As the carriage finally pulled to a halt before the grand entrance of Velyssia Castle, Violetta alighted, her gown sweeping behind her as she strode towards the towering double doors. Lucien followed close behind, his boots echoing on the marble floors as they ascended the sweeping staircase to Violetta's private chambers.
Once inside the lavishly appointed bedroom, Violetta sat down on the edge of the grand four-poster bed and gestured for Lucien to come and sit next to her. Lucien's gaze drifted over the opulent furnishings, taking in the rich velvet drapes, the gilded mirrors, and the plush carpet beneath their feet. He sat down on the bed, the mattress dipping slightly beneath his weight as he settled himself beside her.
"Why was it necessary to come to your bedroom for this discussion?" Lucien asked, a note of skepticism in his low, gruff voice. His stormy eyes continued to roam over the room, a look of distracted curiosity on his rugged features.
Violetta's lips curled info a smile, a hint of impatience flashing in her violet eyes. In a sudden, decisive motion, she reached out and grabbed Lucien's chin, her slender fingers curling around his jaw as she forced him to meet her gaze. "Lucien," she said, her voice a low, warning purr. "You are not to get distracted when I am right in front of you." Her smile softened, a playful, almost wicked curve to her lips. "Now, pay attention. I have something important to say."
Lucien's eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of annoyance in their depths at Violetta's high-handed treatment. However, he held her gaze, his expression settling into a look of guarded attention as he waited for her to continue.
Violetta took a deep breath, a sudden, inexplicable nervousness fluttering in the pit of her stomach. She had never been nervous before, not when it came to matters of business or politics. But then again, she had never before propositioned a man, let alone a man like Lucien. "The proposition I spoke of," Violetta began, her voice a low, almost hesitant murmur, "is that you are to marry me, Lucien D'Artois."
Lucien grabbed Violetta's hand, his calloused fingers curling around her slender ones as he tugged it away from his chin. He squeezed her hand tightly, his grip a silent warning as he leaned in closer, his stormy eyes flashing with a sudden, fierce intensity. "What the hell kind of proposition is this?" he growled, his voice a low, incredulous rasp. "A marriage? There is no benefit in it for me, Duchess." Lucien's voice was a low, bitter snarl, a sound that spoke of a deep, abiding suspicion and a growing sense of unease.
Violetta, undeterred by Lucien's harsh tone, simply smiled, a look of patient amusement in her violet eyes as she met his gaze head-on. "It may seem that way now, Lucien," she murmured, her voice a low, soothing lilt. "But please, allow me to finish before you dismiss it outright." She paused, waiting for him to release her hand, a hint of anticipation and a touch of trepidation in her gaze.
Lucien, however, didn't let go of her hand, he only loosened his grip slightly and leaned back, Violetta took a deep, steadying breath. "This marriage would not be permanent," she explained, her voice a low, careful murmur. "It would be a temporary, contractual arrangement, lasting no more than two years." She watched Lucien closely, gauging his reaction to this revelation.
Lucien's grip on Violetta's hand tightened for a moment before he released her, a look of guarded curiosity flashing in his eyes. "And what, pray tell, are the conditions of this...arrangement?" he asked, a note of wary suspicion in his low, gruff voice. He leaned back slightly, his broad shoulders brushing against the velvet bedding as he studied Violetta's face intently.
"During this time, your sole duty would be to provide me with an heir," Violetta continued, her voice a low, almost businesslike tone. "One child, Lucien. A son or a daughter, it matters not. Though, I would not be averse to you gifting me with two heirs, should the mood strike you." Violetta's voice was a low, almost teasing purr, a sound that held a hint of something more heated and primal beneath the surface. "Two years is more than adequate time to fulfill this condition and dissolve the marriage with no further obligations on either side." Violetta's voice was a low, matter-of-fact statement, a sound that spoke of a woman who knew exactly what she was doing.
Lucien's eyes narrowed, a look of growing frustration and impatience flashing in their stormy depths. "You speak of terms and conditions," he said, his voice a low, gruff rasp. "But you are yet to tell me how this whole ordeal benefits me, Duchess." Lucien's voice was a low, accusing murmur, a sound that spoke of a man who had been wronged and was demanding recompense.
Violetta held up a slender hand, a gesture of patience and a hint of a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "Please be patient, Lucien," she murmured, her voice a low, soothing lilt. "I was just getting there." She paused, taking a moment to gather her thoughts before she continued.
"Once the term of two years is over and you have fulfilled your...duty by giving me an heir," Violetta began, her voice a low, careful murmur, "the marriage will be dissolved, and you will no longer be a part of the Velyssia family." Her violet eyes met Lucien's, a look of solemn sincerity in their depths as she spoke of the future.
"However, the Velyssia family, in all its power and influence, will do everything in order to re-establish the D'Artois household," Violetta continued, her voice a low, solemn promise. "We will provide you with a generous sum, enough to cover the expenses of the household and its staff for a period of no less than five years." She paused, letting the weight of her words sink in, a hint of anticipation and a touch of hope in her gaze.
"And in exchange for this, I ask only one thing of you, Lucien," Violetta murmured, her voice a low, almost hesitant whisper. "That you give me your seed, and that you remain a faithful and loving husband for the duration of the agreed upon time." Violetta's voice was a low, almost pleading sound, a request that spoke of a woman who was used to getting what she wanted.
Lucien leaned back against the plush velvet bedding, his brow furrowed in thought as he considered Violetta's proposal. After a long moment, he spoke, his voice a low, gruff murmur. "So, in essence, you are offering to restore my family's name and fortune, if I am willing to give you my dick for a period of two years," he said, a note of bitter amusement and a touch of disbelief in his tone.
Violetta let out a soft, melodic laugh, a sound that held a hint of wicked amusement. "My, my, you do have a rather...crude way of putting it," she teased, a smirk playing at the corners of her mouth. "But it is, for the most part, accurate." She leaned in closer, her violet eyes glinting with a sudden, fierce intensity as she met Lucien's gaze.
Lucien's eyes narrowed, a look of guarded suspicion flashing in their stormy depths. "And what exactly did you mean by being a faithful and loving husband?" he asked, a note of wary curiosity in his low, gruff voice. He leaned back further into the plush bedding, his broad shoulders sinking into the velvet cushions as he studied Violetta's face intently.
Violetta's smirk widened into a wicked, almost predatory grin. In a sudden, decisive motion, she pushed Lucien back against the bed, the velvet bedding crinkling beneath his weight. She straddled his hips, her gown riding up to reveal a glimpse of her creamy thighs as she settled herself above him. Lucien's hands instinctively went to her waist, his fingers curling into the soft fabric of her gown as he stared up at her, his stormy eyes wide with a sudden, wary anticipation.
"What I mean by a faithful and loving husband," Violetta murmured, her voice a low, sultry purr, "is that you must never mistreat me, you shouldn't raise your voice while talking to me, and don't even think about hitting me." She paused, a hint of a challenge flashing in her eyes as she waited for Lucien's reaction. When he remained silent, she continued.
"And you must never allow your gaze to linger too long on the charms of another woman," Violetta whispered, her voice a low, warning hiss. "Your eyes, your heart, and your body belong to me and me alone for the duration of our marriage." She punctuated her words by trailing a finger down the center of Lucien's chest, a teasing, almost possessive gesture.
Violetta continued, her voice a low, almost breathless murmur as she loomed above Lucien. "Lastly, and perhaps most importantly," she breathed, her violet eyes glinting with a sudden, fierce hunger, "you must be ready and willing to fuck me, whenever and however I desire it. No excuses, no delays, no hesitation." Her violet eyes bore into his, a look of unyielding demand and a hint of dark promise glinting in their depths.
Lucien's grip tightened on Violetta's waist, his calloused fingers digging into the soft fabric of her gown as he stared up at her, a look of stunned disbelief and a growing sense of unease in his stormy eyes. "Why me?" he asked, a note of bewildered suspicion in his low, gruff voice. "Why would a fallen noble like me be your choice, when you have a kingdom of men to choose from?" Lucien's voice was a low, bitter murmur, a sound that spoke of a man who knew his place in the world and was wary of the expectations placed upon him.
Violetta's lips curved into a slow, almost wicked smile, a look of dark amusement and a touch of something more heated in her gaze. "Ah, Lucien," she purred, a note of satisfaction in her low, melodic voice. "You are not a fallen noble to me, but a man of great potential, a man with a name that could be restored to its former glory." She leaned in closer, her lips brushing against the shell of Lucien's ear as she whispered. "And the fact that you have fallen so far, that you have nowhere else to go to, means that you will never harbor any foolish notions of usurping my place as Duchess." She leaned in closer, her breath ghosting over the shell of Lucien's ear as she spoke. "As failure to usurp my place would mean instant death for you. I trust that knowledge will keep you...in line." Violetta's voice was a low, almost threatening purr, a sound that sent a shiver down Lucien's spine.
She paused, her gaze raking over Lucien's face, taking in the rugged, handsome lines of his features. "But there is another reason, a more...personal reason, if you will," Violetta continued, her voice a low, almost breathless murmur. "Quite simply, I find you...intriguing." She reached out, her slender fingers tracing the hard, angular line of Lucien's jaw, a teasing, almost possessive gesture.