A Dangerous Bargain (1) [R18]

As they broke away from the kiss, their gaze spoke of desires they both knew existed but had been denying.

Mikael leaned back a bit, his hand resting on the sheets, which caused the bed to creak under his weight. His heart raced so sinfully, the memory of Nicolaus' lips still tingling, leaving a lingering velvety warmth against his own.

He knew that succumbing to the kiss was wrong, so he expressed a protest. "I'm not in the mood a, and I, I don't like this."

However, Nicolaus disregarded his objections. His fingers worked and caught the knot on his dress and undid it easily, a task he had probably done many times before.

When the knot came undone, the dress' top slid down onto Mikael's shoulders, baring his collar exposed.

Mikael tried to resist when Nicolaus planted another kiss against the back of his neck, an area he was sensitive to, but he was as tangible as a mountain.

Nicolaus continued to shower him with lust, completely without affection, and Mikael understood that much.

"Wa, Wait!" Mikael exclaimed, his voice trembling as he pushed against Nicolaus' chest, trying to make him stop.

Nicolaus trailed the bond mark on his neck with his tongue, and the sensation tracing the bite sent tingles down Mikael's spine.

"It's getting better," he commented under his breath, eyeballing the bite. Pulling back, he suggested, "How about we make a deal, wife?"

When Mikael thought it had ended, Nicolaus suddenly slid a hand along his skirt. It caused conflict in Mikael's emotions, and he promptly, desperately tried to pull away from his advances.

"Wh, What deal?" he stammered, still attempting to take Nicolaus' arm out.

However, driven by his insatiable desires, Nicolaus gently pushed him onto the bed, his hands inching up Mikael's skirt, exposing the soft skin of his thighs.

"What else?" Nicolaus shrugged his shoulders. "Give birth to my child. If you can comply with me," he added, "I will not seek payback against your family, nor will I harbor any grudges against them."

As he lay on the hard mattress of the inn's bed, Mikael went silent, and his thoughts swirled in his mind as Nicolaus continued to plead his case. "Doesn't this proposition appeal to you?" he pressed persuasively. "I thought you loved your twin."

"Let m, me think about it." Mikael, still struggling to find his voice, finally managed to speak.

"I heard from your father that the jewelry business was his first business, one that he started with your late mother," Nicolaus said.

That was true, and it was the only reason his father, Count Atlas, could not close it, even though it sunk into debt.

"I may even consider assisting you with your family's struggling business," Nicolaus whispered, his warm breath tickling Mikael's ear as he leaned closer. "Mikael," he murmured, impatience lacing his voice, "make up your mind."

The room seemed to hold its breath, waiting for Mikael to decide. His lower lip quivered as he considered the tempting proposal laid before him. 

He could not help but see Nicolaus as a serpent, skillfully coiling his target around his finger in the art of negotiation.

The temptation was impossible to resist. With his family business hanging by the thread, on the brink of ruin, there might be a chance to save it. Additionally, it came from his lips, that Nicolaus would end his vendetta against Mikael's family.

But as he warred with his responsibilities, he could not help but feel trapped. The thought of submitting to Nicolaus, becoming his child bearer, filled him powerless.

His heart felt burdened. He knew, deep down, that he had no other viable option. Escaping from Nicolaus' clutches would be futile, and each attempt would only place his family in graver danger.

"Are you done?" Nicolaus asked, which broke Mikael from his thoughts, sounding annoyed. "You do know you don't have any other choice."

Mikael locked eyes with Nicolaus as he was pressed onto the bed. In those golden irises, he saw a confidence that made it seem like there was no other option but to surrender to this man's will.

"I, I… I will do it. I'll bear your child," Mikael finally said, his words hanging in the air. "But you have to promise you won't do anything to my–"

Before he could finish his sentence, Nicolaus interrupted him with a deep, possessive kiss. The moment their lips melded together, a rush of sensations and desires threatened to overwhelm Mikael.

Like a tempestuous beast, Nicolaus slid his tongue into Mikael's mouth. Simultaneously, his skillful hands began removing the top of Mikael's dress completely.

While he might have succeeded in disrobing the outer garment with a predatory hunger, Nicolaus realized there were still layers of inner garments concealing Mikael's body. 

The fiery desire coursing through Nicolaus threatened to push him to the brink, and he seemed perilously close to tearing those undergarments apart.

Struggling to catch his breath, Mikael managed to gasp. "S, Stop, you're going to ruin the dress." With flinches and his chest heaving, he conveyed his willingness to undress.

Rising from the bed, Mikael stood beside it, bathed under the moonlight streaming through the open window. The soft caress of the night breeze teased his exposed skin as he began to loosen his garments, one layer at a time. Each piece fell to the wooden floor of the room.

Mikael stood there as the final layer of his last modesty slipped away. Shyness danced in his eyes, leaving him vulnerable under Nicolaus' gaze.

Nicolaus extended a hand, a silent command, and Mikael complied with his heart pounding of trepidation. After a commanding tug, Nicolaus pulled him towards the bed.

Mikael, his knees brushing the edge of the mattress, knelt on the bed and sat in front of him.

Leaning against the headboard, Nicolaus looked every bit the embodiment of temptation. Mikael's bare form contrasted with Nicolaus' clothed one, which heightened his self-consciousness.

"Come closer," Nicolaus prompted, gesturing to sit on his lap.

Mikael pressed his lips together in hesitation before giving in. With trembling hands, they found their place on Nicolaus' broad shoulders, fingers curling slightly against the fabric of his shirt.

Nicolaus' callused touch reached out, fingers brushing Mikael's fake long silver hair before cupping his cheek. Gradually, his hand found its way to the back of Mikael's neck, pulling him closer until their lips met.

They shared a passionate kiss, their mouths locked in an embrace as Nicolaus' tongue slid into Mikael's mouth once more. Their tongues moved in an erotic dance, kindling their craving, which left Mikael breathless.

Mikael could not help but be aware that Nicolaus had shared intimate moments with others, considering how he knew exactly what to do in bed, drawing from his experience and knowledge of pleasure.

Just make him think you're submitting.

These were the words he kept casting in his mind like a protective incantation.

He believed that there should be more beneath the facade of the deal. Nicolaus was a merchant, and Mikael had heard rumors about these individuals in this line of work. They weren't known for backing down or hesitating to take matters into their own hands if they felt insulted.

Therefore, Mikael had to prioritize finding his family first. And, if things took a turn for the worse and he ended up pregnant, as Nicolaus wished, he might have to use the child as a last resort to save his family.

'I, I will use his own game against him.'