The Lycan King and his Dark Temptation (Valeria) novel Chapter 360

KATHERINE

His hand moved up, brushing against my parted lips, tracing their outline while his eyes devoured me, brimming with promises and desire.

“What… what modest services in your chamber? Do you need me to clean?” I asked, feigning innocence.

Remembering the last intimate services I had provided—ones he hadn’t even paid me for.

“Pft, I think you know exactly what I want from you. I’ve given you pleasure tonight, and you’ve left me hanging several times,” he murmured seductively, leaning in closer.

“I doubt you’ll have any trouble earning those checks, my Duchess.”

And with that indecent proposition, he grabbed my hand and led us through the forest back to the mansion.

I followed in silence, my mind spinning from all the veiled hints and where they were leading.

We were both an absolute mess, and as we stepped into the garden grounds, the people we passed gave us odd looks. But Elliot didn’t stop to explain himself.

The music from the ballroom had quieted; the guests were already retreating to the chambers prepared for them.

We slipped in through a side door, not wanting to draw too much attention.

“Your Excellency, someone was looking for—oh, by the Majesty! Did something happen to you in our lands?” The lady of the house gasped as she took in our disheveled appearance, pressing a hand to her mouth in shock.

“If the peasants of my estate have harmed you in any way, I’ll call my husband at once—”

“No, no, don’t worry. Nothing happened, we just went for a walk,” Elliot brushed it off, not bothering with further explanations.

My eyes subtly flicked down to his crotch—at least the beast had gone back into its cave. Otherwise, how humiliating would that have been?

“Of course, well, if you’ll follow me, I’ll show you to your rooms.”

She led us upstairs to the second floor, where a hallway stretched with doors on one side and tall windows on the other.

“This will be the Duchess’s chamber. A maid will be attending to you,” she said, directing her words to me as she opened the door.

Her manners were impeccable. But it didn’t escape my notice that she obviously treated Elliot with far more distinction.

And let’s not forget—she was separating us instead of arranging for us to share a bed, when we were clearly married.

“No, Your Excellency, your chamber is on the third floor,” she added when Elliot made to follow me inside.

“What sense does it make to put me in a separate room from my wife?” Elliot asked, frowning, his voice cold and irritated.

“It’s just that the third floor… I thought—I mean, I assumed…” she stammered nervously, looking at Elliot as if to say, «I thought I was doing you a favor by keeping you away from your clingy wife»

Not to mention, even though I wasn’t nobility myself, I knew the basics of etiquette: the higher the floor in a mansion, the more distinguished the guests.

Me, on the second floor, with the nobodies. And the Duke of Everhart? Likely on the same level as Zafiro.

“Well, you assumed very wrong!” Elliot snapped, his fury barely contained.

“It’s best to follow the hosts’ arrangements, don’t get upset, Duke. I’ll see you in the morning, rest well,” I said, grabbing the doorknob and closing the door in his stunned face.

“Wait, Duchess—!”

BAM.

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