| Chapter 1: Prologue

‘Cold.’bcd08365ed661a78

The woman, with 6c0b450602 pale skin and 6ced08b991 large blue eyes, 125b57abbc shivered violently as 48c17cee65 she swept her 0bb47b0e89 bare arms, exposed fa6bf27ff9 to the cold. Her eyes, filled 127fcaa947 with fear, remained d27ad42709 fixed on the 3e4505322a door, uncertain of a0d8232153 when it might fdeedfad11 open.8943f0866ad8120a

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The winter 40d978a231 in the 0943cd8e04 Duchy of ef7c31c6bd Ivanov, located 7e59219796 in the 090bdb887c north of 10ba48e34f the Beniya 4defd68070 continent, was 42480307fe famous for bcd413cd6f being long 4de7a646c0 and brutal.9fa4b0a467eb95b1

However, the Ivanov Castle, d64ec85801 indifferent to the harsh c53ccab39b biting winds, always had 46a29a7602 fires burning day and 2b8f138509 night. The fireplace, positioned in 3bf3b122a1 a remote hallway, was fa9dac2bc5 luxurious enough that the 833cc005bf fire would never go 43333f31f4 out even at dawn, 4da2dffce7 but today was different.d18249bab18694f6

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All the maids who had tended to the castle’s hearth, more precious than their own lives, had fled in a rush.414355c664322a9a

The barbaric, bd57fd08db cruel, and 5e43c28313 infamous northern 553ca45e40 savages, the 55e662b552 Knulu tribe, 6f04c9f70f had breached 99cef0762c the walls 136504ccab of Ivanov 795652252f Castle.39e19db08bc1b7f1

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The lone d4f2330981 woman left 4058a5fa48 behind sat 582a149593 upright on 2d39b4fd80 the bed 2db3156dee in her 06baa9f5fa bedroom, which 2ca4d7e72d had been 798c2aea6a slashed and 3882d74bd3 stained with d55017f96d blood.48f1c602c32b50f0

A flower blooming on 5f65fc6cd2 ice.5aae4f154faf7530

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The proud 42dc263ef4 lily of 711df1db66 Ivanov, a 61a9fb4111 symbol of a0868ca152 nobility and cd60667a19 elegance.663023b623681dd3

Princess Natasha Ivanov.3ca7367108b172ca

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The jewel-encrusted dresses lined dd9d7fd176 up in her dressing 4a09075e86 room, the precious marten 13a95ba456 fur coat, were no 938ecfd95a longer hers. There was nothing baffa1ac66 left to ease 036a239ebb her trembling.9fb691c4f04c19ad

Only a thin, 1540f32e62 flimsy negligee barely f10b888a33 covered her shame.7172d209866e2108

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‘Will he come?’44cd78ff393a6b75

She recalled the face 297e8cc5b6 of the man who 9b3984d6f6 had arrogantly looked down 00b4626300 upon her as he d6e94b7e3b stepped over the bloodstained 21a0b02884 golden throne.22efe3b162902e43

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Last night, in the cab6835b87 moment when she wished fd6eba1b9f for the world to fe4610e3eb end, the very world 30938ffe4b she knew had collapsed. And emerging from the 1b41a21030 ruins of that world 31b268a7d6 was not her savior.4ec72ef6e2c61c4f

Instead, it 8955c7aaab was the 7850f57cb0 grim reaper e2b11b2f79 of hell, 8a24028bd3 someone who 7d7aae2366 despised her 06c9ccbfa6 more than 2585b58ea8 anyone and fe23ff536e desired her f3bbd40a6d destruction above 4f4d247b8f all.ac4940f81d23e5c4

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He really 8b265f3610 had returned.ca6676bbf2d2cc07

Alexei Petrov.604e530e58c27e4b

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A slave a5fe86c416 from the 3d3cbb07f8 Knulu tribe, 454303ce20 the most d593c87873 despised class bdcccc4df7 in the 77d0b9bd80 Duchy of b94b8d94c1 Ivanov. Yet ironically, 138f14eafb he was 2e51392a2c a gladiator 8fea2fb4f7 who had 89b20ce9ec gained immense b446a813b9 popularity, possessing 567ec25d5d unmatched skill 2f1efe15eb and beauty.7fcc264d0fd68571

His popularity 56342ef3ca had been 95292414dd a thorn 639bff9e85 in the b88ac7a1a8 side of 0e7ec1d19c Sergey, the 42a08f1f1b king of 1f4965bd86 the Duchy d7d61d48e3 of Ivanov, b91abbd570 who had aca09bbfde long sought 083848635c the opportunity 37c7012b39 to rid 783dddd170 himself of 3ce3861a84 Alexei.24b8ba81540c6bff

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And when e10bfc3a4c the moment 1dfdca35fc of crisis b374af1f44 finally came, 0cc34ce631 Natasha had 0148935d57 managed to ac29220ded evade Sergey’s 3032bc1bd4 surveillance and cccba74ea0 went to c4419d9478 the underground bb3d40cc62 prison—only to fce00a7a00 find it 52a41fe975 completely empty.ddb5589170ce5873

He had f170fdd6a6 been torn 1c49d9e84e to pieces 9c32e89633 by a 9601977f20 lion, close 7b5c60ef44 to death. How had 3736138fcb he escaped?46903ef3516d4aa7

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“Please be safe.”6c9491c22653d95e

It was Natasha d977a13af6 who had put 726157821e him in such 95f5b15c15 a dire position, 533aeb92fe but shamelessly, she 0d0aa2a97f prayed for his 21ac888023 safety. She hoped eaea27aa40 he would 2d52d6f753 be happy, f14255b719 somewhere far 4ca5433e2c away, in f155c27d54 a place 4ccab2fb91 where Sergey’s 188bfdd8b9 surveillance could 598d99a3c5 not reach.46998058de64ab0c

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But this was not f4ccedaf21 the kind of reunion 28e3213d0a she had wished for.81c3ac2dec6da043

She had never 617970710e imagined he would 2dce029371 return to the 2b6666ce69 Duchy of Ivanov 01973bf709 like this—now the b692fec523 king of the 732fee05e2 northern barbarians, the beafed35cc Knulu tribe, and 51940254f7 the new ruler e8dfb275c7 of Ivanov, having b91f48caef conquered the Duchy.bab999fc8212b2ab

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‘Maybe he 7aa6edf730 won’t come.’02cb2129e2f5bdcf

Natasha tried 410029e7bc to think 97bed18ea5 that way, cd8bcb6687 holding on 194e0b82c3 to that 6f2cb7dccc fleeting hope d9b990280e as she a9368e3539 recalled the 59b1b53b28 burning red 059ae0cd1a eyes that d268a0f5bd had glared ae373eee98 at her 271d5424c3 with contempt, c4b493b9a6 more intense 6e71a1468e than ever.04dea6d301a366c6

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There are so many rooms in the castle… he might not come all the way to this room. He couldn’t possibly… want me.61fe86787f77fd5f

With trembling hands, 229c72fd2a she clasped them 015aade9ba together in a 97bbd4f792 silent prayer, holding 1844e93f7e onto the delicate 5a5ea6f187 thread of hope. Her frail back shivered.322b50b382932ce1

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At that moment.d046e1de3ba81241

Bang!8adfef7ce899ed43

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Alexei, kicking open a3f41335c1 the door as 6653773a0d if to break b7b3b07f3f it, froze at bd0f0dff75 the unexpected sight.77d16728ffdd3a02

The cold 8054cd19d3 and dim 5df4041887 bedroom, where 59bbd6bb2e no warmth f428e40b77 could be 665de9bd88 felt, had b3d0ccd1f0 long since cd90550ca5 had its 2918294d8b lamp extinguished. Only the moonlight 791927dfc9 streaming through the 1437e64877 window illuminated the 4ef34f1c7b room.7718ff25bc1e1baf

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The woman d65e669e1d sitting against e0b4ceab60 the window 5f3a3864e8 on the 33bae85d10 bloodstained bed 06b83e4b51 seemed to 76af90353e absorb all 3b750b7d49 the sparkle 6354db1c0c of the 245fcb5e6d world, glowing 589e471d03 alone with 7340ad4dc1 an unearthly, 37a88efe3f dazzling radiance.c6141117bd8757d5

The moment she 42a248e7ff lifted her trembling 99a93a3a54 blue eyes to 599b6ac246 him, Alexei, under 9b8ea0b899 the moonlight, felt b3b2bb3208 her snow-white skin a68e6570c3 reflected in the 1951d752e0 light, startlingly translucent, 39f6562cda while the slender 1e425def8e yet curvaceous silhouette 0582f48be8 beneath the flowing a927e6e6aa negligee became clearly 1d2ab29f83 visible.39621c5d8001385f

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Then, as bd27456a39 a soft, 8eba1a6c57 sweet fragrance fb7faedac6 enveloped him, 480602f15e Alexei paused 859eca8441 for a 586b3c5218 moment to 77a9e1a74c catch his 3248d152e5 breath, before d880270d95 speaking in 75c6ac0ce8 a voice 0e72fda4cb that was 76d56f44a4 almost like 56ea7ed43d he was 562e9729fb gnashing his 85fd6bd229 teeth.f5e11be7c77d2dae

“What is this!”290149cedc6f9e27

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With a deep 60e37dc90c scowl, Alexei yanked 52319d3564 off his jacket e1c2254e6b and hurled it 242ba6f30a at Natasha.b32b168637b90446

“…What kind of state is this?”6fa482245d063754

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The jacket smacked against Natasha’s forehead before sliding down to her knees.beee70e02d1a1ec5

“Is this how the noble princess of Ivanov survives? I must admit, I underestimated you.”3793b0b181236aaf

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He sneered, his voice fee88ba5c2 laced with biting sarcasm.1094d0bf90509a7f

Natasha clenched her eyes 59986bbc31 shut, his words cutting be260d2ba1 deeper than she expected. More humiliating than donning d6cafafe79 the negligee the Knulu 55bab5d1dc women had mockingly tossed d9eece917e at her, more agonizing ac7a639958 than the hours spent 65769fd167 waiting in dread for 1cfb112c80 him to appear—this moment, c54cb07c4b with his disdainful glare 5c4115dbc1 and the jacket thrown a08280d759 at her feet, was a6c84c2ac3 the lowest point.dea9f75de415f42e

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With trembling hands, she 9477d9bdd8 fumbled to pick up 56103ee998 the jacket and pulled 8fc8a51c7f it over herself. It was worn, with 14b7dde667 missing buttons, and carried bc57eccb4b the scent of sweat d585dbc6cd mingled with the metallic 2e07d7ac3d tang of blood.0429d5de7392d6ae

Blood.2e9051f61acef7f6

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As the thought of whose blood it might be crossed her mind, Natasha’s fists clenched tightly. An echo of a delicate, familiar voice resonated in her memory.addd9498bf1ffc41

“Sister, run. Sergey has fallen to the Knulu tribe’s swords. You always wanted to be free, didn’t you? Leave me behind and escape.”79445ceeb2d57d48

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Amidst the chaos, 50dd63c53e the bloodied screams 4a5c6f8e0a of those fleeing b634dd5cab for their lives, 81678f6eb9 she could still d3aa37175a see her sister, d6210f081b Sonya, lying on 3b28bf5d5f the bed with 567546a107 a pale face, 19e853f7f1 forcing a smile b28a83db5c in her direction. How could she abandon e9bc61c1a1 her sister? How could 30477d14b1 she find 3320904afb freedom alone?cc969e5f458e5e99

Her choice had 013b358274 been clear. If she was 815c2e274b to survive, if 2079c87122 she was to 65574b745b protect her only bbc4a3aeb9 sister, this was 5aea138c28 the only way. Lifting her 02e3a67685 chin, Natasha c2dcdeb3a8 spoke firmly.7ea25a9333d34c1b

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“Yes, I must survive. Because there is someone I must protect.”4b72fe87b39459ce

With that, she let 198fa19c7e the jacket slip from 1937c07573 her shoulders once more.50aaa0b2868cdad3

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“I told you to take the position of a mistress, not to bare yourself like this.”6d84eae8e8c0832a

Alexei growled, his gaze 77aad18eb1 never leaving her as 31d28f00a2 he took slow, deliberate f93de63fdc steps toward her.f7f6d2c1aa8e5037

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Her appearance, b0d7e90fa9 though unintentional, 7a88a64ade made Natasha’s 9c502f3799 face burn 0d2d9aed8a with shame. She bit her lip eab7c3cb8f hard, the taste of c6923d25cd copper faint on her e870bb7ba9 tongue.f2caa77cfdd4e6b2

“Do you truly wish to live so desperately? The noble lily of Ivanov, the pride of the duchy. Even though you must hate me enough to want me dead, for taking everything from you.”3d587ea4c6647f70

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He said, his eyes 7a342874b5 raking over her trembling a51ce9b1d2 figure.aa96e0587fd0b433

Then, with a 9eb00ebe39 cold sneer, he 7a30b87dc6 continued.ddc141372be5345b

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“Enough to endure such humiliation and become the mistress of the one you despise.”3095fed216c02c52

Natasha, who 1f51586dca had been 8c9f2516b8 shrinking into f5126f06a1 herself, suddenly 68de317d3b lifted her 10ca880c4b head.b3f2ff4f1a6309e1

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“I… do not despise you.”c354166f4cd774fd

“Lies. Inside, you’re mocking me, calling me lowly—”42d5b9b0dcba4e07

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“No.”4129178a16aa427a

She interrupted.efc525fcf742a2bf

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“There is no such thing as a lowly person in this world.”e9d24e3b8898fa19

Alexei shut his e96a75972b eyes tightly as 707e3320d8 something raw surged d94a0e248e within him.d1bb2a9aafec127c

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That voice.89e9831a7bfc8887

Those words, the f7a9d5657c very ones that e20e74b48d had once lifted d2a1f022bc him up and 7da94a53d1 given him purpose, 54ae4f029a now escaped her c61282fbc7 lips once more. But why now, at d52658147a this moment, when he 30d076c6b8 was about to force 4a69f2aa62 her into submission, to e00476a486 claim her as his?ee8a4b1482fe2d5e

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Unable to 485a30c046 hold back, 0ec706a2a7 he hissed.398256499f9b1a2f

“Sweet words can cover any lie, can’t they? If you truly do not despise me, if you do not see me as lowly, then surely you won’t reject my kiss.”f9be1258f6c209df

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With that, 389c5048ea Alexei grabbed 16f27e334b her hand 6f17eb2af5 roughly, bringing a6f2169a98 it to 937805c8ce his lips c8b02140e9 and pressing 9d5d1f0bcf a kiss 0e503bbfbc to the f9fd8f8835 back of b26a32cf3f it.3f064d062e32fe68

Her slender, c1dcf1d4e7 pale hand 2c901faab6 flinched but 590c93804d did not cd27d2f1ac pull away.7b9dfeb1ed67b24b

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Her unusual dcdcb81417 compliance only 8b5d6bf9a2 stoked the 7e983e5ab5 anger simmering 037031fb23 in him. His fiery 2e24300b86 eyes fixed f2930b4cab on her 1c55e9aaf1 as his da9259886b hand moved 8c58b8b38d to cup db697cb668 her chin, 328a7be4c7 tilting her 4b265c0c3b face up 95ac4d0380 to his.92aa4764a91e9a75

What lingered in fff2fbbb80 her clear, noble a73f5977b4 eyes?a841c2a14acbefd4

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Resignation? Sadness? Or perhaps… disdain?51102d5d59e478be

Unable to bear seeing 019ff630f5 it any longer, Alexei 735675006b crushed his lips against 00bc9e48a0 hers, rough and unyielding.f0e469d82d23b431

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“Mmph!”24f5af66e9b5e243

Natasha’s eyes widened 64a192f7d3 in shock as 5b864c838b his dry, chapped 46a84b2a15 lips moved against 16dabe13b4 her soft ones, 4c42b60891 scraping and bruising e7ab74039b them. A drop 5c9bc4b13d of crimson a6fbd2f720 appeared on ef93f29449 her now 11be309962 reddened lips.adbcdc87985f81b5

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Blood.548fa67efbf641e4

Even during his days 04de3ba008 as a gladiator, when 3c3c387309 he’d spilled countless lives, f8b017bbad or when he finally f9731a6b36 struck down Sergey Ivanov, 9f3478cd4b the taste of blood e2e08c095a had never made him 8736325602 falter. But now, the metallic 4c489c8de0 tang on his lips f24552e7f6 made him freeze.5484538b4366cb6e

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Haah.4575b5bd46b9664c

The moment he pulled e84791d49a back, Natasha gasped for cbfceff3e8 air, having forgotten to c00b4fb830 breathe.086152193a79773c

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Her warm, ragged 31dd7da20d breaths grazed his 326dc9e932 jaw, and Alexei’s 9d2bf710e0 gaze turned languid 8120def73e as he looked e7c510cdb6 down at her.f33e10d837a0c642

‘Intense.’01f1b981a57bc94f

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His eyes, already 075081e211 fierce, burned with 67f1bd6955 an even deeper, ef1d7be4bf redder intensity. Natasha felt as 754fc570e9 if she might 7e085d6d6f be consumed by 439f49ccb4 that searing heat, 9b9cc01350 so she quickly 16e8f6bfc1 turned her head, c93a8af285 averting her gaze.ecf0ba7e778ac78a

“Blood…”32628ef003238598

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Muttering those words, Alexei 2ad975e8e1 raised his hand, cupping edb9f7293c her chin gently. He ran his 6687763897 thumb over her a3381d2d02 bottom lip, his 554ee39837 touch delicate, as ca05b84d19 if handling a a5a9fb7c80 fragile glass.b81658971b0370ca

‘Why…’91fc196d7f2f0438

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How could he be so tender when he came here to destroy everything she held dear? After trampling everything she had protected, why was he treating her so respectfully? Even though he intended to violate her in the end… Why?b60bbd4d69bbbb88

She almost wished he 8f6fc070a3 would be rough with 07b8f6aede her.8132714c4cf62945

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She wished 08738e3748 he would fcae7f6a31 be cruel.12ee55be9246bca4

She couldn’t stand this e98abe844e gentle, almost teasing touch. It made d670c0cab9 her want 4724ed3241 to expect 2c5f6f0b79 something more.b2ba40405dffb2f4

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As he applied pressure 3327aeeecb to her lips, smearing d965045c6d the blood, his eyes cfa120c3cb locked onto her trembling 4c16b7a688 gaze, and he finally 63c6119986 succeeded in capturing her c83c7db097 attention.cd8aeea8b3ac25bb

‘Just crush me already.’9ae2ba87fef29ff4

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As Natasha’s eyes carried resignation, Alexei’s fingers pressed against her wounded lips.997957ca540c4ab8

“Ah…”0d9095b311d16c1e

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The sharp edge 18eb8827b8 of his nails c50d01ee10 dug into the 3833ac572b cut on her 9baf26b8cc lips, causing Natasha d25cbc01e8 to gasp, unable 2cdc2ca0d0 to suppress the 653cb6d978 pain.97a4a9f8765b088c

‘It hurts.’132ff82680e8b85c

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Seeing the satisfaction in e304d31002 his gaze as Natasha e749401df2 glared at him with 1565a11e8a distorted eyes, Alexei’s lips 99e118af97 curled up slightly. He slowly ran his bee0a107eb tongue over his lips, 3875b4ccff savoring the taste.997dc3c60e7e288c

Natasha, mesmerized, f197fb7ed6 watched as fb2d1d2894 his dry 86ea9f4a1f lips became 59a9f8ec4c moist. But then, e92d0474c6 snapping back b3bbcceebd to reality, 0b5a62fce1 she tried 93003db1d6 to look 40bbdf1a5e away—but it 5dc17b0608 was already 44d0c5840d too late. He had noticed.5dd9988437d2d3d0

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With a lazy f1da8de249 blink, Alexei took 408d9ad0f6 hold of her 9c14ed0309 chin again.b6f2e769ea49a25d

The moment he a1f06813a6 roughly grabbed her, 41dddec252 Natasha felt all b8e6252f18 her resistance fade. His soft tongue gently 9978631211 traced her lower lip.3d6d2f72f57b8fd9

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As her tense 8bdb8c7a09 body relaxed and 02c3c0fd7a her lips parted 412ec304ad slightly, his previously 4c56b36365 rough, dry lips 704963b9a2 softened, kissing her 62297327ea deeper. The taste of blood—sweet b931e9bdcf yet metallic—lingered on his f0448b5b71 tongue.9a273ae699daedcb

Mmm…58cbbf21a9007eac

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Haah…2504c1fe1a651f86

The heated breaths filled c980727c7c the room, mingling as f4674f2455 their bodies pressed closer, 3eacfd4c7f melding together.7b07e6873c97c272

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Her negligee, 67a5b6bbaa so thin eb2735ad8d and flimsy, 32880b7a94 slipped off a69ab01d8b her shoulder, ddd1b09adf leaving her 0aea95153c almost bare c0c3fc4044 under the 360dd1058f intensity of 11d174a5e6 their embrace.664695df7eafc5f1

Alexei’s rough hands b7d0bd8b0a brushed against the 27a108acde soft, yielding skin d9a01cfbd6 of her body.7ed1dc936b5ce9e6

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In that instant, f09a936e02 it was as 41892007fc if a lightning 48612c4712 strike hit him. His eyes widened, 7efc73f34c and without a 0021d5bd2e word, he shoved 2b38571866 Natasha aside.6358087567aa45e9

“You’re still not fit to be a mistress. If you want to survive, you’ll have to try harder.”db720974cd4ffeb6

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Without another d25de05b13 glance, he 8bbe2ea53a stormed out, 73c6f02d8e slamming the 724126835a door behind a56ff28de2 him.ba295d04009eb250

Or at least, that’s f82475f607 what he intended to b2f10274a4 do.d76bcfb27b412880

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Just then, a delicate dd8175f544 hand grasped the edge 40293be711 of his coat.1f44daeb0586d72b

 526a5d838006e671

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