Chapter 278
A dark shadow flickered through his eyes.
Cold, sharp light churned silently in the depths of his pupils.
Vivian Bennett curled into herself, twisting restlessly.
Soft, broken whimpers escaped her lips, pitiful as a homeless kitten.
He sighed soundlessly, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her close.
His lips brushed her ear, voice low. "Vivian, where does it hurt?"
She writhed against him, a mix of complaint and plea.
Her soft voice was thick with tears. "Hot..."
Her slender legs draped restlessly over his waist.
Her smooth skin brushed faintly against his stomach.
Liam Sullivan's palm tightened on her thigh.
He slid his hand slowly upward.
His voice grew husky, like a demon's whisper. "Do you want more?"
Vivian stubbornly turned her face away.
She bit down hard on her lower lip, enduring the burning heat coursing through her.
One small fist pressed against his chest, pounding in frustration.
The other was caught between her teeth, trying to stifle the shameful sounds.
Liam gently pried her hand from her mouth.
Deep teeth marks marred the pale skin of her hand.
They silently spoke of her torment.
His gaze darkened.
He stopped teasing her.
He lowered his head and captured her lips, swallowing her desperate moans.
He turned, covering her body with his.
Once again, he used his own heat to soothe the restlessness within her.
The night-long intimacy nearly drained all his strength.
Only when dawn broke and the drug's effects finally faded did he fall into a deep sleep.
It felt like fate's cycle.
Once, in a car, he had used her as his antidote.
Now the roles were reversed.
It was his turn to relieve her suffering.
The feverish heat in Vivian's body gradually subsided.
Her mind cleared.
Extreme exhaustion, however, kept sleep at bay.
She recalled the indulgence of the night.
She gazed at the tired face of the man beside her.
A inexplicable panic fluttered in her chest.
The sky grew lighter.
She could no longer lie still.
She rose, quickly showered, dressed, and fled the room.
She didn't dare look back at the disheveled bed.
It wasn't that she didn't want to.
She was afraid that after one glance, her tangled emotions would become more chaotic than the sheets.
She was afraid.
Afraid that she had, without realizing it, developed feelings for that man.
An insurmountable chasm lay between them.
He owned the entire forest.
Why would he linger over one ordinary tree?
She had long warned herself.
She must never be the first to fall in love.
Never love more than the other person.
Before he gave his heart, she must guard her own.
To her, love was a war without gunpowder.
The one who falls first, loses.
The one who loves deeper, loses completely.
She pressed a hand tightly over her heart.
She would not allow herself to be defeated before he had even begun to fight.
She left the hotel without calling a taxi.
She walked slowly along the street alone.
She walked and thought.
She sighed and reinforced the walls around her heart.
By the time she reached the entrance of her gated community, the sun was high in the sky.
Her home was still some distance away.
She looked up and was surprised to see a tall figure standing at the community gate.
As she approached, the figure hurried toward her.
They opened their arms and grasped her shoulders without a word.