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When he watched the glittering sphere in her palms expand to the size of the room, he didn’t wait. Geryon grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the ballroom.

He took her to the large hallway that led to one of the arms of the palace on the ground level. For now, it was empty of people, except for one guard, who he ordered to leave.

Turning them, he pushed Valerie against the corner while he brought his lips down on hers. They kissed deeply as he loosened the back of her dress, impatiently pulling on the ties. He wasn’t going to remove it; he just wanted to give his hands space to roam.

There was no hesitation on her part.

She even gave him a moan as she swirled her tongue against his. He knew if he opened his eyes, he would see her mask fading, like it usually did when they were alone and being intimate.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, one hand holding her shoulder while the other kneaded her backside.

“I want to claim you, Valerie,” he said in between kisses. “Do not deny me any longer.”

She’d been denying him for the past month. It hurt him each night she told him no, since he asked every day. She would still allow him to touch her afterwards, would allow him to taste her and be with her, but she wouldn’t let him put his claim on her.

He’d been attentive, spending as much time as he could with her. Sometimes, he would steal her away from court to take a stroll with her, where they would converse about intelligent topics the people here couldn’t care less about.

He’d made her laugh, tried to make her feel cherished.

“Why?” she asked softly before bringing her lips back over his.

His hands tightened on her as he pulled away to stare at her, his gaze intense.

What does she want from me?She asked him the same question every time he told her he wanted to claim her. Each time, he would tell her a different reason.I want you. I want to make you mine. I chose you.

None of these responses seemed to be what she wanted to hear.

Her pale green eyes flickered over his before she leaned forward to nip her teeth against his throat, bringing her lips close to his ear while she did.

“Why do you want to claim me, Geryon?”

With a growl, he grabbed the back of her hair and pulled her head back. His nose was crinkled, his teeth gritted, and yet she never looked afraid of him.

I tire of waiting.Geryon was usually a patient male, but he didn’t want to wait for this.

“Why?” He pulled her head all the way back, exposing her throat to him and forcing her to submit physically. He wished it could get her to submit to him in this. “Because I love you, you silly Witch! Why else would I want to claim you as my female?”

“Finally, you get the courage to say it.” There was humour in her eyes and in her voice.

Geryon frowned at her for it, for her words.

“I have told you of my feelings.” He gave a dark laugh, one that didn’t share in her humour. “I would not want to claim you if I did not feel this way, if I did not care for you.”

“You care for King Bradwick. Do you wish to put your cock in him too?”

Geryon grew aghast, horrified even! “Not at all! That’s absurd. You–”

“There is a difference between caring for someone and loving them,” she butted in before he could get carried away. Then she averted her gaze momentarily. “You were told of my feelings, even though I did not wish to share them. I wanted to know the depth of yours.”

“You have been denying me for this reason?”

He wanted to be angry, but he couldn’t be.

Valerie was showing a vulnerability, and she never showed her vulnerabilities, not even to him. It was a rare sight, and it was usually because he had to catch her out on it.

This time, she was being forward about it.

He shook his head as a chuckle fell from him. He pressed his lips to her throat, still exposed from the forceful hold he had her in.