Become The Duke's Wife Or Die

Her stomach was concave like a niche, gasping for air.  Her voice trembled as she fought two opposing feelings, namely the feeling of longing and rejection.  The occasionally puffy blanket, hiding his hand under it, on top of her pajama, lingered on her folds.

"Ple-please!"  She pleaded, breathed a sigh of relief after he freed her from this sweet torment.

Duke Kleo's eyes locked Lyra's figure who was reddened with embarrassment while absorbing her boundless beauty.  Now he shifted his body to sit on the bed, closer to her.  "I want us to start over from the beginning, our relationship," he said seriously.  "And I want you to keep your heart open to me."

'He's pressuring me again,' she thought helplessly.

"If you think this is unfair to you, I don't think it is."  He looked very confident.  "We both benefit.  You're debt-free and I'm free from the guilt of having to break my promise to my mother."  Paused for a moment, thought for a moment.  "I want a happy marriage.  And I'll be waiting for you to be ready to do that."

Lyra's eyes blinked a few times.  This was the first time a man had fought so hard for her, even after she had committed various disgraceful acts.  There was a small voice in her head, 'Why is our meeting only happening now when the wound in my heart is too big to heal?' The fate of two humans is never easy.

"Love me, Lyra," Duke Kleo pleaded.  "I don't mind you taking it slow.  I will wait for you, as long as you still intend to do that."  His hands squeezed her fingers, channeling sincerity.  "You just need to stay by my side, start loving me, only me.  Never see or meet another man again!  I can't see it."

Unexpectedly, Duke Kleo was even more fluent in front of Lyra than when he was training with Viscount Darwin.  Maybe because right now he was telling the truth, his heart was too sincere and innocent as well as fragile.

"You want to do it right?"  His gaze was intense.  "If you get used to long nights with the men, I can replace them all.  I will do anything to please you, as long as I'm the only one who can do it.  You can even close your eyes and see me as another man when you're bored.  But never see them in person, or meet them.  Stay by my side!"

Lyra lowered her head, glancing at Duke Kleo's rough fingers that rubbed the back of her hand.  The caress was even softer than any she had ever had.

"My Lord, you know I am a free girl."

"What made you do that?  Were you born a player?"

"Yeah," Lyra nodded, telling a lie.  "I can never put up with one man."

"But you must."  Now Duke Kleo was pressing.  "Because you have no other choice."

"Can we have a contract marriage?"  asked Lyra suggesting, who suddenly shook her head hastily.  "N-no, I was just talking nonsense!"  When she saw the expression on Duke Kleo's face that turned dark.

"I'm not even sure if you understand our agreement?"

"I  do," Lyra nodded without hesitation.  "It's just that I still have doubts."

"If you can redeem your friend who was used as collateral for the debt, I think that's fine.  We can marry without love, then divorce shortly after. But if only I'm satisfied with punishing you while I don't.  I heard you don't have much time.  You promised three months to pay off the compensation when it turned out to have the interest."

She looked up in disbelief, her eyes welling up with tears.  "No way."

"I'm telling the truth," he nodded.  "Mr. Pinn applies the interest system.  I think he didn't tell you directly because he couldn't find you.  But he already told one of your friends, The Big One."

'Gerry,' she thought.  'It turns out he's been the one paying the compensation and making up for Tiny.  Gosh, I'd be a very bad person if I still ignored this.  I've killed two maids.  And might kill my friends if I don't do something about it soon.'

She looked up, looking directly into his eyes.  "I have a few cuts to our agreement."

"What's that?"  Duke Kleo looked enthusiastic.  "What do you want?"

"I want you to promise not to hurt those around me," she said.  "That includes the servants, my friends, and all of my mistresses."

"Your ex-mistress," he corrected, in a curt tone.

"Right," she nodded.  "You must not use them to threaten me.  If it's about us then let's finish it together.  That's my first condition."  Take a breath.  "Then I don't want you to pressure me to love you right away.  I am not an inanimate object.  I am a normal human with feelings.  And let's do this all slowly."

Duke Kleo seemed fine with those terms.  "Now I will make the conditions for you."  His voice was serious.  "First of all, if you run away just once then all this agreement is void.  I will immediately attack whoever I want."

Lyra's shoulders trembled at that.  For a moment she regretted her decision to agree to this agreement.

"Secondly you can only see me, you can only have me as your man.  Then you must also promise to intend to love me.  That way you can't hold back your feelings.  If you're fascinated by me then you should let it get to you.  Or when you're enjoying your time with me, or when you want to hug me.  I don't want you to hold yourself back.  Can you handle all that?"

Lyra nodded as she closed her eyes tightly.  "I undertake your terms, My Lord."

"And call my name when we're alone."

"Okay, Kleo."

Duke Kleo looked up, looking satisfied that his plan had worked.  "Now I want to test you.  I wonder if you're still holding your feelings for me or not."

"How?"  Lyra's brow furrowed.

"What do you think?"  He slid under the blanket again, along her pajama, twirling around the high-rounded chest, as if to challenge him.  "Maybe you should just wear your pajamas, to make things easier for us."  He sniffed her cheek, took a sip of a familiar scent, then devoured her earlobes, leaving her mouth free to panting.

"My-My Lord."  She whined as one of his hands caressed her belly, peeking out to protrude into her triangle.

"Kleo," Duke Kleo whispered right in her ear.  "Call me properly and let me judge your earnestness.  This might be the only chance you have, so make good use of it."  As he pinched her cherry, twisted like he wanted to pick it.

He encircled around the folds, parted and pinched, then part them again, picked up the pulsate moist.  His lips whispered in her ear again, "Call me and I will come to you."

Amid her gasping, she choked and complied, "Kle-Kleo!"

***