Reyansh paused outside the bedroom door, his hand still on the knob.
He hadn't expected this sight.
Arina was sitting on the bed—back leaning against the headboard, one leg bent loosely, the other lazily stretched out. A book rested in her lap, but she wasn't really reading. Her hair was loose, soft waves falling over her shoulders, a little messy at the ends as if she had run her fingers through them too many times. She was wearing a nighty—simple, but the neckline dipped just enough to reveal the soft valley of her cleavage.
Nothing dramatic.
Nothing intentional.
And yet everything about her… pulled him in.
She looked comfortable. Warm. Beautiful in a way that stung.
His heart tightened. He didn't understand why this domestic, quiet moment burned him more than anything else.
Maybe because it felt like she belonged here.
Belonged to him.
Arina finally sensed his presence and looked up. Her eyes softened immediately, as if seeing him changed the gravity of the room.
"You're just standing there," she said, closing her book gently. "Why?"
Her voice was soft, warm, and entirely unaware of what she was doing to him.
She slipped off the bed and walked toward him, her movements unhurried… almost languid. The light from the bedside lamp kissed the curve of her neck, her collarbone, her cheek. Everything about her felt like an invitation he didn't remember agreeing to—and now couldn't deny if he tried.
Reyansh closed the door behind him.
And in the same breath, he pulled her into him.
She gave a short gasp, her hands flying to his chest, but she didn't pull away. Not even for a second.
His arm wrapped around her waist, fingers pressing into her warm skin through the fabric. His other hand slid to the back of her neck, tilting her head just enough.
He didn't think. He didn't have to.
He lowered his mouth to her neck.
She shivered instantly.
Her skin tasted like warmth. Like softness. Like something he had wanted without realising how much.
His lips traced down to her collarbone, slow at first… then deeper. He felt her breath hitch, her fingers curling around his shirt as if needing something to hold onto. She whispered his name, a soft, trembling sound that made something in his chest break open.
He wasn't gentle.
Not tonight.
He kissed her collarbone again, harder this time, leaving a trail of blooming red marks. Her head tilted back, giving him space he didn't ask for but greedily took.
"Reyansh…" she whispered, breathless.
He lifted his head and looked at her.
Her eyes were half-closed, cheeks flushed, lips parted. The sight made his thoughts darken instantly. Something possessive, fierce, raw surged through him—something he had no intention of hiding anymore.
She was his.
And he was done pretending otherwise.
He kissed her again, this time on her mouth—deep, consuming. She responded with equal intensity, fingers sliding up to his shoulders, pulling him closer, as if her body recognised him before her mind did.
Reyansh moved with her, guiding her backward, step by step, until the back of her knees touched the bed. He lowered her down, his hand supporting her as she lay beneath him.
Arina's face was flushed red. Not embarrassed—overwhelmed. Her chest rose and fell quickly, her fingers trembling as they touched his jaw.
He wanted her.
Not tomorrow.
Not someday.
Now.
He leaned in again—
But she pressed her palm against his chest.
The movement was gentle, hesitant.
Not rejection.
Just pause.
Reyansh stopped instantly, his breath still uneven as he looked down at her. She wasn't pushing him away. Her fingers were still curled slightly against his shirt as if she didn't want to lose the closeness.
"Reyansh…" she whispered, catching her breath, "it's just… a little sudden."
He said nothing, waiting.
"I'm not stopping you," she added quickly, scared he'd misunderstand. "I want this. I want us. I just… need a little time to prepare myself."
Her voice softened, barely a breath.
"I love you… I really do. I just don't want our first time to be rushed."
Reyansh stared at her for a long moment.
She loved him.
She said it without hesitation, without fear, without calculation.
Something inside him softened in a way that felt dangerous. Because if she asked him for anything in this moment—anything—he would give it.
He brushed her hair from her face, his thumb grazing her cheek.
"Arina," he murmured, his voice deeper than usual, "you can take all the time you need."
Relief washed over her eyes, mingled with affection so pure it made his chest tighten painfully.
"I won't do anything you're not ready for," he added. "You tell me when."
She nodded, biting her lip, her eyes glowing with emotion.
Reyansh leaned down and kissed her forehead—a slow, tender kiss that held everything he couldn't say out loud yet.
He rose, switched off the lights, and slid into bed beside her.
Arina curled into him immediately, her body finding his without hesitation. He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close until her head rested on his chest. She let out a tiny sigh, the kind people make only when they feel safe.
Safe… with him.
He pressed another kiss to her hair.
"Good night," he whispered.
Arina didn't reply. She only tightened her hold on him, hiding her face against his chest… as if there was no place in the world she would rather be.
Reyansh lay awake long after her breathing steadied.
Her warmth in his arms.
Her scent on his skin.
Her voice still echoing in his mind.
I love you.
He stared into the darkness, knowing one thing with frightening clarity—
He wasn't letting her go.
Not now.
Not ever.
She belonged to him.
And tonight, she had unknowingly sealed it.
---
"His love was a shadow—silent, consuming, and inescapable."