Tyrant's Obsession With The Heiress-Chapter 33: A Beast’s Declaration Of Claim

Orpheus halted his movement on her lips, gazing upon her as if she had lost her mind. And beneath the confusion was a great deal of his appointment in his expression.

Why didn't she want his kisses anymore? Had she come to loathe them as he had expected?

"And why not, my Lady?" He paused, searching for an answer in her eyes.

Lady Karina pulled back from him somewhat, licking her lips to taste him on her flesh.

"It is not appropriate," she muttered. "If you must know, I am of marriageable age. As it is, being the prisoner of Orpheus Van Merikh will make it nearly impossible for me to gain any decent prospects."

Orpheus wasn't quite fond of the direction her concerns were headed in.

"There is no doubt that suspicion will be cast upon a woman captive under your control. And what do you think my future husband would say if he knew I had allowed you to kiss me? I should not have allowed you to."

Orpheus could feel the crimson brand on his neck begging to flare to life, almost as if it were burning him from beneath his flesh.

"This was completely wrong of me and it will ruin any chances of a good marriage I may have."

Orpheus blinked at her. "Do you speak in all seriousness, my lady?"

"I do," she answered sharply. He could see the fire ignite in her eyes again and there was no doubt she was firm about her concerns.

Orpheus simply stared at her.

His dual-coloured eyes studied her intently, drifting over her luscious golden blonde hair and her sweet oval face, trailing down to her exposed neck where the skin flushed pink from earlier.

The man was visually devouring every inch of her; Orpheus Van Merikh was never shy to let his gaze wander where it pleased.

Follow current novels on freewebnσvel.cѳm.

In fact, the man ensured he was obvious enough about where his eyes landed.

And after several long and anxious moments, his hand on her chin tightened to force her gaze up to his.

"I am not concerned with that, Karina."

It was the first time he had uttered her full name. And quite frankly, it sounded so alluring coming from his lips. It was as if he put effort into every syllable, the name sounding so suave.

She'd be damned if she allowed him to say her again.

Lady Karina scowled. "But I am concerned with it. Perhaps your chest is far too empty to understand the importance of a lady maintaining her dignity."

Oh, how sharp her tongue was. There was no doubt it could cut through steel and ice if she tried hard enough.

The corners of his mouth twitched.

"God's blood, Karina. You truly are a naive one, aren't you? Do you actually believe that all marriages are formed on the basis of decency and that all women arrive at the marriage bed as pure and untouched?"

Furious all over again, Lady Karina tried to yank herself free from his grasp but that was a futile attempt considering how strong the man was.

"I clearly told you that I will never be your whore and I meant it. I would rather slit my throat before I stooped so low," she remarked venomously.

"And I have told you that you will not be my whore," Orpheus argued back. The man had never had to explain himself to a woman before and now he was losing patience doing so. "You will be my wife. There is a distinct difference."

Lady Karina froze mid-struggle. Her emerald green eyes bulged to the point they would practically pop out of her skull.

"What?" She managed to blurt, being quite certain that her hearing must have been poor.

Orpheus stood tall from his position of hovering over her, his hands still on her arms, and he kissed her chastely on the forehead.

His lips were warm this time and they felt sweet, so much that it nearly melted away her anger in an instant.

"The great hall is filled with knights expecting me," Orpheus told her, his thumb brushing over her reddening cheek. "Please go to your chambers and remain there, my lady."

Please.

The man was capable of using the word, please?

But there was no doubt about the sincerity in his eyes, even if it was faint or barely there.

"These knights are brutal and ruthless men and I do not wish for you to be in their path." He exhaled a deep breath. "I would hate to kill any of them, as I need all of them."

Lady Karina stood there, dumbfounded.

And Orpheus, as much as he didn't want to, was forced to take her by the elbow and practically shove her towards the door.

Once they reached the panel, she seemed to snap out of her shock.

"Wife?" Lady Karina repeated, almost shouting as if she'd misheard him.

"I would not marry you even if you were the last man in this world," she remarked with sweet venom, a poison Orpheus would gladly drink if it pleased her. "You are a murderer and a thief. I do not want you!"

"But I want you," Orpheus stated firmly, his dual-coloured gaze leaving no room for argument. "And that is where this conversation shall end, Lady."

Orpheus threw open the door and practically dragged her to the base of the stairs that led to the upper floors.

When she refused to mount the steps, he easily lifted her onto the first step and spanked her soundly on the bottom.

"Go to your chambers," he ordered softly.

"This is not over," Lady Karina growled. "I will fight you with the last breath in my body against this... this madness."

"Go, or you shall feel my hand on your backside again."

Rubbing her bottom while glaring at him, Lady Karina disappeared up the stairs in a fit of rage.

Orpheus stood there until she had vanished from sight.

And he made certain that the smug smirk on his lips was gone by the time he returned to the great hall.