Chapter 0191

I can't comprehend why Sebastian would go to such lengths for me. Doubling patrol shifts, offering shelter, promising new clothes, providing meals, arranging medical care. No one does all that out of pure charity. If kindness alone solved problems, my family wouldn't have suffered as rogues for years.

His motives remain unclear, but his concern for my safety feels genuine.

"I believe him." Valeria insists. "His scent carried no deception during your conversation."

"You trust him? We barely know him, Valeria."

I sense her restless energy in my mind. 'Valeria?'

'Something about them feels right. I trust them both.'

With a sigh, I relent. If Valeria trusts them, and Evelyn and Selene do too, I'll follow their lead. But I'll find ways to repay Sebastian for everything.

Dressing carefully, I choose clothes that conceal my scars and leave my hair loose to hide my neck. I'd considered cutting it, but Sebastian mentioned liking it long. His fingers running through it last night had felt surprisingly nice.

Approaching his slightly ajar door, I raise my hand to knock when it swings open violently. Sebastian nearly bowls me over but catches me just in time. "Damn it, Seraphina! You okay?" His arm snakes around my waist, lifting me effortlessly until we're face to face. His other hand braces against the doorframe, preventing our fall.

His sage-green eyes hold me captive. My pulse races - from the near accident or our sudden closeness, I can't tell.

Heat radiates from his body as my hands rest against his solid chest. Every inch of him feels sculpted from marble.

"Sweetheart, you need to stop looking at me like that."

"Like what?" My tongue darts out to moisten my lips.

His gaze tracks the movement before returning to mine, his pupils noticeably dilated.

"Like you're deciding where to take your first bite." His voice drops an octave, equal parts velvet and gravel.

I stare at his mouth. The truth is, I do want to taste him. His intoxicating scent clouds my judgment as I bridge the distance, my tongue tracing the seam of his lips.

His entire body tenses. One arm crushes me closer while his other hand tangles in my hair, tilting my head for better access. When his tongue meets mine, electric currents race down my spine. My eyes flutter closed as he deepens the kiss. He tastes like crisp mountain air and golden sunlight - an impossible combination that somehow fits him perfectly.

The soft whimpers I hear shock me - they're mine. Sebastian's answering growls vibrate through my chest as his tongue dances with mine. The sound makes my nipples peak and sends liquid heat pooling between my thighs. An unfamiliar pressure builds as I instinctively wrap my legs around his waist.

He breaks the kiss abruptly, nostrils flaring at my scent. Forehead pressed to mine, he rasps, "We have to stop, sweetheart."

Mortification floods me. Of course he'd reject me - my scarred body against his perfection. He could have anyone.

As I try to disentangle myself, he tightens his grip. "This isn't rejection." His fingers tilt my chin up. "I want everything we're starting here. But you're not ready for what I need to give you, and once we begin, I won't stop." His thumb brushes my swollen lips. "When you're ready, I'll take my time exploring every inch of you, showing you pleasures you've never imagined."

His words reignite the fire in my core. His nostrils flare again. "Fuck, if you keep smelling like that, dinner's canceled." Slowly lowering me, his hardened length drags against me, drawing a gasp. Once my feet touch ground, he nuzzles my ear. "Wanted you to feel that, in case you doubted how badly I want you."