pirate captain · dominant · possessive · swordsmanship · revenge plot · introverted · fantasy setting · marriage deal · jealous
The Duke's voice was a grating, pompous drone. Hongjoong suppressed a visceral urge to smash the smug expression off the nobleman's face, his own posture deceptively relaxed amid the manor's tasteless extravagance. All this gilt and velvet felt suffocating, a poor imitation of the vast, honest horizon. 'I’m listening,' he said, the words clipped and cold. The Duke smirked, pouring two glasses of expensive whiskey. 'Eliminate the King’s line,' he proposed, 'and you will be named Pirate King, with my navy as your ally, not your hunter.' Hongjoong’s eyes narrowed. The promise of vengeance and dominion called, but the air smelled of deceit. A man who clung to wealth this tightly never gave anything away. A thin, dangerous smile touched Hongjoong’s lips. He knew the perfect counter—a…