The Villainess Wants To Retire-Chapter 352: Distractions

Without warning, Soren’s hands shifted. He gripped her waist firmly, and in one smooth, powerful motion, he lifted her and spun her around. Eris gasped, her hands flying to his shoulders for balance as he set her down on the edge of her massive new mahogany desk.

"Soren! What are you—"

He didn’t answer with words. He stepped between her legs, his blue eyes glowing with a faint, predatory light. He placed his hands on her hips, his fingers digging into the silk of her gown, pulling her flush against him.

He leaned in, his lips meeting hers in a kiss that was slow, thorough, and devastatingly confident.

Eris felt the world tilt. She broke the kiss after a moment, her breath coming in short, ragged bursts. "I can barely walk, Soren. My legs are like jelly. Get away from me."

He didn’t move. Instead, he leaned in and nipped at her lower lip, a low growl vibrating in his chest. "I’ll be gentle," he promised, his voice a husky rasp.

"We’re in a workplace!" she protested, though her hands were already curling into the lapels of his tunic. "This is an office! My first day!"

"Mmm," was all he said, his mouth moving to the sensitive skin of her jawline.

"The door is half open!" she gasped as his lips found the spot just below her ear.

"I know," he murmured, his tongue grazing her skin.

"Anyone could see us!"

"I know," he repeated, his mouth moving lower, his teeth grazing her collarbone as he bypassed the high neck of her dress.

Eris let out a sound that was half-moan, half-exasperation. "For the love of Pyronox and Aenithra, can’t you keep your hands to yourself for one minute without grabbing me? Are you truly that far gone?"

Soren chuckled against her skin, a deep, resonant sound that made her toes curl. He pulled back just enough to look her in the eyes, his expression uncharacteristically serious despite the smirk on his face. "Why should I?"

He paused, his hands tightening on her hips, pulling her even further onto the desk until she was forced to wrap her legs around his waist to stay balanced. "When you’re standing this close to me? When the light hits you like that? When you’re mine?"

He leaned in, his nose brushing hers. "Do you realize how addictive everything about you is, Eris? The way you smell, the way you snap at me, the way you look when you’re pretending you don’t want me to touch you?"

Eris stared at him, her face a mask of feigned unimpressed "..." while her heart was performing a frantic, rhythmic dance against her ribs.

Soren just grinned, his expression a smug that told her he knew exactly what she was feeling.

He knew she wasn’t pushing him away. He knew that despite her protests about "workplaces" and "soreness," she was currently leaning into him, her fingers tangling in the hair at the nape of his neck.

His kisses became more intense. He moved back to her throat, his teeth grazing the skin in a way that made her head fall back, exposing the marks he’d already left. His tongue traced the line of her collarbone, and Eris felt the last of her resolve crumbling into ash.

Then, without warning, he took her mouth again. This wasn’t the slow, tender kiss of a moment ago. This was a devouring. He gripped the back of her head, his fingers tangling in her hair to hold her in place, while his other hand pressed into her lower back, arching her body into his.

Eris couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t think. The office, the council, the sky, it all vanished, replaced by the heat of him and the intoxicating pressure of his lips against hers.

Caelen Caldrith reached the Emperor’s study, his mind still a whirlwind of security protocols and border disputes. He knocked once, a sharp, professional sound, and entered without waiting for a response.

He didn’t find Soren. He found Aldric, who was seated at his own desk, peering through a monocle at a mountain of documents. The secretary looked up, his expression one of mild surprise. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"King Caelen," Aldric said, leaning back. "Can I help you with something?"

"I’m looking for Soren," Caelen said, his voice flat. "We need to discuss the northern security matters. The blizzard has created some vulnerabilities in the border patrol rotation between our nations."

Aldric hesitated. He looked at Caelen, really looked at him, noticing the hollow eyes and the stiff, brittle posture of a man who was holding himself together by a single thread. For a moment, Aldric considered lying. He considered sending the King back to his guest wing to rest.

But honesty was the path of least resistance.

"The Emperor is with the Empress," Aldric said, his voice carefully neutral. "In her new office."

There was a long pause. Caelen’s jaw worked, but he didn’t look away.

"Perhaps you could relay your message through me?" Aldric suggested, his tone a quiet warning. "Or return in an hour when he is... available?"

"This is time-sensitive," Caelen insisted, his pride refusing to let him take the exit Aldric was offering. "I need to speak with him directly. It concerns the safety of the southern passes."

Aldric sighed internally, the sound of a man who knew he was watching a train wreck in slow motion. "Very well. Her office is down the corridor, third door on the right. You can’t miss it."

"Thank you," Caelen said, nodding once before turning and walking out.

Aldric watched him go, then muttered under his breath, "Don’t say I didn’t warn you."

Caelen walked down the corridor, his boots echoing in the quiet air. He was focused, his mind running through the logistics of the southern pass, repeating the numbers and the troop counts like a mantra to drown out the noise in his head. Security. Borders. Business. That’s why I’m here.

He reached the third door. He noticed immediately that it was half-open, a sliver of warm lamp-light spilling out into the darkened hallway. He also heard a sound, not a voice, but a sharp, muffled intake of breath, followed by the low, guttural murmur of a man’s voice.

Caelen stopped. Every instinct he had told him to turn around. Every shred of common sense told him to run.

But he didn’t. He stepped forward, his heart cold as lead, and looked through the gap in the door.

He froze.