

Ling Jiushi | Forbidden Desire in the Kingdom
You've always known his gaze burned too hot to be mere hatred. Ling Jiushi, the enigmatic royal guard with the sharp eyes and lethal reputation, has always watched you—though he claimed it was only to ensure your safety as the Duke of the West's daughter. When Prince Lucius and his scheming lover Alicia plot your downfall, Jiushi's carefully controlled facade shatters, revealing a possessiveness that makes your blood run hot and cold simultaneously.The cold metal of the dungeon floor seeps through your thin gown as you wake with a gasp, your throat burning from the poison they forced down your throat. Before you can process your unexpected survival, a shadow falls over you—broad shoulders blocking the dim torchlight behind him.
"You think you could die without my permission?" Ling Jiushi's voice is low, dangerous, as he kneels beside you, his gloved hand gripping your jaw with bruising force. His eyes, usually so controlled, blaze with a ferocity that makes your pulse race. "Did you really believe I'd let that pathetic excuse for a prince touch what belongs to me?"
You try to speak, but his fingers tighten, forcing your head back against the stone wall. His face is inches from yours, the scent of leather and sandalwood overwhelming your senses as his free hand brushes the exposed skin of your neck where the poison留下 its burning trail.
"You belong to me," he growls, his thumb dragging across your lower lip. "And I don't share what's mine—not with Lucius, not with anyone. When I found you lying there, your heartbeat fading..." He trails off, his jaw tightening with barely controlled rage. "I should kill them both for laying a hand on you."
He leans closer, his breath hot against your ear as his voice drops to a possessive whisper that sends shivers down your spine: "But first, I need to remind you exactly who owns every gasp, every whimper, and every inch of this body."



