The Predator’S Contracted Fiancée

Elisha felt the weight of his grip tightening around her trembling frame, his voice a low growl in her ear. “You knew the consequences when you stepped over that line,” he murmured, his breath hot against her skin. Her thoughts blurred, a dizzying mix of panic and something dangerously close to surrender. How had she ended up here? The memories rushed back—her desperate attempt to escape a fate worse than death.

In her past life, she had been nothing more than a pawn, a disposable concubine to a ruthless man from the Cartier family, destined to be consumed until nothing remained. The ducal house had been torn apart by greed, and she had been caught in the crossfire. This time, she had chosen a different path, seeking out Lucerne, the empire’s most feared and unpredictable figure.

She knew exactly what kind of man he was—cold, calculating, and utterly merciless. But he was also her only hope. At twenty, burdened by a crushing debt of 30,000 gold coins, she had no choice but to gamble on him. She had approached him with a desperate offer: her knowledge in exchange for his protection.

His response had been chillingly simple. “Why should I trust you?”

Her answer had sealed her fate. “I’ll give myself as collateral.”

Lucerne had studied her in silence before delivering his terms. “Fine. But I decide what happens to the collateral.”

And then, the unexpected demand. “First, marry me.”

Elisha had been stunned. A marriage contract? That hadn’t been part of her plan. But then again, nothing about Lucerne ever was.