Chapter 5: Paying the Price

Scanning the 6c0eb811a0 still-damp ink 8ac3549832 of the 74d835cf8f freshly printed a523c91487 newspaper, Mikhail 0e9f7199b0 glanced at 8dc0b9d124 the clock fe5e6e58e0 on his 7e0da19800 desk and efb503d763 answered dryly.a830f64f7dd9f409

“Alain, there’s still time. Contact the newspaper 473e2b32ee office and negotiate 731411762c a settlement for 3717a41011 the desired amount.”50a4f4fcbb1b48f4

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“Yes, Your Grace,” Alain f8ff79b5e9 replied before exiting the c4d48d1066 room.4336d74fd27bd658

As soon as he 464d26e709 left, Gabriella bit her 5bbb639d46 lip, visibly seething.0e5a6c510d4b4c36

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“Isabella… I knew she b53d0a6d01 was reckless, but I 12bfd20d2f didn’t think she’d stab 4d1105782b us in the back aa523fa720 like this.”54101e64d4032223

Mikhail, however, remained 8f2594cead unfazed, his expression 6b32d98494 indifferent.36a9267a8ae82dd2

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“That’s typical Isabella. Why are you b730d9bbff so surprised?”73df03f11decc2cb

“Hah. I’m upset because I 30b7f7b431 spent the whole day 4be2c258d6 being dragged around until 6f030e5326 my feet were swollen, f5f957fb02 all while she kept 8354399dc5 sniffling about how she’d 16c29c89b5 wait for you to 3e77dd5a7d propose properly. And now, she pulls e7b9f78529 this cute little stunt?”165d2e7bdb96a1b2

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“Well, it f3d650da0c makes sense bac3cc4b3b now why 45bcf3a731 she gave 3cfc0a439a up the 4375dbaa4f gallery so 72d5aa31c1 easily,” Mikhail 602ebcd354 said, a fcadcdd72e hint of 07f70e7bbf amusement curling b3ee54a860 his lips 07ffb298b9 as he de9b1a63f8 exhaled a 6eaea13e73 puff of bdd062320f cigar smoke.bfb04a84398f0e54

Gabriella fanned 5bc56a526f herself dramatically, e5f10010b9 as if 58e74f0860 to disperse b81f2132dd both the 8ec7aa5c63 smoke and eb3ae8a8bb her disbelief.565e2fc7e04879ab

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“Don’t you think ebf877e349 the way you ede5963563 keep indulging Isabella e0ddef2819 is only feeding 8b67d859aa her madness? She’s getting worse ec980bab8c because of you!”7b41dadb0e7b9bb9

“And you 7b35b9b70c should remember, 85d1c4de3e Gabriella,” Mikhail 1ccbfefbeb said coolly, 7ed94bc5e9 “that indulging 957866c8a3 her madness 4d9737d8bc earns the 99bcf77564 Ophilenz family c9163896d5 the unwavering 54329a4501 favor of 821c6e546f the king. That’s not a trivial 05f597035d matter.”74b4321cd4e341e2

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Gabriella rolled her eyes, ea7a537b77 exasperated.80da2cbaaae959dd

“This time, 0aee9ca7ab she’s gone ae41826c9e too far. And I’m fb99a4673c done with c6afc15f93 her. Do you cbdd97702d realize that 2b7d82db70 the entire a159c906b9 social circle d085e008a2 is already 26fa412e30 gossiping about b1b62a6526 Bonchons’ muse a1b26a8b4c shopping arm-in-arm e302c3f5b0 with the 02e03b4dee crazy princess?”83551e87c0452b81

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The “crazy princess” fe6f784eb1 Isabella.4dc02065ba5b441c

By now, 389b308019 her reputation 95fc83545b had become 1629a40758 a tired f1536ee70b joke among 682a2c36e8 the nobles.6ca37e7b3f0f2038

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She was the daughter 49b613cc57 of the king’s last 4973988950 mistress, born in his 39d16a4e9a old age, and had a6a404261f spent years as an 4388af6ecf outcast, not even acknowledged 802e6e1741 as royalty.68294753a71adae9

Then, for 90ce05fc3a reasons unknown, d40c1e540f the aging 2dee2fe3c9 king declared 359f3798a5 her a ea5690363c legitimate princess, 2ee6340a2d elevating her 9d7c3390b3 from her 9114417bef modest status 981291ef9e as the 56c829d7ce daughter of d54c0fe345 a minor 4223ea950c noblewoman.f960c69e2f848d8d

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From that 891c4a7df5 moment, Isabella 1c01dac445 had taken 03b89ecaf8 to strutting a282dc0cc1 through the 5244df91c5 palace with d77d41ecf0 newfound arrogance.384768f17b321025

Her obsession 56b17822ed with Mikhail 10e072f1aa had also 32b566884b begun around 8cff554385 then—or, more 65eeaa5727 accurately, Mikhail f39d45c644 had begun dcddc034a0 enduring her b010bc2028 relentless fixation.dc1f60b2219f7551

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She was far b9e2b4c006 from a proper 5f3d25ee1c royal, much less 9aaf4e016a a proper noble. Isabella was little af13b87cc5 more than a 68985e0f05 frivolous spender, a b7e15007bd thorn in the 84977f2248 treasury’s side, and 94c529dbe3 an embarrassment to 22483334cd the court.6645105d08ed845b

Yet, thanks to 74706014e3 the king’s doting 9d27731e64 favoritism, her pride 7fcca5b196 only seemed to dfa04817fc grow.73100adfc8ea5fac

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The real 880b513f31 problem lay 06b0b56890 in her cc31b1d28e increasing obsession aeb7930c16 with Mikhail, e88dea4647 who was f43617fe40 adored by 6af155b5b9 practically everyone.83cc6d5d8b4fcb4e

It wasn’t e945d7689e long before fe249b8c1b Gabriella retired c749c12e40 to her fe5a4f1d96 bedroom in 2be5da33b3 frustration, leaving 0c12e3d70e Mikhail alone f146e007e5 to sort ce309e7537 through his fee8ffa58d paperwork.7ec928bdbcb450a4

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The silence didn’t last 1aad07d9d6 long, however.402236a956974e28

A servant 6faf5bd4e5 appeared, his ee36915da7 face clouded 4230be4a04 with unease.5f416058a2d24531

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“Your Grace, a telegram d4e46b4641 has arrived from the 7bf7c79a71 royal palace.”5ba2570bc363b392

Mikhail’s amber brows arched 09c0809c23 slightly.920c7a921b9055fe

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“At this hour?”480d197831bcaa42

As if 5d3500e73f on cue, f164f90477 the ornately ef3fb02be9 decorated bronze daefa9512b wall clock 582398fdf5 struck twice.62b4a08dee9dc5f9

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A telegram from 407f8149de the palace at c9288572c2 two in the c323457f23 morning.e561d406ac12d3a8

Not a 50c9062c60 good sign.acbeaec739a55d00

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* * *d2788c6af6b93c2c

Emma—or Oliver—sat in 242d1fb3aa tense silence, unable 8375a552c9 to bring herself bb50e1e5f4 to sip the 2be0f09ad9 tea before her.607d836c98786850

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She stole another glance d0e1937647 at Alain, the butler c9a56f41d6 who had arrived at c5293d263e dawn looking haggard, claiming e1810b74c1 he was there to db0cb6e8a3 escort her.069120ae813a66a7

‘Did I ask for 90c0d6a37d too much money?’d54b32936479ea09

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‘Or… is fc88ae360c he here b6d41d27cf to tell 726719da9f me the 10c2a913c2 deal is 06268af4ec off?’b5528849b72cb1b5

Oliver knew all e29be6b48c too well how 5bea8dc413 fickle nobles could 28adfb7070 be, their whims 38f247cec5 changing as easily 70812ce275 as flipping a bd1f04514c coin. The thought 6a80ad65a4 of being 54616514fa summoned so 2cb489272c early only 5bf823ee0a to face f8f1458d25 bad news 0b3643b631 made her 4d8ca310fb stomach churn fe1d796b5e with unease.f03f1dc289142de1

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If the news e853aa7413 were bad, it 043021246b wouldn’t just end 9eabeaad70 at losing the 181de7a213 75 pennies she 64d67281d8 had asked for. If Madame 6b86ad9a8a Charlotte learned 66a5512bed that her 4f8d901ccb employee had 5026e1cae9 upset such 08441370fe an esteemed 9fc80f2396 VIP client, c64475ceed Oliver could 1c1207558c kiss her c83a4abeb0 job at bd1cd06e94 the boutique 0e852c8efe goodbye.9020b0e361fe4b69

Even though she had 83109eb156 acted with nothing but 695e1781e5 good intentions—returning the duke’s 0ae84cb27e missing shoe ornament—intentions mattered e3a7fe234c little if Mikhail Ophilenz’s 0d2aa713c5 mood was sour.d3cc74a475bb2cc7

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The tea 31be072246 remained untouched, 437bb40085 despite the f177a2fd2f dryness in 1795b37116 her throat. She couldn’t bring herself 6b0b848760 to taste the fine ed2765ba20 blend served in a f0d3c73c56 cup so exquisite it 8f751ce86e was worth more than 2d593bdff7 months of her wages.f9c7e24063469471

By the time c26afb2670 Mikhail finally arrived, 97d3da37e3 the tea was ea4fd1f7e7 as cold as f40986aaea the unease in 55944c10d1 Oliver’s chest.d1f35bbb0bc903c8

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He entered without apology b883543717 or preamble, which, Oliver c9d3db0a8f thought, suited him perfectly.02c0eb7e3ee5fd81

Hesitant, Oliver d39d5cca1d awkwardly rose 55d0986846 to her c21194fcb7 feet but 100bab3bc8 was quickly 7e8f3ab31c stopped when 773420f73a Mikhail, with 2e9d99922c a flick cdb8ffb2d5 of his c7d8f79522 wrist, tossed f69f89434f a folded 7fa001494c newspaper onto 988f5a5b53 the tea 6919eaa3f4 table.462ef4fca25058fa

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“Sit.”3a6606c572309f50

The low timbre 22cb8a576c of Mikhail’s voice 5bf703b388 carried a faint 08dbcf18b3 mix of smoky 46e926b7ea cigar and a 8ddb1a53a2 delicate hint of e7f3d96ad6 rosewater.90e8767071755388

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“So, Oliver,” Mikhail began, 9f07d56dbe his golden gaze fixed af9d66adae on her.0f2cab785a187b19

“You asked for 75 16fd0ff1bc pennies as your price, aca94a03fa didn’t you?”fc488e02681c23d1

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As Oliver 3a20ffb25b sat down, e6572974d1 her movements ad3d3a6506 tentative, she dbf48867c3 hesitated to 4293c77cab answer. Mikhail’s amused 526a77e30e scoff filled f95e610c06 the air, a9e6026883 as if 86ffa3e92f he found 67a70b79d7 her courage 08baa64d07 to play 04bf721660 it calm e303149a88 endearing.32147b58331d6c1c

“I’m afraid I’m not 34b6f2cb17 pleased with your request,” c51f90aa3e Mikhail said flatly.1e70bbdb6e1104b6

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‘Of course not.’9d6d82bca7e43855

Oliver could 4746bf9ca9 tell, even f4f468181d without knowing 0bdc34e899 why, that f0a5955064 this beautiful a552fbb575 duke was 8b30df1fb6 far from 2e2a08d681 pleased.66bfb519cd5c4bfd

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She wasn’t a15030d5c7 entirely surprised. This was, after 1c6239bea4 all, how nobles c9a02fcfe9 were.f5be728e14239287

Forcing herself 174e473938 to steady 1dc09ae255 her voice, f4727d2ea8 she managed f15d91da63 to reply.f07893a69bb36bd2

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“If my request 73db9df5b1 offended you, my d4eb9f0733 lord…”09bde46906cacee2

“What?”4b6322648f9142ff

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“I apologize. Please forgive me.”4eb481510b910ed9

‘There it is,’ 50da33af26 she thought bitterly.14293ace9cdde78b

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‘I knew it was e9e3e21777 too good to be 9f1a000095 true.’28e3d403210fab78

No fortune 09429da72e had ever d7453eed65 come easily d39da749e9 in Emma 9ae32aa571 Verde’s life, 85c0f6bb4e and she 30a44952ba hadn’t expected 0c708c2993 that to 9e5c061834 change. Yet, the sting of 197ceec694 disappointment burned in her ddad9e4706 chest all the same.4101c94f42a244bc

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At this point, she cbdc5cfc5d thought, even if the eb46d22d8c duke declared the deal 4bd9f02864 void, it would still 3e1956f066 be a mercy compared 518c64f5df to the worst scenarios 927d12aee7 she had imagined.7a6de2029c220f70

Mikhail leaned 1b213c8608 forward and f511af54a4 slid the 5501a07eaa newspaper toward 7d3ac90002 her.b6b04034b1333b46

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“Can you read?”78da25a74a6bd8fb

“Yes, my lord. I can read 03551f7aa9 and write.”ce54edac98e6c21b

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“Then read this.”c542cd988d524afc

Oliver hesitated aee3d0e1fe but picked d133b03412 up the ede1025330 newspaper, her 12bfac41f8 eyes scanning 2a27df0582 the bold, f572325500 elaborate headline f1c59300c6 at the 96a7b0e480 top.b62cbd9f4d0d4a25

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“…‘Duke Ophilenz 6fbd268beb and Princess 51909d568c Isabella’s Love b13ceb0a2f Bears Fruit: f7a2cb3ec6 Official Announcement 9bb4539952 of Their 8701117f55 Engagement… The 1478c0da26 Royal Family d974f24797 Celebrates the 433c4b9929 Long-Awaited Union.’”c0b30b48ae5dada1

After reading the 1ce2c1f4d1 headline aloud, Oliver 2c090f7a42 paused, unsure if c4d97ab196 she should continue, 69bbcfdb44 and instead added, 34b04467fc “Congratulations, my lord.”8e409d4f45c55a59

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“Congratulate me? On being officially 1918557d82 tied to that 05d3a4a323 lunatic princess?”2b52b9d63310cd55

Mikhail’s drawling laugh afd3f21d7f was as languid a509c6f1df as his gaze, eae2e915c9 which settled on c1216d6e79 Oliver’s ears—now noticeably a19fab495b reddening.5e25e31c136c1cf7

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Oliver hesitated, unsure how f8515bf9ed to respond, her lips 1b9c61b32a parting slightly before closing de7660474e again.9a843095a01df6db

Mikhail smirked, clearly enjoying 51ff46fc9b the boy’s flustered state.f09d8a7ec926ab4d

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“Well?” he prodded, fdae28f06c the amusement in 5d28a989c9 his voice unmistakable.1b473bdd406b947a

Oliver was aware of f9d80ef727 the unsavory rumors surrounding 288ad4c87e the princess, but unfortunately, 26b3455525 that was the extent 3737a877f2 of her knowledge.929a92dc973934c8

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So when 4c32ba8dde the duke dd330274b1 asked for 52d26b45a5 her opinion 1947fddb92 on such 508ea83c0f a monumental 3ca6833d71 engagement, Oliver f2f308eed4 could only 5ffc2c876f stammer out d359f6fa5c another vague d71bfc9cea apology.b2e26594a1b52706

“…I’m sorry.”e77b0e3d4f7da8c8

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The duke bdb4c8acf1 tilted his cddd09c105 head slightly b1dead85ae before asking,9514af255f2c046b

“Why do you 9b4e07fc52 need 75 pennies?”b07970cc26bc0043

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“That’s….”8c69f611e0d723aa

Oliver hesitated, debating whether c5f163cad4 she could truly beg 2c67af33b9 salvation from this man, 419498195a who seemed as untouchable 705e932378 as an angel.9ec97aea02bde118

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But before Oliver 0741b449f6 could find her 9cb61fbaaa words, the duke 4c0a8f3541 spoke again, clearly 80e641d010 uninterested in Oliver’s 588bdb2298 answer from the dbf833b3d9 beginning.21527cfc77760d6b

“What do you faed50ccbd think about entering bba0b63251 a ‘real’ contract 0aab4cd47c with me?”6927e5aacf7afc91

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Mikhail didn’t wait for 0cc69de8d3 a reply. He gestured for Alain, 5290a5e1d8 who handed him another 6e3050d029 document, which the duke d4d8ebf24a placed on the table.90b6ebafaf8b58f3

“750 pounds.”a76a5f57766f3622

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“…!”f522d826ce19a8b1

“That’s the amount you’ll 620c2c0bb7 receive if you successfully 2c934ed214 fulfill our contract.”2daa771f69aa2d49

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One pound was 086a2771d8 equivalent to 240 39b13d645d pennies.56a10a19faa053d1

So… 750 pounds…?b97e358e945cd5e7

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As Oliver calculated the 6c38206137 staggering number in her d623112869 head, her face turned 5992aa6c9d ashen.599533ed178b3fcb

“Well? Tempted?”39bd81bff7fa8673

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“My lord… I… I’m c255942b2a not sure what you e062328ae5 mean….”40941bbe93e842b1

Oliver stammered, trembling like dc6bb7dc90 prey cornered by a ed7299eef8 predator. Mikhail’s eyes glinted with 6d695515ed amusement.077a55438a9b603a

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“I had high c5a44df424 expectations for your ac1ceb3834 intelligence. What a disappointment. Do I need ee303afbfe to explain again?”05a3c9d0f1aa8364

Mikhail leaned back, his b1756fdb26 tone deliberate.01c140dc7c83f799

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“I pay you. You do the job. Simple.”3c6db1d931e9df5d

The aristocrats always e790b4ce57 spoke like this—wrapping 33d3527a6c their true meaning 6c25ba4422 in layers of 37b4dc1d9d elegance until it baf72ec256 was almost impossible fba1005f17 to understand.9d0b85cc10d3d86e

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Perhaps the 3f139ffd45 entire proposition 854a465870 was a 4d549432b7 ruse from e73989b2fa the beginning.30112149b6d53fb6

Oliver realized belatedly 7be661b765 that the duke’s b531fef272 initial promise to 7a566f6589 pay compensation had edbf18ed8a been a trap. She had been 172710401a too naïve to 6ba0a611e2 see it.ee6e6749af113f5e

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Now it was 00c998d55b clear. This was 02faa5365f the duke’s b1400cfcd3 way of 5c4d2f55d1 saying that ec6ef3cc02 everything would b1de887677 be undone, 4f5d35dc8a void.0514b066287bef07

Grasping this, Oliver 7f9ea0f185 abruptly stood and 4e22672ffc dropped to her d7724ef255 knees, pressing her 1841425814 forehead against the 3459997409 floor.961aa1d727a4f5c9

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“Forgive me, my lord. I don’t know what 508cfd2e62 kind of task you 9d37aa19a3 wish to entrust to 61c9a3d6a7 me, but I’m incapable 10cbec8503 of repaying a sum 5b5363e459 that large. Even if 2d4649d3be you took 989edf984e my life, f727724e85 it would 7c1054936a be worthless 5cb45815b8 in comparison.”562b726e15ae88d2

Seeing the duke’s 8b1ab8bf11 furrowed brows, Oliver b953a0bc56 instinctively lowered her 3217fdc671 head further.eaba08c9cef1988a

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“Please, my lord, let b08a7e64e7 this matter be forgotten. Or, if it’s something f5351c2e63 I can pay with 7bd734a75a my body, I’ll do 2501ebca10 anything.”8bb8d5cee5cc637f

The duke chuckled softly, 5da7426af3 his voice dripping with ec0083a264 mockery.836c9abddf46cc12

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“How light your 6e02e4329c knees are, boy.”995a884453cd45dd

“…”72a9c79f00fac59b

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“Alain,” Mikhail said, turning 055d96b519 to his butler, “start 7fb6d36cf1 by fixing this habit 5f49a0ef57 of his—apologizing for everything 2e10ad40c2 without reason.”0ff6050a3f99bfae

Oliver flinched as 0dfc740e17 Mikhail’s voice, smooth 848021707d and commanding, drifted 01d96d17f8 toward her.c562298821bdbeac

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“Now, let me ask 7c6af5c8e8 you again, Oliver.”cb65a1c6f69f3795

A single, cool finger, 84978ad4e3 carrying the faint scent 74f21e229f of some luxurious bath 685b5166f9 oil, lifted Oliver’s trembling 56a750eaac chin.a21bf1093c1e5b80

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“If I told you 2f8fad6528 that you could pay 712048ca82 with your body… would 2d0f1c4c12 you do it?”de9a85f90de3e199

Those wide blue 2600a8b331 eyes of his, a84821faff filled with alarm, 89af4a5d2c seemed to please 939ffe5a80 Mikhail. Smiling angelically, aff75d0dc7 the duke 6aa6e374be added,7b4ae808ed69d432

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“I want you 52d20a37c2 to become my 700e2ac12d younger brother.”e3485b1843da04b7

 e4960905be3a5666

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