Ch.3 The STicky Stick
985 Words
Alexander
All eyes followed me through the mansion’s corridors.
That was nothing new, being feared across the empire had its weight, and I carried it well.
When I reached the private chamber, Duke Lombardy was already waiting, calm yet sharp-eyed.
“Where is my daughter?” he asked, a gaze flicking past me as if expecting her to appear.
“She wanted some time to herself,” I replied with a polite smile.
His eyes narrowed, skeptical.
Ah, there it was that unspoken doubt.
“Lady Victoria is with her maids. Don’t worry. She’ll join us soon.”
“It’s better if she doesn’t,” he muttered, then entered the room. I followed.
“Please, sit,” he gestured.
I obliged, waiting for him to speak.
“I’ll be straight,” the duke said.
“If you’re asking about my relationship with your daughter—yes, we are together.” I leaned into the role, making the illusion more convincing. “Victoria only hesitated because she feared what you might think.”
If there was one truth about Duke Lombardy, it was that he treasured his daughter above all. That made my fabricated story an easy sell.
“I know it’s sudden, and I apologize,” I added, rising to bow respectfully. “But I assure you, we’re serious about this.”
His shrewd eyes studied me.
Lombardy was no fool, and certainly not a man who let lies slip by unnoticed. But I was skilled at disguising truth with conviction.
“Duke Alexander,” he said slowly, resting his chin on his hand. “You’re missing something. I know my daughter. She would never look at a man like you.”
Of course, he’d say that.
“Victoria would never give her heart to someone as cold as you.”
“Yet she has,” I pressed. “And I to her. We’re taking things slowly. I ask only that you trust us.”
He grimaced.
“Forgive me, but since when has the cold-hearted, unapproachable duke of the empire taken an interest in women? You’re the last man a woman would dare approach.”
A silence stretched between us, his words cutting but true.
“Tell me honestly,” he pushed, “did Victoria ask you to play along with her?”
I chuckled, drawing his eyes back to me.
“No. I intend to court Lady Victoria properly. And with your permission, I’d like to make our relationship official before all.”
I turned to leave, but the doors burst open.
“Father?” Victoria stood there, eyes flicking between the two of us. I couldn’t resist sending her a wink.
She blushed.
“Lady Victoria,” I greeted smoothly.
“Are you here for Duke Alexander?” her father asked. Her grip tightened on the doorknob, her face twitching.
“Yes,” she managed through clenched teeth.
“Then take him,” the duke said. His sharp eyes lingered on both of us. Keen man. He sensed there was more beneath the surface.
“Shall we?” Victoria smiled tightly. I offered my arm, and she accepted.
The moment we were clear of prying eyes, I pulled her into a guest room, locking the door behind us. She gasped as I caged her against the wall.
“What are you doing?” she squealed, cheeks flushed.
“I should be asking you,” I countered smoothly. “Why did you come?”
Her lips parted, then closed again like a startled fish.
“So?” I pressed.
“I—”
“You what?” I teased with a smile that only made her redder.
She fidgeted, unable to meet my gaze.
“Alright,” I coaxed, finally stepping back a fraction. “You came for a reason, didn’t you?”
“Yes,” she blurted, looking away. Her entire face and neck burned crimson, making it hard not to lean down and claim her lips.
“And?”
“I… have your answer,” she whispered, biting her lip.
Interesting.
“Hmm, that was quick,” I murmured, twirling a strand of her hair between my fingers. “Judging by that look you’re agreeing?”
“Yes,” she admitted, though her voice wavered. “But… with conditions.”
I arched my brow. “Go on.”
She crossed her arms, pacing the room. For the first time, I felt the weight of her seriousness.
“If I agree, I will become your fiancée, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’d have to move in with you?”
That caught me off guard.
My brows lifted. Marriage hadn’t crossed my mind this soon, but her suggestion was tempting.
“You mean to skip the engagement entirely and marry right away?” I asked.
“Yes. A small ceremony, then marriage.”
Suspicion tugged at me.
“And what’s the rush?”
Her words faltered.
“I… need distance from my father. I want my own freedom.”
I studied her face, unconvinced. Still, she was determined.
“Please,” she added softly.
I stepped closer, sliding a hand to her lower back, pulling her flush against me. Her breath hitched.
“Victoria,” I whispered in her ear. “If we marry like this, you understand the… duties of a wife, don’t you?”
Her face flared crimson as I leaned closer.
“Duties during the long, cold nights,” I added wickedly.
She shoved me back, scandalized, as I broke into laughter.
“You’ll be expected to run the household, manage the finances… and share my bed as my partner,” I teased.
Her eyes darted away, still blushing furiously.
I softened, brushing a kiss to her forehead.
“Then it’s settled. Tomorrow, a carriage will arrive to take you to my estate. Prepare yourself, my wife.”
With a victorious smile, I left her standing in shock.
- Writer
