Bound by Lust

The evening after the engagement party was thick with tension. Esme had barely spoken to Kael once the festivities had ended, her mind racing with conflicting emotions. She had agreed to this marriage, but her thoughts were in constant turmoil. Was this really the path she wanted to walk? Or was she simply running from something worse?

She walked along the long hallway of the mansion, her feet heavy with each step, the silence of the house amplifying the doubts swirling in her mind. The grand chandeliers above cast an ethereal glow on the polished marble floors, and the distant sound of rain tapping against the windows only made the atmosphere more oppressive.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sharp sound of a door opening. She turned, her heart racing as she saw Kael step out of his office. His dark eyes locked with hers, a silent command in his gaze.

"Esme," Kael's voice was low, almost dangerous. "Come here."

Despite herself, she walked toward him. There was no refusing him, not when he looked at her like that. The intensity in his eyes made her skin prickle, a mixture of fear and something else she couldn't quite name.

"What is it, Kael?" she asked, her voice betraying the unease she felt.

Without a word, he stepped closer, closing the distance between them until there was barely any space left. Esme's breath hitched, and she instinctively took a step back, only to feel the cool wall of the hallway press against her back.

Kael's eyes never left hers as he raised his hand, his fingers brushing against her cheek with an almost predatory grace. "Tell me, Esme," he said softly. "Do you still think you can escape?"

Her heart hammered in her chest, the question making her breath come in shallow gasps. "Escape?" she repeated, trying to regain some control over her voice. "I'm not trying to escape anything."

A dark smirk tugged at Kael's lips. "Is that so? You've already agreed to marry me, yet you're still hiding something. Something you're not telling me." His gaze sharpened, as though he could see right through her.

Esme swallowed hard, her mind scrambling for an excuse. She couldn't let him know the truth—the truth that she was terrified, that she felt trapped by her circumstances. "I'm not hiding anything from you," she said, the words tasting like ash in her mouth.

Kael stepped closer still, his hand resting on the wall next to her head, effectively trapping her. The heat from his body pressed against hers, making her breath hitch once more. "You know," he began, his voice a dangerous whisper, "I don't like being lied to."

Esme's heart raced as she looked up into his eyes, the intense gaze unsettling her. She knew what he was capable of, the darkness that seemed to swirl around him, and yet there was something magnetic about it. Something that pulled her in.

"I'm not lying," she said again, but the words felt weak, even to her own ears.

Kael's face softened slightly, though his eyes remained cold and calculating. "We'll see," he murmured, his lips almost brushing her ear. "I'll make you tell me the truth sooner or later."

The way his breath ghosted over her skin sent a shiver down her spine. There was a tension in the air, thick and heavy, and it was impossible to ignore the growing pull between them. Esme tried to steady her breathing, but the closeness of his presence made it almost impossible to think clearly.

Kael leaned in even closer, his lips brushing the side of her neck in a teasing caress. "Tell me, Esme," he whispered, his voice a low growl, "Do you feel it too?"

Esme's body froze, her mind scrambling for any coherent thought. She could feel the heat of his body, the undeniable pull, and yet, a part of her screamed to push him away. To run. But her body betrayed her, and she remained frozen in place.

Before she could respond, Kael's lips ghosted over her cheek, his hand slipping around her waist, pulling her even closer. "You may not want this," he murmured, "but I know you need it."

Esme's mind was in chaos. She was torn between the logical part of her that screamed for her to break free and the part of her that yearned for the closeness, the touch, the intimacy she hadn't allowed herself to feel in so long.

With every inch that Kael closed the distance between them, her resolve weakened. She hated how much her body reacted to him, how she couldn't seem to escape the desire building in her chest. But she couldn't let herself give in. Not like this.

"I—I'm not ready," she stammered, pushing against his chest weakly, her voice trembling.

Kael seemed to consider her words, his eyes narrowing slightly. "You're not ready?" he repeated, a dangerous edge in his voice. "You'll never be ready until you stop running from it."

With that, he stepped back, giving her space for the first time in what felt like an eternity. His eyes were filled with amusement, but there was also something darker lurking beneath the surface.

"Don't worry, Esme," he said, his voice smooth like velvet. "You'll come around. You always do."

As he turned and walked away, Esme's knees nearly buckled. Her chest was tight with a combination of fear, confusion, and something far more dangerous. She knew she couldn't resist him forever—but she wasn't sure how long she could keep lying to herself about why she was really here.

And deep down, Esme feared the day when she would no longer be able to lie to herself.

****. ****. ****.