31 Delicately Mine

**Darius’s POV**

Our eyes met briefly before she looked down, bowing her head in respect. It was a gesture I didn’t want from her tonight. Stepping closer, I tilted her chin upward gently, forcing her to meet my gaze.

"Not tonight, Annabel," I said, my voice softer now. "Tonight, you can look into my eyes and relax."

She nodded wordlessly, her lips pressing together in silent agreement. I let my hand fall, and Tabitha, ever the opportunist, spoke up with a playful smile. "She is beautiful."

I resisted the urge to agree out loud. Annabel’s beauty didn’t need my acknowledgment—it was an unspoken truth. Instead, I straightened and gestured towards the car.

"Shall we?" I asked.

She stepped into the vehicle first, her movements as graceful as ever, and I followed close behind. Leonard and Declan headed for another car, with Leah joining Declan. 

There was a casual familiarity between the two that hadn’t escaped my notice, but I didn’t mind. Leah wasn’t my concern—not in that way, at least.

As we drove towards the venue, my thoughts lingered on Annabel. 

Tonight, she wouldn’t just turn heads. She would command the room, and for the first time, I wondered if I was truly ready for what that might mean—for her, for me, and for the path that lay ahead.

Sitting in the car, I let my hand drift to Annabel’s bare thigh, exposed through the elegant slit in her dress. 

My fingers brushed against her skin, seeking the familiar tingling sensation of the mate bond. It was there, as undeniable as ever—a spark that calmed the storm within me and filled me with a quiet strength. 

Her scent surrounded me, soothing yet invigorating, charging me with a rare sense of peace as we headed toward the evening’s event.

"You should be free with me tonight," I said softly, breaking the silence. My eyes met hers, steady and intent. 

"You’re not just an accessory by my side, Annabel. You have my word—I won’t take offense at anything you do, and you won’t face punishment for it either. Think of it as a free pass."

Her gaze flickered with a mixture of emotions I couldn’t quite place at first—surprise, fear, and confusion danced in her wide eyes. 

She seemed unsure of how to interpret my words, and the depth of her reaction stirred something deep within me. Did she not understand the freedom I was offering, or was it something else entirely?

I studied her silently, my thoughts churning. She was a puzzle, one I hadn’t yet solved. 

Her jealousy, for instance—I had seen it in fleeting moments. She masked it well, but I wasn’t blind to the way her eyes darkened when Michelle’s name was mentioned or how her demeanor shifted when Leah joined me for breakfast. 

The emotions were subtle, restrained, but they were there. What else lay beneath her carefully composed exterior?

The rest of the ride was quiet. She didn’t respond, didn’t speak, and I chose to let the silence linger. 

It would take time. This was a process—a gradual unearthing of the walls she’d built, a slow unravelling of the guarded layers she wore like armour.

When we finally arrived at the venue, the night air buzzed with excitement. As we stepped out of the car, the announcement of my arrival rippled through the crowd, and I walked in with Annabel on my arm. 

All eyes turned toward us, a collective hush falling over the room. I could feel the weight of their gazes, but I knew it wasn’t my status as their king that held their attention tonight.

It was her.

Annabel was radiant, breathtakingly so, and I felt an unexpected swell of pride. 

Widow or not, marked or not—she was mine now. 

Fate had woven her into my life, and in this moment, I couldn’t deny the truth. She wasn’t just a possession or a symbol. She was something far more significant, though I hadn’t yet unravelled what that meant for us.

As we moved through the room, I made a silent vow. Tonight, there would be no chains, no roles to uphold. 

I wouldn’t be her king and master, and she wouldn’t be a captive or a slave. Tonight, we would start from a place of equality, however fleeting it might feel.

For now, I’d let the night unfold, tension-free, and watch as the woman by my side began to reveal herself—one step, one moment, at a time.