Dirty Heart - Chapter 16

By the time she came to her senses, she was already lying in bed, trapped between the two men as she tried to sleep.

‘How did things end up like this….’

Staring blankly at the high ceiling, Courtney let out a deep sigh.

“Mmm, Sister Courtney….”

Meanwhile, Liam, who had remained on guard from the moment he climbed into bed with Lionel, burrowed even deeper into Courtney’s arms.

Though he must still have been exhausted from the long journey, the small boy clung stubbornly to her. Warmth filled Courtney’s hand as she gently stroked his hair.

“Liam. If you’re sleepy, go to sleep.”

“I can’t, Sister…. I have to protect you all night….”

It was little more than a sleepy murmur, but perhaps because of the deep affection in his voice, a faint smile spread across her lips before she realized it.

‘Is this Courtney’s original feeling?’

That thought suddenly crossed her mind. It felt as though the original Courtney, the true owner of this body, had genuinely cherished and loved Liam.

In truth, he was no different from a stranger, yet she couldn’t bring herself to turn him away. The small hands clutching her clothes like a lifeline conveyed his desperate dependence all too clearly.

The burn mark on his cheek, as if someone had deliberately branded him, bothered her deeply as well. It looked like he hadn’t even received proper treatment, and the scar would likely remain with him for life.

“How pitiful…. It must have hurt so much.”

At that moment, a low, chilling voice came from the opposite side.

“You seem to have a weakness for pitiful things, Courtney.”

“…!”

Glancing to the side, she saw Lionel’s icy blue eyes glaring at Liam as if he wanted him dead.

The hands that once existed only for him were now touching someone else. Even if the other person was only a child, he couldn’t suppress the surge of displeasure.

“…Courtney.”

With that cold whisper, both her wrists were suddenly seized. Blue veins stood out sharply against the back of his pale hand as he gripped her tightly.

“Y-Young Duke!”

Startled by the sudden movement, Courtney flinched, and at that moment, his burning breath brushed against her ear.

“Ah…!”

A soft moan escaped her lips as he bit down roughly on her earlobe. She never imagined Lionel would do something like this with a child right beside them. Letting her guard down had been a mistake.

Instinctively, she twisted her body to escape, but Lionel only pulled her closer, holding her even more tightly.

“I want you to pity only me.”

Is he insane? Lionel said those shameless words without hesitation. He was nothing more than an organ thief, so who did he think he was to demand her pity?

Disgust churned violently inside her, but she was helpless. She had no idea where he drew such strength from, but her bound wrists refused to move.

“Mm!”

His broad chest pressed fully against hers, leaving no space between them, and Lionel immediately claimed her lips. Another muffled sound slipped from between her teeth, and emboldened, he pulled her even closer.

Their lips intertwined more deeply with each passing second. At that very moment, Liam, who had been sleeping peacefully on one side of the bed, suddenly stirred.

“…!”

Courtney’s eyes widened in panic, afraid the boy might wake. She tried to resist, pushing weakly against Lionel’s shoulder, but as if deliberately provoking her, he began undoing the buttons of her nightgown.

The thin fabric slipped down, revealing pale skin that shimmered faintly in the early dawn light. Her pink nipples, standing stiffly in the cool air, already seemed to carry a thick, sweet scent.

“Ahh…!”

When he sucked harshly on her left nipple until it throbbed, Courtney hurriedly covered her mouth.

“No… Liam… if Liam sees….”

“Shh. If you make a sound, you’ll get caught.”

Kneading her white, firm breasts like dough, he slowly removed his own shirt.

Under the languid moonlight, the smooth lines of his body were revealed. Though illness had left him generally thin, his angular shoulders and broad chest made him look like a beautifully carved statue.

“Are… are you really going to do it? Right now?”

Instead of answering, Lionel grasped his fully erect cock. The sight of him slowly stroking the shaft with a languid, self-indulgent expression was so explicit that Courtney swallowed unconsciously.

“Ah, ngh! Mm…!”

When the tip of his glans prodded her wet clit, Courtney’s thighs trembled and tightened instinctively. Fear of being discovered by Liam wrapped around her entire body, yet paradoxically, the pleasure rose alongside it.

Before she knew it, her love juices flowed down along the crease of her ass like a small stream. The moment he confirmed she was sufficiently wet, his cock thrust down roughly.

“Ahk, ngh!”

The immense girth filling her completely made it feel as though she might suffocate. The hard shaft pressed deep into her entrance, relentlessly threatening her cervix, and dizziness washed over her as if the blood were draining from her body.

Wet, obscene sounds spilled continuously from where they were joined, and the lewd fluids ran endlessly down her thighs.

Even as her lower body was mercilessly ravaged, her swollen nipples were repeatedly bitten inside Lionel’s mouth.

“Courtney. Tell me you love me.”

“Hngh, ah… no….”

Though she outwardly denied the pleasure he gave her, her body increasingly craved Lionel more intensely. Would she become permanently bound to that man like this? Anxiety and pleasure intertwined, clouding her mind.

As if seeing straight through her, Lionel smiled with absolute certainty of victory.

“Hngh, ngh!”

When his veined cock plunged deeply inside her once more, Courtney could no longer endure it and arched like a drawn bow.

“Say you love me. Before this brat wakes up.”

“N-no…! Don’t wake him, please!”

Fortunately, Liam remained asleep like an angel, but Courtney couldn’t suppress her anxiety. If the child opened his eyes, he would see her naked body and Lionel mounting her like a beast.

The mere thought made her blood run cold. The idea of leaving an irreversible scar on the pure heart of a child sent chills through her entire body.

“…Love… ngh, I love you.”

The moment those forced words left her lips, Lionel’s eyes flashed sharply. As if he had been waiting for it, he bent down and pressed his ear against her chest.

Thump. Thump. Thump-.

Hearing the strong, steady beating, an unfamiliar emotion rose inside him.

It was a wretched, selfish feeling. He wished her heart would beat forever for him alone.

***

As usual, Duke Erhardt remained shut inside his study, reviewing research materials.

“Ha.”

With a short sigh, the duke’s hand, which had been flipping through the documents, suddenly came to a halt. One section of the bookshelf, which was always kept in perfect alignment, was noticeably out of place.

He slowly rose from his seat and approached the shelf in question. His sharp gaze swept across the book spines, and the empty space revealed itself immediately.

『Report on Heart Transplant Side Effect Cases』.

The duke’s face turned instantly cold as he recalled the missing report.

That report was a top-secret document that must never be leaked outside. And yet, it had disappeared at the very moment Lionel’s surgery was approaching. This was no ordinary matter.

“Guard!”

At the thunderous voice, the guard standing outside the door hurried inside.

“You called, Your Grace—gasp!”

The guard sucked in a breath before he could finish speaking. Duke Erhardt had suddenly drawn his sword and pointed it at his throat.

“Who has entered this room recently?!”

As the sharp blade grazed his skin, the guard’s face turned deathly pale. Cold sweat streamed down his jaw.

“T-there was no one except the maid who came in to clean! That’s the truth…!” the guard stammered, his voice trembling with fear.

“A maid?”

The duke’s brow lifted slightly. A mere maid dared lay hands on such an important document?

Pushing the guard aside, the duke quickly opened the entry log. Among the neatly written names, one familiar name immediately caught his eye.

“Heh… well now.”

Courtney Balkan. The moment he saw it, a cold smile spread across his face.

“So the rumors that my son has grown disobedient lately were true after all.”