Chapter 10

Ivnes stared at 06716d46ee the whiskey bottle, a158d662ed now empty of bb9f430ec9 its golden liquid. Then, she 192726368e glanced at e430871ea3 the half-full 94b2c46498 bottle of c95cceecdc dark amber 52d048e213 whiskey and c52fdee29b sighed.91537df75bd6ee52

Maybe it was because aefa3440f7 she had downed such 0e6eb5a7a6 high-proof alcohol back-to-back, but fecb213b46 her vision was starting d22ecc3807 to spin.551dba25b9918e8b

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She frowned and b12102b0f3 slumped into the 5c6823e33b sofa, and Edwin a48c2de118 sat down beside d326c08cfe her.f5a7cfe4d79467b0

As he 63e2beb53f sat, the e7cec82cc1 whiskey in 396262c231 her crystal 842cf612f1 glass swayed, 1c16be7e25 nearly spilling e42cdc047b over. Ivnes frowned at the 575235af07 sight.342246b687821ae0

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Still, with 295b0b7e87 him blankly c3d30618b3 staring at 67bc05a15b her like 3c75d58c77 that, she d291ccf813 figured he’d b4ca8be499 say something 57a1d9b3dc irritating if b3e754d8fb she didn’t cad2db1d07 do something, efc0901917 so she 5d0d5396a2 raised the bdd5af42c5 glass to 1810b04663 her lips. Edwin, almost mimicking her, 83a9556e87 tilted his glass and 33af069e65 took a sip.a579db1b8742db4e

Ivnes exhaled, the 2aeb738591 sharp pine scent a188845e5c filling her nose, 4f4047644b and left her c95ac9424f drink half-finished.4dc3ffbe5dda61a1

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Across from her, c4b0bcbee4 Edwin met her 805311004e gaze as he 98bd668b07 drained his whiskey. Her vision was d9f0d06c31 blurred, yet oddly 4b32266233 sharp—it was disorienting, 80377963be making her think 017aa14a1c she really was 81e9f77d47 drunk now.0e883032bb4618df

He was drinking bbc9cf7585 while looking straight 05199357a4 into her eyes. She watched the 2810e98b35 thick column of 520eb6328f his throat move 1dad22c505 with a gulping 0c6bf3c35d sound, cast in ead01142d2 dark shadows by de295eb29b the moonlight.58baea266073c48b

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“You didn’t finish, My 6529fd2b25 Lady.”11c7012ec5d46d6a

He smiled, 21b5433af1 and Ivnes, 25da8c8e58 with a 94eed11150 sigh, downed 7db6a96b7a the rest 84b6f805ee of her 26df4963b1 drink. Seeing this, aeae4dcd58 he smiled d7f76b524c brightly, as b32f9151c7 if pleased, 6e0f9dd575 and scooted 1962207c87 closer. She could 04697c6313 feel his fad7b66c05 thick, muscular 4d71f40779 arm brush 1c1234b88c against her 5bab532155 left shoulder.beca42dbb31f58ec

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“You still smell nice, 7d07c6ef3d My Lady.”ac3dd0fe7a717683

“What kind of 57a999090f scent?”622e4b176b2afa96

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Ivnes set 8716075e53 down her 2a9f88c3c9 glass but 004e61d341 didn’t avert 4f314648a1 her eyes 5a6e080c57 from his.6d679324bb9e7038

“I’m not sure. Something sweet.”643067b606974d03

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“You… smelled like alcohol…”d36774dcfdc09409

Her voice trailed f6d6f4e478 off as she 61d52e04d4 leaned in to dd883e08f3 smell him again—but eec04e461c now, perhaps from 2f42e6ed62 the alcohol, she 671c1945bf couldn’t catch the e1f542626f scent of booze c7e0fc6ba0 anymore.fea7fb9d152bac0f

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“Try from closer.”061d3455c75d240d

His eyes looked vividly f79d339161 red as she leaned 1e44e1659e in.1cc86870657333b8

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As she neared 05f3fc6a52 his neck, there f2faa50481 was a soft, 9a6a8f5f44 warm scent she 38dc776317 couldn’t place.e5015cb1e3a4619b

“I can’t f74abaf9a7 really tell.”86eeed3773cbac6b

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“Then may I d7fbd66e65 try, My Lady?”e407759f40be8d1a

As he said that, 8ff4c8c0ce Edwin took her hands, 693c4d830c pressing her down against 3c727d1d0e the sofa. Her body cafd3af506 slid from e8af58aa11 the backrest 354864f0d6 down to 4b6a54194a the seat b4d88731ea cushion.d5063c78776bd5d9

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He leaned in, inhaling d89dea139a near her neck.ec2758a1bf79b92d

Ivnes stared e9994826b7 blankly at acb3253b14 the ceiling, c2510336d5 feeling his 0f6d6b90fd breath graze bc6f7b6f55 her skin. Warm and soft, it 699fa9e664 touched the space between 296e6ea614 her ear and jaw, d906d50437 making the fine hairs b9e0c64fb8 on her nape stand 06aca572d0 on end.6105ea3a1e63cac8

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“My Lady.”3ba4df2bff4c2355

He called to her, 7566bdf640 then slowly moved down 5fd0375750 toward her collarbone.c581566199909f6e

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“Lady Ivnes.”2d2cee501b372937

Though he clearly wanted 10e347aebb her attention, she remained 7fb5e06290 indifferent, staring at the 14ce79b951 ceiling.3f7f29a9b709b642

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His low voice ac1c53ff53 tickled her collarbone, 9ffe54434a but…4a82792b154168d3

Combined with the alcohol, 78a482557b it all felt distant—unreal.8b29ec4512674d05

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“Lady Ivnes.”75f2ec3892782a0a

Finally, he smiled down 719f9036fe at her. Ivnes suddenly c56ce09b0c thought that 72408572d9 his arm, 4dddb5d54d stretched beside a605f9133e her, felt 2932b9ca84 like a cc05263a23 prison bar.51b501d40593f4bd

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And the fact that dc08b3955b his thin robe had 8e77a9eff8 come loose…e785fb5b3db127af

“My Lady?”7beb19b7db6ba01e

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It was annoying. She reached out, closed 17321c8f63 his robe, and tied 594e437418 the loosened sash.d03bdb0ff93be3f8

“You’ve got 543963db62 a nasty b0f991511e drinking habit, 47cfaf02fe Edwin.”502562e91e64165b

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She pushed his 5a47981e5f shoulder, and to b61cec13a7 her surprise, he 2ba577a7bd stumbled back easily, 2691652981 looking flustered—then quickly e9ed70c8a4 laughed and sat fe35129fbc properly next to 299dc53edf her.ea76b61f09fa5f3e

“Aren’t you 9e5aae7717 curious about 4877a9196c my ability?”2dac71360abdba9f

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Ivnes hesitated. If she said 47e1576464 yes, would he e9ea36eb92 actually tell her?fc668d93517adde4

For some reason, she f8075b6331 felt like he’d just 7570133bb4 dance around the answer 5df6126fff and annoy her further.46c98afcab0ce9f3

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“…I’m curious.”91a44452d75671a7

Still, she was curious.0069b5e32e439b15

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“I’m glad.”9056f82d629377bc

He smiled, 1b46c50edf slid his fa9c937cdf hand behind b874f448b0 her back, babf3801a6 and helped fb08b5a62d her sit 1289733890 up. Then, he 164190f17c gently smoothed 2a845197ca her mess 3fb754ae1c of hair 6a1769697c back into 1169606a01 place.7cb85b2e2ca1e28e

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“What’s your ability?”0286f287be0a5299

She asked sharply, 60facd7747 and again he a0af01ed88 smiled.6b7b4523ec5af148

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“Shall I e37cd20790 play the a225ef68db piano?”046f884fe52ee696

“Right now…?”4020b5770cc8e597

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It’s five 5edd44ed5e in the ffc772ed6e morning.4ebd30353ab675c4

She meant to say 79b29c973a that—but…7a8d7c77b6e77ac1

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“…Alright.”5daf417f9f0222b3

For some reason, 26f9dab39c she agreed. When he took c9760b6721 her hand, she 03317f4bd9 stood.f8fb5f4854bec52c

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Using the interior hallway 3996b4eeb9 that connected her bedroom, cb1b0cf4b8 Edwin led her to e5bf9e4380 the adjacent music room d83423974d where the piano was 022ecdaa28 kept.7cd79ce183ab5a1c

She stumbled a d1dbbe32eb little, but Ivnes 752fadca94 didn’t worry. This was b9eb7f24c2 a familiar 02cb417e98 place, one 09d5a7e28d she knew cb4546cada well. Though with her blurred fe47dad2d6 vision, it all felt a872a5097b strangely unfamiliar…332dd198c094f578

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No, maybe it c2b8af358d felt that way 53cec5eee8 because she was f379e0b006 moving with Edwin.2d7285c7cac55e49

“Edwin, how do you e8ca504419 know this place so 737860d18c well?”c6fdc5c2dbfdaa63

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At her 5939f2a0c4 question, Edwin 083b8fb3b8 flashed another a6407300db bright smile fec5fd22dd but didn’t 9f7a52e51c answer. Instead, he guided c1fbda3e2c her to the 24ca6cd9ca piano bench.de0f5fd62ddb1464

Ivnes found herself seated, 36532fb510 watching him.7958cffe19848a0a

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Edwin sat beside 2fbc16d049 her and opened fb27a3a412 the lid over a51dddfd1a the keys.69e05bab59ce93ee

“It hasn’t cf52c65d62 been tuned e0657e83a7 in over bfa85aabfa half a c2ef0d2e53 year.”8e82897d75c5f0d2

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“It’s fine.”641dbf4df792badc

Ivnes glanced at the 8cb1eac2a6 keys and spoke.70f0c4488ce6e08a

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“Edwin, how do 263da57bef you know I 32ccff62e9 can play the aef7bf5c00 piano?”b93891c389602ced

“Who knows? I also ff2a8b49f1 know you 949f03d591 can play 2fcea153ef the violin, 732b556822 cello, and c8b1c85606 viola.”108bc61adf66d154

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“How?”05729c1e198ab723

“Who knows.”d2d6313548645764

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He dodged 213df8c0a4 again and ff96fd91cd stood, moving 4fff25f287 behind the d711427add piano to 1a5dd61981 open its 572a75196f frame and 1c2b295564 secure the 5b668c87a2 lid.e1a38dc5ace167d4

Somehow, he found a 4f6ba19505 duet sheet music tucked ba00c3288b nearby—one Ivnes had forgotten 02af3cffd0 about—and placed it on 97f93e3b22 the stand.7922e6534717bc78

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“This piece is 6c5ffe801d for two players.”bd9de1fc6ffb66fa

“Let’s play together, My 26f5a895f4 Lady.”43742b9faf419f6d

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“When did you learn 320fbf2bc7 to play piano?”4ae61c0265a12f56

“You taught me.”6a7aba8c3a51fdcd

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She really thought he 536ef7936c must be drunk.6fe09a352b701f51

Back when she used 700f3a15a8 to play, she was a1f7e280bb around fifteen—busy with debutante 9aafddd719 balls. There was no 884b9c6360 way she could 1c53427f0a have taught anyone b2bea4b343 then.25e21ec906842d4d

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And now, she’d ef669dff5a only known the 34ab5e4a4d current, mad Edwin 12d3dcfaef for about a 3fcf735201 week. She couldn’t 4a83ecf818 have taught ab7aff2978 him.59dab49c69d8496b

Still… she didn’t say 07c9ff80e7 it out loud.bc30c93d7c232f55

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The alcohol was 648ba6a9ff hitting her hard 4465e62147 now—everything felt tiresome, 76d0038d2a irritating. She figured it b5250fdf6b was better to 7beea13646 just go along 2d95eb2712 with whatever he 439ca017ca wanted and get 14756d9d47 it over with 1ab38e30c8 quickly.4d2b237085712c98

“I’ll do it.”43fb74cf2ce289cf

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“Yes.”3fc21d897cdc2084

The piece had fdbf05cd97 a unique tempo—slow 28f0d02fa5 at first, then 3e3e69031b gradually faster. Edwin sat to her dfd01130b3 left, and she sat 460dd16058 to his right, playing 44d5273c98 the higher notes.809163dad42c6c81

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Then he suddenly dab04a9d4b began to play 3108cf4df2 wildly, at his 634955ee00 own reckless pace, 4542d243cc and she grew b39dc841b9 annoyed. But if she 1ee32d067b stopped playing and 84157481a7 let him finish f05c42268d alone, he’d just 68af22c6d4 pester her to 10b5310c28 play again.8a7f218fbef2d0f5

So she matched his f5444d8f11 erratic tempo, fingers moving 173663c887 with precision.eba841ca8f0c5c93

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Her elbow occasionally brushed against his firm arm, but it didn’t feel unfamiliar. The veins running across the back of his hand, the way his eyes never left her—not the keys—and that predator-like expression on his face…3faf9fed7fce6ba8

It should 7b6a2a12ff have been 877a33fbeb the first 73c825a874 time she’d 20def50d07 seen it.6cb208b1be9ba851

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And yet, it didn’t f0bbf7e754 feel unfamiliar at all. That was what felt 98beb51712 strange.5d8abb4ec4126d62

Suddenly, he stretched his 302be6b611 right arm across her, 5edbfdd5c1 wrapping around her waist, bd4d893eaa and reached beneath her c1c50e408a hand, taking over her 7641b59b64 part of the melody.7350f01ec820e1dc

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Without missing a beat, 205415c20e Ivnes shifted to play 9ed30ebb08 the left-hand part alone. With their 9e670ee10a hands now 46cfb806de crossed, it 12d8e6b87b felt like 00ca1941ab she was fdb7001bab wearing a 98d6cb99ed straitjacket.94627fc542cae54e

Once again, he 58edb8b6c0 played faster, wildly, 8139079157 without restraint. Her wrist 5a779bbdce began to 3988794a14 ache, and 6e4861efd5 she frowned, 638a74ac0a sighing.6c3b5236be971618

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She tried c03d3193f0 to endure ba12fe2143 it, but 01c2761695 his chaotic f767cce2b8 playing pushed 5e73df41c8 her patience bc0959f38a to its efcff1da17 limit. Just as she 2f866e74ed was about to 912928a11b stop, he gripped 2d9d8b6548 her tightly, almost 2a9f721035 binding her in e7a8326a47 place.9b513ed9f34cf7b1

“I want you to 901336a93b die in the most c28c8e8b4f painful way possible.”ac98efd37c0280e6

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His voice, low and 5656ed0458 cold, slipped into her a6b11efcc5 ear like a whisper, 43748b17e6 lips close enough to 515ba48c7e touch.4c59dc38f33cbd6c

Ivnes turned her e7e90bbd2b gaze to him. His irises 10b099452a burned red, da58bca8ec unable to 5911a70180 hide their f7e5b4c112 bloodlust.7e15897ce546779f

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“But you’re 644101c42f far too 6b46026a36 compliant… I 03b45dd209 want to c7e4b0c156 break you.”744dc82498d60b67

Ivnes laughed 08bb525eba at him.4c6a42dbfee448cc

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“Go ahead and try.”1f44b5b84cb68359

Even with her ac2b58a52a indifferent response, his 7c55d2ee5f eyes lit up 9597ce6a01 like a madman, 0034d053fa inflamed with obsession.5141ccc54260df22

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Bang!bd56d01d358cfca3

He slammed the keys, 0238d70cf7 discordant noise filling the 540513cbde room. Ivnes shot 131d187cb5 to her ebaab7a912 feet, stepping a982917146 back from 87fdb8c836 the piano. Her vision spun violently.957b0c45f2faebda

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Then, with another 3e3a028ac5 jarring clamor of 0a624ffec3 dissonance, she was 1fe2928867 shoved down onto c4bd1bdfe1 the piano bench.a664d327ee003ce1

She had 3fff03aec7 a rough b2286be0c7 sense of 9df4fe87cf Edwin’s strength, 7b4b6b033c but now 33f821311f she felt c954f57459 like a 8941e4e5ee rabbit before 9d1e2c8400 a black 786473f777 panther.f2658b4114b8c7d8

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And yet… b2dc43d774 maybe because 501738a8c2 of the 7c342b711e alcohol, she c9d8eeb4d8 didn’t believe 58abeea94d he truly 7dc4491f23 meant to 0179d555b9 kill her.a062539a0d68fb7d

“Kill me, Edwin.”7f4414c524739cfc

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She took 1331e73cd8 his hand 85185319cd and placed 656c6cec61 it against 11afe24fe7 her neck.44c2ca586b6937ee

A flicker 8f0afbea76 of surprise 2a496f8096 flashed through 11cd4182c0 his eyes. The red glow of 5dca901349 his irises dimmed, turning 3e0a94d300 black and uncertain.f8f08e5a19eb5af7

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Ivnes gripped a6f26b36de the back 346ee8fea5 of his 7fa5d08bdc hand, pressing e68d642724 it harder 34337f45d6 against her 4efc09c93e throat. She could feel 5ad8f159ce his heavy, pounding 4d82795c77 heartbeat through her a51ae28320 palm.80a4a0e75b7f9c89

 4ef35d13bdbe9bb6

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