[Music recommendation: Tony Ann - RAIN (feat. ARKAI) - Orchestral Version]

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As Aliana listened to him calmly list the things he liked to do, she honestly did not know what exactly she was supposed to feel anymore. She truly had not expected that her husband-to-be would be someone interested in those kinds of kinks.

Her entire face burned all the way to the roots of her hair as she remained lying motionless beneath him while he loomed over her so closely that she could feel the heat radiating from his body. Her light grey eyes stayed wide as she stared at him, trying to determine whether there was even the slightest trace of a lie hidden within his words.

But as she realised just how serious his expression was, her pulse quickened as the full gravity of his confession finally began to sink in.

Being born and raised within high society, Aliana had seen and heard more than enough about the kinds of fetishes people secretly indulged in behind closed doors. Yet she had never once imagined herself exploring any of them, let alone ending up with a man who openly possessed those desires.

When Aliana remained speechless, Gavriel observed her closely and could clearly see the doubt swirling within those light grey eyes of hers that constantly seemed to be pulling him in deeper.

As far as he was concerned, every passionate touch they had shared until now had pushed him to his absolute limit.

It was taking every ounce of his restraint to hold back from tearing away every piece of clothing acting as a barrier between them and taking her as he pleased, just as he always did with others.

But this was his little rose, and somehow he didn’t want to do anything she was not entirely comfortable with. He could have chosen not to reveal his dark preferences to her. After all, sex had never meant anything more to him than a mindless physical release.

However, Aliana was different. He had known that since the first time he met her.... or rather, the very first time he had ever laid eyes on her.

She was the first woman he had ever chosen to save instead of destroy. She was someone who fearlessly stood up to him... intrigued him in every possible way, and challenged him. A stark contrast to all those other women who dropped to their knees in submission before him without him even having to lift a finger.

He knew that if anyone deserved to know the truth of his nature, it was her. She needed to know everything, and she needed to agree to it.... willingly.

He had warned her time and time again because of exactly who he was.... a monster... a turned beast whenever he indulged his dark desires.

Yet she had continued to take every daring step toward him, only to end up trapped beneath his weight, looking up at him as if she were finally questioning the choices that had led her to this moment.

A dark thought rose within him.

’Of course, this is exactly how she should be looking at me. After all, she should be scared of me, because... I am nothing more than anyone’s worst nightmare.’

Yet, even knowing the terrifying reality of his nature, the burning desire to have her completely as his remained resolute.

There was no other way around it.

He knew he would possess her eventually.... with only one question standing in his way, a question that only she could answer.

"Aliana..."

Her name slipped past his lips in a way filled with such yearning and desire that Aliana finally snapped out of her thoughts to gaze into those endless pools of blue.

Countless seconds of silence stretched between them until, without explicitly accepting or rejecting his terms, she slowly raised her hand as if in a hypnotic trance, her fingertips gently brushing against his flawless face.

Gavriel’s eyes widened slightly at her action because no one had ever touched him like this before. Only this time, he no longer saw that fear or hesitation lingering within her eyes as he had only moments ago.

Her lips trembled slightly.... locked in a wordless stare, they instinctively moved closer to each other, neither of them letting their gaze drift for even a fraction of a second.

They searched one another’s eyes, trying to breach the defences of the mind, while the intoxicating desire burning between them only continued to intensify.

The moment their lips finally met again, both of their eyes slowly fluttered shut.

They stilled, completely frozen in place as they simply absorbed the sweetness of each other’s warmth.

There was no hurried movement, none of the wild, ravenous friction they had shared back in the kitchen. Yet, in that breathless stillness, Aliana felt her heart beat louder than ever before.

She felt Gavriel’s fingers loosen around her neck as their lips began to move more slowly against each other. Something that felt far more intimate than any of the wild, bold encounters they had shared up until now, and the sensation was overwhelming.

Before she even realised what she was doing, Aliana tilted her head, her tongue sliding smoothly into his mouth.

At the same moment, Gavriel’s hand trailed down from her neck, stopping to cup the full curve of her breast. Even through the two layers of fabric separating them, he could feel her hardened peak against his palm.

Just as his fingers tightened slightly around her soft mound, Aliana instinctively arched her back in response, causing their kiss to deepen further as their mouths continued moving together in a slow yet perfectly synchronised rhythm.

’What is this...? He’s not even touching my skin directly, yet my body is responding as though it’s already accustomed to him.’

The thought drifted hazily through her mind as she surrendered herself to the heavenly feeling of their surprisingly slow and sensual pace, something that completely contradicted his earlier words about only knowing how to be rough.

But she quickly backtracked on that thought when Gavriel squeezed her breast tighter.

A startling gasp escaped her lips, and she felt his own lips curve into a smirk against hers.

Her eyes snapped open, only to find him already watching her with quiet intensity before his gaze turned feral. Grabbing both of her hands, he pinned her wrists securely above her head and pulled back just enough to look down at her.

"So..." he whispered, his breath hot against her face. "What is your answer?"

As he asked, her heart skipped multiple beats as his hands slowly moved up from her wrists, only to intertwine his fingers with hers before giving them a gentle squeeze.

Aliana, completely unravelled by his every deliberate action, bit her lower lip in a futile attempt to calm her racing heart.

She knew that not having him would burn her, and having him would also burn her.

The question was... which burn could she actually survive?

She hesitated for a long moment before finally parting her lips to give him her answer.

Just then, the soft ding of a bell chimed through the quiet penthouse, followed by a familiar voice ringing out from the floor below.

"Ali? Where are you?"