FROST AND FLAME

Levi hated this feeling. It gnawed at him, an unrelenting beast clawing its way to the forefront of his mind. No matter how much he tried to focus on his duties or lose himself in work, his thoughts kept returning to her.

Her confident stride made her a force that Levi felt very attracted to.

It didn't help that she was constantly in his line of sight, whether intentionally or not. Every move she made was now recorded in his memory.

In his private study, Levi leaned back in his chair, his piercing eyes glued to the monitor. The live feed showed Sabi cleaning a hallway, humming softly as she worked. The corners of his lips twitched.

"You're losing control," he muttered to himself, clenching his fists. He wasn't a man who allowed emotions to rule him. "Emotions are messy, unpredictable, and dangerous, a luxury I can't afford." He usually says to himself but this girl, Sabi, made his usual defense crumble.

***

Paris lounged on the plush settee in Mateo's quarters, her gown slightly askew, her hair disheveled from their earlier rendezvous. Mateo stood near the window, adjusting his cloak.

"Did you handle the security cameras in my passageway that I asked you to weeks ago?" Paris asked, her voice low and measured.

Mateo glanced over his shoulder, nodding. "That was dealt with long ago."

Paris smirked, reclining further. "Good. Because the way he's being looking at me lately, it's discomforting, makes me feel like he knows something but, since you say you took it out of the way, that's settling."

Despite her calm demeanor, a flicker of unease danced in her chest. Levi was perceptive, too perceptive for her liking. She couldn't shake the feeling that he saw more than he let on.

***

Paris and Levi attended a high-profile gala, one of those events dripping with opulence and formality. As the Duchess, Paris was expected to maintain appearances, and Levi, as her husband, played his part with icy detachment.

Sabi had been brought along as Paris's personal help. While she attended to Paris's every whim, her eyes wandered to Levi, who kept an almost deliberate distance from his wife. His stiff posture, his clipped responses, everything about him screamed disinterest.

"Strange," Sabi thought, frowning. If they are married, why do they behave like strangers?

Paris charmed the crowd effortlessly, her laughter ringing like a bell as she mingled with influential figures. Levi stood apart, his piercing gaze sweeping the room with quiet intensity.

The moment of tension came near the end of the event, during a conversation with a group of esteemed guests. Paris, ever the performer, feigned moral superiority as the topic of fidelity arose.

"A strong marriage is built on trust and respect," Paris declared, her tone dripping with self-righteousness.

Levi, who had been silent up until then, finally spoke. His voice was low but sharp, like the edge of a blade. "Trust is indeed crucial, though it's a shame how often people betray it behind closed doors."

Paris froze, her smile faltering as she darted a glance at him. His expression was impassive, but his eyes bore into hers with a knowing glint.

The ride back to the palace was silent, save for the hum of the car's engine. Sabi sat in the passenger's side, her hands folded neatly in her lap.

Out of nowhere, Paris at the backseat, broke the silence. "Sabi," she began, her voice unusually soft.

"Yes, Your Grace?"

Paris hesitated, staring out the window before turning to her. "Do you think it's ever justified to... stray in a marriage?"

Sabi blinked, taken aback by the question. "Excuse me?"

Paris waved a hand, as though dismissing the awkwardness. "Hypothetically speaking. If a woman is treated poorly by her husband, should she seek... comfort elsewhere?"

Sabi's gaze sharpened, staring at her through the rear-view mirror, "I believe every situation is different, Your Grace. But honesty should always come first. If a marriage is failing, it's better to face it head-on than to complicate it with lies."

Paris studied her for a moment, her expression unreadable. "You're quite wise for someone so young," she murmured.

Sabi offered a small smile.

***

After helping Paris settle into bed, Sabi quietly left the chambers. She was exhausted and eager to retreat to her quarters, but her steps faltered when she turned a corner and nearly bumped into him.

Levi.

He stood there, his tall frame blocking her path. The dim light cast shadows across his chiseled features, but his eyes burned with an intensity that made her heart skip a beat.

"Your Grace," she said, quickly lowering her gaze.

"Out late, are we?" His tone was casual, almost too casual, it made her pulse quicken.

"I was attending to Her Grace," she replied, keeping her voice steady.

He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. Sabi hated how her body reacted, her heart fluttering traitorously.

"Do you always linger in hallways this late?" he asked, his voice a low rumble.

She bristled at his insinuation, straightening her posture. "Only when I have a job to do, Your Grace."

Levi's lips twitched, almost forming a smile, but he quickly suppressed it. He didn't understand why he kept testing her like this, why he found her fire so intoxicating.

"Good," he said curtly, stepping aside to let her pass.

Sabi hurried down the hall, her cheeks flushed with a mix of anger and something she couldn't quite name. She hated how he made her feel.

Levi watched her go, her curves and glutes still mesmerising him. He imagined grabbing her hands and hungrily eating her lips, squeezing that ass and having his way right into her. He could imagine her dripping wet vagina and at that moment, his manhood stood erect, he rushed back to his chambers immediately. "Nature cannot be defeated" he muttered quietly.