A Dance with Danger

Chapter Twenty-Seven

>>Tiberius Pov<<

The music swirled around us as I guided Estelle across the dance floor, my hand firm at the small of her back. The feel of her against me was... comforting in a way I hadn't anticipated.

Her movements were graceful, controlled, yet there was an underlying tension in the way she held herself. I could sense it, even with the rhythm of the dance flowing between us. She was still figuring out her place in this world—the world I had dragged her into—and I couldn't blame her for that. I had not given her a choice, after all.

Her steps were steady, but I could feel the nerves still lingering. They were almost imperceptible, but I knew better. She was smart, too smart to fully trust me or this life we were building. I had no illusions about how she saw me—how she saw this marriage. Love was a part of it, yes, but it was more than that. It had to be. And if I was being honest, I wasn’t sure I understood her feelings toward me.

But that didn’t matter. Not now.

The music faded into the background, leaving only the soft sound of our shoes on the polished floor, the quiet buzz of the party continuing around us. Her eyes were locked on mine, and for a moment, I allowed myself to soften, just a fraction.

“I didn’t expect you to be so... composed,” I said, my voice low enough that only she could hear. The words were laced with a hint of amusement, though I knew the truth: I had half-expected her to crumble under the weight of this life. To question it, to pull away from me. But she hadn’t. Not yet.

“I’m not intimidated by them,” she replied, her voice steady, her chin held high. I couldn't help the slight tug at the corners of my lips. She was different from the women I was used to. Not fragile, not passive. She would fit into this world—whether she liked it or not.

And that was something I could respect.

“You should be,” I muttered under my breath, eyes flicking to the crowd. There were eyes on us, watching the new bride, the woman who had just made the decision to marry a man like me. A man with a reputation, with enemies, with blood on his hands. I could feel the weight of those gazes like a physical pressure. Some were curious, others cautious, but they all knew better than to question me.

I looked back down at Estelle, her face a mask of quiet determination, but I could see the flicker of something beneath it. Fear? Or was it something else? She wasn’t the naive girl who had stepped into my world months ago, but neither was she fully comfortable in it. Yet.

“I’m not afraid of them,” she said again, more firmly this time, as if to remind me of her strength.

I raised an eyebrow, a small smirk curving my lips. “You should be.” I let the words hang in the air between us, a statement, not a warning. They would test her, just as they tested me. This life was brutal, unforgiving, and I would not allow her to fall into complacency.

Her brow furrowed slightly, but she didn’t pull away. That was something I admired. The way she met me head-on, even when she didn’t fully understand the dangers surrounding us.

But I needed her to understand.

I leaned in, my lips brushing against her ear as I spoke, my voice a low murmur. “There are things in this world, Estelle, things you’ll never be prepared for. Choices that will have to be made. You’ll see people fall, you’ll see power struggles, and you’ll have to make decisions that will haunt you. There’s no escaping it. You’re mine now—don’t forget that.”

Her breath hitched slightly, but she didn’t pull back. “I won’t forget,” she replied, her voice quiet, yet fierce.

Her words were a promise, but I wondered if she truly understood what she had just agreed to. She was tied to me now, bound to my world, and no matter how strong she was, it would change her. It would change us both.

The dance ended, and the music shifted, but I didn’t release her immediately. Instead, I pulled her closer, my fingers tightening against the curve of her waist, my chest pressing against hers as I held her in place. There was something about her—a fire, an untapped strength—that called to me. Maybe that was why I hadn’t been able to stay away.

She was everything I needed. But in this world, need was a dangerous thing.

“Come with me,” I said, my voice a low command, as I led her away from the center of the room. I could feel the eyes on us, the weight of their judgment, but it didn’t matter. I had already made my decision. She was mine. And this world—this life—was ours.

The crowd parted for us as we moved, the space around us opening like a path that had already been carved. I kept my hand firmly on her back, guiding her through the throng of guests. No one dared approach us, not now, not with the tension in the air, not with the subtle possessiveness in my touch.

When we reached a quieter corner of the hall, I turned to her, my eyes locking onto hers. There was a flicker of something—uncertainty, perhaps—beneath the calm façade she was so determined to maintain.

“I don’t need your love,” I said, my voice blunt, the words sharp and direct. “But I do need your loyalty. Your obedience.”

Her jaw tightened, but she didn’t flinch. “I’m not your pawn, Tiberius.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at that, the sound low and dark. “No. You’re not. But don’t make the mistake of thinking you can walk this path without me. I’ve already chosen you, and I don’t make mistakes.”

I stepped closer, my face inches from hers, my breath mingling with hers in the quiet space. “Remember that, Estelle. This world is a game, and you’re playing it now. Whether you like it or not.”

Her eyes flicked to my lips for a moment, a fleeting hesitation before she looked back into my eyes. But I saw the understanding in her gaze. She was beginning to realize the depths of what she had just entered into. She was mine. And she would adapt. She had to.

“I understand,” she said quietly, the challenge in her voice barely masked by her calm exterior. “But I won’t be controlled.”

The challenge was there, and I could see it. The fire. The defiance. It would be my job to tame it, shape it, mold her into the woman I needed. But I would do it in my own way, in my own time.

I smiled, the edges of my lips curling in a way that wasn’t quite kind. “We’ll see about that, won’t we?”

The moment lingered between us, the unspoken tension thick in the air. She wasn’t just my wife. She was a force I had to reckon with. But that made her all the more interesting. All the more dangerous.

And I always did enjoy a challenge.

I leaned in, my lips brushing her ear once more. “ Soon.” she pulls back,looking at me.

Papa called out that it was time to cut the cake,I guided Estelle towards the table. Everyone surrounded us as I trapped Estelle between me.

Skylar brought the knife over with a single plate. Estelle takes the knife and presses it at the centre,my hand laid on top of hers as my other I on her waist.

Her breath hitched, “ Ready?" I whispered into her ear. She nods quickly, we both cut the cake and took the first piece.

I reached for a fork and scoop the cake in it. Estelle turns to me instantly,she leans in to take it but I took the first bite.

She frowned, ready to protest when I take hold of her face. She quickly reacts,placing both hands on my chest.

Between the kiss, I transfered pieces of the cake. She moans softly,I break the kiss. The room erupts in applause.

“ I did not expect that from you.” she whispered, “ What else you did not expect from me?” I inquired.

Before she could reply,her friends called out for her.“Estelle!” She turns her head to the girls, they all wave her over. I remove my hand from her waist, watching her walk over to her friends.

From the night forward, I kept my eyes on Estelle from where she was dancing,singing and laughing with her friends. As if I didn't know before, I was faling for her. Hard.