CHAPTER 134: SOFT RUIN

{Music Recommendation: Constellations ~ Jade LeMac}

Rhane’s hold didn’t feel...

It didn’t feel... Jenna repeated in her mind. She could feel the sturdy thighs of Rhane against hers, the friction of movement that would send her legs up if he moved with intent. The dominance and primal need to control in his eyes. The orchid fever to ruin her posture in slow motion. It was all there... yet his touch...

It was as though Rhane held a sacred goddess that shouldn’t be defiled, as a mother would hold her child the first second of birth. Gentle, with adoration, with care, and with pride. That was how Rhane’s touch felt. It did feel like he was going to wreck her like the storm in his eyes. But he wouldn’t damage her.

"C-can I come into you, Jenna?" Rhane asked again, this time swiping the lipstick their kiss had left ruined.

Rhane’s eyes moved from Jenna’s lips up to her eyes. Oh... how he would love to have her over and over. But he wouldn’t do it the right way, he was only excited to see her again after two nights. He was glad to have her in his arms, dispelling whatever had caused her tears. It was his manly needs that plummeted into these feelings of desire, but Rhane knew better. It was going to be for that moment, maybe not memorable enough for Jenna.

He wanted to have her permission. No matter how Jenna felt now about him, it didn’t erase the fact that she had been hurt in the past; with something meant for pleasure, she had pain instead. Rhane couldn’t go back in time to change what had been done, but he could slowly bring her in, walking beside her to change her feelings about such intimacy.

To show her it was beautiful though primal in nature. To give her the taste of being ravished and adored all at the same time.

Jenna opened her mouth, then closed it. "I... um, Rhane..."

"Shh, don’t say it," Rhane muttered. He didn’t know it all, but he knew she would need time. "I will always wait when you want me." He moved up a little, pulling Jenna into a warm hug.

"It doesn’t have to be now."

Jenna’s heart dropped with fear; in the past this would have gotten her a vase on her head. A hiss followed by a fist and a forceful push. She didn’t want to bring out that side of Rhane when he had always been good to her. It was just her body, she would lay down and let him have her.

Pulling back from the hug, Jenna took Rhane’s hand and placed it on her chest. "We can do it... you can take me," she tried not to stutter, searching Rhane’s face just in case she had annoyed him with her reaction.

Rhane chuckled softly, pulling Jenna back to his chest. "Only say that to me when you mean it, My lady."

"But Rhane, you are..." She tried to point at his hardness.

"I am fine, Jenna," Rhane replied. "I promise, I am." He said, patting her head gently. Moving her back, he pecked her forehead and sighed.

"I love you, Jenna. By the gods, I love you." He squeezed her in his arms, dropping her dress back down and covering her breast up.

Jenna didn’t understand this feeling. It was strange. She had denied a man her body after getting him riled up, but he covered her body and went ahead to confess his feelings? Jenna shook her head, this wasn’t real, she thought.

Maybe Rhane was pretending to get her hit—

"Ow." Jenna rubbed her cheek where Rhane had pinched. When she raised her eyes and saw him grinning like a Cheshire cat, Jenna frowned.

"Do you only love to squeeze my face while saving other women from falling?"

Rhane’s smile vanished, he cocked his head to the side, deep in thought. Then his mouth shaped in an O as if realizing something, he continued grinning.

"What?!" Jenna asked in annoyance, grabbing her dress to her side so Rhane wouldn’t near it.

Rhane reached for her legs and pulled her back towards himself, "Is that it?" he lifted Jenna up and placed her on his lap. "The reason you wouldn’t look at me earlier?"

Jenna tried to move away from his body, but Rhane’s grip remained steady, wound around her thick waist. "I— I didn’t do any of what you accuse me of," she scowled, feigning annoyance.

"I hadn’t even noticed your presence except the little girl who told me..." her voice trailed, her ears slowly turning into a lighter shade of red.

Rhane hummed, nodding in agreement. "That should explain it..." he replied, moving his hand up to settle under Jenna’s arms. "The reason I searched for you endlessly in the crowd, you stubborn woman." He tickled her but received silence in return.

"Oh?" Rhane frowned, then tried again.

Jenna sucked her teeth and sighed, "That doesn’t work on me..." she turned to face Rhane, her bottom pressed against his lap. "You pitiful young man... have you never had a woman with a lot of flesh?"

Moving up to sit straight, Jenna rubbed Rhane’s hair, ruffling it in the process. "I don’t get whipped over a tickle... I have all of these to protect me." She pointed at her arm and sides.

Rhane twitched his lips, "That’s strange..." he leaned closer, moving up his fingers as if to attempt tickling again.

Jenna raised her nose, her eyes closed. "We can do this all day if you want to try."

"Yes, I wish to try," Rhane drawled with a mischievous look, this time instead of a tickle he pressed his nose on Jenna’s neck.

A yelp escaped Jenna’s lips, and she squirmed, trying to jump off from Rhane’s body, but he pinned her in place.

"S-stop Rhane! Stop... please... oww... ohhh."

Rhane didn’t stop, instead he rubbed his nose then blew air. He’d noticed how Jenna had squirmed when he kissed her neck. It was fleeting, but he noticed.

"Rhane... oh... please..." Jenna’s eyes brimmed with tears, but she couldn’t stop laughing either. Trying to kick Rhane was futile as he now used his thighs to trap her legs.

"I won’t dou— Oh Rhane... I’m going to pee..." Jenna confessed, biting her lips until she almost tasted her own blood.

Finally letting go, Rhane watched Jenna try to gather herself while still trying to stop laughing.

Jenna forcefully pulled away from Rhane’s body and he let her, wiping her eyes with the back of her palm. "I hate you..." she coughed out, using one hand to hold up the dress on her chest.

"Do you hate it here?" Rhane asked casually, "Or is there something you don’t like?"

Jenna frowned, "They make me eat twice in a whole day."

Rhane gasped dramatically, "They are horrible," he remarked. "Do you want me to steal you away from here?"

Jenna gave it a thought, then glanced at him. "You want reasons to escape the tournament, don’t you?" she joked.

"I knew you were smart but not fast," Rhane fired back. "Humor me, when did you catch on?"

Jenna sucked her teeth, pretending to be disappointed. "It was clear as the sky, when all you wanted was to rip my dress and drag me through the hallway and..."

"And hold you," Rhane took her hand, "I couldn’t stop—" he felt a sharp pain in his stomach.

"What is it?" Jenna moved closer, her brows knitted with worry. "Tell me."

Rhane’s breath became uneven, his eyes a little dull. "Nothing at all for you to worry for," he said in reply.

Jenna didn’t believe this, she had seen the reaction; it was one of pain. "Are you sure?"

Rhane nodded, seeing how close Jenna now pressed her body to him. His lips curled but he didn’t smile. "This might be the last time we will be together until the tournament is over." He brushed a hair off Jenna’s cheek.

"It won’t be simple but remember what I said. Don’t involve yourself no matter what, let Percy know whatever bothers you and it’ll get to me. Do you understand?"

Jenna nodded, "I wonder who the master is now."

"You still are, love," Rhane replied with a smile. "Just wanted to make sure my master doesn’t get into trouble." He leaned in to kiss her.

Jenna was going to go ahead with the kiss, but she remembered something, "Rhane! The girl... she knows your eyes. You have to be careful—"

"Jenna, are you in there?" A knock came. "You should bring Lois out with you, the guests are preparing to leave."

Jenna quickly gathered her dress, stood up from the ground with her hair disheveled and the straps of her blouse falling off.

"Jenna?" The knock was louder this time, "Open the door."

Jenna turned to look at Rhane, and he gestured her to go ahead.

"You need to hide!!" Jenna cried in a low voice, panicking. She’d almost forgotten they were still inside the house, and she wasn’t allowed to meet with Rhane.

"Jenna?" The voice called again, "Lois?"

Jenna opened her mouth to reply, but a cough interrupted her.

They weren’t alone!