Chapter 33 · Tearing Up the Deal

"Get your hands off me, Cain."

I didn't just say it. I shoved him. Hard.

My palms slammed into his chest, and for a second, the Regent actually stumbled. The look on his face? Priceless. Pure shock. Nobody shoved Cain. Nobody even breathed too loud in his presence unless they wanted their throat ripped out.

"You're getting bold, Ivy," he murmured.

That low growl usually made my knees shake. Not today.

I stepped toward him, boots clicking sharp on the marble. I reached into my pocket and whipped out the crumpled parchment. The contract. The piece of trash that turned me into his pet. His property. His favorite toy to break.

"Bold? No. I'm done," I snapped, shoving the paper between us. "This deal is dead. You wanted a bloodline to soothe your rage? You got it. But the price just went up. I'm not your pet anymore."

Cain didn't move. He just watched me, dark eyes tracking every breath. The air turned thick, charged with static. I could smell him—sandalwood, cold rain, and that metallic tang of power. It was suffocating.