Chapter 12

The parking lot seemed deserted, my intoxicated mind struggling to formulate an escape plan. His hot breath on my neck made my skin crawl as I feebly tried to push him away.

"Stop fighting," he hissed, his charm entirely evaporated. "You've been asking for this all night."

"Let me go," I pleaded, my voice barely audible. The alcohol had rendered my limbs useless, my thoughts fragmented.

Suddenly, the crushing weight against me vanished. A startled yelp cut through the night, followed by the distinct sound of a body hitting the pavement. When I managed to force my eyes open, I saw Ara standing between me and my attacker, his shoulders heaving with barely contained rage.

"Touch her again, and I'll break every bone in your body," Ara growled, his voice transformed into something primal that sent shivers down my spine.

The man scrambled backward, blood trickling from his nose. "Chill, man! She was all over me inside—"

Ara moved with lightning speed, hauling the man up by his collar. "She can barely stand. You drugged her."

Something flashed in the man's eyes—fear, perhaps guilt—before Ara shoved him against the car.

"Get out of here," Ara snarled. "And if I ever see you near her again, you won't walk away."

My would-be attacker didn't need to be told twice. He stumbled to his feet and disappeared into the darkness, leaving me trembling against the cold metal of the car.

Ara was at my side in an instant, his golden eyes filled with concern. "Lina, can you hear me? How much did you drink?"

"I don't know," I mumbled, fighting the spinning sensation. "The last one tasted weird..."

Ara's jaw clenched as he gently supported my weight. Without hesitation, he swept me into his arms, cradling me against his chest. The familiar scent of pine and something distinctly him enveloped me.

"Why?" I asked, my head resting against his shoulder. "Why help me when you were just with that blonde?"

"That wasn't what it looked like," he said, his voice low and urgent as he carried me away from the party. "That woman is Carl's business associate's daughter. He specifically asked me to entertain her tonight—all part of some negotiation. It wasn't my choice."

"Why do you care what happens to me?" I pressed.

Ara stopped walking, looking down at me with an intensity that made my heart race despite my condition. "Because I can't help it, Lina. No matter how much I try to stay away, I can't bear seeing you in danger."

The vulnerability in his admission stunned me into silence.

My small cottage came into view, nestled at the edge of Kennedy's property. Inside, Ara gently set me on my bed, then disappeared into the bathroom. He returned with water and aspirin, which I obediently swallowed.

"You don't have to stay," I mumbled, even as a part of me desperately wanted him to.

"I'm not leaving you, Lina," he said firmly. "Not tonight."

For a moment, we just looked at each other, the air between us charged with unspoken words. Then, gathering my courage, I reached for his hand.

"I was trying to forget you," I admitted. "When I saw you with her, it hurt."

Ara's fingers intertwined with mine. "I never wanted to hurt you. Everything about this—about us—is complicated."

"Why?" I asked, tugging him closer. "Why does it have to be?"

"There are things you don't understand yet, Lina. Things about me, about my family."

"Then help me understand," I whispered, pulling him toward me until he relented, sitting on the edge of my bed.

I reached up and touched his face. His skin was warm beneath my fingertips, his expression softening at my touch.

"Tell me what you want, Lina," he murmured, leaning into my palm.

"You," I answered simply. "Just you, without the games."

Something fierce flashed in his eyes before he leaned down, his lips finally meeting mine in a kiss that stole what little breath I had left. This kiss deepened slowly, as if Ara was finally allowing himself to feel everything he'd been holding back.

His hand slid into my hair, cradling my head as he shifted onto the bed beside me. I melted against him, my body responding to his touch as if it had been waiting for precisely this moment.

"Are you sure?" he asked against my lips, his voice strained with restraint.

"I'm sure about this," I interrupted, suddenly feeling more clear-headed than I had all night. "About you."

That was all the permission he needed. With careful movements, Ara gathered me against him, his lips finding mine again with newfound urgency. My hands explored the contours of his chest through his shirt, marveling at the solid strength beneath my fingertips.

He kissed a path down my neck with a final bite, causing me to shiver due to the pain yet a somewhat nameless thrill and heat. His hands had found their way beneath the hem of my shirt, his touch leaving trails of fire across my skin.

"You're exquisite," he murmured, his eyes flashed with golden glimmer as he helped me out of my shirt. "I've tried so hard to resist you."

"Then stop resisting," I breathed, reaching for the buttons of his shirt with trembling fingers.

When our bodies pressed together, skin to skin, I felt something shift between us—something profound and inexplicable. Ara must have felt it too, because he paused, his eyes searching mine with wonder.

"This shouldn't be possible," he whispered, more to himself than to me.

His mouth claimed mine again, more possessive this time. His hands made quick work of the rest of our clothing until there was nothing between us but the heat of our bodies.

Ara took his time, his hands and lips exploring every inch of me with reverent attention. When he finally positioned himself above me, his eyes locked with mine in silent question.

I nodded, pulling him closer until our bodies joined in the most intimate way possible. The sensation was overwhelming—not just physically, but emotionally. Something beyond understanding passed between us as Ara began to move, his forehead pressed against mine.

"Lina," he breathed my name like a prayer, his movements steady and deliberate, building a pleasure so intense I could barely remember my own name.

I clung to him, meeting each thrust with my own, our bodies finding a perfect rhythm as if we'd been made for each other. The tension built within me, coiling tighter and tighter until I thought I might shatter from it.

"Let go," Ara encouraged, his voice rough with emotion. "I've got you."

And I did, crying out his name as waves of pleasure washed over me. Ara followed moments later, his body tensing above mine before he collapsed beside me, gathering me protectively in his arms.

For several minutes, we lay in silence, our breathing gradually slowing. Ara's fingers traced idle patterns on my bare shoulder, his expression thoughtful.

"What are you thinking?" I asked, nestling closer to his warmth.

He pressed a kiss to my forehead, his arms tightening around me. "That everything is about to change," he answered cryptically. "And that I can't bring myself to regret it."

As I drifted off in the safety of his embrace, I couldn't help but feel that something fundamental had shifted between us—something that would make it impossible for either of us to go back to the way things were before.