Chapter 35

When I woke up the next morning, I was still alone in my room. Fortunately, on the previous day, no one had noticed that I had left the house, especially not Ravi. He interpreted my hunger strike as a challenge and left a tray with my dinner in the corridor.

Getting out of bed, I went straight to the shower, feeling dirty and sticky from the previous night. Even though I had showered when I arrived, I still believed that the smell of that place, the smell of Talita, was ingrained in my skin.

I still couldn't believe that I had actually killed Talita; it was as if a part of me was waiting for her to return or something. That part still emotionally depended on her. But slowly, I tried to convince myself that Talita would never come back, that she would remain dead, and that this way we still had a chance to survive.

Talita would never be a thorn in my side again, nor would she manipulate me anymore. I was no longer controlled by anyone; I simply refused to give in again.

Still, I felt immensely better that day, both physically and mentally. I had the impression that my belly was gradually taking shape, no longer flat, but with a slight bulge indicating that something was growing inside me—my baby, which, despite everything, remained alive and had been the catalyst for significant changes in my life, making me do things I would never have had the courage to do.

Stepping into the shower, I tilted my head back and let the hot water flow over my face. The shower was as luxurious as the rest of the house, with enough space to accommodate ten people. I washed and scrubbed every inch of my body until I began to feel human again. Then, I returned to the room to get dressed.

I found huge bags at the back of the room, mostly filled with lightweight summer clothes. Remembering the intense heat outside, I believed that Ravi had thought of that too and that soon my belly would be much larger, requiring looser clothing. I ended up choosing a simple blue dress and put on a pair of flip-flops. It wasn't a sophisticated outfit, but it would do.

I was ready to have breakfast in his company. However, I didn't make it to the kitchen; I didn't even finish descending the stairs since Rubens was standing in front of them, his hands behind his back, seemingly about to do something to me.

With wide eyes, I took a step back, tripping over the step behind me and falling seated.

"Hi, Mariana," he said with a smile on his face.

I must have been dreaming; it was some kind of nightmare.

"Ravi!" I immediately shouted, dream or not, he had to kill him. "Ravi!" I shouted louder, while all Rubens did was smile.

Ravi suddenly appeared from behind Rubens, or to be more precise, he emerged from the kitchen, drying his hands on a dishcloth. I looked at him and then at Rubens, expecting one of them to do something, but he didn't; instead, Rubens glanced over his shoulder at Ravi and then turned his gaze back to me.

I shook my head incredulously, getting up as fast as I could and returning to my room.

The door had barely closed when it opened again, and Ravi entered the room.

"What is he doing here?!" I yelled, feeling betrayed. Ravi furrowed his brow, apparently confused.

"You told me to grant him clemency, remember?"

Damn! I cursed myself mentally, remembering that exact moment when I practically ordered him to stop searching for Rubens because Talita wanted it!

"Besides, your friend is dead," Ravi continued. "I still don't know how it happened; all I know is that it was during the shift change of the soldiers."

I knew very well how it had happened, but I wasn't counting on having to deal with Rubens after all this.

My head felt like it was about to explode at any moment; I couldn't think straight and completely forgot how to do it the moment Ravi got closer to me. He held my face with one hand, slowly sliding the other hand inside me, feeling the muscles of my thighs tense as I approached my pussy.

His fingers caressed my pussy, parting the soft folds. Then, he pushed the tip of his middle finger into the small opening, using his thumb to press on my clit.

Inside, it was impossibly hot and slippery. The inner walls squeezed around his finger so tightly that I felt his penis twitch in response. I let out a soft moan, lifting my hips toward him, and his finger went deeper, causing me to gasp.

I reflexively recoiled as if trying to move away, but he held me with his arm, pulling me closer with his free hand.

"Don't fight, Mariana," he murmured, holding me more tightly as he penetrated me with his finger. "Just feel it, just like that..."

I shook my head from side to side in disbelief, raising myself as quickly as I could and returning to my room.

The door had barely closed when it opened again, and Ravi entered the room.

"What is he doing here?!" I yelled, feeling betrayed. Ravi furrowed his brow, apparently confused.

"You told me to grant him clemency, remember?"

Damn! I cursed myself mentally, remembering that exact moment when I practically ordered him to stop searching for Rubens because Talita wanted it!

"Besides, your friend is dead," Ravi continued. "I still don't know how it happened; all I know is that it was during the shift change of the soldiers."

I knew very well how it had happened, but I wasn't counting on having to deal with Rubens after all this.

My head felt like it was about to explode at any moment; I couldn't think straight and completely forgot how to do it the moment Ravi got closer to me. He held my face with one hand, slowly sliding the Here's the continuation of the corrected translation:

Inside me, his fingers caressed my pussy, parting the soft folds. Then, he pushed the tip of his middle finger into the small opening, using his thumb to press on the clit.

Inside, it was impossibly hot and slippery. The inner walls squeezed around his finger so tightly that I felt his penis twitch in response. I let out a soft moan, lifting my hips toward him, and his finger went deeper, causing me to gasp.

I reflexively recoiled as if trying to move away, but he held me with his arm, pulling me closer with his free hand.

"Don't fight, Mariana," he murmured, holding me more tightly as he penetrated me with his finger. "Just feel it, just like that..."

I tilted my head back and closed my eyes. An expression of intense surrender appeared on my face, and I let out another moan.

I could feel that Ravi couldn't take his eyes off me, absorbing the sight of me collapsing into his arms. My slender body arched and contracted.

Then, I let out a scream as the muscles tightened around his finger with an orgasm. The rhythmic movement undoubtedly made his penis throb with agonizing desire.

He wouldn't be able to hold on much longer. He withdrew his finger, slid his hands under my body, and lifted me into his arms. I opened my eyes and wrapped my arms around his neck, watching him intently as he walked with me.

Upon reaching the bed, he released me. His hands trembled with violent desire.

In any other moment, he would clearly already be inside me, thrusting repeatedly until he exploded. But not at that moment.

I watched him climb onto the bed between my legs and lean over me. Ignoring his painful erection, he began with light kisses on the inside of my thighs, moving up until he reached where he wanted to be: my wet and swollen pussy after the orgasm.

He used his fingers to part the folds, licking the area directly around the clitoris, tasting my essence. Then, he inserted his tongue into my pussy as far as it would go. I shuddered, placing my hands on his head, my nails digging into his scalp.

He savored every drop he extracted from my body, with every moan escaping from my lips as he worked his tongue on the bundle of nerves in my sex.

I started to tremble, my thighs vibrating with tension, and I felt a bittersweet rush as I climaxed again with a scream, lifting my hips and rubbing my pussy against his tongue.

When I finally relaxed, breathing heavily, he positioned himself above me and kissed my ear. He was far from finished.

"You're so sweet," he whispered, making me shiver with the warmth of his breath. "So sweet... I want you so much, but I won't... not until you come for me again. Can you come for me, Marina?"

"I... I think so," I gasped, writhing in his arms as he moved his mouth down my neck, leaving a hot and wet trail on my skin.

"Oh, I think you can," he murmured, lowering his right hand down my body to feel my wet pussy. While his lips traveled over my shoulders and upper chest, he massaged the swollen clit with his fingers.

I started panting again, and my breathing became irregular as he brought his mouth closer to my breasts. My nipples were stiff, practically begging for his touch. He closed his lips around one of my nipples, sucking it hard. I let out a loud moan, and he turned his attention to the other nipple, sucking on it until I trembled beneath him, my sex wetting his hand.

But before I could climax, he slid down and plunged his tongue back into me just as the contractions started again.

He licked me until the orgasm subsided and then moved back up, supporting himself on his right elbow. Using his left hand, he held my chin and forced me to meet his gaze. My eyes were unfocused due to pleasure, causing him to lower his head, capturing my mouth with a deep kiss. He knew that this way, he could taste himself on my lips, which inevitably made him even more aroused.

Somehow, in that moment, I was certain that I was more than in love with Ravi. I was sure he was the man of my life, and it would be utterly disastrous for me if he ever hurt me and, as a sentence, sentenced me to spend the rest of my life without him.