the Villainess they took for granted

Now she was standing in his arms.

The realization made her feel almost embarrassingly pleased.

Perhaps he had changed his mind.

Perhaps he had decided that he was willing to consider what she had quietly offered him.

Marian glanced at him.

His expression remained serious.

Controlled.

She wondered if that was deliberate.

Perhaps he was remembering everything that had happened between them.

Perhaps he wanted her to understand that one dance was not enough.

After all, she had been the one who walked away.

She had been the one who made the choice.

If Adrian was truly willing to give her another opportunity, perhaps he expected her to prove that she meant it.

The thought made her lower her eyes.

It was embarrassing.

But it did not diminish her happiness.

She had wanted his attention.

She had wondered whether she would ever receive it.

And now she had it.

Adrian led her through another turn.

Marian looked up again.

Their eyes met.

He was staring at her.

Not merely looking.

Staring.

Marian’s heart gave an unexpected flutter.

Why was he looking at her like that?

For one absurd moment, a thought came to her.

Does he want to kiss me?

The thought was so startling that heat immediately rose to her cheeks.

No.

That was ridiculous.

Why would she even think that?

They weren’t together.

She was the one who had ended their engagement.

She was the one who had chosen Cassian.

Adrian had no reason to look at her as though—

Marian stopped the thought before it could finish.

Perhaps he was simply remembering what had happened between them.

Perhaps he was wondering why she had come back into his life.

Perhaps he was trying to understand what she wanted from him now.

There were countless explanations.

There was no reason to choose the most presumptuous one.

Still, when she glanced at him again and found his gaze unchanged, she couldn’t stop another flush from warming her cheeks.

She looked away.

She told herself she had imagined it.

That was safer.

And yet, somewhere beneath that sensible explanation, the question remained.

Why was Adrian looking at her like that?

The music continued.

Marian found herself smiling again despite herself.

Whatever his expression meant, she was still happy.

He had chosen her.

And for now, that was enough.

When the music ended, she was certain there would finally be a chance for them to speak.

Perhaps that was why he had chosen this particular dance.

The intermission would give them time away from the dance floor, somewhere they could talk without an audience listening to every word.

Marian glanced at him again.

She didn’t know what he wanted to say.

But she was ready to listen.

--

Adrian

Adrian had intended to observe her.

That had been the plan.

He wanted to see what Marian would do once he gave her exactly what she had been asking for.

But the moment his hand settled at her waist, the plan became considerably harder to remember.

Three years.

Three years since he had held her like this.

Three years since he had been this close to her.

And the reaction was immediate.

Not thought.

Not calculation.

Something far more primitive.

He wanted her.

The desire came before anything else.

He wanted to pull her closer.

He wanted to kiss her.

He wanted to feel her against him without the distance and restraint that had existed between them for so long.

The fact that they were standing in the middle of a ballroom, surrounded by half the Imperial court, suddenly felt like an inconvenience.

Adrian had spent the evening thinking about what Marian wanted.

The Emperor.

Her position.

The attention she had deliberately sought.

He could think about all of that later.

Right now, she was in his arms.

That was enough.

His fingers tightened slightly at her waist.

Marian looked up at him.

Then she smiled.

A small, pleased smile.

Adrian’s restraint thinned further.

She had no idea what she was doing to him.

Or perhaps she did.

She looked away, cheeks warming, then glanced back at him.

Adrian watched her closely.

She had worn his earrings.

She had accepted his dance.

She was standing willingly in his arms.

And now she was looking at him like that.

He had meant to test her.

Instead, he found himself wanting to get her away from the ballroom as quickly as possible.

He wanted privacy.

He wanted to touch her without half the court watching.

He wanted to kiss her without having to restrain himself for the sake of appearances.

The thought made his jaw tighten.

The music seemed unbearably slow.

Marian looked up again.

Their eyes met.

She didn’t understand what she was seeing.

Adrian could tell.

Perhaps that was better.

Let her wonder.

He didn’t need to explain himself.

Not yet.

He only needed the music to end.

The final measures approached.

He barely noticed them.

His attention remained on Marian.

She was still smiling.

Still looking at him.

Still here.

Adrian’s desire had become almost painfully simple.

He wanted her.

And when the music stopped, he intended to take her somewhere private.

--

Marian

The final note sounded.

Adrian offered his arm.

Marian accepted it.

Exactly as she had expected, he did not take her back toward the ballroom.

Instead, he led her away from the dancers and toward one of the quieter corridors adjoining the Imperial apartments.

Marian’s heart gave a small, nervous flutter.

So this was it.

Perhaps he really had wanted to speak with her.

She had been wondering what they would say.

There were things she wanted to ask him.

Things she wanted to apologize for.

And perhaps, after tonight, they could finally begin to put some of the past behind them.

The music and voices gradually faded as they moved farther from the ballroom.

Marian glanced at him.

He said nothing.

Perhaps he was choosing his words.

That would be very Adrian.

They reached a quiet stretch of corridor.

Adrian stopped.

Marian turned toward him.

”Your Majesty?”

He looked at her.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Marian waited for the conversation she had expected.

Instead, Adrian stepped toward her.

Her breath caught.

His hand came to rest against the wall beside her.

Marian stared at him.

For one bewildered moment, she wondered if she had somehow misunderstood the entire evening.

Then Adrian leaned closer.

And before she could understand what he intended—

he kissed her.

--

Tbc

An: this is the Chapter I drafted like 20 times or more. I was never satisfied with any, I know this may seem abrupt, but think of it. If adrian did not react this way, then saying he wanted her, he loved her, and now she’s there... well. I don’t think it’s possible to simply dance and that’s it. Leave everything. Aish! I hope you get what I mean.