Chapter 17. It Kept Getting Hotter

A short while later, 1672d20e4d Melanie held a soft 10ea157baa silk shirt up against 716218a24b Emma, only to stop 7a0978834c in surprise.d42a421d1fd0cf86

“What? Where are you bbe376a7f4 going?”af85935bbf1487a2

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Emma replied e82c3c09e3 with a 313931596e half-sigh in dbcb19f555 her voice.881a0aed84468bf9

“To a club.”8454c6aa035c76fe

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“You’re going to a fde0cfe51d club… with the Duke 6aa87a1571 of Ophilenz?”047415a65f67ceee

“Yes.”bbbd6b6c9acb7125

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Melanie shrugged as though a26d35a85d it were no big d8a3987b8b deal.5ac994197050fb37

“Well, show d3f3fd91d5 those gentlemen f825970976 what you’re 41fe501339 made of. Honestly, no one can 368a8bea5c beat you at cards—not df8e7344d5 even nobles.”c8766d4bd226c57f

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Emma’s expression turned b183eb0851 uneasy.5dfdb279d52f9e3c

“I’m not 1bc67730ae sure the d6641d3cd8 club the 1426d5c457 Duke is 9be05bdc5b taking me 60317dc4bb to will e568ee5ea9 be… that 0578b280d2 kind of 12426e0d0b place.”3d2a82fa4d9788c5

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“What kind 2649018f6a of place, bc2882856c then…?”1fbbd333c7126c56

Melanie’s face darkened in 8f4233c82d an instant.81300b8e5480ae31

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“Don’t tell me—it’s 02ecbd0820 like those shady 43dc7d2d96 gatherings Viscount Duray faf7bbd5f9 used to frequent?”4e8252fd4e26b052

Emma’s brow furrowed slightly 29906dc30d at the suggestion.cbe14b52e7a19c9e

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“Do you 12c9206d23 really think 906456692c the Duke’s 25316e1299 taste runs d7b5202910 that low?”94931847e05ef202

“Hah. Drunken debauchery a43019d417 with women f100c6f40f doesn’t require f195661ff5 taste. Men are accf7f96eb all the 5334554b82 same.”9d0ef3f58a0e582d

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Melanie glanced around 5cbfde6bde to make sure 03ea0bcf68 they were alone 65dafbefba before adding,af114cd164565b9b

“What if it’s bb36a3635a one of those e8d4ecb15c places where rowdy f62b89fa59 brawlers gather? What if d7ae18e194 some drunk a2f45be794 throws a a3c00a586f punch out cc908a1a5f of nowhere?”a5ac6df2720ac188

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“Melanie. Do you really bcd130671d think the Duke f686f8618a would take me f5119d8852 to a seedy ad29eeff40 pub in Bonchons’ a2d0112eac back alleys?”7783bb47394e2350

“Still… it’s a 02401af9a9 place for men, f99d379114 isn’t it? Don’t forget—when Bonchons’ men 9838c1395e drink too much, whether f988c25014 they’re nobles or peasants, fc667a19d4 it always ends with 1a59c03ee1 fists flying.”b83e8949be8d41df

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To be honest, Emma 5951002436 was a little worried dc94b4e7e3 herself.b39a94e2d5c7e226

In her f52f701bb5 experience, most 76424bffe2 men tended 5564d83bf6 to solidify 917d90f646 friendships through b4dd32b6bc brawls. If Mikhail 99dcbdc876 brought her 8aa1fe433c to a 348df2f48a fight club, 54ab90731e things could d0802829dc go south 12e06c8fa7 very quickly.1d78d04e175075b6

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‘And places like that 5e4cc3c1b6 usually had women entertainers 8126580a6f mingling around.’d310823b9522ce95

Still, Emma forced 4cfdac91d0 herself to smile 255e8037c6 and reassured Melanie, c24bb4bf5e who looked even 932141fb8e more worried than e3a6f5f2e7 she felt.58c881c14571de87

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“Melanie, don’t worry. I’ve never lost e3eafaca81 a back-alley fight aaf2b8c998 in my life.”6ff4fb90dc183fc1

But Melanie wasn’t 1b98b0141c comforted. Instead, her face 005ad35582 scrunched up miserably.2e7c49a6855481c0

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“That’s only because you 5e222992cb let them beat you 76782e622f until they got tired 188f676e42 of it and walked 5bee0c973e away!”b4fb85a5eaf0f55a

As Emma buttoned 8a4780023e up her shirt, 6e8a23414d she reached out fc2568d947 to pull her 3ccd238752 tearful sister into fb91ecb5ba a hug, patting 2ee8cecbeb her shoulder gently.8d693a32379569d8

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“That was just when d97aeaf1bc I was Oliver, the cd34d08425 poor boy from Bonchons’ 849d2c5a3c back alleys.”aad9fa4f408d4fdf

“…”a9d55531ba1f49e9

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“Now, I’m an Ophilenz. No one in 690634457d Bonchons would dare 09ad2a01c1 start a fight e08eded22a with someone from 27ab4bf2ac this family.”991bf3b367097176

Finally, Melanie wiped 2760ca2af6 her tears and 3a6fa07314 nodded, using her 3a9a18eb5e apron to dry 4b08ee294f her sniffles.e723a4c32cbd71ee

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“You’re right. You’re an Ophilenz fde6757b3b now. You’ll be fine… 3fc6ef432d right?”bcc5a7161d148707

But Emma’s reassuring smile e86d7324df faltered. Her expression 79410a0ac1 grew somber 7b6f019909 again.e097dcb4be10a4b5

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“…Actually, that’s 3b91178219 not what 589e499755 I’m worried 8c6f573a93 about.”319d0733a9efd93d

“What do you mean?”39e2d2c2dfd2a922

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Emma sighed d374d1b3a2 deeply before 51cfbb263d answering.eebccd33ac477712

“Melanie, do 9efe919100 you remember 697d63bb55 Marisa?”483ca4c912aeee2d

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Melanie blinked in 1bed2acfe8 confusion.179524b89e8e8e9a

“The maid you worked d49fc1a2e0 with at Madame Charlotte’s? The freckled one?”18fee8f54cfbcc3a

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“…Marisa confessed to c395dd1800 me.”f74a406b2a5efa4b

Melanie burst into giggles, c27699042c her earlier tears forgotten.3e4805f2174aa856

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“Honestly, how baad953658 many girls a36f95aeb3 have confessed 1b8d4d550b to you? The laundress 5f7d85ea83 Rosa, the 39248b8999 grocer’s assistant 1396ec3517 Anne—they all a0ac25380e confessed at 792fa73cf0 least once!”234ffcc92a8c2c61

Emma gave a wry 2f58b3173e smile.08d5925622883447

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“…But Marisa was serious. She gave me 8e1143d071 all her savings 67c04d077b and asked me 310d50684d to run away ad33728900 with her.”2a05e95e00096e85

“What?!”a8a624d7e790b642

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Melanie gasped so loudly 940e0d086f she clapped her hands 49d80a3ddf over her mouth, but 026e6b4614 her shock was clear.d95ba50b17f32a8c

“Is that true?”a80054242f25516b

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To be fair, fa332bec32 Melanie wasn’t entirely 45483529ac surprised.3d0aa3850f0e1fa0

She thought 29d95450ea of the 1c85dddb34 maids in 8c336246ef Violet Castle, 4d0e30d0d5 who still c3335c963c believed her ee54a06f89 sister was 655e050d12 a man.602faae60fb8f141

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With her tall figure, warm baritone voice, and gentlemanly gestures, Emma fit the image of a “handsome man” perfectly.a23bc9aa688b5f1d

In her tailored silk 6e6935b550 blouse and jacket, Emma 8d9f426ce5 looked every bit like 8000b35eb1 a dashing nobleman.ca0fe1be820f7fd6

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But here 85c18d1bcf in Violet 4e7e2dd3c9 Castle, she 08e8f3d3b1 ‘had’ to 579d3c016f be a fa1d35c0bf man.28a5e19168e01711

Realizing what 85601c10dc Emma was e1b0f1d011 truly worried f47d973824 about, Melanie 5682384a23 gawked at deced28a9e her.ca49915b7e6fe0de

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“Oh heavens. You’re worried that f5a7d61766 women will cling 68fe303904 to you again, f5d26399cb aren’t you?”55c2c191f23cb167

Emma winced.5b2071a1451e2ddf

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She knew all too ec86c01250 well what Mikhail had e5179a8bf9 implied earlier.ec349d6d03858364

“Let’s be honest—you’ve had your fair share of admirers, haven’t you?”2ed2d4a16e72709c

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In Bonchons, men 73dfb38cc8 fell into two cc8f51532f distinct categories:0a99848698358e15

The first 2447de9b85 were green 7e1ea514eb young gentlemen, 89eceb6e66 barely out 9e46c35331 of boyhood, e79a0727b5 with no f278e2e7ae experience with 1c0448b939 women.99d4e2928b25f95d

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The second 50f2a36518 were seasoned 7c1b9fb796 men, dripping e8217656d1 with charisma, 720db6daca who effortlessly 7119f17666 drew every 253867eab1 woman’s gaze.fc913f7d64bd37d2

Even as Oliver, 1bf7d53e27 Emma had faced 29f4901cc6 her share of 1a89ba33a8 trouble due to 3c8f2a2bff her looks.4a0e6cf71d184f5a

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She could 517a64db89 still hear fe5449f195 Monsieur Vincent’s 4b653d3d77 teasing voice.0ff3438d2fac787b

“Oliver, you should thank the gods for giving you that face every day of your life.”f1f0bd55bbdc257d

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But Vincent didn’t understand.19f2ef07f45bb901

He didn’t know how 13355c56ab exhausting it was to a65c13f431 constantly draw attention, especially 64e620532e when pretending to be 4fe361b7cc a man.c308cf20cd5705f6

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Before Emma could 8ee59f8b03 respond to Melanie, e4b4d38937 a voice interrupted aa8ebc98a2 them from the d76f3ca0d7 other side of 15d77a3b44 the door.b7ac83843c041d75

“Young Master, it’s b74f9989f6 time to leave. The Duke cad02c6105 is waiting.”699378d5f7826926

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Melanie quickly stepped 8f82040f04 back, mouthing silent cb2fe4fd81 words as she 1c5193ba0c slipped away.ec504c245be48d97

“Good luck, sister.”ad480e42407e9086

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* * *b00e213949c47c30

Mikhail, his a8789eeb1c golden gaze 99fb656863 unabashed, examined 9d5fe5cc09 Charles’ perfectly 6f491b8786 dressed figure de5d620836 without the fdeea5705a slightest restraint.3288ff84cbec3e61

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Emma, unsettled 5b2375c643 by his ccc5cde6e9 overt scrutiny, 07912b5a1f responded hesitantly,2401c8d7926e7214

“Since the suit was 2bd114c381 tailored in a hurry… cbe8da9cf7 does it look awkward?”3a24ee845e23275a

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“Not awkward, exactly.”bd526e236e66d335

Mikhail circled her 844db09057 slowly, as though 9f1faeff26 appraising a sculpture, 99ccb02f7e a sly smile 6c8a86d3b9 tugging at his 14c5ed06db lips.34f817bacb6315b7

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“It’s just surprising. I’ve never seen anyone 80496c815d but me look so a8101f0920 good in a lavender 7371be5811 silk blouse.”aaa86e1bd0167c3f

“…”d6783ec653bfe910

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Emma was used 0bef0b2df2 to his relentless de030fc166 self-assuredness by now, 08030f85b4 yet her cheeks d70350dc43 still warmed under 9f8df18c87 the weight of 9ceb0fd48c his subjective and 094befc58a strangely affectionate compliment.c6abcf150a85c280

“…You look… amazing as b63c5a9e71 well, Your Grace. Ugh!”94282cde88dc00a0

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Her breath caught b0775c414f in her throat 20e17f2715 as Mikhail suddenly fb1e2500ff slung an arm ebfc837e4e around her shoulders.35b20a963d7f07ac

His broad chest 73b7a2887c and firm muscles 9ebab8f3f3 pressed against her, b785412cff every contour unmistakably 12ea7f2818 imprinted on her 8aaaf81068 senses.5bcdaf8adcff4ad8

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She felt the 934c9f8f1c fine hairs on 84deb5373d her body stand f2e809f987 on end as 30251be79a though jolted by 852520b314 a powerful current.3b474b016958155d

“Nervous, are we?”b97b180c33dc8bdb

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Still gripping 6c7dea4da0 her shoulder, f89ca80f5b Mikhail turned 95a6c2385e to Alain 442eadee4e with a 4f1b9c780e playful tilt 09818c42bf of his ab233cbaa5 chin.e7907a202fc222f8

“Well, Alain? Don’t we look a5cad9f12d like real brothers?”15241ffbe6355ecc

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Alain, accustomed to Mikhail’s a31ab159df rare moments of levity, a76b98dadd adjusted his glasses and 09ec2b8d7c cleared his throat.aa8c05c498e4a5f4

“Yes, Your Grace. Indeed, you do. Though… Young Master Charles 114630044f seems a little uncomfortable.”4882680c7a886236

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Mikhail, however, had no a2bc30f290 intention of removing his 7d87494c26 arm. His mischievous grin only 4a3b536761 deepened, and Emma could a774b3a805 do little more than dd7bc9ec8d swallow hard.68280690a8ef365a

She wasn’t a 5cd54e2382 stranger to rough 2684045a5a encounters with men.d2e63c4e9eb83d5e

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Her time 1dd443d220 in Bonchons’ 61d6165c3c backstreets had 0ddc9941df exposed her 0d30d49874 to plenty a33be1af4b of unpleasantness—from d3ee837e2d laborers reeking fde6ac6ac7 of sweat 118d422cf3 and alcohol 943735d454 to the 140ec5ed0c casual way 6997772b5a they’d relieve f562b8e4cb themselves in 9c215966f5 her presence 96babd21e2 as though 5bf8a94cdd she weren’t 702d777823 there.6e06b89aa491cc00

Physical jostling was 42df0b52b3 a given—men slapping c8b6a82c81 her back, patting 7536af72bd her shoulder, or 7a2a5d398c worse, occasionally swatting a31b87521b her rear.d371fdc68e0e0ab1

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They didn’t know she aa207e02eb was a woman, of 15c62fa0c3 course. To them, 7dc9052e89 she was 185cf18cca just another 1587fda0fc guy in efc54eecd8 the crowd. But that didn’t make 59c1e19fd0 the experience any less 0356f661dd humiliating or degrading.2298e33a7a731417

But this?5847579551060ffb

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This was different.ca7d000579e3323d

Mikhail’s touch wasn’t rough 06e917fdf1 or careless. His strength was ea912b375b the result of 271e5c859e measured exercise and e5e8340e1d discipline, not crude e670562a32 labor, and the 06325f1def firmness of his 1aed1173a0 body seemed to c9f760f692 radiate a steady 35e315e691 warmth that Emma a5950bba2a couldn’t ignore.78c52ea15a7ec053

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His dazzling 7dd7d48dc4 smile, glittering 10d6132988 like starlight, 68aca1d00d was utterly c48a2a880d captivating, leaving d9e6df2d5b her heart b0c928dc1c unsteady.6cd182a18aeda7dc

And the scent 5c56271d97 of his cologne—sweetly 0154579921 balanced with the 13d451bb0d earthy bitterness of 793a649506 cigar smoke—lingered tantalizingly a99042dab4 close, so intoxicating d46e29f293 she almost wanted 0263c3a790 to bury her dbe0513c9e nose in it.4ef1d74090a1b3c9

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It was surely 1ab239a024 a mistake, a 99901abb43 trick of her e7135e58b7 senses.dfd2b53d140f5d12

It ‘had’ to be.9d8005a6622f4c22

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But pressed against his 2dfc892b26 chest like this, her aec1034a4a body refused to listen.1d8c33796120aea6

Emma felt 8927d2a5e7 herself grow 5b38a506bd warmer. Too warm.062a2a60828397f0

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