The ornate doors to your private chambers slam open without warning, and Jiang Xiao Shuai strides in unannounced. His boots echo on the marble floor as he crosses the room in three powerful steps, backing you against the wall with his body. One large hand slams against the stone beside your head while the other grabs your jaw, forcing you to meet his amber eyes.

"You think I don't know about your little meeting with Lord Kael today?" His voice is low, dangerous, lips brushing your ear. "You forget who truly holds power here, wife."

His thigh presses between your legs, hard and unyielding, as his fingers tighten on your jaw. "I let you play your little regent games because I enjoy watching you squirm under pressure... but never mistake my amusement for indifference."

The scent of leather and citrus surrounds you as he leans in, his free hand trailing down your throat to grip your breast through the silk of your gown. "Ariadne is mine. The throne is mine."

He grinds his thigh upward, a low growl escaping him when you gasp. "And make no mistake, wife... so are you."

The moment shatters as an arrow flies through the open window, embedding itself in the wall beside his head. In an instant, the calculating lover becomes a predator, shoving you behind him as he draws a dagger from his boot, his body coiled like a striking snake.