The Crown's Seduction-Chapter 493: Special - : Laura and Fritz

Laura flipped through the pages of bachelor profiles Lady Alexa had given her to consider for marriage. Every man listed was a noble Valcrezian with an impressive background. Some of them she already knew and had met personally.

The Royal Court still held skepticism about her position as Minister of Justice. Being human and not originally from Valcrez, she faced resistance. The court preferred high-ranking officers to be native Valcrezians, and the only way to silence their doubts was for her to marry one, securing her place among them.

She sighed in frustration, tapping her fingers against the table. "What’s taking him so long?" she muttered. freewebnøvel.com

None of the candidates piqued her interest. There was only one man she had eyes for, Lord Fritz. From the very beginning, he had stirred emotions in her that she never expected to feel.

At first, they had been like cat and mouse, constantly clashing. But as they worked together on investigations, something between them shifted. Feelings developed—or at least, she thought they had. She was certain Lord Fritz felt the same way. He was always overly protective of her, and his eyes...

Just the memory of his gaze sent warmth rushing to her cheeks. The way he looked at her, filled with something deeper than mere attraction, something dangerously close to love, left her breathless. It had never been intentional, but time and again, she would catch him staring at her when he thought she wasn’t looking.

"Or was I mistaken?" she grumbled, slamming the book shut. Frustration gnawed at her. "Maybe I should spread a rumor that I’ve already chosen a man..."

Laura smirked at the thought. If Lord Fritz was dragging his feet, maybe a little push would force him to act. She had spent enough time waiting, and patience had never been her strongest virtue.

She leaned back in her chair, tapping a finger against her chin. "A little rumor wouldn’t hurt," she mused. "Let’s see if he finally does something about us."

Just as she was about to put her plan into motion, a familiar series of knocks echoed at her door. Only Fritz would do that. He had been knocking that way ever since she scolded him for suddenly appearing out of nowhere in her office.

She straightened, her pulse quickening. Speaking of the devil...

"Come in," she called, schooling her expression into indifference.

The door creaked open, and Lord Fritz stepped inside, his sharp golden eyes locked onto hers. His dark coat was dusted with travel, a sign he had come straight from work, yet he still carried himself with that usual air of composed authority.

"You’re late," she remarked coolly, crossing her arms.

Fritz shut the door behind him, his gaze flicking to the open book of suitors Lady Alexa compiled for her. His jaw ticked, just slightly, but he masked it well.

"I didn’t realize we had an appointment," he said, raising a brow.

"Well, you usually come here a bit earlier, mostly before dark, so showing up this late is unusual, don’t you think?" she replied with a smile before getting up and preparing to leave.

"Are you going out?" he asked with a frown.

"Well, I’m heading to see Lady Alexa because I think I’ve found a suitable choice from the candidates she gave me."

His expression darkened as he asked directly, "Who?"

"The Tenth Prince seems like a good match, so I’d like to go on a few dates with him and see if we click," she said, watching him closely. As expected, Fritz’s face immediately twisted into a deep scowl.

Seriously? This man moves so slow for a vampire of his age! she thought in frustration.

"Alister already has a woman, though he hasn’t married her yet," Fritz informed her stiffly.

"Oh? Is that so?" She tapped her chin, pretending to consider. "Then I guess I’ll go with Admiral Sixto instead!" she announced excitedly.

"No!" Fritz suddenly exclaimed.

Laura bit back a smirk, watching Fritz’s reaction with amusement. His hands had curled into fists at his sides, and his usual composed expression was completely shattered.

"No?" she echoed innocently, tilting her head. "Why not? Admiral Sixto is quite the accomplished man. Strong, well-respected, noble..." She trailed off, enjoying how his jaw clenched tighter with every word.

Fritz took a step closer, his crimson eyes dark with something she couldn’t quite place... anger, frustration, jealousy? Maybe all of them.

"You’re not going on a date with him," he stated firmly, his voice dangerously low.

Laura raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what gives you the right to say that, Lord Fritz?"

Faster than she could react, he grabbed her wrist, pulling her flush against him. His grip was gentle but unyielding, his cool breath fanning against her face as he leaned in.

"Because you’re mine."

Her breath hitched. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, but she refused to back down. "Oh? Last I checked, I wasn’t anyone’s."

His eyes flickered, something raw flashing through them before he exhaled sharply. "Then let me correct that mistake."

Before she could respond, his lips crashed onto hers.

Laura stiffened in surprise, but the moment his lips moved against hers, all thoughts of teasing him vanished. His kiss was urgent, desperate, like a man who had been holding back for far too long.

Her hands gripped his coat as his arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer as if afraid she might disappear. She could feel his hesitance, the slight tremble in his touch despite the strength he always carried himself with.

When they finally broke apart, Fritz’s forehead rested against hers, his breath heavy.

"I was scared," he admitted, his voice rough with emotion. "The last time I loved someone, I lost her. It nearly destroyed me, Laura. And for the longest time, I thought... if I kept my distance, I wouldn’t have to feel that kind of pain again."

Laura’s heart ached at his words. She had known he was holding back, but she hadn’t realized just how deep his fear ran.

"But now," he continued, lifting his head to meet her gaze, "I’ve realized something worse than that pain... losing you without even trying to fight for you."

Laura swallowed hard, her chest tightening. "Fritz..."

He cupped her face gently, his thumb brushing over her cheek. "I don’t care how long it took me to get here. What matters is that I’m here now. And I won’t let you go."

She searched his eyes, seeing the sincerity... the love... written all over his face. Any lingering frustration melted away, replaced by something much deeper.

"You better not," she whispered before pulling him into another kiss.

This time, it was she who pressed forward, pouring all her feelings into him. Fritz responded instantly, his arms tightening around her as if to never let her go.