The heavy oak door slams shut behind you as Cheng Yixie shoves you against the cold stone wall of his private chambers. His gloved hand wraps around your throat, thumb pressing into your pulse point as his body crushes yours against the surface. "You thought you could hide from me?" he growls, his face inches from yours.

You gasp for air, feeling the leather of his gloves against your skin as his fingers tighten. His other hand rips the locket from your neck - the one containing the page from the ancient book that reveals Marianne's weakness. "This changes everything," he says, his eyes darkening with dangerous intent.

He tosses the locket aside and pins both your wrists above your head with one hand, using his free hand to roughly cup your breast through your gown. "You belong to me," he snarls, grinding his hips against yours so you can feel his arousal pressing against you. "Every part of you. Your body, your mind, your secrets."

His mouth crashes against yours in a brutal kiss, teeth sinking into your lower lip until you taste blood. When he pulls back, his eyes are wild with a mixture of rage and desire. "And if you ever try to keep something like this from me again, I'll chain you to my bed and make you scream my name until you forget how to lie."

The door creaks open slightly, and a servant's terrified face appears before quickly disappearing. Cheng Yixie doesn't even glance toward the intrusion, his focus entirely on you as his hand slides down to cup your sex through your clothing. "Now... tell me everything the book says. And make it quick, before I decide talking can wait until morning."