Bound by Lust

Kael's grip on her wrist didn't loosen. In fact, he seemed to tighten his hold, a flicker of something dark and possessive in his eyes. Esme's pulse quickened, but she refused to show any sign of weakness. She lifted her chin, her defiance the only thing she could control in this moment.

For a heartbeat, neither of them spoke, the tension in the air thick and suffocating. Kael's eyes never left hers, studying her as if trying to figure out just how far she was willing to push him. Esme swallowed the lump in her throat, but still, she didn't look away.

"You think I'm playing with you, Esme?" Kael finally asked, his voice dangerously low, laced with an edge that made her heart skip a beat.

Esme's lips parted, but no words came out. She was no longer sure what game she was playing. The rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins made it hard to think clearly. She just knew she didn't want to be the one to back down.

"I don't need to play games with you," she finally said, her voice cold, though her body betrayed her, a slight tremble in her hand that Kael no doubt noticed. "I'm just trying to get you to acknowledge me. But it seems like that's too much to ask from a man like you."

Kael's eyes narrowed, and the grip on her wrist loosened, but only slightly. "You've got your attention," he murmured, his voice soft but dangerous. "Is that what you wanted, Esme? To get a reaction out of me?"

Esme's breath caught in her throat, and before she could respond, Kael's other hand shot out, gripping her chin roughly. He forced her to meet his gaze, his eyes darkened with something dangerous. "You need to be careful what you ask for," he warned, his voice so quiet she could barely hear him.

For a moment, she felt trapped. The man standing in front of her wasn't the one she had tried to manipulate or push away. This Kael was something far more dangerous, and that realization hit her like a punch to the gut.

But instead of cowering, Esme met his gaze with a challenge of her own. "I'm not afraid of you," she whispered, though even she could hear the tremor in her voice.

Kael studied her for a long moment, his eyes unreadable, before releasing his grip on her chin and stepping back slightly, though he didn't let go of her wrist completely. "You should be," he said, his voice cold, though there was a flicker of something else in his eyes—something darker, something that made her heart race.

Esme's mind spun, but she couldn't let him see the uncertainty swirling inside her. She had to hold her ground.

"I'm not afraid," she repeated, more firmly this time. She wrenched her wrist free from his grip, then stepped back, putting some distance between them.

Kael didn't move. He watched her with a strange, calculating look, but he didn't say anything more.

Esme turned and walked away from him, her heart pounding in her chest. As she reached the door, she could feel Kael's eyes on her, but she didn't dare look back.

What had just happened?

She had tried to push him. She had tried to test him. And now, she didn't know if she had won or lost.

But deep down, a small voice whispered that the game was only just beginning.

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