Chapter 43
Elijah Vaughn.
Do you want to say no? His voice lingered in the air, laced with something sharp and lethal..
My lips parted slightly, but no words came out.
He chuckled softly, his fingers trailing a slow line down my arm, like he was savoring every second of this moment.
“Little bunny… I see what you really want.”
His voice dropped into a near–hypnotic tone, as if guiding me toward a point of no return.
“You want someone to take care of you. To protect you. To stand by your side.”
My body tensed, but he didn’t stop.
“I saw it in your eyes… when you heard me say I believed in you. When you realized I never doubted your innocence.”
His eyes burned into me, piercing through me like he could see everything I was trying to hide.
“You want to belong to someone.”
He leaned in, his mouth close enough that our breaths mingled.
“And I’m here to offer you exactly that.”
My throat tightened.
My chest rose and fell in rapid rhythm.
“If you feel like you’re not ready…”
He whispered, his thumb brushing along my bottom lip with a tenderness that brutally contrasted the intention behind his gaze.
“Then I’ll show you you’re already mine.”
Before I could process his words, he moved.
Suddenly, he was on top of me.
His warm,
solid weight pinned me to the mattress.
A surprised gasp escaped my lips, but he didn’t give me time to react.
His mouth crashed into mine.
The kiss was intense, rough, and hungry.
Like he wanted to consume me, swallow me whole. His lips were hot, firm, and demanding–taking over every inch of my mouth. His taste overwhelmed my senses, leaving me dizzy, breathless, and cornered.
My hands reached instinctively for his bare chest, feeling the heat of his skin beneath my fingers. My heart pounded like a war drum, my breath caught in my throat as his firm, heated body pressed into mine, impossible to ignore.
He kissed me like he was branding me.
Marking what was his.
His tongue forced its way into my mouth, demanding to be accepted. The pressure of his body intensified, and a low moan slipped from my throat, unbidden.
He smiled against my lips.
“See?‘ he murmured between kisses, his voice thick with satisfied pleasure. Your body already accepts me as its master.”
My legs trembled.
My chest burned.
My mind spun with confusion.
But the worst part?
I didn’t push him away.
I didn’t try to escape.
Because, in some twisted way… it felt too good to stop.
Then, in an overwhelming surge, my hand slid up to the back of his neck, fingers tangling in his dark hair.
And I kissed him.
There was no hesitation.
No doubt.
A raw, uncontrollable need burned inside me.
My hands clutched the back of his neck, pulling him closer, deepening the kiss with a hunger I didn’t know I possessed.
His taste flooded my mouth–hot, intense, addictive.
He growled against my lips, and the sound vibrated through my body like an electric current down my spine.
He responded with brutal intensity, his tongue invading without permission, demanding, taking, and setting the pace.
But unlike before, I didn’t just accept it–I matched him.
The kiss became a battle for dominance, a silent war where I gave away more of myself than I realized.
My lungs begged for air, but I didn’t want to stop. My fingers tightened in his hair, pulling hard enough to draw a low, satisfied growl from his throat.
He pressed our bodies together even more, the heat between us intensifying, his rigid muscles under my touch, his scent invading every part of my awareness. My lips moved against his with desperation, urgency, and craving.
My body had already accepted what my mind still struggled to understand.
I wanted him.
And in that moment, nothing else mattered.
But then, suddenly, he pulled away.
My breathing was ragged when I opened my eyes, confused, my chest heaving.
1 stared at him, trying to understand why he’d stopped.
“Go take a shower, Elijah.”
His voice was low but heavy with meaning–it made me swallow hard.
I’m giving you one more chance to think about whether this is really what you want.”
My heart still thundered in my chest, my mind spinning, trying to grasp what he was saying.
He tilted his head slightly, the shadow of a smirk tugging at his lips.
If you don’t want to belong to me, then go back to Fox’s cell and pretend none of this happened. But… if you show up in mine…”
He paused, his fingers slowly tracing along his own jaw, a casual gesture laced with danger.
“That means you accept me. That you’re ready to be mine.”
The cell felt smaller around me, the air growing heavier, hotter.
“But listen carefully, little bunny.” His eyes turned to blades of ice. “If you make that choice, there’s no going back. Ever.”
The sound of my own breathing echoed in my ears.
“You won’t run. You won’t get a second chance. It won’t matter if one day you regret it or if you beg me to let you go.” His smile vanished, replaced by something much darker. “Because I will never allow it.”
His lips curved again–but there was no softness in them.
It was pure possession.
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
