Before she could do anything, his hand shot out, pinning her back against the wall with a soft thud. Zayden’s grip was tight around her throat, not choking her but holding her exactly where he wanted. His body was pressed against hers, his chest rising and falling against her, warmth bleeding through their clothes. The city lights painted shadows on his sharp jawline, but his blue eyes were locked onto her like she was the only thing that mattered.
Her hand with the knife twitched uselessly at her side. She could feel his heartbeat through her palm pressed against his chest, steady, way too steady for a guy who had just been through a near-assault on his empire.
"You really think you can just hide forever? From them? From ?"
"Do you really think we can be together?" she whispered, her voice rougher than she ant. "No. We can’t. It just won’t work."
Zayden tilted his head, his thumb brushing against the frantic pulse under her jaw. "Why?" His voice dropped low, dangerously smooth. "Why can’t we make this work, huh?"
She swallowed, the movent making her throat press harder against his hand. "You’re married. Don’t forget that."
For a heartbeat, everything went quiet.
Then Zayden chuckled, a low, dark sound that rumbled through her.
He leaned in close, his lips almost touching her ear. "So that’s it?" he murmured. "You’ve been keeping your distance... because I’m married?" He hadn’t ntioned that he wasn’t actually married.
Aylin’s eyes widened, caught off guard. "I..." she started, but her words stumbled.
"So, you have feelings for too," he interrupted smoothly, pulling back slightly to assess her response. "But you’ve been avoiding , keeping that lovely distance, all because of my wife."
Her breath caught in her throat. "No, who said that I have feelings for you?"
A low chuckle escaped him. He loosened his grip on her throat, moving his hand to cradle the side of her neck, his thumb gliding along her jawline as though he possessed every part of her.
"Don’t lie to , sweetheart." His gaze dropped to her lips before returning to her eyes. "It’s all over your face. Those golden eyes give you away every ti you look at . You can’t conceal it. Not from ."
She attempted to turn her head, but he wouldn’t allow it.
"Say it," he commanded softly. "Say it, that you love ."
Her cheeks flushed. "I don’t..."
"Bullshit." He moved in closer, his thigh slipping between her legs, pinning her down. "You’ve been fantasizing about for two years. Every ti you shut your eyes in whatever miserable hideout you were in, it was my hands you imagined, right? My voice. My mouth."
Aylin’s breathing beca rapid. "You’re out of your mind."
"Am I?" He leaned in, his lips barely touching the edge of her jaw. "Then why are you shaking right now? Why does your pulse race beneath my thumb as if you’re about to explode?"
She stared at him as she felt butterflies in her stomach. "Get off ."
"No." He bit her earlobe, just enough to make her gasp. "Not until you stop lying to both of us."
"Zayden..."
"There it is." He smirked against her skin, slow and sensual. "My na on your tongue. Say it again."
She gritted her teeth. "You’re full of yourself."
"And you’re wet just at the thought of what I’d do to you." His other hand traveled down her side, fingers sinking into her hip. "Admit it. You want to fuck that stubbornness right out of you. Want to bend you over this desk, open you up, and make you scream my na until your voice gives out."
Aylin’s face turned beet red. She pushed against his chest forcefully. He didn’t move an inch.
"Ohhh," he grinned, eyes glittering with pleasure. "Look at that blush. Just words and you’re already burning up. What’s going to happen when I actually put my mouth on you? When I lick that sweet little clit until you’re crying? When I fuck you so deeply, you forget your own na?"
"Stop," her voice shook, kind of a mix of begging and moaning.
"Make ." He grabbed her chin, making her look him in the eye. "Or even better, just say it. Three simple words: ’I love you.’ Say them, and maybe I’ll go easy on you the first ti."
She let out a shaky, breathy laugh. "You don’t know how to be gentle."
His grin beca wild. "You’re right. I don’t. But for you? I’d give it a try." He leaned in again, his lips just above hers. "Just once. Say it once. Let hear how nice it sounds when you finally give in."
Aylin’s chest heaved as she searched his face, full of arrogance, ruthlessness, and possessiveness, yet she saw the truth buried underneath: the sa desire that had been in her heart for two years.
"I..." She licked her dry lips. His gaze followed her movents like a hunter watching its prey. "I don’t hate you."
Zayden’s eyes deepened. "Not good enough."
She lifted her chin, refusing to back down even while held in place. "That’s all you’re getting tonight."
He studied her for a long ti. Then he smiled slowly, like he was making a promise. "Challenge accepted."
His head dipped, and his mouth crashed down onto hers in a kiss that felt like both a fight and a worship mont. Teeth, tongue, possession. She kissed him back just as fiercely, her fingers clutched his shirt, pulling him closer even while trying to keep control.
When they finally pulled apart, both panting, he pressed his forehead against hers.
"You’re mine, Aylin," he said in a raspy voice. "Married or not. Hacker or not. Whether you’re running or not. You’ve been mine since the mont you crashed into in that forest."
She couldn’t find the words to reply. Her heart was pounding too loudly.
He brushed his thumb over her swollen bottom lip. "And tonight? I’m going to prove it."
Before she could respond, the door behind them creaked open.
Reyes walked into the room with his gun out, eyes on fire. You could tell just by looking at him; soone had really hurt him.
But it wasn’t Reyes who spoke up first. It was the figure lurking behind him.
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