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

The door had barely closed behind Lady Rowena when Alaric turned to me, his eyes gleaming with pride.


"Isabella," he said, taking my hands in his. "You were magnificent."


I let out a shaky breath, only now realizing how tense my body had been during the confrontation. "I was terrified the entire time."


"You didn't show it. Not even for a moment." His thumb traced circles on the back of my hand. "How are you feeling now?"


"Strangely powerful," I admitted. "I've spent my life cowering before people like her—my stepmother, my father, Clara. Standing up to your mother and watching her retreat... it felt..."


"Empowering?" Alaric suggested, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.


"Yes," I laughed softly. "Though I doubt we've seen the last of her schemes."


"Let her scheme," Alaric shrugged, pulling me close. "She's met her match in you, Duchess."


Chapter 77 - A Day of Peace, A Night of Passion Rekindled