Page 99 of The Dark Lord's Guide to Dating

“Or what?” I pushed back on his magic with my own, a bright flash that made the shadows recoil. “You’ll punish me? Force yourself on me? That would hardly serve your purpose, would it?” I paused. “I bet you need willing participation.”

His silence confirmed my suspicion.

“And how long have you known this particular detail?” I asked.

“Since the day the ritual failed.”

“So you waltzed around my ‘no sex’ condition, feeding me sweet nothings and shadows, for weeks?”

He exhaled sharply, color rising in his cheeks. “Yes, the Heirloom’s requirement complicates things. But?—”

“But instead of just telling me, you decided to bury it beneath gifts and seduction.”

Tension rippled along his shoulders. “What would you have me say? That I’m sorry for trying to secure what I’ve worked my entire life for? I’m not. War and power are who I am.”

He was being brutally honest, for once, but it didn’t soothe my anger. I stared him down, refusing to be swayed by the shadows that wrapped around his frame. “All you talk about is power.”

His eyes darkened to near black. “Don’t pretend you don’t crave it too.”

My pulse thudded, and I took a steadying breath. “Tell me honestly: what happens if we don’t consummate this marriage?”

“Then the Heirloom remains dormant.” His gaze didn’t waver. “But Auremar still comes for you, and I still fight to keep what’s mine.”

There it was again. That possessive declaration that should have infuriated me but instead sent heat spiraling through my core.

“And what happens to me if you fall?”

“Best case scenario? You’re returned to your father, who promptly delivers you to King Auremar as originally planned.” His voice turned bitter. “Worst case? My enemies decide your magic makes you too valuable—or too dangerous—to leave alive.”

Neither option appealed to me, obviously. But instead of despair, I felt something crystallize within me. A realization, clear and cold as winter dawn. What if I stopped being something to be taken and became something to be reckoned with? My bloodline, my body, and my choice could all be wielded as weapons.

I moved closer. “Tell me, Kazimir, did you ever consider what I might want from you?”

He visibly swallowed. “What do you want, Arabella?”

My heartbeat pounded in my ears. “I want to never be sold or traded again,” I said, my voice gaining strength. I’d been seeing myself as a victim, but there was another perspective. One where I wielded power of my own. “I want to develop my magic withoutfear or shame. I want to build something that’s mine, not my father’s, not the king’s, not even yours.”

Kazimir inhaled sharply, his pupils dilating as he watched me claim my power. The scars visible above his collar pulsed faintly. His voice was rough. “And you believe not consummating our marriage will give you these things?”

“No. I believe consummating our marriage will give me leverage.” I held his gaze. “Power of my own to negotiate with.”

The air between us thickened. Around us, objects in the room began to respond to our combined magical energy. Scrolls rustled on their shelves, markers on the table vibrated, the flames in the wall sconces flared higher.

A slow smile curved his mouth. “You’re proposing to sleep with me... for political advantage.”

“I’m proposing to sleep with you because I refuse to let anyone else decide my fate.”

A flush crept up Kazimir’s neck as his breathing became shallower. “Such pretty lies you tell yourself.” His voice dropped to a register that vibrated through my bones. “I’ve heard your breathing change when I move closer, or when you see me naked, and even when I shift toward that ridiculous wall of pillows between us.”

Heat flooded my cheeks. “Noticing your physical form doesn’t mean I’ve been pining for you,” I shot back. “It means I’m not blind.”

“And yesterday’s kiss?” He leaned closer, his shadow magic swirling around us as his eyes darkened. “What exactly was that about?”

I lifted my chin. “You tell me.”

“Simple. I want you, Arabella.” His voice softened, and his gaze raked over my face. “I’ve wanted you since I first saw you standing defiant in that rainstorm. Every time you challenge me,every time your magic brushes against mine, it makes me want you more.”

My breath hitched as the tension between us switched from anger to arousal in a single heartbeat. I stepped close enough to feel the heat of his body, to see the subtle widening of his pupils as I invaded his space.

---