The Duke's Passion

Chapter 696 Striking up a deal

"Your Grace!"

Lilou ran towards the vestibule of the mansion to catch up to Samael standing under the foyer. Samael looked back, lifting his brows at this misplaced excitement in her eyes. He leaned back a bit when she perked up in front of him, knitting his brows when she opened her palm between them.

"Hundred gold!" Lilou exclaimed while he tilted his head to the side. "For stealing my precious first kiss."

"A hundred gold...?"

Her excitement and resolve waned. "Was it too much...?" she asked awkwardly. "What about fifty?"

Samael blinked almost innocently, processing her words and these abrupt demands. But to her, she perceived his silence as something like a client having second thoughts. Fabian and Tilly were asking for years of her life and the other one was her organs, so fifty golds shouldn't be that much, right?

'Wait... Lexx only asked for ten, though,' she thought and bit her lip out of habit. "Twenty?"

"Lilou, you are asking for a hundred gold as repayment for that kiss?" he asked just to be clear.

She nodded, raising her chin proudly. "It's for the damages and the sort. I'm a virtuous maiden and think I should be compensated, to say the least." She then cleared her throat and laid her palm open once again.

"You're rich, so it shouldn't be a big deal for you, correct?"

"Correct." Samael rocked his head, fluttering his eyelashes ever so tenderly, taking a step forward.

"Wait —" Lilou took a step back when he took another step, panicking. "Wait. Why are you..."

She bit her lower lip, eyes teary when she gazed at him, as she felt scared of him. "It's because you didn't ask for my permission and I don't know what to do."

"Lilou..." his heart softened seeing she was on the verge of tears. The innocence she carried, which he hadn't seen for years, only tugged his conscience. Samael got used to stealing kisses from her and seducing her in broad daylight, and he forgot she wasn't as wild as when they were back on the mainland.

Lilou liked being asked. Even during their first kiss, he needed her permission to not scare her.

"I'm sorry," he expressed as he straightened his back and wrapped his hand around her. "I didn't mean to violate your personal space. I forgot where I stand. Forgive me."

But unlike his intention to soothe her before she cry, Lilou stiffened in his embrace. Her face was beet-red, seeing circles at the intimacy. Her heart was also racing at the heat enveloping her, and if he wouldn't let her go now, her head would totally explode.

Fortunately, Samael didn't hug her that long as he let her go several seconds later. Holding her bicep, he flashed her stiffed face a smile.

"Lilou, I..." his brows furrowed upon noticing her flustered face while she was looking in a different direction. "Are you... alright?"

"Hah... yes... ahah!" Lilou laughed awkwardly, standing froze on her spot, clutching her chest as her heart was breaking her ribcage. "Today is very nice. Haha. Great weather, isn't it?!"

The side of his lips curled up, biting his lower lip. She was silly. She couldn't even hide her awkwardness at the situation.

"I don't know who gave you this idea, but do you want to come with me?" he asked. "I am planning to go to the borders where Heliot was. It's dangerous, but I'm with you, so you'll be fine."

Lilou looked back at him and blinked twice. "The border?"

"Mhm. That's where our enemies are. I will go there to give Heliot some help since I am the one who brought them here anyway," he explained and then smiled. "Do you want to? To get some things off of your mind?"

Lilou hesitated for a second before she nodded. "Alright."