Page 26 of The Dark Lord's Guide to Dating

His eyes darkened with something that might have been hunger, but we didn’t have time to explore the moment further. A sudden crash split the air.

Viscountess Morana had drawn her dagger on one of the Syndicate’s representatives. “How dare you!” she roared. Wine splashed. Chairs screeched back.

I tensed, expecting Kazimir to intervene. Instead, he released me, taking my hand in one smooth motion.

“Aren’t you going to stop them?” I asked.

“They’ll sort it out,” he muttered, guiding me through the tightening crowd toward a side door. “And if they kill each other, it solves several problems at once.”

I stole a final glance over my shoulder. The hall had plunged into chaos, courtiers scrambling, a few excited onlookers cheering. The Viscountess lunged. Steel caught the candlelight, and blood spattered across a white tablecloth before the crowd closed around the fight.

Kazimir pulled me through the doorway, the heavy wood swinging shut behind us, instantly muffling the feast’s roar.

And then we were alone.

12

RESIST TEMPTATION (EVEN WHEN IT SLEEPS NAKED)

ARABELLA

I walked in silence alongside Kazimir, the sounds of revelry fading behind us. My pulse thundered. I fought to keep my breathing even, to hide how thoroughly the wine—and the press of his body against mine—had affected me.

As we passed, guards bowed deeply, their eyes averted. We passed them and climbed a narrow spiral staircase. To steady myself, I let my fingertips graze the cool stone wall. Kazimir’s hand settled at the small of my back, light but impossible to ignore.

We emerged onto a small landing that opened to the night sky, and a blast of icy air sobered me more effectively than any potion could have. I drew a sharp breath, looking out over the dizzying drop.

It was the lightning bridge again.

During the day, it had been intimidating—now, in the darkness, the crackling radiance looked even wilder. The surge of light overwhelmed the distant spire, leaving only a stark, pulsing path.

Kazimir’s arm encircled my waist, steady and warm. “Wouldn’t want to lose you over the edge,” he murmured in that smug tone.

Regardless, I clung to his support, furious at myself for needing it as I took the first step onto the bridge. The cold wind whipped at my face, lashing the last of the wine’s fog from my mind. Hyperaware of his arm around me, I kept moving. By the time we reached the far side, the hum of tension in my body had only sharpened. He was so close. I hated how willingly I let him guide me, how the heat of his hand on my hip seared straight through my gown.

“You may call me Kazimir if you wish,” he said abruptly as we descended another winding staircase.

I glanced at him. “And what makes you think I’d wish to do that?”

He gave me a knowing look. “Most people find ‘Dark Lord’ cumbersome in casual conversation. And ‘my lord’ seems… unlikely to escape your mouth without you spontaneously combusting.”

I shot him a flat look. “I’ve found ‘kidnapper’ rolls off the tongue quite nicely.”

We reached a landing and continued down another corridor. “We’re married now,” he pointed out. “Isn’t it outdated to keep calling me your kidnapper?”

“I didn’t realize abduction came with an expiration date.”

His lips twitched. “Consider it a promotion, then. From victim to wife.”

I studied him warily. “Since we’re on the topic of our ‘hasty nuptials,’ I noticed the vows were abbreviated. No promise to obey?”

He stepped closer, voice low. “That’s rather archaic. And you can’t obey anyone to save your life, can you?” His gaze flicked tomy mouth. “Besides, I find your defiance far more stimulating than your obedience would be.”

My stomach twisted at the subtle purr in his tone. “I’m not here to stimulate you.”

“And yet,” he murmured, tracing his fingers over my collarbone, “you do. Most efficiently.”

Refusing to betray how his touch made my heart hammer, I forced myself to stand absolutely still under his caress. His fingers withdrew, and we walked on until we reached the staircase leading to Kazimir’s tower. When I halted at my chamber entrance, his hand wrapped around my wrist before I could slip inside. He moved up the stairs instead, pulling me undeniably upward.

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