Page 56

“Later,” he growled. his voice low and dangerous, then he did something so wanton.

He placed the finger that had been inside her into his mouth and sucked on it.

“Mm, as I expected—so bloody delicious,” he whispered.

Yvette sucked in a breath, and for a couple seconds, she forgot how to breathe, shocked by the intensity of it all.

As the sound of retreating footsteps echoed in the corridor, silence settled between them, thick with unspoken tension.

Yvette’s pulse still thundered, her lips swollen from his bruising kisses.

“This isn’t over,” he promised darkly, his gaze piercing through her.

And Yvette knew, with every breathless, trembling part of her, that he was right.

The next morning, Yvette awoke feeling different. It was as if something within her had shifted overnight.

Her mind, usually burdened with uncertainty and confusion, felt clear—like the morning sunlight streaming in through her window. Her skin felt warmer, flushed, as though every part of her was more alive than before.

She touched her cheeks absentmindedly, aware of the heat, and felt her heart skip a beat as memories of the night before flooded her senses.

“Good morning, Your Grace,” Daisy greeted cheerfully as she entered with a tray of hot water. Her bright eyes immediately darted to Yvette’s flushed face. “You’re glowing this morning.”

Yvette quickly dropped her hand from her face, and the tips of her ears turned pink.

“Oh. I am sure it’s nothing,” she replied a little too quickly, her words betraying the warmth on her cheeks. “I must have just slept unusually well.”

Daisy, ever the oblivious one, merely smiled and hummed as she prepared Yvette’s bath. “I am glad to hear it. Perhaps the change in the weather agrees with you, Your Grace.”

She busied herself with the preparations, leaving Yvette to quietly reflect on the strange rush of emotions inside her.

Yvette tried to steady herself, gathering the courage to face the day ahead. She had been awake far too early, her thoughts racing with the events of the night, and now she had to act as though everything was normal.

“I wonder,” Yvette asked, forcing a casual tone as she stood before her mirror, brushing through her hair, “Have you seen His Grace this morning, Daisy?”

Daisy paused, then replied with a quick nod. “Yes, Your Grace. He left early this morning. I believe he had business to attend to.”

The mention of Killian leaving caused something to tighten in Yvette’s chest, and for a moment, she could not mask the fleeting disappointment that crossed her features.

She hadn’t expected to see him at breakfast. She shook the thought away, forcing herself to smile.

“Ah, I see,” Yvette murmured, trying to mask the tinge of sadness. “Well, it’s not important.”

Yvette managed a small sigh as Daisy dressed her for the day, her thoughts swirling in her head.

Was this how things would always be? Would it always feel like she was the one trying to reach for something she couldn’t have?

When she arrived in the dining room, Yvette was surprised to see Maisie sitting at the table, her small legs swinging under the chair as she tried to sit still.

As soon as the little girl saw her, her face lit up like the sun, and she bounced up from her seat, running straight toward Yvette.

“Duchess!” Maisie exclaimed with a bright giggle.

She wrapped her arms around Yvette’s legs, and Yvette froze for a moment before bending down to hug her back.

“Good morning, sweet Maisie,” Yvette said softly, her heart swelling with warmth at the little girl’s affection.

Maisie stepped back and looked up at Yvette with her innocent eyes. “You look different today, Duchess. Did you get a new dress?”