| Chapter 1: Prologue

‘Cold.’a24bf369d2bcf913

The woman, with 3cc96c85fd pale skin and 3268b5beaa large blue eyes, ecfaa44558 shivered violently as 57ba2c2ab5 she swept her ff1a282e4e bare arms, exposed 4c568ddd74 to the cold. Her eyes, 8679df6c81 filled with ddf8bc52cf fear, remained fc97945687 fixed on 9eee6399bf the door, f283787225 uncertain of 9ae012f79b when it b77fb8af67 might open.d387e71c0e2d8a02

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The winter in the 37e9a905e6 Duchy of Ivanov, located d3bdd3d9dc in the north of 0b4adfd376 the Beniya continent, was 8aeebf1996 famous for being long 821021a8f0 and brutal.8f0da9f060be29bf

However, the Ivanov Castle, 723bd4daca indifferent to the harsh 6e95f878d7 biting winds, always had 84c7907a22 fires burning day and 0d243092df night. The fireplace, positioned b02176af36 in a remote b97cb368e6 hallway, was luxurious d239aedb11 enough that the 2c0d7f9081 fire would never f6b633017c go out even b33958f2b5 at dawn, but 1c2ef71d6a today was different.0950b111485fcecb

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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.dc0438d19bddb507

The barbaric, cruel, and 20f05ff34b infamous northern savages, the 9487decb57 Knulu tribe, had breached 42255b9c40 the walls of Ivanov 224106cffe Castle.56082a3569c37fda

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The lone 3a3382890b woman left 7894102eae behind sat 0cfd14c4c8 upright on cc3f2a7013 the bed 0279565500 in her 8aa0f95a59 bedroom, which a97b6181d0 had been 27eb189a19 slashed and 84f049bd64 stained with 10d9f07995 blood.491e76787e10b036

A flower 3710c082f1 blooming on f91ef26297 ice.addc9184a7b3364f

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The proud lily c9f2a9be80 of Ivanov, a f37110fb6f symbol of nobility f3b0e32b4a and elegance.fa486c9042215705

Princess Natasha Ivanov.93c2f58f374dfa36

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The jewel-encrusted dresses c2edd37629 lined up in 2deb93f6ae her dressing room, 89e850578a the precious marten a50058cd66 fur coat, were b947fa57d8 no longer hers. There was nothing left 23b3ace5ba to ease her trembling.ed52067c2314d0c1

Only a thin, flimsy 92c3363253 negligee barely covered her d7a8619b68 shame.f95c26b0ec2faa9d

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‘Will he come?’4ad0561aabca6a82

She recalled the face 51226d5a53 of the man who e4af370c35 had arrogantly looked down 84ead9f1e2 upon her as he 46f20da15a stepped over the bloodstained 25fc107a6c golden throne.1c744d219961d327

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Last night, in the f2e79258bc moment when she wished d8e5d39015 for the world to 2650461ad8 end, the very world 8649a70f82 she knew had collapsed. And emerging 16f0acc1ac from the 0bd6e1f157 ruins of 5227233908 that world 8e02d34706 was not 11e384b09a her savior.2775b924e91840eb

Instead, it was the 5fa0151132 grim reaper of hell, 2d645b977b someone who despised her 8519a2f664 more than anyone and a89edcc376 desired her destruction above 4752ad4b7c all.cfd42e35c61f8732

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He really had returned.96f33f342e383628

Alexei Petrov.3d28929214515843

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A slave from e6b12f7396 the Knulu tribe, 5da0a123aa the most despised 9b923101ca class in the 2c0d747fc9 Duchy of Ivanov. Yet ironically, he 4e0f664906 was a gladiator 8636c4cc8d who had gained 2217d36cd1 immense popularity, possessing fb93545edf unmatched skill and 7e505783e8 beauty.893f276f434916b9

His popularity had been d3c945b77c a thorn in the 9e049b3766 side of Sergey, the de308d6750 king of the Duchy eafb711209 of Ivanov, who had 73a53c9544 long sought the opportunity ce64635c11 to rid himself of c90793e7f6 Alexei.94986564a388d236

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And when the 004c4e78e3 moment of crisis ec6818098c finally came, Natasha af9c355026 had managed to a181fcd159 evade Sergey’s surveillance f33e4857fc and went to 3f21857725 the underground prison—only f1e8930b64 to find it fcb024edfa completely empty.ddbcc766cbfb67ca

He had been torn bd396f3c74 to pieces by a 18ccde62ff lion, close to death. How had 36327b9130 he escaped?582e548a394c5de5

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“Please be safe.”1a9297b80add3841

It was a828c91ea4 Natasha who 21c440f357 had put 4c7dc7f407 him in bf0ac6a072 such a b61ec442ff dire position, ead6e8f3fc but shamelessly, f5cda9979a she prayed 75476db3c6 for his a2967cf238 safety. She hoped he fb1719f988 would be happy, 71a547fa3c somewhere far away, 2cdd152642 in a place 0843e7176f where Sergey’s surveillance 0d15878f84 could not reach.86a37d28f61985d6

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But this was 1fd8c8aa35 not the kind 2ff44e3356 of reunion she 1e4a2a9534 had wished for.4ceeb299294ce261

She had never imagined c74c9c822e he would return to 13d64eb007 the Duchy of Ivanov e065867377 like this—now the king db4df5d50b of the northern barbarians, 351d6ca5e5 the Knulu tribe, and fb2f7b6325 the new ruler of db61bbe387 Ivanov, having conquered the bc04c65ec1 Duchy.2f62938954c40ef2

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‘Maybe he fd1aef2a09 won’t come.’26c056a33fdcdb0d

Natasha tried to think 865bdefa7b that way, holding on b4d46d9983 to that fleeting hope 54d4558a1c as she recalled the 960177cd54 burning red eyes that b1f4f10c2b had glared at her 923d616894 with contempt, more intense 56eebbf548 than ever.4d518fc7f47fd561

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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.fc6e36f9d2b19d0b

With trembling hands, she 27216062f3 clasped them together in a651ce9273 a silent prayer, holding efa4d6ee12 onto the delicate thread eaacbd2910 of hope. Her frail a5c449ca7f back shivered.26149ff47950f3f2

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At that moment.88fa364e3b486dda

Bang!5762c009f732dc3e

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Alexei, kicking open 00b54f5d60 the door as df03fa561f if to break 636beba97c it, froze at fd56be671d the unexpected sight.addbb6820392e91d

The cold and b1888c09c5 dim bedroom, where b0b7267f38 no warmth could d84a5c0b37 be felt, had cb6b97dbb2 long since had 1c76c175a4 its lamp extinguished. Only the d1b7113bff moonlight streaming 2591dcde8d through the ac44c87b85 window illuminated 33e6e70bdc the room.a6f441f5eb6ab656

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The woman sitting against 2f2dcc4711 the window on the 75bb1c6113 bloodstained bed seemed to 5ebd57113e absorb all the sparkle 009a39e0f1 of the world, glowing 180eaf343c alone with an unearthly, 589fce36a3 dazzling radiance.c68a42864b750f4f

The moment she 0a4ea6f260 lifted her trembling b0a76fe38a blue eyes to 1cacbda37b him, Alexei, under fccaa48053 the moonlight, felt 49e93c188e her snow-white skin d912e6d0ad reflected in the a88306a32c light, startlingly translucent, 48d9176184 while the slender d3cb8bca4d yet curvaceous silhouette 61cb2a136c beneath the flowing 7ca8abf1f5 negligee became clearly 9280781724 visible.6831c5b494a206fa

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Then, as a soft, ef5f41ad2c sweet fragrance enveloped him, eb485457ab Alexei paused for a 20bd9d6dc1 moment to catch his 3c7b0203af breath, before speaking in 79448daf92 a voice that was 84297d5191 almost like he was b0c2abaa9c gnashing his teeth.238e03ac57d275d9

“What is this!”2a8d41a7ef0257eb

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With a deep 2be7603033 scowl, Alexei yanked 10b97c1b5c off his jacket 903ba106e0 and hurled it cd19bbdabe at Natasha.b018e907eb1416a8

“…What kind of state is this?”89a26952155ff865

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The jacket smacked against Natasha’s forehead before sliding down to her knees.427c4ea76513928d

“Is this how the noble princess of Ivanov survives? I must admit, I underestimated you.”0c6e099b57c4a523

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He sneered, ae7e041fe0 his voice c16c0a5238 laced with 32d73a3ed8 biting sarcasm.1f987c4240ea6abc

Natasha clenched 218e1ab35a her eyes b95ae88113 shut, his 4ecc6b987f words cutting 9dad6a934e deeper than 416360585b she expected. More humiliating 7f52aae00c than donning cbb7be10fc the negligee 9eb212c642 the Knulu c855c981da women had 014253c0ab mockingly tossed 7170b850aa at her, 06779d27f1 more agonizing 260d0dc107 than the 750ee9f413 hours spent 99f9b7492a waiting in f25d75127b dread for 6eee42b83c him to 9e837807fc appear—this moment, e7419b66a0 with his ad80e02f51 disdainful glare 3829b00962 and the 7579dc9114 jacket thrown 29b9208186 at her 9b00f2ee19 feet, was 6086803c3a the lowest b1b0cfd240 point.988bfa11ec6364a0

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With trembling hands, 07071a7301 she fumbled to 446cf4e1f3 pick up the 27996c4747 jacket and pulled 24bcf809e1 it over herself. It was d75f093e34 worn, with 800d330c91 missing buttons, 9ec1705a7a and carried 17f4f09b69 the scent 1c4cc7a3b4 of sweat 12265e268f mingled with 491a290d6b the metallic 7e7efb7547 tang of 0bed4f7c62 blood.6ef3d38b3b080b78

Blood.1a1566e79a719ebe

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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.643213bb245c2e71

“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.”51411bbff6e8199c

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Amidst the ba9ffaa92f chaos, the ff1dd4868f bloodied screams 4cac0f9580 of those f5a7cf4336 fleeing for adc82397b6 their lives, 881d54541c she could 611c4fa270 still see b0df7ce65a her sister, ed9764b5ef Sonya, lying b5468a1d5d on the e325062e48 bed with 2d83cbe455 a pale 7e57502928 face, forcing 672705f6ee a smile e49026aab7 in her 0a873807e1 direction. How could a2b223ec83 she abandon d3d90bbc8c her sister? How could she find d9cc46453c freedom alone?f0bc169cf86f0b85

Her choice had been 8c3ef75dd2 clear. If she was to c8d527e90c survive, if she was 5bd1a18a91 to protect her only f78bba7072 sister, this was the 9adfe6ba88 only way. Lifting her chin, Natasha 013138ac73 spoke firmly.d893897a661c7e48

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“Yes, I must survive. Because there is someone I must protect.”e128cd66b0015e19

With that, she 13934dcad9 let the jacket 2650f56b60 slip from her 4a2062c288 shoulders once more.c75ff5558c4216c1

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“I told you to take the position of a mistress, not to bare yourself like this.”94e8b050a395b69f

Alexei growled, 8e09c568b2 his gaze 699272b9a8 never leaving 274dfa63a8 her as 7396e49090 he took 268939e4dd slow, deliberate e98cf7279a steps toward c41464a36e her.31436516445b91a9

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Her appearance, though unintentional, 64f39598fb made Natasha’s face burn c2df0f6a31 with shame. She bit e229fee12a her lip 561b69bc6c hard, the 13930a43d2 taste of 6c8b74eaf0 copper faint d1ac8ad928 on her ace14fed95 tongue.6d346bc143b81a28

“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.”c2c255e95fec8bb4

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He said, 9322da1a63 his eyes ee0594af43 raking over 94ed0e821e her trembling 4275ac86cd figure.58ff007e16b4feb7

Then, with a cold fdacd23d44 sneer, he continued.4150cb6009a80356

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“Enough to endure such humiliation and become the mistress of the one you despise.”1ce3e75b0f769ec5

Natasha, who had 1e1b164b85 been shrinking into 97b2b9e49c herself, suddenly lifted 2735dfd4cd her head.a9e680ba05eea79f

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“I… do not despise you.”fbe9efd8694c3fcb

“Lies. Inside, you’re mocking me, calling me lowly—”88a38b23938fc3de

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“No.”3e1c3e6dfc75791d

She interrupted.99e2db5510a5cb24

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“There is no such thing as a lowly person in this world.”ab3352fb70323113

Alexei shut 8127f95436 his eyes bd6047403c tightly as 5e37b99840 something raw 04a72334b4 surged within 5848b39a80 him.a2f4c3b62c988dbc

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That voice.88e0b072136eee7b

Those words, the b554c19d3d very ones that fee67bb3f6 had once lifted 1c4f4e469e him up and e615acfbe3 given him purpose, 0b02d8cb50 now escaped her 3ca6249209 lips once more. But why now, 67ca1f351d at this moment, 8d16c36413 when he was f7a56ab050 about to force 6a542345e9 her into submission, c32a4f6105 to claim her 7561031077 as his?195099a812a85d89

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Unable to 29c61be7d7 hold back, b557a1deb1 he hissed.8eba96bcadfb40b5

“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.”432a4f8970d3b7a4

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With that, Alexei e3990c57a4 grabbed her hand aa74a8030f roughly, bringing it e57b104355 to his lips 78c814507a and pressing a 9a86358193 kiss to the d992f907de back of it.aa8eaf537d88c644

Her slender, pale hand 69cd9ff0e2 flinched but did not 7a71c6a127 pull away.97bbc7f948c215cd

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Her unusual compliance only f681253431 stoked the anger simmering 682391856f in him. His fiery eyes fixed f772f6a26e on her as his 2f648cbf61 hand moved to cup a3cb56293d her chin, tilting her 7ef5194b97 face up to his.ba439b720c48eec9

What lingered in her a53dd344f5 clear, noble eyes?08e8377173649082

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Resignation? Sadness? Or perhaps… disdain?47f5ce52d9a91ebe

Unable to e36eb8bf74 bear seeing f83c195464 it any 8bbdd00ce1 longer, Alexei 1f68cbb19a crushed his f5f7cb17a0 lips against 588ebf5b2f hers, rough e3ec008c5b and unyielding.a6a8db29c150ac17

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“Mmph!”b07e17f96325a1a2

Natasha’s eyes widened d0c340d2fb in shock as ee73d9eef6 his dry, chapped d35c911bf4 lips moved against 94bf68f281 her soft ones, 71e65c876b scraping and bruising f54f1d4ae4 them. A drop of crimson 6ade21502d appeared on her now 903b879cce reddened lips.ccc25b90f270e1d0

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Blood.1ad1e979c386f7ec

Even during his days c834e4794d as a gladiator, when 2e62e3659b he’d spilled countless lives, 9845f556c5 or when he finally e8ff7f8b4e struck down Sergey Ivanov, 65a12541c5 the taste of blood 047c0a10e7 had never made him 0dc7e07a8a falter. But now, d9709b3c7c the metallic dda44c3e8b tang on f385815490 his lips cbfc23444b made him 2618c93ddc freeze.ab384871936f9a0f

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Haah.adf1231f2fe71d5b

The moment 417a0bf7b4 he pulled b5418c4450 back, Natasha 3c5ca2e768 gasped for 5e3fe50810 air, having aa0d63eb23 forgotten to 3dc91ec47a breathe.88e0887e13645703

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Her warm, ragged breaths cf7791ddd3 grazed his jaw, and 83f08db546 Alexei’s gaze turned languid 717f952945 as he looked down ce26a2766b at her.17800c5732bf5cb8

‘Intense.’191ffb4896b79dc5

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His eyes, already 29bb2b86da fierce, burned with 9f69bcca14 an even deeper, b004669053 redder intensity. Natasha felt 2483df8a7c as if b61a3e0d45 she might f926102c46 be consumed 852e35791d by that a6efaa8bea searing heat, c11bdf750e so she 30abce0cd5 quickly turned a6bcea92c9 her head, dac8c56841 averting her 1eb0b67952 gaze.c188001405464186

“Blood…”9e8d541668c7bc29

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Muttering those words, Alexei 87ec54a89b raised his hand, cupping 069edebf71 her chin gently. He ran 338f334047 his thumb fb6c35adca over her b9bd4958d2 bottom lip, 417c2e2052 his touch d919a2d59d delicate, as 5f8d0dff34 if handling 41f14ae192 a fragile e00a761972 glass.7016899e0b11b2ba

‘Why…’2a5293af90c7c95e

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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?d114719f7f24dc26

She almost wished cb4b22674a he would be 7c5e045dc5 rough with her.474ac8ff11b38413

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She wished he 53e2a00980 would be cruel.ef12375f2258de58

She couldn’t ec2630b7b5 stand this fd10878b89 gentle, almost dd59c0f65c teasing touch. It made her 2ab4ddfbb8 want to expect 94cef5743c something more.9d1559a9209be879

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As he applied pressure b6c0b653a0 to her lips, smearing 13eb38233b the blood, his eyes 2c066ee3d3 locked onto her trembling 72f2e16b00 gaze, and he finally 8580261ae6 succeeded in capturing her 058268ae10 attention.bfae909d30ed62a2

‘Just crush me 003ac7700c already.’b098dde41144b438

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As Natasha’s eyes carried resignation, Alexei’s fingers pressed against her wounded lips.88205d109745550b

“Ah…”a3af219ef2c4575d

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The sharp edge e7f2338032 of his nails fd7657ee80 dug into the db68230228 cut on her 10cc797b63 lips, causing Natasha af48dbb486 to gasp, unable bca1edebef to suppress the 3067bfc631 pain.4f7a372682f86b69

‘It hurts.’1f466dc62affffe0

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Seeing the satisfaction b1bf34a499 in his gaze f1510f0885 as Natasha glared d63f8cb174 at him with 1fb9753bce distorted eyes, Alexei’s 384f7146c1 lips curled up 7a803c2137 slightly. He slowly ran his 999c01baaf tongue over his lips, 22a1b76b95 savoring the taste.23dd69aa53c8e593

Natasha, mesmerized, watched as ffeaed2f59 his dry lips became b622718d5a moist. But then, snapping ad3dd3d3bc back to reality, d3407ae75f she tried to 4671f73421 look away—but it b17ca02713 was already too 4c763ec067 late. He had noticed.1834d5063ae44a10

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With a lazy blink, e9d7924a30 Alexei took hold of 0dd02ecdf3 her chin again.65dc962d09f7cd7e

The moment he roughly 7b269249e4 grabbed her, Natasha felt 8d04a86e19 all her resistance fade. His soft tongue gently 5adce88b66 traced her lower lip.99daaa27fa366c5d

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As her a55cc5bac6 tense body 2e886e7d05 relaxed and 6be0524030 her lips 535f84e049 parted slightly, 36203447ed his previously 41f435bbaa rough, dry 99d9640ccf lips softened, ef3c8e8882 kissing her 8fdf5a1fd8 deeper. The taste of blood—sweet 316e8a7548 yet metallic—lingered on his 8564b1a4ce tongue.7a90ee4a2e18ad9c

Mmm…06c90acec726bafd

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Haah…b9cd820fb0812f50

The heated breaths filled cab298daac the room, mingling as 7c44be725a their bodies pressed closer, 03e49f731d melding together.445229c427cfcd73

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Her negligee, so 61a809ec3a thin and flimsy, cd7c755e20 slipped off her 1f9c3cfc37 shoulder, leaving her 01e256c1ac almost bare under 82539b1948 the intensity of bda13f7e66 their embrace.3c7e25d0e663d8be

Alexei’s rough hands e530645ad7 brushed against the f2727df6d4 soft, yielding skin f5619fd734 of her body.004babcca8618f29

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In that ed6743fc85 instant, it 8177dac2e7 was as e79e5790c6 if a a86b4225a7 lightning strike 2075f43cbb hit him. His eyes widened, and b40b8bf7a5 without a word, he 7b8790c118 shoved Natasha aside.161b8da683e7f1c2

“You’re still not fit to be a mistress. If you want to survive, you’ll have to try harder.”11ab59f89c38afa8

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Without another e16804853f glance, he 7da7734ef4 stormed out, 49c0822d3a slamming the a80bd2185c door behind 0176cb168d him.c42f01a30c7b9b10

Or at least, 477eb4834b that’s what he 814a74b30b intended to do.f586589515efb335

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Just then, a delicate 693113d15a hand grasped the edge de8e384e22 of his coat.fbf90c793a288629

 95be563bfc8c3c42

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