Author's POV
A soft, instinctive sound escaped from her throat at the kiss, his mouth devouring her, tasting every inch of her mouth in its deepest way. His hand slid down from her waist to the small of her back, pulling her flesh more against him. Every inch of her body was tingling as if set on fire.
The kiss became deeper and more insatiable. His lips, his tongue, everything was making her feel hopeless. Her breath was getting tangled with his.
His hands traveled through her body as they moved towards her exposed skin. His touch was dominating and owning her, as he wanted. His cold fingers touched her skin, making a shiver run through her body; her head was spinning.
Aria's tears fell silently, mixing with the chaos of her mind and emotions of fear, uneasiness, and something deeper she couldn't understand. Her heart was pounding loudly as if it would tear from her flesh and come out of her chest.
His fingers moved with a slowness that was unbearable for her, trailing over her exposed soft brown skin. Inch by inch, he slid the dress lower. The cool air coming from the open window made contact with her skin, making goosebumps rise. Her body shivered in the cold, but the warm air radiating from him made her body lean into him.
Aria's chest rose and fell irregularly, her breaths shallow and broken. As she trembled, her hand shot out, searching for some support. Her hand clutched his shirt tightly, her hold iron-tight on the fabric as if holding onto it would keep her from sinking into the sea of emotions weighing her down.
Her eyes shut tightly, shutting out the reality of the moment. The fear was raw and ruthlessly wrapping around her like a living thing, growing stronger with every heartbeat.
His touch, his lips, his rough hands, the heat of his body it was all too much for her. She clung to the one thing keeping her standing: the promise she made to her mother, that she wouldn't let her die.
Her dress met the floor with a merciless sound, reminding her of what she had chosen for herself. His hand moved slowly with intensity as he traveled his fingers between her cleavage, not touching her breasts. It slid lower, and her grip on his shirt grew tighter as she took shaky breaths to steady herself. Her whole body was set on fire.
The cool touch of his fingertip moved slowly down as it reached her stomach. His finger trailed the theme of her lower body, and his hand slowly went inside before she could react. In the next second, he took her to the chilly wall, smashing her against it.
As the cold wall made contact with her skin, a shiver ran down her spine. A small scream tore from her throat. She opened her eyes, and they met his grey ones, those eyes holding so much intensity that it was hard for her to look into them.
His eyes burned into her with a primal hunger. He leaned in, his breath intertwining with hers as he took her lips into his mouth in a wild way, deepening the kiss, his tongue demanding entry. She gasped, her body arching against his. His hands moved over her body, exploring every curve, every inch of her skin. He trailed kisses down her neck, his teeth nipping at her sensitive skin.
As Aria's head grew heavy, her vision blurred and black spots danced in front of her eyes. The exhaustion from endless crying and the empty ache in her stomach from not eating for hours hit her. Her legs lost their strength, growing weak, and before she could process it, her control slipped away.
Her body lost balance, ready to collapse, but before she could hit the ground, strong arms caught her. He held her firm yet unyielding. He lifted her effortlessly into his arms. His grey eyes settled on her face without any expression. Her face was pale, her lashes still damp with tears.
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The morning sun rays rose through the large window, casting a soft glow across Aria's face. Her eyes slowly opened. For a second, her gaze fixed on the unfamiliar ceiling above her.
Her mind struggled to process where she was, but reality slowly emerged from the dark shadows of the night, hitting her like a sharp blow.
A terrifying shiver ran through her body as flashes of last night came rapidly, one after another. She sat up on the bed, clutching the blanket tightly around her body. Her breathing was heavy as her eyes searched across the room, trying to find him the man who was now her husband. But there was no one; the room was empty.
A relieved breath left her lips, but her head was feeling heavy and her body weak from exhaustion and endless crying.
Her breath hitched in her throat. Her hand started trembling as she realized the blanket was the only thing covering her. Under it, she was naked. She wasn't able to stop the wave of shame washing over her.
Wrapping the warm blanket around herself, the only thing that felt like a protector to her, her grip tightened as her gaze landed on her discarded clothes lying carelessly on the floor.
A strange feeling crawled through her stomach, tightening with fear. Her heart raced as her thoughts ran wild. This was her fate.
She got saved last night, but what about the nights that were going to come, those nights that would become worse nightmares for her?
The very thought of seeing him made a terrifying fear crawl inside her body, goosebumps rising on the surface of her shiny golden-brown skin. She was not the beauty who would make anyone mesmerized. Just like normal people, she had a shade of brown that wasn't too bright or too dark. It was in the middle, shining softly in the morning light.
Her features were unremarkable: she had a round face, soft brown eyes, and small delicate lips. Her bunny teeth, slightly prominent when she smiled, made her even more self-conscious. Her hair was a rich chestnut brown, thick but often untamed, giving her a messy yet natural look.
Aria stood up from the bed, her shaky figure gripping the blanket tighter around her trembling body. Her feet touched the cold ground, and bending down, she picked up her scattered clothes. Those clothes felt heavy in her hands, difficult to hold.
Her eyes moved around the room as she clutched the clothes, landing on the three doors attached to the room. Not knowing where any of them would lead, she still moved forward, gripping her clothes and blanket tightly in her hand.
She approached one of the doors. As she twisted the handle, it opened.