Cassius's grip on my hand tightened, his thumb brushing across my palm as he examined the blood that had already dripped onto the floor.

His touch was firm, yet there was a strange tenderness in the way he held me. It was confusing as hell—his dominance, his control, mixed with an intimacy that felt wrong, yet...

"Your Grace..." I whispered, my voice unsteady, hesitant. "Duke Valtier?"

He didn't answer. Instead, he leaned in, his proximity making my breath catch in my throat.

His face was now ...