Total pages in book: 207
Estimated words: 196971 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 985(@200wpm)___ 788(@250wpm)___ 657(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 196971 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 985(@200wpm)___ 788(@250wpm)___ 657(@300wpm)
Do not make me sound gay, milord, the duke interrupted gently.
Then stop eavesdropping.
Or you could use a more private thread of communi—-
Soleil cut both friends off, saying, I’ll come out if you manage to break it. She closed her eyes. There, she had said something selfish. She had given him a reason to stop loving her.
Ilie pushed himself up. Alright.
Her eyes flew open. What? I’m being selfish! Didn’t you just say—-
Ma lisse. The smile in his voice sliced into her heart. Do you believe you can fool me just like that? You are a romantic, and what you are truly asking for is proof – a grand gesture so that you may let go of all your fears.
He stared at her, using his scent to guide his gaze straight to his heartkeeper’s. I’ll break this shield for you then. He shook his head. If I had only known this was the type of courtship you wanted—-
And then suddenly he was ramming the defenses in his wolf form—-
Ilie!
I would have ceased sending you flowers and just fucking got rid of the town hall for you.
His claws tore a breach through the defenses, but warding spells struck him at the same time, and his wound started to bleed anew.
Serves me right, loving one of the Trois Belle Lames—-
Another attack against the shield—-
More breaches.
More blood.
Soleil couldn’t bear it anymore.
She started to run.
The barrier dropped the moment she crossed past it—-
Ilie crashed in the ground when he suddenly found nothing to break past.
He opened his eyes tiredly just as Soleil dropped to her knees in front of him.
She started to cry. It took all of her strength to drag Ilie’s wolf form to her lap, but she managed to do so.
In her mind, he told her hoarsely, If we fight again, Chalys will be trembling in terror because what would you ask of me then?
She choked back a laugh. Oh, Ilie.
Using what little power he had left, Ilie switched back to his human form and reached up to touch his heartkeeper’s face. “Would you have me take down Brimstone’s own castle, perhaps?”
She sobbed and laughed, and when she still could not speak, she simply pressed his knuckles to her lips.
The kiss made the marquis close of his eyes. Her love, her forgiveness, her pain – all of it was in her kiss, and underlying it was her answer.
She had come back to him.
“I love you, my heartkeeper. Believe me. Please.”
A smile wobbled over her lips. “I do, milord.” Her voice caught. “I do.” And I love you, my demon. My wolf. My marquis.
Epilogue
One week later
“Lord Ilie Marcovici,” the butler announced. “Le Marquis di Lunare.”
Soleil rolled her eyes as all heads turned towards her husband. Admittedly, he deserved all the fawning and fussing, the way he cut quite the dashing figure in his burgundy coat and tight-fitting breeches.
Even so—-
When the marquis reached her, she told him dryly, “Grand entrance, fashionably late...how terribly vain of you.”
Shaking his head, he said with mock hurt, “You always accuse me of things I am innocent of.” He took her hand and lifted it to his lips. “You look utterly ravishing, ma lisse.” His gaze dropped to her cleavage.
She blushed. “Ilie!”
He laughed. “May I have this dance, milady?”
She rolled her eyes, saying, “Like I could give it to anyone else, since you made sure everyone hear you threaten to slash the throat of any gentleman who would dare ask me to a dance—-”
As he spun her into the dance floor, she let out a little sigh. “Oh, what shall I do now? My reputation as an Incomparable is no more?”
He drew her close, murmuring, “I’ll make it up to you, I promise.” His eyes gleamed wickedly.
Oh no, she knew that look—-
And then he was dipping her low—
Ilie, she said warningly.
He placed a kiss just right above her neckline.
Her entire body turned red.
Curse you, Ilie!
She could feel everyone staring at them as he pulled her up.
“What did I do?”
But before she could answer, the marquis was already swiftly leading her to the powder room.
Seriously, Ilie—-
I only want to please you. He pushed her inside the powder room, locked the door, and then he turned to his wife.
Lift your skirts up, he ordered her.
Curse you. But she was already lifting her skirts up, and already she could feel herself getting wetter as she heard him unzip his breeches. He turned her around, pushing her towards the wall. Her breasts flattened against the cold surface.
I love you, ma lisse. And then he plunged his throbbing cock into her pussy.
She swallowed back a scream.
The marquis thrust in and out of her, every stroke deep and hard—-
Someone knocked on the door. “Excuse me? Is anyone inside?”
Her eyes widened. Ilie!
The marquis chuckled in her ear. Answer her, tell her you will open the door in a minute.