The room felt colder after Kael's words, like a sudden shift in atmosphere . Esme hugged her arms to herself, trying to process everything. The way he spoke—so detached, so indifferent—made her chest tighten.
"Why do you say it like that?" she asked, her voice quieter now. "Like this is just something normal?"
Kael tilted his head, his black eyes unreadable. "Because it is."
Esme scoffed. "So what, you get attacked on a daily basis and just walk away like nothing happened?"
He gave her a look that sent a chill down her spine. "If I wasn't used to it, I wouldn't be standing here today."
His words sank in. This wasn't just a business thing. This wasn't just about power. This was survival. She gulped hard.
"Esme," Kael continued, his voice lower now, almost softer—but it still held that sharp edge. "If you want to stay alive, you need to stop acting like this is some fairytale where nothing bad can happen. You need to be prepared for the worst."
Esme clenched her fists. "I never thought it was a fairytale. But I also didn't sign up to be part of this shady side"
Kael exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples as if he was running out of patience. "And yet, here you are."
That hit her harder than she expected.
Here she was. Trapped in this marriage. Tied to a man she couldn't even understand.
She looked away, staring at the floor. "I just… I don't understand why they targeted me too."
Kael's jaw tensed. "Because people are predictable. They think if they use you, they can get to me. They think you'll be my weakness."
Esme hesitated. "And… am I?"
Silence.
Kael didn't answer immediately, and that silence was louder than any words he could've spoken.
Esme's heart pounded. Why did she even ask that? Why did she care?
"I protect what's mine," Kael finally said. "That's all you need to know."
Something about the way he said that made her throat go dry. 'Asshole'
L
She didn't know what unsettled her more—his possessiveness or the fact that, in some twisted way, it made her feel safe.
Esme shook her head, trying to snap out of her thoughts. She needed to focus. "So what now? Are they going to come after us again?"
Kael leaned back against the headboard, exhaling deeply. "Not after the way I handled them."
Esme shuddered at the memory. The way he fought—like he wasn't scared of anything. Like he was ready to kill. She had a deep frown of fear and uncertainty on her face.
She bit her lip. "You… you could've died back there."
Kael smirked slightly, amusement flashing in his dark eyes. "So you do care."
Esme felt her face heat up. "That's not what I— Ugh, never mind."
He let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "You're bad at lying, Esme."
She scowled. "And you're bad at being human." She snapped
Kael laughed at that, an actual, genuine laugh that caught her completely off guard. It was deep, almost smooth, and for a moment, Esme forgot how frustrating he was.
She blinked at him, stunned. "Did you just… laugh?"
Kael's smirk remained, but he said nothing.
Esme huffed, standing up. "You're impossible."
Kael watched her move, his eyes trailing her every step. "And yet, you're still here."
She froze for a second but quickly shook it off, refusing to let him get in her head.
"I'm going to bed," she muttered.
Kael's smirk deepened. "Sweet dreams, wife."
Esme threw a pillow at him before climbing into bed, turning her back to him.
But as she lay there, staring at the wall, her mind wouldn't shut off.
She should be terrified. She should be running.
Instead, all she could think about was the way Kael had looked at her tonight. The way he had fought for her. The way, despite everything, he always seemed one step ahead of her.
And for the first time, Esme wondered if she was playing a dangerous game she couldn't win.