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“Finally,” he whispered. “I should’ve done this first.”

“I thought it hurt you…” I murmured, only just coming back to my senses.

“Is that why you kissed it so mercifully? Oh, god, Mina, you’re so adorable…” He returned to my neck, trailing kisses, and I clutched his shoulders, pulling him closer.

But he paused and stared at me, his voice almost trembling. “But you can’t do this. You can’t act like this. Show me no mercy. I told you, you’ve already ruined me, so… Ruin me more. Until there’s nothing left of me. Please… Break me so cruelly that I can’t remember anything else but you. But…”

He drew a deep breath, he’d almost left none for me. I swallowed and watched his face tighten.

“You don’t even trust me.”

“Raymond, I…”

“No. Remi. You should call me Remi. But you don’t.”

“That’s the only problem?”

I leaned down, then slowly kissed his lower lip, still scarred from the cut. I was soft at first, then sank my teeth into his lower lip and tugged at it hard. The shattered lips looked quite good on him. Satisfied, I caressed his bloody lips.

Remembering what he had done with the knife yesterday, I took the blood and brought it to my tongue. I licked my thumb until there was not a trace of blood left. When I kissed his bleeding lips again, he responded. As the kisses quickened and slowed, I took his face in my hands to gain more control.

Can I really love you? Can I let you love me? Even if you have free will? Even if you’re a human? I’m so scared you’ll leave me one day.

“Are you really mine?”

Raymond’s pupils dilated. I always compared those eyes to labradorite, a natural gemstone I had only seen in textbooks. It always enchanted me. Like butterflies, like Angelica, like my guardian robot Remi… I was always enchanted by things I couldn’t have, things that were distant, things that I shouldn’t touch…

“Until eternity.”

With his whisper, I wanted to cry despite my arousal; my eye sockets stung. I didn’t know why hearing this was so important to me, but I felt something warming inside me. I stared at him, trying to figure him out. How had he entered my life, and why? What had I done to deserve him?

What could I do to keep him by my side?

You can’t. You’re so weak.

He was the first to break eye contact, and when he began kissing my neck, I gladly let him. Feeling warmth near my heart always gave me pleasure; that was why I had always kissed those areas since childhood, expecting the same treatment.

But this time was different.

He moved down to my breasts, slowly licking me around chest. I stirred. I wasn’t wearing a bra; only had a short-sleeved T-shirt on, and he… didn’t stop. He pulled my T-shirt low and pressed his lips against my bare skin. A moment later I felt those lips around my nipple. I didn’t know how much control I could maintain when I felt his warm tongue there. I stirred again, but as he held me between his arms, I couldn’t move anymore.

In one sudden move, he stripped the shirt over my head. I blinked rapidly, my hands reflexively going to my chest, covering myself. He leaned his head back against the cold bathroom wall, exhaling, steadying himself. Unable to speak or take his eyes off me, he reached out, pulled my hands from my chest, and brushed my curly hair aside. His gaze traveled down me, from head to toe. He seemed to be in a trance, unable to close his open mouth.

I feared he might not like what he saw. Too small? Is the shape weird? “I…” I couldn’t speak further when he moved me up. Pressing his forehead against the middle of my breasts, he left a tiny kiss there. With his gentle touch, I found myself stroking his hair.

“Are you real?”

He whispered, then parted his lips wide and cupped my bare breast, his thumb dragging over my nipple. I threw my head back, my eyes widening as his tongue slowly traced circles around my skin. One hand anchored my back while the other passionately kneaded my left breast, both of them completely devoured by the heat of his fingers and tongue. I bit my lip to suppress any foolish sounds, but it was too much. Too much to handle. Since my breasts were soft and almost insensitive, I thought I wouldn’t feel a thing, but the way his tongue kept moving against my skin was enough to make other parts of me wet as well.

“Don’t… I… I’ll do it… I came here to help you.” I needed to remind myself why I entered the bathroom. Besides, I was ashamed to be half-naked in front of him. He was still wearing his white shirt and black pants; we weren’t equal.

“Helping me…” he whispered as he did the same thing to my left breast. “I don’t think you can.”

I frowned, then placed my hands on his shoulders, trying to stand straight.

“You think there’s something about you I can’t handle? Impossible, Remi.”

His eyes widened. He stared at me for a moment. “What’s it, Remi? I…” Before I could speak, his lips closed over mine in a long kiss. He took my face in his hands, his large fingers disappearing into my hair. His tongue slid deep in a kiss that stole the very air from my lungs, touching my tonsils. I lost my breath entirely. When he finally pulled back, I tried desperately to catch it, but he leaned in once more.