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His voice, deep and low, brushes against my head.
“Familiarising yourself with my touch, are you, darling?”
I take a deep breath in as his chest presses into my back, his arm heavy as he rests it around my middle.
We’re so close together, barely an inch of space between us, that I can’t help but expect it. When I feel it though, that’s something else altogether. He’shard,and he’s shamelessenough to rub himself on my body, causing every breath of mine to become heavier.
I swallow hard.
“W-What do you want now, Nikolai?”
His chuckle is soft, dangerous too, as it sends a wave of unease washing over me.
“Want?”He repeats, his voice taking on a teasing tone as his lips graze my ear. “Iwantyou to stop running away from us, darling. Iwantyou to give into us.”
I shake my head, my breathing shallow.
“I-I’m not—”
He cuts in, his tone sharper now, though not unkind.
“You are running away, Chiara.” I shiver at the sound of my name leaving his lips. “Every time you push us away, every time you pretend you’re not ours…you only make us want you more.”
The words hit me like a blow, the weight of them sinking deep into my chest.
My legs feel weak, and if it wasn’t for him holding me upright with his arm around my middle, I know I would have sunk down onto my knees. I hate my body for betraying me like this, but it’s all his fault. It’s hard to think straight when he’s so close to me like this, and when his body is reacting to mine.
“You’re delusional.”
I manage to say, my voice trembling and my eyes focused straight ahead, refusing to turn my head even an inch to look over at him.
“Am I?” Nikolai asks, his tone calm, but I can hear the tension in his voice. “Then why are you reacting to my touch?” His arm is still locked around my middle, but he raises his hand, swiping his thumb along my breast, causing my breath to hitch. “Why do you freeze when I call you by your name?”
The throbbing between my legs only grows, and as he pushes his hips against my backside, I can’t help but sigh heavily.
“I’m not—”
There’s no use trying to lie to him.
He already knows.
“Stop lying to yourself, darling.” Nikolai murmurs into my ear. “Just give in to us. Soon, there’ll be no part of you left that doesn’t belong to us, and you will thank us for it.”
My knees buckle slightly, but I catch myself.
I won’t let him win.
“Get away from me.”
I manage, my voice steady as I force his hand away from around my body.
To my surprise, he listens. He drops his arm, and he takes a step back. The heat of his body soon begins to fade, and with a small, humourless laugh, he leaves me be.
“Goodnight, darling.” He whispers softly. “Be sure to dream sweet dreams of your captors.”
I swallow hard, and when I finally dare to look over my shoulder, I find that Nikolai is already gone, leaving me all alone with the sound of my racing heart.
Forcing myself to look away, I drag my feet towards the bed before getting under the covers, staring straight ahead at the ceiling.