Chapter 26 Intoxicating Scent
Lana’s Point of View
“Hey, how’s Dad?” I asked curiously.
I noticed the little typing bubble appear, then disappear. A moment later, messages started flooding in. My notification echoed in the room, and my eyes quickly darted to the side to be sure that Christian was still in the bathroom.
“It’s been two weeks since you suddenly disappeared from home, and you haven’t communicated with anyone!” Leon sent, along with a flurry of angry stickers.
Their names were saved as Brother 1 and Brother 2.
Almost immediately, Liam joined the conversation:
“Don’t act like you weren’t worried about her, Liam.” Then another message came in almost immediately. “I’m a little offended you didn’t text or call us. Did you forget us?”
“I’m sorry,” I typed back quickly. “I know my communication has been horrible, but I promise I didn’t forget you. School’s been strict, and I’ve gotten into a lot of trouble this past week.”
“I honestly thought you’d be found out during the first week of resumption,” Leon commented, and Liam followed suit.
“You’re quite clumsy,” Liam added teasingly, “and the way you sleep… I’m certain your bunkmates feel suspicious of you already.”
And guess what? He wasn’t wrong. Xavier had been suspicious right from the moment he saw me.
They both sent laughing stickers, and I rolled my eyes, grinning despite myself. Lucky for them, I wasn’t there to physically pinch their ears.
“Do you boys even realize I’m four years older than you?” I asked, trying to sound stern. “Why do you keep bullying me?”
“Lucky you,” Liam joked. “If I were the older brother, trust me… this would be nothing compared to what I’d do to you.”
I rolled my eyes, sighing at his audacity.
“What about Dad?” I asked, sending a lot of question marks along with the text. “Is he taking care of himself?”
Liam sent a sighing sticker, while Leon responded to my text.
“Most of the time, he’s at the hospital with Mom. But he’s taking his medication, so he’s managing. As for Mom… she’s the same, still unresponsive.”
Mother’s situation is no use, she has always been like that, father just refused to let her go, there was somewhere in his heart that he believed that she would one day get better. And for the last eight years, I have mourned her, and right now, I think I am willing to accept any outcome.
But father, on the other hand.
Nope.
Even though he is sick, and no matter how busy he is, he still takes the time to go see her every single day, bringing her flowers.
I used to envy Mother, believing she had someone who loved her more than anything in the world. Even when everyone else had lost hope in her, Father never did—he always showed up.
“Well, we need to go to bed now,” Leon’s message chimed in, and I blinked back. “We have tests tomorrow.”
“Okay, I love you both. Study hard,” I said, giving them a smile before setting my phone on the table. I curled up on the couch; the luxurious couch was far more comfortable than the bed in my dorm room, and I felt myself drift into sleep.
“What are you doing?” Christian’s voice cut through my slumber as he stepped out of the bathroom. He was shirtless, wearing loose grey pants, a small towel draped casually over his shoulders, his wet hair dripping water down his chest.
I froze. A sharp pulse ran through me, heat pooling in my core, and for a fleeting moment, I was tempted… to just devour him… with my eyes.
“Um… sleeping?” I said quickly, snapping my head away from his scrutinizing gaze. Partly to hide the blush creeping up my cheeks, partly to shove these indecent thoughts out of my mind.
“You can’t sleep on the couch, it’s uncomfortable.” He stepped closer, and I shut my eyes, pretending to be asleep. “Come to bed.”
My head snapped up, and I glared at him.
“Why are you suddenly inviting me to bed?” I asked, suspicion creeping into my voice. “What are you trying to pull?”
“Nothing,” he said quickly. “I just… feel bad for the way I’ve treated you, and I want to make it up to you.”
I frowned, the question escaping my lips before I could stop it.
“And the kiss?” I blurted out, despite trying to avoid the topic. “Did you do that because you felt sorry for me? Do you go around kissing everyone you feel bad for?”
He chuckled, the sound low and teasing, and it sent a shiver down my spine.
“I’m interested in you.” He stepped closer, and this time I ducked, desperate to avoid letting our lips meet again. “That’s why I kissed you. And from the way you responded… it seems you feel the same.”
“No.” I snapped, unsure if I was lying to him or to myself. I turned away and squeezed my eyes shut tightly. “I only kissed back because I was surprised.”
“I know you’re on your period,” he said suddenly, and I felt my cheeks burn again. “I won’t do anything you’re not comfortable with.”
He stretched out his hands toward me.
“So… come to the bed.”
No. Not again.
How had I ended up in this situation? Sharing a bed with Christian… side by side, pretending nothing could happen—until one of us crossed the line.
Christian’s arms twisted around my waist, his fingers tweaking my nipples through my clothes, and once again, I was at a loss for words. I could feel his hot breath against my neck, my chest rising and falling as he pressed himself into me.
“Don’t they hurt from the binding?” He whispered his question in my ears, tracing my ears with his hot tongue, and I felt my thigh pressed against the other. “Look how tense they feel.”
His fingers finally slipped inside my clothes, his fingers playing around my belly button. “Let me help you ease the tension.”
“Ah…” A moan escaped my parted lips when he grabbed one of my naked boobs, his other hand holding me firmly to his chest.
“You like that, don’t you?” He purred, and I bit down on my lips, refusing to answer. “Tell me, are your nipples pink, or are they brown?”
He moved my hair from my neck, and he kissed me in that spot again.
Fuck. Fuck. Why don’t I even protest?
“You have an intoxicating scent; do you know that?”