Chapter 17 He kissed me first!
“Can I kiss you?” He whispered seducingly in my ears, and I froze, my eyes widened, and my lips parted, expecting him.
———
AN HOUR EARLIER:
Lydia’s Point of View
“Lydia, move in with me,” Justin's gentle voice echoed in my head, and for the umpteenth time that day, I felt a cold sensation in my lower thigh.
I tried not to think about him so I distracted myself by looking out of the car's window. The city lights blurred past, reflecting in my tired, wary eyes. The hum of the car's engine felt distant, almost hypnotic, as I tried to untangle the jumble of thoughts twisting inside my head. I had left the hospital, surrounded by people I trusted, or at least, I thought I did.
Saturn was in the driver’s seat, her hands steady on the wheel. Her eyes were fixed on the road, and I don't blame her, there was terrible traffic, and one mistake can land you in trouble. Venus sat in the back seat with me, bouncing slightly in his seat, as though the ride itself was a thrill he needed to digest. Harridan was also by my side. His shoulders were slightly relaxed, and his gaze was flicking over the streets as if he could anticipate trouble before it arrived. Yanni sat beside Saturn, I still couldn't believe she was my maternity aunt.
I should have been relieved, happy even, to finally be free of the hospital. But my chest felt tight. My thoughts kept drifting to Justin. Where was he now? After I turned him down, he stopped visiting me. Had he gone back to his luxurious penthouse? Or was he hovering somewhere nearby, waiting for a text, a call, a sign that I was safe?
And then the guilt crept in.
I shouldn’t be thinking about him. His family ruined mine, I need revenge! I need to destroy him. And yet, I had let myself… worry. I had let his presence mean something to me. And that scared me more than anything. I had kept two serpents close to me, fully aware that I didn't know how to tame a snake.
Harridan was like the perfect gentleman, and from what I heard, he was my type and crush.
Venus leaned closer, breaking into my spiral. “You are quiet, memory-less hybrid,” he teased, though his tone was gentle. “You okay?”
“I’m fine,” I said, my voice softer than I intended. I shifted slightly, curling my hands in my lap. “Just… thinking.”
Harridan’s gaze turned toward me. His expression was unreadable. A slight tension lingered in the line of his jaw. He didn’t speak, but I felt it, his intense gaze. Even in silence, he could make me aware of him.
It was unfair and confusing. Harridan and Justin made me feel special! I can't choose one and abandon the other.
The ride continued in quiet murmurs and occasional directions from Yanni. The streets were supposed to be familiar, and help with my memory, but they didn't. Each turn brought me closer to home, closer to the life I had barely begun to live, and closer to my vow.
“Lydia…” Venus whispered in my ears, making sure that Harridan didn't hear. “I need to tell you something about Harridan.”
I flinched. The name alone made my chest tighten. “What about him?” I whispered cautiously, unsure if I wanted to face it yet. Harridan was a werewolf Alpha, so if we weren't careful, he could hear our conversation. So we communicated by reading each other's lips.
“I searched about him,” Venus informed me. “Harridan… is engaged.”
The words hit me like a splash of cold water. I glanced at Harridan, careful not to meet his eyes. He was staring out the window, silent, yet I could sense the restrained power behind him, the careful control he kept even when none of us were watching.
“You…” I murmured, faltering. “Why… why was he…?”
Venus didn’t answer immediately, and he shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t let his kindness confuse you too much. Just… be aware of it.”
Aware of it.
I nodded, though my mind spun. Harridan, engaged… and yet he had been… romantic, attentive, even tender in ways I couldn’t reconcile. He had made me feel seen, cared for, as no one else had. And now, knowing he was in love with someone else, my thoughts twisted uncomfortably between anger, confusion, and something… darker.
I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. I couldn’t afford to dwell on it now. There were bigger things at play. The person who attacked me in the hospital had still not been caught. I should focus on that. Yet… I couldn’t deny the little spark that ignited every time Harridan’s attention lingered too long, every time his hand brushed mine by accident, every time his voice softened when he spoke to me.
The car slowed as we approached my house, Yanni said it was the last of my parents’ available inheritance. My father had signed it under her name to protect it.
I felt a pang of fear as we stepped out. My legs were unsteady, my pulse still high from the ride. Venus was the first to hop down, already chatting and examining the exterior like a tourist. Saturn helped me to the sidewalk, steadying me with a reassuring hand.
Harridan stayed close, his presence protective. My chest fluttered in ways I couldn’t entirely identify; excitement, nerves, something that felt dangerously like… anticipation.
When we stepped inside the house's compound, Harridan’s eyes were on me, dark, intense, and strangely… unguarded.
I couldn’t meet his gaze. My hands trembled slightly, though I tried to hide it. He stepped closer, just enough to catch my movement.
“Lydia,” he said softly, and the sound of my name on his lips made my chest tighten. “Are you… Alright?”
“I’m… fine,” I whispered, though the lie felt weak, even to me.
He didn’t press further. Instead, he moved closer to me, just enough that the air between us seemed charged. My heart raced. His presence was overwhelming, not in a showy, arrogant way, but quiet, like a storm held behind a glass wall. He touched my forehead to check my temperature.
And in that moment, I realized something I hadn’t allowed myself to admit: my thoughts of Justin didn’t entirely overpower this pull I felt toward Harridan.
I was gradually falling for two men. It was confusing and thrilling. I felt my throat tighten, my gaze dropping to the floor. But Harridan didn’t move away. Instead, he touched my neck and offered me the faintest of smiles. A silent promise that he was there, and that he understood.
For the first time since waking from the accident, my pulse slowed just a fraction. My hands unclenched slightly. My chest loosened. Harridan looked sexy and hot to me, and I could feel his hotness in every breath, every heartbeat. I knew he was engaged, and it was reckless to let my thoughts wander. And yet… I couldn’t look away.
Everyone entered the living room, leaving Harridan and me in our own world. The house was a bungalow with a beautiful garden. It looked like the type of house couples wished to retire in.
“Do you want to stretch your legs a bit?” Harridan asked, and I nodded. Not because I wanted to go with him, but because I was tired of standing and lying in one position.
We strolled through my garden, and although I slowed him down, Harridan didn't complain, he was patient with me.
The leaves of a mango tree were starting to turn yellow. One of the leaves fell on the back of my head, and Harridan playfully teased me. My cheeks turned red in embarrassment, and I struggled to remove the leaves because my hands were sweaty. Harridan looked at me in amusement, before moving towards me to help. His face was right in front of mine, and I could feel his hot breath on my face, awakening something in me. We stared at each other for what seemed like hours, before he spoke.
“Can I kiss you?” He whispered seducingly in my neck, and I froze, my eyes widened, and my lips parted. Seizing the opportunity, Harridan slammed his lips on mine, passionately kissing me.