A Dangerous Obsession
Chapter 45 - 44

Chapter 45: Chapter 44

The air between us grew tense, charged with an undercurrent of something I couldn’t quite name. My mind raced, trying to find the right response, something that would keep me from giving too much away. But with the way he was looking at me, it felt impossible to hide anything.

"Should I be?" I asked, aiming for a casual tone even as my heart pounded in my chest. "Or is this just another one of your games?"

His eyes flickered, amusement flashing in their depths. "You wound me," he replied, the mock hurt in his voice about as sincere as a wolf pretending to be tame. He stepped closer, closing the distance between us, and I found myself rooted to the spot, unable to look away.

"Games, as you call them," he continued, his voice dropping to a near whisper, "are reserved for those who bore me." His gaze traced over me, lingering a second too long, as if to make his point. "And you... you are far from boring."

I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry. I didn’t know how to respond to that—part of me wanted to challenge him, to push back against whatever game he thought he was playing. But the other part of me—the one that still remembered the way his lips had felt against mine, the heat that had simmered between us—wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to push him away.

"What do you want, then?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

His smirk softened into something almost contemplative, and he tilted his head, as if considering my question. "What do I want?" he repeated, as though tasting the words. "I thought you would have learned by now that I rarely reveal my intentions." He leaned in closer, his gaze dark and intense. "But perhaps... I’m here because I simply wanted to see you squirm a little."

I clenched my jaw, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a reaction, but my pulse betrayed me, quickening as he moved even closer. There was something about his presence, the way he seemed to fill the room, that made it hard to think, hard to breathe.

He must have sensed my discomfort, because his smirk grew, a flash of satisfaction lighting his eyes. "Ah, still stubborn as ever," he murmured, his voice a low rumble that sent a shiver down my spine. "But tell me..." His gaze drifted to my lips, lingering there for a heartbeat too long. "Do you remember... the last time I was here?"

Heat flared in my cheeks, and I cursed myself inwardly for reacting, for letting him get under my skin. I could still feel the phantom memory of his lips on mine, could still taste the faint bitterness of his kiss. And I hated that he knew it—that he could see the effect he had on me, plain as day.

"That was... all you, your majesty," I managed to say, though my voice sounded unsteady, even to my own ears.

"All me?" His brows lifted, mock surprise coloring his tone. "How harsh. Here I was, thinking it was rather... enlightening for both of us." He let his gaze roam over me, as if assessing me anew, his expression softening into something unreadable. "But if that’s truly how you feel..."

He let the words hang, giving me just enough space to respond. It was like he was daring me to challenge him, to call him out for what we both knew was a lie. And maybe, just maybe, I wanted to.

"Whatever it was, it doesn’t need repeating," I said, forcing my voice to steady, even though my pulse betrayed me, hammering wildly against my ribs.

He chuckled, a dark, knowing sound. "Oh, I see. You’re playing coy now." He crossed his arms, leaning back slightly as if to give me some space, yet his presence remained as overwhelming as ever. "It’s amusing, watching you pretend that kiss didn’t affect you."

My cheeks burned hotter, and I fought the urge to look away. "I don’t know what you’re talking about," I replied, though the words sounded hollow.

"Don’t you?" He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a low, almost intimate murmur. "Because I remember a different story—a story where you didn’t exactly pull away."

I swallowed hard, feeling the intensity of his gaze, the way his words seemed to wrap around me, trapping me in place. Part of me wanted to deny it, to throw his words back at him, but the memory of that kiss—the heat, the intensity—lingered, leaving me defenseless.

He must have noticed, because his smirk softened, his expression shifting into something that almost resembled... satisfaction? No, that couldn’t be right. Yet, for a split second, I thought I saw something in his eyes, something that hinted at a depth I hadn’t expected.

But just as quickly as it appeared, it vanished, replaced by the same calculated amusement, the same dark glint that had haunted me since the day I arrived.

"Relax," he said, his tone light, mocking. "I won’t steal another kiss... unless you beg, of course."

I clenched my fists, my jaw tight with frustration, refusing to rise to his bait. "I would rather kiss a snake."

"Careful," he warned, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I might just take that as a challenge."

Before I could respond, he reached out, his hand grazing my shoulder, the touch light yet somehow electric, sending a jolt of awareness through me. His fingers lingered, tracing a slow, deliberate path down my arm, leaving a trail of heat in their wake. And then, just as suddenly as he had appeared, he pulled away, stepping back with a smirk that held a promise of things yet to come.

"I’ll be seeing you soon," he said, his voice low, almost a whisper. And with that, he turned and strode out of the room, leaving me standing there, breathless, my mind spinning with a whirlwind of emotions I didn’t even want to name.

I sank down onto the bed, feeling the weight of his presence lingering in the air, a tangible reminder of the power he held over me. And as much as I hated to admit it, a part of me was already counting the moments until our next encounter.