Chapter 132
30
Chapter 40
Stop she cried, her voice tising in urgency as she pushed him away harder, feeling panic surge within her. “I can’t do this. I won’t be you
dirty secret again.”
In one swift motion, she slapped him across the face, the sound echoing in the charged silence of the room. Luca froze, his eyes widening in shock, the playful glint replaced with a serious, contemplative look.
For a brief moment, they both lay still, the air heavy with the aftermath of her action. Amber’s heart raced as she stared at the ceiling, the adrenaline coursing through her as she fought to regain control of her racing thoughts, Luca was silent beside her, his breathing heavy and uneven as he struggled with the physical aftermath of their passionate encounter, his arousal still palpable in the air between them.
Finally, he broke the silence, his voice low and filled with remorse. “I… I’m sorry,” he admitted, his tone sincere as he glanced at her. “t
probably deserved that slap.”
Amber swallowed hard, biting back the words that formed on the edge of her tongue. Yes, he deserved that slap–every bit of it, and maybe even more for the ache he kept reopening inside her, like a wound that refused to heal. But she kept her silence, holding the words in, even as fresh tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, threatening to spill. She couldn’t afford to let him see just how much he’d gotten to her, not again.
The bitterness bubbled up, hot and sharp, laced with a familiar frustration and a helpless kind of anger. How many times had she told herself she was done with him? How many times had she promised herself she wouldn’t let him back in, only to feel that resolve crumble whenever he came near? A voice inside her cursed him for doing this to her again, drawing her back into his orbit like a helpless thing. And damn her own heart, too–damn it for betraying her, for still wanting him despite everything he’d put her through.
She blinked, forcing back the tears that blurred her vision.
A shiver of pain and regret ran through her, mingling with the traces of longing that still clung to her skin like a faint echo. She could feel the warmth of his hands on her wrists, the way he’d held her just moments ago, and it took everything in her not to remember how good that touch had once felt, how safe she’d once thought she was with him.
“I just…” he hesitated, running a hand through his hair, clearly trying to gather his thoughts. “I didn’t mean to cross a line. I just….”
As the silence lingered, he glanced down at the remnants of her nighty, the fabric now torn and exposing more skin than she was comfortable with. “Did I hurt you?” he asked softly, concern washing over his features as he reached out tentatively, fingers brushing against the torn edge
of the fabric.
Amber felt a mix of emotions surge within her–anger, regret, and something that resembled longing. She shook her head slowly, trying to maintain her composure despite the chaotic whirlwind of feelings. “No, I’m fine,” she replied, her voice steady despite the tremor that ran through her. “But I won’t be part of this anymore. We need to talk.”
Luca nodded, his expression shifting from desire to a contemplative. “Okay” he said quietly, leaning back slightly to create a respectful distance. “Let’s talk.”
The tension in the room shifted, the intensity of the moment giving way to a weird kind of suffocating silence. Despite what had just almost happened. Amber knew that hadn’t crossed half the problems that still lay within them.
Amber sat on the edge of the master bed, her heart still racing from the charged encounter they had just shared. The torn fabric of her nighty
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09:24 Wei THEY CA
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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.
