Violet_167

Isabella Beaumont figured she was making a smart, if desperate, trade: her freedom in exchange for marrying the dreaded Duke Alaric Thorne. 
Sure, the guy had a reputation darker than a moonless night, whispered about in every corner of the kingdom, but it was just a contract, right? A way to escape a brutal past that had literally left its mark on her face. 
She wasn’t expecting warmth, and definitely not passion. But then Alaric, this formidable, feared man, starts acting… protective. His unexpected kindness will make her want to throw away her protective mask and actually fall for the man who was supposed to be just her ticket to freedom. 
Just as Isabella starts believing she might actually deserve happiness, everything begins falling apart around them.
With the villains on the loose, old wounds being ripped open, and everyone’s true colors showing, is this sudden, fierce love strong enough to survive the storm? Or will the darkness from their pasts and the deadly games shatter everything they’re starting to build?

The Masked Duchess

Lord Malachi's eyes gleamed with predatory interest as he stared at me. I felt stripped bare under his gaze, like a rabbit caught in a trap.


"You misunderstand me, Lady Beatrix," he said smoothly. "While your daughter Clara is certainly... pleasing to look at, she's far too common for my tastes."


I released a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. Relief washed over me – Clara would be safe from this monster.


"Then what are you suggesting?" I asked carefully.


His lips curved into a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I'm suggesting that you would make a fine addition to my collection."


"Indeed." He leaned forward, close enough that I could smell his expensive cologne. "You have quite the mysterious past, don't you? A woman who appeared from nowhere and managed to ensnare a baron. Such... ambition is rare and appealing."


Chapter 61 - A Daughter's Desperate Gambit