"I won’t," he whispered back and she lifted her head to fall into those abyssal blue eyes of his. Shifting her hands she placed them on both sides of his face, and then her eyes lingered on his sultry lips.

She wanted to taste them, to feel their touch on hers. Without thinking she closed the remaining distance between them and kissed him lightly.

Rivan’s athletic body became rigid at her sudden action and he dropped his hands from her shoulders but didn’t have the heart to stop her. She kissed him some more, hoping he would kiss her back, but he didn’t. Seeing his reaction she stopped and peeked at him, her eyes holding a sense of rejection and pain while he whispered: 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"Irlana...Let’s not go down this road," her heart almost stopped at his words. She knew he could never find someone like her as desirable, someone tainted, someone filthy. She might as well be a whore who spread her legs for so many men.

"I understand I am not of your standard. I have been disgraced, but have it in your heart to not push me away tonight. I need this, I need you," her striking azure eyes were brimming with tears she was frantically trying not to spill. Her hands on his face were shaking as she pleaded.

This tremendously hurt Rivan, and he almost flinched at her words. She had taken them in a different light than what he had meant, so he placed his hands on her shaky ones.

"You are not disgraced, why would you say something like that? You have such a pure heart, I don’t want to overstep my boundaries. You are my best friend’s kid sister, I don’t want you to feel that I am taking advantage of the situation."

She gave him a broken smile and those tears finally tumbled from her beautiful eyes as she answered: "So many men have taken advantage of my body, you are not like those men. Never once in the time I have been here, did you try to touch me. I am a grown-up who wants to feel loved even if it’s for just one night with someone who is not looking to violate my body. Grant me this just once, I am not asking for more, I won’t ask for more, I can’t ask for more even if I want to. My father retains the right to who uses my body but not tonight. Tonight it’s mine to give and I want to give it to you."

This jolted Rivan to his core and he extended his hands to wipe her tears. The pain that pinched his heart was unbearable and all he wanted was to shield her from her father and all those lewd men.

He didn’t say anything, he didn’t need to for his lips descended on hers with a fervent need to own her and fulfil her desire to be loved. Her heart thudded and she moulded in his kiss, clasping his neck she pulled him closer and he hoisted her up so she could tangle her legs around his waist.

Rivan effortlessly carried her to his room. He gently devoided her of the night attire she had been adorning and then loved her the way she wanted. He filled her up with his ardent passion but most importantly he made her feel special, he made her feel loved. While Irlana had never experienced such sensual lovemaking and she couldn’t help but cling to him the rest of the night. Absorbing and storing away all the love, all the gentleness he offered.

"Thank you," she whispered in his chest lying bare in his robust arms. He was combing her luscious hair with his fingers. His sturdy body was perfectly melded with her curvy one. After his ex, this was the first time, he had made love to someone and now he didn’t want to let her go for she was precious.

"Sleep, I will not leave you tonight," and she slept in his arms, her face almost surreal, a satisfied smile played on her lips for the first time in her life she slept in someone’s arm who didn’t violate her.

----------------------

In his room, Xiran had unwantedly heard all their interaction outside. He stood against the door with his head bowed, hearing the pleas of his sister, who wanted to feel an ounce of love. Who didn’t want to be defiled at least once in her life?

There couldn’t be a better man than Rivan for her. He trusted his best friend, he would never harm her, he would never break her heart and he would never violate her.

But they could never have a future together until his father was breathing. Xiran yanked his hair in frustration, listening to what Irlana said to Rivan, he knew she was crying out there and there was nothing he could do.

’Why am I so fucking useless?’ Xiran thought to himself as he slumped to the ground and buried his face in his legs. Today, he was broken beyond words, his agitated heart thumped so loudly against his ribcage. There was no salvation for it today for the one who could provide it was his sweet Leia.

If only she was here to console him, but she was thousands of miles away, still mad at him. How he wanted to be in her arms right now, listening to her soothing heartbeat. Observing all her shy reactions to his teasing, kissing away every part of her body, and drinking away her sweet nectar which took away every pain he held, every worry, every agitation.

"Leia...." he whispered, he was hurting beyond words. "Come back to me...pleaseee."

---------------------

Thousands of miles away, Aselia woke up with a jerk. Her heart was going crazy and she was drenched in her sweat. Her hand went to her pendant and she clutched at it as if her life depended on it, she pressed it to her skin as usual. Taking deep breaths she tried to calm herself down, it didn’t work.

"Xiran..." she whimpered.