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Petre had revealed himself as a monster, but Vasile—although dark edged in his own ways—did not feel dangerous.
The gossip mill said many things about Vasile, about his intelligence, handsomeness, and shrewd business decisions, but I’d never once heard that he was twisted or unnatural like his brother. So far, the gossip mill was right on.
If he wanted me as much as I wanted him, perhaps I could use that very thing to my advantage.
It wasn’t in my nature to use my body to manipulate a man, or anyone else, but I was up against an impossible situation so my thoughts drifted back to my original plan.
If I could get him to kiss me like that again, it was entirely possible that I could seduce him into taking my virginity. I had no particular shame about doing so—I wanted him, and from what I felt, he wanted me, and it would surely be the experience of a lifetime to lose my virginity to someone so strong, so intense, and so clearly desirous of me as well.
If that is what was about to happen, then I would be damaged goods. And whatever terms my father and Petre had settled on would go up in smoke.
It would be a compromise. Give my virginity to Vasile in order to escape a life with Petre.
Could I do it? Was I gutsy enough to pull it off?
Absolutely. If I kept my wits about me, I was positive I could keep control of the situation. I had few other assets besides my beauty, my title, and my virginity. To give up the last was a big decision. Would I rather let Vasile Greengallow deflower me and give up my reputation, or keep my reputation intact and marry his brother?
I inhaled deeply but carefully, so as not to give him any sign that I was wide awake. He smelled wonderful. He felt wonderful. He was a good-for-nothing gambler, a member of a lawless, criminal family, but I wasn’t going to marry him, for goodness sake. He would be a means to an end.
And what a means he was.
He tightened his grip on me and I let myself be embraced from behind, feeling tiny and delicate and safe for the first time in as long as I could remember. I would not be the victim in my own marriage. I would not continue to be as helpless as a pile of poker chips. I would take control of this situation and my life, finally. And I would do it by seducing Vasile Greengallow, at the very first opportunity that I had.
CHAPTER 10
Valeria
It was dark and still as he slowed his horse, and turned down an overgrown and unmarked drive.
Even in the low light I could see the thick tendrils of vines that wound through and around the iron gate. Between the dry winter vines, I was sure I could make out the purple background of a royal crest, but I wasn’t sure whose it was. Wherever we were, we weren’t at the Greengallow family home.
They might be powerful, but they weren’t royalty. That was the very reason the daughter of an impoverished family like mine would be of any interest to them. A royal title was something money alone couldn’t buy. But a strategic marriage to pay off a debt could.
My heart began beating quicker as we approached a darkened, enormous manor house. There were no signs of life anywhere—no servants, no carriages, no low-burning candles in bedroom windows.
Nothing.
I would have thought it was abandoned completely, except that it was meticulously well kept. The driveway had been cleared of snow recently enough that there was only a thin sprinkling, and the house looked to be in excellent condition.
The moonlight glinted off of rows of undamaged panes of glass in the windows, and the ivy had been carefully trimmed away from each opening.
Vasile drew his horse to a stop in front of the grand entry door. His broad chest rose and fell against my back, once and then again.
Then he said, “Are you going to keep pretending you’re unconscious or are you going to admit you’re awake?”
Damn him.
I shot a glance back at him. He had his eyebrow raised, looking sexy and cocksure.
“Where are we?” I asked.
He gave no answer. Dismounting first, he was about to lift me out of the saddle but I beat him to it.
“Fine,” he huffed, turning away to pet his horse’s flank, drawing the reins down in front of the mount’s bit. “Stand here for two minutes. I need to take Vela to her stable.”
Vasile disappeared around the side of the house, trotting alongside his horse, and I stared into the night sky, pin dots of stars looking down as I considered my situation again. I rubbed my arms and felt the chill of the night, knowing I was shivering not only from the cold.
