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This Chapter contains dark themes...

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The glass slipped from Adrian’s hand instantly and shattered against the marble floor with a sharp crack.

For the first few minutes, he stood completely still, watching her move against him. Then something in him snapped.

His hands grabbed her waist firmly, almost bruising, and he spun her around in a swift motion.

The moment her back hit the cold stone wall. He pressed against her without hesitation. One of his hands slid upward, his fingers fisting into her hair to tilt her head back, exposing the line of her throat. Then... his mouth came down on hers, not gentle or testing at all. It was dark, demanding and hungry.

Elara didn’t lean into him. She stayed rigid, letting him kiss her all he want but giving nothing back. When his lips moved to the sensitive spot just below her ear, she felt a shiver she didn’t want. So... she gave his shoulder a small, impatient push trying to hurry him along.

Adrian didn’t stop. His free hand traveled down her side, gripping her hip and pulling her even closer. His breathing grew heavier against her skin.

Wanting everything to end quickly, Elara reached down between them. Her fingers found the edge of his belt and she unbuckled it. Then her hand slipped lower, past his waistband, without any hesitation or warmth.

Adrian froze.

His mouth left her neck instantly as he pulled back just enough to look at her face. His eyes locked on hers for a long quiet minute. Then his gaze dropped to her hand which was still working under his belt like she had done it all her life.

His expression turned sour.

He grabbed her wrist, his fingers like iron, and yanked her hand away from him. He stepped back sharply, putting an ugly distance between their bodies. The warmth that had been burning in his eyes died completely only to be replaced by something cold and disgusted.

He stared at her for a long moment, jaw tight, his chest still rising and falling too fast. "I see," he said, his voice low and rough. "This is how you decide to pay your debts now."

He let out a short laugh that sounded more mockery and annoyance than humor.

"I have no interest in someone who offers herself like a common whore just because she feels she owes me. It’s pathetic."

He stood tall, looking down at her with a cold indifference that made her feel smaller.

"If you want to settle the bill for tonight, do it on someone else’s time. I don’t accept payment from women who have to force themselves to touch me."

Elara went quiet for a long second, staring at him with a blank, unreadable expression. Then a small, mocking smile tugged at her lips. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"Is that so?" she whispered quietly. "I can’t seem to understand you at all. The sudden interest in my grandfather’s health, the way you interfere in every corner of my life... and now, even playing the hero to rescue me?"

She let out a soft laugh, though her fingers were still trembling at her sides. Then she lowered her head to look at the floor.

"Don’t lie to yourself. You’ve been playing the long game, waiting for the moment I’d have nowhere else to run. You didn’t just bring me here just to save me from the cameras. You brought me here to see how I would pay you back. So don’t act insulted now that I’m finally giving you what you always wanted willingly."

Adrian’s face went perfectly still, his features turning into cold hard stone. He looked down at her with a calm demeanor that made Elara’s heart skip a beat.

Still, she continued.

"You think you’re so noble," she muttered. "But you’re just like any other man of your kind. You just wanted to see if I’d break for you. Well, I’m already broken... by your fiancee." She stopped.

"And you." She added more quietly.

The silence that followed her words was suffocating.

The light in Adrian’s eyes died, leaving behind nothing but a cold, dark stare.

"You want me to be the villain?" he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous low. "Fine. If that’s the only language you understand, I’ll stop speaking in riddles."

Without warning, he lunged forward again. He grabbed her arm with a grip that left no room for defiance and jerked her toward him. Elara stumbled after him as he dragged her out of the room and down a hallway. Her silk gown bunched around her ankles, threatening to trip her with every missed step. She had to stagger to keep up with his long, aggressive strides.

He wrenched open the door to a small bathroom... a dark, obsidian lined chamber that felt more like a tomb than a place of luxury. He shoved her inside and slammed the door shut.

Elara’s heart hammered against her ribs and horror surged through her, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of a scream. She stood rigid, her fingers digging into her palms, watching him through the shadows.

"Since you’re so intent on being an object," Adrian rasped, his voice low and predatory, "let’s see what I’m actually paying for."

He stepped behind her. His hands came down on her shoulders, using his weight to force her toward the large mirror above the vanity. He pressed her chest flush against the cold marble counter, his body pinning her from behind so she couldn’t move.

"Look up at yourself," he commanded, his hand moving up to grip the back of her neck, forcing her chin up until her eyes met her own reflection.

She could hardly recognize herself. She looked broken, and her lips were red and swollen from the way he had kissed her earlier. But it was her eyes that hurt the most to look at... they were wide and filled with a fear she couldn’t hide, no matter how hard she tried.

"Is this it?" he mocked, his thumb brushing cruelly over her trembling lower lip. "Where did all that arrogance go. You’ve turned into a desperate girl, Elara Veyne...trying to sell yourself for a little bit of safety. You’re offering yourself to me like you have no value at all. It’s almost sad to watch."

He reached for the zipper of her gown and pulled it down without hesitation. As the fabric fell away, exposing her shivering shoulders to the biting air, he leaned in, his mouth inches from her ear.

"Don’t close your eyes," he snorted when she tried to look away. "You wanted this to be a transaction. So stay awake and watch how little you’ve managed to buy with your pride."