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Vice's expression softened for a moment before it was replaced by his usual cold, calculating stare. "But don't get any ideas, Ivy," he warned. "I may have moments of weakness, but I won't let you or anyone else exploit them."

Ivy took a deep breath, her mind racing with the safety of her daughter. "I just want to understand," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "What do you want from me?"

Vice's gaze never wavered. "I want to watch the world burn," he replied, his tone devoid of emotion. "And I want you by my side as I do it."

Ivy felt a knot form in her stomach. This was the truth she had been trying to avoid, the reality of the monster that lurked beneath the gentle gestures and moments of tenderness. She had allowed herself to be drawn into his twisted world, to believe that there was a shred of goodness in him. "And if I refuse?" she asked, her voice barely audible.

Vice frowned. "Then you leave Alice without protection," he said, his words a knife twisting in her heart.

Ivy's eyes widened with fear, and she took a step back. "You wouldn't," she whispered, her voice shaking.

Vice's smile grew, but his eyes remained cold. "Would I," he asked simply. "The world is a cruel place, and I've learned that the only way to survive is to be cruel in return."

Ivy felt the color drain from her face as the weight of his words settled upon her. She knew he wasn't bluffing. The thought of Alice suffering was more than she could bear. "What must I do?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Vice stepped closer, his hand reaching out to trace her jawline. "You will be my queen," he said, his voice low and seductive. "By my side, ruling over the ashes of the world we leave behind."

Ivy's eyes searched his, looking for any sign of mercy. "And if I can't?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Vice's hand dropped from her face, and he took a step back. "Then you will be my prisoner," he said, his voice hardening. "But make no mistake, Ivy, I’ll never let you go."

Ivy's thoughts swirled like a tornado, a maelstrom of doubt and confusion. "What is it that you want from me?" she demanded, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and fear.

Vice leaned in closer, his breath hot on her neck. "I want everything," he whispered, his voice a dark promise of passion and pain. "Your body, you're mind, you're soul. I want you to crave me the way I crave you."

Ivy's heart raced, and she knew she had to be careful. "What was the last thing you said?" she asked.

Vice's smile faded, his eyes dark with desire. "I said that I want everything from you," he repeated, his voice a low, seductive purr. "Your body, you're mind, you're soul."

Ivy stepped back, her eyes narrowing. "That wasn't the last thing," she said, her voice shaky. "You said "the way I crave you."

Vice's expression darkened, his eyes boring into hers. "Did I?" he asked, his voice a low growl. "Or perhaps you're just hearing things you wish were true."

Ivy swallowed hard, her pulse racing. "What do you mean?"

Vice stepped closer, his eyes glinting in the dim light. "You want to believe there's something more to me than just a monster," he whispered. "But don't fool yourself. I'm a man who takes what he wants, and right now, what I want is you."

Ivy felt a tremor of fear mingle with a surprising thrill at his words. Despite her better judgment, she couldn't deny the attraction that had been growing between them. “Don’t lie to me I heard what you said" she breathed, her voice a tremulous whisper.

Vice's gaze grew intense, his grip on her wrist tightening almost imperceptibly. "It doesn’t matter" he whispered into her ear, his voice a dark caress. "It doesn't change our arrangement."

Ivy felt a mix of anger and frustration at his evasiveness. "Why are you so worried about keeping me at an arm's length?" she demanded, her voice shaking with emotion. "What are you afraid of?"

Vice's expression grew thoughtful, his gaze never leaving hers. "You really want to know?" he asked, his voice low and deliberate. "I'm afraid of feeling something other than anger, something other than the desire for revenge. I've built my world around those emotions, Ivy. They're all I know."

Ivy reached up and cupped the side of his face, her thumb brushing against the roughness of his jaw. "Would itreally be so bad?" she whispered, her eyes searching his. "To feel something else?"

Vice's expression was a mix of surprise, confusion and anger as he stared down at her. His hand, which had been resting on her waist, tightened slightly. "You don't understand," he murmured, his eyes searching hers.

"Then make me understand," she said, her voice soft and insistent.

Vice's eyes searched hers, a flicker of something unidentifiable passing through them. He took a deep, ragged breath, his chest rising and falling beneath her hand. For a moment, Ivy thought she saw a glimpse of the boy he once was, lost in the sea of anger and pain that had become his existence.

"You don't know what you're asking," he murmured, his voice strained.

Ivy searched his eyes, desperation in her own. "Please," she whispered, her voice trembling.

Vice's gaze held hers, his expression unreadable. "What is it you're really asking?" he murmured, his voice a low rumble that sent a shiver down her spine.