Craved by the Wrong Volkov-Chapter 272: What is the difference between love and obsession?

Braelyn’s POV

"I can’t let go," Lucien said again, and this time there was no teasing in his voice, no wicked amusement curling at the edges. The words landed heavily between us. My breath caught in my chest as I struggled to breathe..."Because somewhere along the way... I got addicted to this game."

The wind shifted across the rooftop, cold enough to raise goosebumps along my arms, yet my skin burned like I was standing too close to a fire.

I told myself to step back, to laugh, to say something dismissive the way I always did with him. Instead, I stayed frozen, fingers tightening against the tablecloth as a strange, dangerous anticipation twisted low in my stomach.

His jaw flexed before he spoke again, slower now, like every word mattered.

"I can’t let go because I warned you on the night you took my cock into your tight pussy and ruined every other woman for me." His eyes locked onto mine. "And I can’t let go because I bloody fell in love with you, Braelyn. I’m done pretending this is just a game."

For a moment, the world... stopped.

He loved me. He said plainly he loved me. Everything blurred into nothing, except for the loud, roaring sound of my heartbeat and his distant voice.

Lucien Volkov, the menace to society. The psychopath, the black sheep loved me at first sight. I found it absurd to believe

Lucien Volkov didn’t love. He possessed, hunted and destroyed. The word or thought of love didn’t fit him. It didn’t belong anywhere near him. And yet the way he stood before me. His shoulders had gone rigid, his gaze solely stayed on me as he spoke those words. It made the denial stick uselessly in my throat.

My eyes were wide open, and I was beyond stunned. He backed away giving me space to breathe but I knew he wasn’t giving me the chance to run.

"I want you all to myself" he whispered like a promise. " I knew from the first night I saw you and kissed those addictive lips of yours. I was obsessed from that moment."

His shoulders dropped as he drew in a deep breath.."From then I knew even if I had to burn it all down. You will be mine in the end." He confessed then just stared at me.

My heartbeat slammed so violently it actually hurt. Fear rose first, choking my chest, because this confession was the last thing I expected from him. He knew it was hard and dangerous and yet he brought it. Lucien never cared about social norms.

And God help me... beneath the fear, something dark and traitorous unfurled because some twisted, broken part of me was happy.

That didn’t change the fact that this confession terrified me. My pulse races and my breath comes shallow. How was I meant to feel standing in front of a man who promised ruin like it was devotion?

"You..." My voice finally worked, though it came out like a whisper "You don’t love me. It is just a game to you. " His eyes darkened with something dangerous, then his lips curled slightly. In a dangerous way that made my legs tremble and my throat dry.

How could a smirk feel so seductive?

"It is just a game to me." He repeated amused. "Oh, if this were a game," he murmured. "Then explain this ridiculous feeling that burns in me that makes me want to break the hands of any man who touches you."

"The feeling that gives me peace only when I am next to you. Dear Lynn I just don’t want you, I want to be beside you always...I am bloody fighting the urge to take you away from all this chaos. " he hissed.

My stomach dropped. I wanted to say it was a lie but the look in his eyes wouldn’t let me. "That’s not love Lucien. That’s an obsession" I said carefully.

His gaze didn’t falter. "Love and obsession, what is the difference?" He asked, his voice made me shudder. His fingers brushed my cheeks gently like he was touching something delicate.

"Lucien... this is insane," I whispered, forcing the words out past the tightness in my throat. "You’re my uncle-in-law. This is wrong. Completely wrong. We shouldn’t even be here." I stated my voice trembled.

I was trying to force our reasoning because I knew how I felt. We shouldn’t be doing this. "This was meant to be a game, but you said love wasn’t meant to be involved. " I tried to fight back with his words. Lucien remained unfazed.

"You really want to use that excuse now?" he asked quietly and my heart skipped a beat.

"Yes," I said, though the word trembled. "You were the one who made the rule." I deadpanned.

He stepped closer and I instinctively stood up scared to face him. He crowded my space. He caught my waist and in a quick motion the table was swept clean and I was pinned on it. Forced to sit between his arms while his eyes burned into mine.

"If I had told you from the start I was interested in you in a way that meant more would you have agreed?" He asked and I was instantly lost for words but my silence was enough answer I wouldn’t have played along

"I thought as much. " he clicked his tongue. "I was bloody drawn to you from the start, the game was all an excuse to be close," he admitted.

"I thought that would be enough but the closer I was the more I craved," he said slowly leaning to my ears to whisper. His breath fanned on the sensitive skin of my lobes. "It wasn’t enough then I knew unless I had it all I would never be satisfied.." he said straight to my ears and my entire body trembled.

"Stop fighting it. I know you also want me." He said and my eyes shot open as my head snapped to him.

"Braelyn," he said softly, "if you truly wanted me gone... you wouldn’t have that look in your eyes.. ."

My heart slammed hard. "What look?," I blurted out.

His fingers lifted and brushed lightly against my wrist. The touch was barely there. It still felt like lightning. "Like you are just waiting for me to destroy you"