do you truly want 5f44ab26d5 to live that badly? The pride and 23b12c9b51 jewel of Ivanov, 4782f2720b the noble lily 057c458232 herself. Don’t you hate me—don’t 171530f34e you want to kill 5dfab7f389 me—for taking everything?”424d86955b4f2874

His gaze swept efd5d9cdef her up and 2e36728051 down, before continuing.121695657e379887

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“Enough to endure d6cd3552d4 this… to become ae2abfa146 the mistress of eb919d7f13 the man you cde4dc6833 despise.”9a635cdd3a797275

Natasha, trembling, 98e73e9ebd suddenly raised 1b29251a28 her head.09de36c13a5b20fd

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“…I do not despise 8b8ecb6b1b you.”dcd481953acffaf8

“Lies. In your heart, 530010c401 you laugh at f27fe77f45 me as a e5573e13bc lowly wretch…”b7092a64c085b584

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“No. There is 2615b6cc3d no such 5518f0a533 thing as e22127db02 a lowly bca6a9d1f7 person.”10b1a5aaf8b5bd49

Alexei’s eyes squeezed shut. Something welled up inside 7853d0eef8 him.474782e619e9689b

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That voice.b8347e8e9cd5382c

Those words, 793a266b37 the ones 94b61699ff that once a9aa348693 lifted him 71cacef0b8 and gave 915bcea983 him purpose—he 07fa467de0 couldn’t bear 2913b0229f to hear a79561b507 them now, de173a249c not at aa37a89dbb this moment 70620520c6 when he cd1462fea5 had forced d0e9348961 her into 070b2fee9d submission.16a91acaf62ca4a6

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He couldn’t hold back.9cd441f13c318322

“…If that’s true, then afddff80fc you won’t resist my 3243cd2ac7 kiss, will you?”9f8bbf9f37cfd87f

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Grabbing her ebe83f392a hand roughly, 37b7e5064b Alexei pressed bdf24f6e87 a firm 05fa0ad9de kiss to 2b71ffc370 the back 7558a9209b of it.3f27580eb5985e40

Her delicate white hand d219488579 flinched, but she didn’t 028f777389 pull away.0e811f4b7d0611f2

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Her uncharacteristic 3d281dde51 submission only 88321a4bb0 fueled his ff9e3f332f anger further. Eyes blazing, f849bd1001 he reached 5923d3fa22 for her 57c18fe239 chin and 4d47d49a17 forced her 791b8a1f99 gaze upward.4322c8465de64928

What was reflected in 4dd68c8684 those pure eyes?8c1a9e4fe523abd0

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Resignation? Sadness? …Contempt?ad5de6a2856d62c5

He didn’t want 64ede1986e to see anymore—he e97724fa4c crushed his lips df8392156f against hers.508114eb4ff37a75

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“…Mmph!”2bf9716a8b9be301

Natasha’s eyes 642f4c5c60 widened in ff8d27e39e shock at b049cfb707 the sudden f145ae97b1 kiss.7c9c5c5d41aa2730

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His chapped, rough lips b4154fcc5c scraped against hers, leaving a7d2b1db0c cuts in their wake.01ff4558d53a37e3

Blood beaded on her f3f4beba16 lips.696e454c46e330ee

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Blood.3c2d701d895cbadd

Even in battle, slashing 7c8761c945 his enemies, and cutting 4d367464f3 down Sergey Ivanov, Alexei 96298d96de had been unfazed. But the 9d8da246e2 taste of dbeb945749 her blood e413127507 made him 7652887124 recoil.e1e8f060ff496356

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He pulled back, 4609e436ce breathless.9eeca4ec7b2df2b7

Haa…924f06d1ca094059

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Gasping, Natasha 9592383117 exhaled, having 18961fff27 forgotten to 210afbbc05 breathe in acdd19fcad fear and 004e5ca5de tension.e88bf653bd03e09e

Her hot 55722638a8 breath touched a13251cf28 his chin, 8d87af2722 and he d3c23442a7 looked down 2505ccebcf at her d4084c1edd with lidded 262776f6ed eyes.35f53324910778d7

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So deep…96d886d25b50b5ac

His crimson eyes, 12e79107f3 always intense, now d319f58175 burned darker and cf3bc1d46f hotter. The heat threatened to 61d42547d0 consume her, and Natasha abfd01f39c turned away.b665903b92aa7623

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“…Blood…”504f41601ee2dcc2

He murmured, raising 6fc782183a his hand to e1f0f11a72 gently cradle her ccbd153416 jaw, his thumb b6b595e220 brushing her lower 8fd7576c26 lip as if 4db5fd7600 handling fragile glass.c54cd245c02a1e78

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Why…6a3372d64e46c1c7

Why was 9fa1891425 the one fc6224a786 who came 45b4cfe863 to destroy 91cfd756f7 everything treating d15e6bf928 her with 711a4b6678 such tenderness? How could he 8dd54a3382 be so gentle d6392813d9 after trampling all 764a822316 she had held 798a9b6f64 dear? And still, he intended b2695ce4b6 to violate her… so cca9594d50 why…09425d561c18c777

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She wished 4d70dd9d4a he’d be e8b15fa472 rough.d4f95562fb2066f9

She wished a8d89ea9bd he’d be a134ee8c74 cruel.ba65fe0bde35e9da

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This tenderness, 1d350ab43d this teasing ef41b2a3b2 gentleness—she couldn’t fa1e826801 endure it. It stirred… hope.1498314a817bbd79

As he traced her 5e725cb360 blood with his finger, 427e929b77 his eyes locked onto 80ee8e2d73 hers, trembling.08052319dea29d33

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At last, he 304f864a6a caught her gaze.1da33b347c6a2fef

Just crush me…173f4f31b4b8b39a

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Whatever he saw in 8cf9b4b523 her resigned eyes, Alexei’s 0f356ea8a7 thumb pressed into her 44809d5bb2 injured lip.2ea914f4e6d9eaf9

“…Ah.”d530a6fcbe57c14a

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His sharp d786b76e30 nail pierced d06293d2cd the wound, b09c8bd853 and Natasha 4065e0173c gasped in bc24c2f9d2 pain.b6acb426b71063c4

It hurts.b376b884ecec9390

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Satisfied by the 4dcf474691 anguish in her 9b96bf7c9f eyes, Alexei smirked. His red c90807cfef tongue darted c56c1e9cd5 out, slowly ba3b2d8bf2 licking his 494596e042 own lips.4fcd588c61d41dab

Natasha stared, transfixed 1840b32db4 by his now-moist 5299854b59 lips, then quickly afb7b6f4bd turned away—but he 59fe96dbbd had already noticed.241caf4d4540c7db

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Lazily closing and opening 1c0c29f353 his eyes, Alexei grabbed 70d8da985e her chin again.3ac9026ded221837

As she surrendered 69e1e26eea to his rough df95d362f5 grip, his tongue efc1e5276e traced her lower c9629d3a8e lip tenderly.c284e556025b6038

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Her lips parted, dazed. His now-softened lips pressed 28ffabd344 deeper, his tongue tasting ed8ab0bc61 her—sweet, salty blood.91976a373a9b72da

Hnn…c49a02406327c840

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Haa…9acd8768f6b7d378

Heavy breaths filled the 2a7079b379 room, mingling as their 0c9e9b6d33 bodies melted together.0c84cb883b10bba6

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The flimsy negligee, already cb097e919c barely covering her, slipped b88fdfbfdc off one shoulder, leaving f5685ee0f8 her half-exposed.fe8bb6b19598a1cc

Alexei’s rough hands touched 8e141ee6ee her soft, supple skin.b3811d2bb1921c70

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Suddenly, as if struck b2ec4a3708 by lightning, his eyes 8d13bed247 flew open—and he shoved de6bb7dcf3 her aside.273b5dc635f78bc3

“You’re pathetic as 3ca0196034 a mistress. If you want to f5b77e3026 survive, you’ll have to fcdbe1efff try harder.”030bec4a1722c44d

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He stormed to the 23edcfdbff door without looking back.f1b580fc27354d1b

Or tried to.56cca3c09214c7dd

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At that moment—00fe3ad4881a1b4b

A delicate hand caught da3a24d3b6 the hem of his 066ca335d3 clothes.7cd48dcf93cbb4e9

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