Duke's POV
Duke wasn't sure how it happened.
One moment, he was standing in the doorway of Nora's room, trying to convince himself to turn back. The next, he was inside, her lips pressed against his in a way that made him forget everything.
It wasn't supposed to happen.
Not with her.
Not with the woman who was just a pawn in a carefully constructed arrangement.
And yet, he had her beneath him.
Nails digging into his back.
Skin burning where she touched him.
And for the first time in years, he let himself feel.
Not obligation.
Not frustration.
Not duty.
Just… her.
He should have stopped.
But he didn't.
Because for the first time, someone looked at him like he wasn't Duke Jameson, the man trapped in a loveless contract.
She looked at him like he was just… a man.
And he didn't realize how much he needed that until it was too late.
The Morning After
Duke woke up first.
Nora was still asleep beside him, curled up in the sheets, looking so peaceful it made his chest tighten.
Regret.
That's what he should have felt.
But he didn't.
Instead, all he felt was an ache. A dangerous, unfamiliar pull toward something he had no business wanting.
He got out of bed, pulling on his clothes in silence.
"This was a mistake."
He told himself that. Over and over.
But it felt like a lie.
And he had no time to process that before his past came knocking at his door.
"You really are a fool, Duke."
Kay stood at the bar in their private lounge, swirling a glass of wine as if she was completely unbothered.
But he knew better.
He knew Kay never spoke without a purpose.
"Spare me the dramatics," he muttered, pouring himself a drink.
"Oh, darling," she sighed, leaning against the counter. "I knew you'd be stupid enough to sleep with her. I just didn't think you'd be stupid enough to feel something."
His grip tightened on the glass. "You don't know what you're talking about."
Kay smirked. "Don't I?"
She stepped forward, tilting her head. "Let me remind you, Duke, this is a business transaction. You were the one who wanted to open our marriage in the first place, remember?"
Silence.
"And yet… you sleep with our little Nora, and suddenly, you look like a man who's about to make a very stupid decision."
He said nothing.
Because for once, Kay was right.
"You need to remember our contract."
Duke clenched his jaw. "I haven't forgotten."
"Then act like it."
Kay leaned closer, her voice lowering. "You're falling into a trap. And I won't let you ruin everything we built over a girl we picked up off the streets."
He knew what she was doing.
She was reminding him.
Of their deal.
Of their power.
Of why they could never be normal.
And yet, for the first time, the weight of it all felt suffocating.
Because Nora wasn't supposed to matter.
And yet, she did.