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In that moment, she felt the familiar grip of fear take hold. Unable to face the confrontation any longer, she turned and fled, her heart pounding in her chest as she pushed her way through the crowd. She barely noticed the bewildered stares and murmurs of the guests as she ran, her only thought being to escape the oppressive weight of her parents’ judgment.

Ciara finally reached a secluded balcony, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. The cool night air enveloped her, and the quiet solitude of the balcony provided a stark contrast to the overwhelming noise and chaos of the ballroom. She leaned against the railing, her hands gripping the cold metal as she tried to steady herself.

The stars twinkled above her, a reminder of the vastness of the world beyond her troubles. The garden below was bathed in the soft glow of moonlight, the gentle rustling of leaves and the distant chirping of crickets offering a soothing melody to her frazzled nerves. Ciara closed her eyes, focusing on the sounds of the night and the rhythm of her own breathing.

In and out. In and out.

Just as she opened her eyes, turning toward the doorway, she realized the Duke of Silverbrook was there.

“Need a solitary moment, siren?” he asked seductively.

CHAPTER 10

“Yes, but you obviously don’t know what solitary means; otherwise, you wouldn’t be here,” Ciara snapped, unable to control herself as the rage and anguish from the encounter with her parents still boiled inside of her.

She was still reeling from the painful interaction with her parents, and the sight of Jonathan only added to her agitation. She could not keep the frustration from bubbling over. The Duke of Silverbrook was the last person she wanted to see at this point. All she wanted was to be left alone, but there was not a single place in that entire mansion where she would be granted that.

The sheer rage at her helplessness poured out of her every gaze, her every word. “Why are you so insistent on following me?” she snapped, her voice sharp. “Haven’t you had your fun already?”

The Duke smirked, undeterred by her anger. He stepped closer, his dark eyes twinkling with amusement. “I actually keep tellingmyself that, but every time I see you, I realize that no, the fun is not over. In fact, it has just begun.”

“I am not here for your amusement,” she snarled at him, determined to treat him just like she had treated Sarah. She would show him that she would not accept being treated with disrespect.

“But I am here for yours, siren,” he teased. “If you want me to be.”

“The sort of fun you have to offer is not something I am interested in, Your Grace,” she assured him. “And I just told you, I want to be left alone,” she reminded him, strangely feeling slightly less angry.

“But a ball is exactly the opposite of that,” he said with surprise. “You come to a ball to socialize, not the other way around.”

“Well, mistakes happen,” she said, staring him straight in the eyes, not allowing herself to look away even for a second. “Like the one by the pond.”

“Ah, but you see, that was a fortuitous misunderstanding,” he said, grinning in a way that drove her mad. She had no idea why she was reacting to him in such a manner, wanting to feel his lips on hers again. It was utterly maddening.

“A mistake,” she urged, ignoring the blush that spilled all over her cheeks.

He chuckled at her insistence. “I knew immediately that you had some fire in you. Tell me, sweet siren, do you bite as well?”

Ciara could not believe him. Her frustration was reaching its peak, but she knew that she could not show him that. That would only cause him more pleasure. She needed to show him that she was as calm and composed as he was. She needed to be on his level in order to play his game. And the worst part was that she needed to remain there with him. Back inside, she could risk running into her parents again, and that was the last thing she wanted to happen. She wanted to avoid another confrontation, to escape the judgment and harsh words that had wounded her so deeply.

“I might,” she said instead of telling him how rude and annoying he was. “If you keep following me, that is.”

His laughter was rich and genuine, sending a shiver down her spine. “You are clever enough to deduce that I would not object to that, Miss Everton.”

He continued his playful banter, sensing her reluctance to go back inside, “What is it about me that vexes you so, Miss Everton? Is it my charm, my wit, or perhaps my devastatingly good looks?”

“Your arrogance, mostly,” she retorted, her eyes flashing with irritation.

He chuckled, moving even closer until he was mere inches away. “Ah, but you see, it’s only arrogance if it’s unfounded. I prefer to think of it as confidence.”

Ciara turned to face him, her chin held high. She tried not to pay attention to how devilishly handsome he was, how utterly titillating his smile was. “And what makes you so confident that I would tolerate your company?”

The Duke’s gaze softened slightly, his playful smirk turning into a more genuine smile. “Because, despite your protests, I think you enjoy our exchanges as much as I do. There’s a spark between us, one that neither of us can deny.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but the words caught in her throat. There was an undeniable chemistry between them, a magnetic pull that drew her to him even as she fought against it. His confidence, his teasing, and his charm all combined to create an allure that was hard to resist.

“That is most certainly not the case,” she finally flared at his words. And even if it was the case, she would certainly not admit it to him of all people.

“You may deny it all you want, siren,” he teased. “But your actions speak louder than your words.”