VALERIA

Freed from my task and without the housekeeper watching, I decided to slip away with the excuse of organizing the King's clothes in his closet.

So I grabbed a basket with clean sheets and walked into the castle.

I reached the ebony door and hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to step into the wolf’s den or not.

“Come on, Valeria, don’t be ridiculous. The agreement was fulfilled, and now it’s time to return to a professional dynamic—worker and employer. I’m the maid, and he’s the King.”

I told myself, straightening my posture, because if every time Aldric and I shared intimacy under our arrangement, I acted like a nervous girl, then this was bound to fail.

I entered with a serious expression, advancing into the room on legs that felt like jelly.

I knocked softly, but no one answered, so I pushed the door open and stepped into His Majesty’s chambers.

The delicious scent of wine immediately assaulted my senses. This was his private, intimate space, and everything here smelled