Tyrant's Obsession With The Heiress

Lady Karina took a moment to study his face, acquainting herself with the human side of Orpheus Van Merikh that she never knew was possible.

Up until now, she never knew that emotions existed for the man—pure, genuine feelings that she believed were lost on him.

He had always been known as the Black Frost Demon and the most feared warlord across the continent.

But now? She saw the vulnerability, the gentle qualities that all men possessed, which he kept deeply bottled up.

It was an extraordinary show of unbridled weakness and she knew it.

"Aye, return my father and allow his all knights to be given proper burials," she whispered, reaching up to card her fingers through his unruly hair. "And you must seek my father's permission for my hand."

Orpheus' gaze darkened. "Your father will never grant it."

"If you are willing and try to right your wrongs, he will consider it," she said, offering a smile that nearly extinguished all of the darkness within him. "He is not an unreasonable man."

Yet some part of Orpheus was still as stubborn as a mule. Old habits did not die in mere fleeting moments and some traits could not be rid of.

"It is not in my nature to seek forgiveness, my lady."

Lady Karina knew that would be the case and she could not expect him to improve over night.

"I would not call it forgiveness." She shook her head. "Rather, it is making amends."

Orpheus released her gently, his mind sorting through the foreign thoughts he was considering.

And Lady Karina stood beside her father's old desk, observing Orpheus mull over their conversation.

She went to him again, wrapping her small, warm hands around his clenched fist.

Bewildered that she would even think to make a move to touch him, Orpheus glanced down at her lovely face.

He felt himself experience that sense of weakness all over again.

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And God's blood—what he wouldn't do when the lady looked at him the way she did.

"Please, Orpheus," she murmured, her hands tightening around his. "Please let our knights have an honourable burial and bring my father home for that would be a good start."

He was bending. Folding. And he could feel it.

"If that is your wish, my lady." He closed his eyes, resigning himself to the fact that the lady would be the death of him.

"Aye, it is indeed my wish."

Lady Karina rewarded him with another tender smile, a lovely gesture that came straight from her heart.

"Thank you," she added and Orpheus couldn't resist sharing another kiss with her.

Perhaps Hendrix was right and deep down, Orpheus had known that all too well.

But he'd be damned if ever allowed his

knights and generals to take him for a fool who was head over heels like a teenager for a lady.

And for some odd reason, he discovered a part of himself he never knew could be real when he was around Lady Karina.

Something he never experienced around his men.

And this time, when their soft yet deep connection ended, Lady Karina planted a kiss on his cheek.

"Your kisses are sweet, Orpheus," she admitted, her cheeks still flushed a rosy red. "A man who does not have mercy in him would not have such tender kisses."

Perhaps she was right.

But Orpheus wasn't prepared to reveal to the rest of the world that he folded like a fool whenever Lady Karina expected him to.

It would be a long time before that mercy came to the surface.

"I was under the impression that you hated them and wanted me to refrain from doing so, my lady," Orpheus recalled, arching his brow.

She felt her cheeks flush with shame again.

While it might have started out that way, she couldn't deny that it was difficult to resist his kisses.

"That is not an invitation that I've agreed to your proposal," Lady Karina clarified, clearing her throat to hide her shame. "And I certainly didn't agree to the kiss just now."

"Yet you didn't reject it either." Orpheus cocked his head to the side, studying her carefully. "Am I to understand that you tend to enjoy the things that you hate, Karina?"

And there it was again.

The way he uttered her name did unimaginable things. It brought heat to more places than one and he said it so gently, as if it were precious.

And now that she was embarrassed out of her mind, Lady Karina weakly shoved at his chest to push him away.

"I have many more tasks to complete, my Lord." She turned on her heels, refusing to let him see her expression. "I am unable to work efficiently if you are watching me like a predator, so please allow me to be alone."

Orpheus crossed his arms over his chest.

While Lady Karina could somewhat have her way with him and make him fold like a fool, he wouldn't agree to every demand.

"Nay, my lady," Orpheus objected, standing firmly where he did. "You focused quite perfectly on the calculations from earlier while even conversing with me, so I do not find any legible reason why I should leave."

Lady Karina released a frustrated huff of breath and turned around on her heels, mimicking him by crossing her arms.

Once again, Orpheus was more than pleased to let his eyes wander down to her plump cleavage.

"You are utterly shameless!" She remarked in mock outrage, but not entirely upset. "Must your eyes wander everywhere?"

The corner of his mouth curled up arrogantly.

"Does that bother you, my lady?" He asked, never letting his smirk fade. "If something is on display for all to ogle at, why shouldn't I look as much as I please?"

"Because it is improper! A gentleman would keep his eyes up and focus on appropriate things."

Orpheus let out an amused laugh.

Something she had never seen before and she had to admit the sound was quite endearing.

She didn't know he could laugh like that.

"I am no gentleman, my lady," Orpheus said, cupping her face and placing her kiss on her forehead. "I will leave you to your own devices for now."

With that being said, Lady Karina watched the man depart without another word.

It was strange.

She didn't want to fold over like a fool just because he showed some forms of affection.

"What am I doing..." She sighed wearily, uncertain of her decisions.