Page 6 of Forbidden Empire

"We'll plan this together," he declared with finality. "But understand this, Esme, the moment I sense you're playing me, our partnership ends."

I couldn't help but smirk at his warning as I leaned against the desk he had just vacated. "Then you better hope I don't play you."

The tension lingered long after our exchange had concluded. It was like a thick fog hanging around us, suffocating and filling every part of the office with its heaviness. The walls felt too close, the room too small, and every look from Aidon was like a spark just waiting to ignite.

Needing some fresh air to clear my head, I approached the window. But his voice stopped me in my tracks.

"You're holding back."

I turned to face him, my heart pounding in my chest. "I have told you what you need to know."

"No," Aidon countered, moving closer until we were a breath apart. "You have told me what you want me to hear. There is a difference."

The room seemed to shrink as he closed the distance between us until I felt his warmth radiating off him, hot and suffocating.

My back pressed against the cool glass, a stark contrast to the fiery intensity of his presence. He didn't touch me yet, but his nearness alone overwhelmed me.

"What are you so afraid of, Esme?" His voice was low and dangerous, like a growl. "That I'll see the truth? That I'll see you?"

"You don't know anything about me," I shot back, my voice wavering as his eyes locked onto mine, unyielding.

His question tore into my resolve, revealing the cracks I work so hard to hide. It felt like a sharp knife, cutting through my defenses and leaving me exposed. His hand brushed my cheek as he pushed a strand of hair behind my ear, leaving an electric charge that sent shivers down my spine.

Don't I?" His voice was soft but laced with frustration and hurt. "You want me to trust you, but you won't give me a reason to. Why is that, Esme? What are you hiding?

My heart felt heavy with guilt and longing as his words hit me harder than I wanted to admit. I considered telling him everything for a moment, letting him in just enough to quiet the growing storm between us. But the weight of all the unsaid words between us charged the air further, threatening to snap at any second. My breath caught in my throat as his fingers lingered near my jaw. His intense gaze searched mine for answers I couldn't give.

"Aidon," I began, but before I could finish, he closed the gap between us and kissed me.

I responded without thinking, my hands clutching his shirt as I pulled him closer. It was as if a raging storm exploded within me, a mix of anger and desire that stole my breath away.

His grip on my waist tightened, our bodies pressed close as our lips moved in an urgent dance driven by passion and frustration.

"You're impossible," he muttered against my mouth, his voice rough with emotion.

"And you're predictable," I shot back in defiance.

His low laughter vibrated over my skin as he retorted, "You drive me insane, Esme."

"Good," I hummed, feeling alive in this chaotic moment as I held onto him. "Then we’re even."

The kiss deepened, our tongues battling for control as they slid, rolled, and dueled against each other.

My pulse pounded in my ears, and goosebumps prickled down my spine. Aidon's overwhelming presence, oppressive and electric, filled the room, making it clear that something dangerous simmered beneath the surface.

"I should walk away from you right now," he growled in a low and rough voice. "You're chaos, Esme. You unravel everything you touch."

"Then let me go," I replied, my body betraying me as I leaned into him despite knowing nothing could come of this. "You hate me, remember? I'm just a liability."

His grip tightened, not meant to harm but to remind me that he held the reins, even as the fire in his eyes may make me believe otherwise.

"Hating you would be easy," he murmured, his lips so close they almost brushed against mine. "But I don't. And that's the problem."

The weight of his words hung between us, undeniable and heavy. My heart raced in my chest, and my breath caught as the air grew thick with an unspoken tension. He was so close now, his woodsy scent enveloping me like a vice.

"Aidon," I whispered, but he cut me off.

"No more talking," he commanded, as his free hand slid up to cup the back of my neck and his fingers tangled in my hair, tilting my head back.