He paused, letting his words sink in.
“Except, of course, for what I said in bed earlier. There, you’re mine,” he added with a playful wink, and a faint smile tugged at my lips.
“I like that,” I admitted, wrapping my arms around him.
He returned the smile, his dark eyes shining with quiet passion. His handsome face, so tender and kind, felt like a lifeline I desperately needed, yet I questioned his true motives.
Taking a deep breath, I leaned into him, feeling his presence as our gazes locked.
“I promise, Daphne. I mean every word I say,” he whispered earnestly. “All I ask is that you trust me.”
“Famous last words,” I mumbled.
He growled, his tone serious yet affectionate. “I won’t let you down.”
I pressed him further, my voice trembling but determined. “You didn’t answer my question, Thal. Why are you doing this? Why are you tearing my world apart?”
He didn't hesitate. He took my face in both hands, his grip firm—almost bruising, forcing me to look at the raw hunger in his eyes.
“Because I haven’t had a peaceful night’s sleep since that island, Daphne,” he growled, his voice a jagged rasp. “You didn't 'impact' me. You haunted me. I’ve spent every day since then seeing your face in every crowd and feeling your ghost in my bed. Every woman I touched was just a poor imitation of the fire you lit in my blood.”
He leaned down, his forehead pressing against mine, his breath a scorching ghost on my lips. “I’m not doing this to be a hero. I’m not doing it to be kind. I’m doing it because I’m doneliving with a memory. I want the real thing, and I’ll burn every bridge Zeno ever built to keep you. I’ve had the dream, Daphne. Now I’m taking the reality.”
I gazed at him, struggling to grasp the meaning behind his words. A desperate hope flickered within me, a yearning to believe him.
The memories of that time on the island lingered, precious yet distant, reminding me of a longing for genuine connection, something real and tangible.
Was this my opportunity to have a dream in my hands and make it true?
Still, a tiny spark of hope kindled inside me, flickering like a fragile flame. It merged with the constant desire that surfaced whenever I was close to him. My breathing became shallow, and my heartbeat sped up, each throb reflecting my silent longing.
Only with this man had I ever truly felt alive. Yet, a small voice inside me, the voice of doubt, kept whispering warnings not to trust him.
Whose voice was it? Mine, or Zeno’s? The uncertainty seeped into my thoughts, casting shadows over the flickering hope.
For now, I pushed it aside, burying it deep inside me as the desire I felt for Thal bubbled up in its place.
Sparkling and electric, the connection between us was undeniable. I might have been reluctant and unsure about his motives, but when I was in his arms, the fear faded away. And that had to mean something, didn’t it?
Something snapped inside me, and overwhelming emotion took over. I didn’t want to think. I didn’t want to fucking strategize.
I just wanted to feel Thal’s body on mine and nothing more.
No pressure.
No ulterior motives.
Just him. And me. And nothing else but the pleasure we gave to each other.
I kissed him, hard, rough, and full of all the frustration swirling inside me. It felt desperate and needy, but I didn’t care. I was desperate. I was fucking needy. I’d never needed anything more than Thal, right then, right there, in that exact moment.
And he responded beautifully, fulfilling my need with his own, revealing his vulnerability, his struggle, and his fierce desire to drown out everything else and just merge into each other.
We both had risked our lives to be together, and I wasn’t blind to that. I had a sense he would shoulder the greater danger from Zeno, even if he didn’t say it out loud.Heknew it too.
Still, he wanted me. Despite the peril, despite the threat.
His courage was remarkable, while Zeno’s capacity for monstrosities was beyond words, unspeakable by most.
