ALINA’S POV

And the worst part?

I wanted him to.

My hands pushed their way under his shirt, desperate to feel his skin. His hands, still gripping my thighs, slipped under the boxer briefs. squeezing my bare flesh with a need equal to mine. My nails dug into his back, leaving crescents of frustration and need behind.

I fumbled with his sweatshirt, and he finally pulled away from the kiss, allowing me to pull it off.

My hands roamed hungrily over his smooth chest, savoring the feel of his taut muscles under my palms. Every dip, every bcurve /bwas soothing and intoxicating.

His hand shifted, slipping binside /bmy shirt—just a little below my breast–his thumb basionally /bbrushing the soft flesh beneath it. Every graze burnt hot into meb. /b

He was holding backb, /band I hated it.!--

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I pressed a kiss to his neck, catching the way his eyes fluttered shut, his breath hitching, hands clenching around my ribs like he was trying to anchor himself.

With a mischievous smile, I sucked on the spot, triumphed by the deep sound that escaped his throat. When I pulled away, a bright red mark stood out on his neck. Satisfied with my handiwork, I kissed my way up his jawline, slow and teasing, but just as I was about to connect our lips again–he leaned back.

“What?” My husky voice wasced with confusion and frustration.

“Where did you learn how to kiss like this?” His tone wasn’t just curious, it was alsoced with jealousy.

He must’ve been assuming Adrian and I had shared some intimate moments. But we hadn’t.

The truth was–Everything I’d learned, I’d learned from him. In the past life, Lucian had always punished me with kisses whenever I disobeyed him or told him I hated him. He’d taught me every wicked trick that now left him breathless.

However, I couldn’t exactly tell him that withouting across as being crazy.

“Was bit /bVaughn?” He used.

Seriously?

“Of course not” My answer came instantly,ced with firm disbelief. “It justes naturally, I guess. Because you’re a great kisser yourself, I added, shooting him a flirty smile.

“Doll”

I kissed him bagain/b, cutting off whatever he was about to say. I seriously did not want to talk about Adrian at this moment.

He returned the kiss with equal fervor, devouring me like he couldn’t get enough. My hand traveled from his chest downward, edging closer to where I ached for him, but just as it touched the waistband of his sweatpants–he closed bhis /bhand around my wristb. /b

“Why?” I whined, confused, bbreathless, /bmy voice barely a whisper.

It was obvious we both wanted this. I didn’t understand why he kept holding back.

“We can’t.” He bsaid/b, detaching himself bfrom /bmepletely and btaking /bba /bbcouple /bof steps back

“Don’t you bwant /bme?” I pouted, sadness and bfrustration /bslipping binto /bmy voice

I’m not going to risk you hating me

“bOf /bcourse I do. Heaven knows how much I do.” He bran /ba hand through his hair in frustration. “bBut /bbI/b‘ for ba /bcouple of hours of pleasure.”

“Wait Luck

“Get some brest/b.” He said abruptly, grabbing his shirt from the bathroom floor and leaving.

b1/2 /b

6:29 AM

1just seconds ago

“What the hell just happened?” I muttered, stunned, my eyes fixed on the spot he had beenj

I couldn’t, for the life of me, figure out what Lucian was always thinking–and bthat /bfrustrated the hell out of me

bOne /bminute we were making out like we couldn’t get enough of each other, and the next he was back to being his cold, indifferent self.

What else am I supposed to do to prove to him that it bwas /bhim and no one else that this isn’t just about a moment of pleasure for me?

If this was what rejection from someone you love felt like, then I never wanted to feel this bagain/b.

Was this how he felt every time I brutally rejected him in the past?

With a sigh, I lowered myself from the counter and walked back into the broom/b. He wasn’t there. I was bhalf/b–tempted to go look for him, but decided against it and just got ready for bed.

“Ughhhhh” I groaned in frustration when sleep refused bto /be, even hourster.

I was about to bget /bbup /band grab a ss of milk when 1 heard the unmistakable sound of Lucian’s foorsteps.

I nced at the time to see that it was past one o’clock in the morning–and quickly pretended to be asleep.

-His footsteps slowed when they reached my bedside. He sat down gently beside me.

“I’m sorry. Dollface,” he whispered, his voice barely audible as he brushed a strand of hair from my cheek, his fingers caressing my skin so delicately it practically broke my heart. “But unless I’m certain that you’repletely mine, I can’t get intimate with you.”

I wouldn’t have believed it if someone had told me he could be this gentle.

“I’d be damned if I shared you with someone else.” He added, his tone framed with possessiveness.

“You’re mine, Alina. You can hate me all you want, but I won’t let anything happen to you. I’ll always protect you, as long as there’s air in my lungs.”

‘I don’t hate you.‘ I wanted to say, but I couldn’t–not without shattering the illusion of sleep I had created.

Part of me was d I stayed silent. bThis /bwas the first time Lucian was being even a little open with me, and it was only because he bthought /bI was asleep.

His sincere honesty filled voice, lulled me into a strange kind of peace. I shifted slightly, reaching for his hand and curling into it.

He didn’t pull away.

Instead, he climbed into bed with me and pulled me into his chest, his barms /bwrapping around me like 1 belonged there. He pressed a soft kiss to my

forehead

Sleep consumed me shortly after.

The next morning, when woke up, Lucian was gone.