Chapter 41: LOVE OR HATE

Maya’s POV

“What are you doing here?” I asked, my dagger resting against his long, sharp neck.

“Checking out your old room …” he leaned closer to my ear. His scent surrounded me. Dark, wild, dangerously familiar. “… and planning to make new memories here,” he smoothly replied. Before I could react, his fingers flicked my dagger away as if it were nothing more than a speck of dust. The blade clattered somewhere across the room.

My eyes narrowed.

“Don’t you dare touch me,” I warned and he playfully chuckled. The full moon’s glow illuminated my dark room like my words did to his mood.

In one swift movement, he caught my wrists and pinned them above my head against the wall. The sudden closeness stole the breath from my lungs. This man could make my heart beat like a raging bull even now when I was angry with him.

“I swear I will scream,” I breathlessly warned, my chest heaving heavily against his rock hard chest.

“Oh? Do you want everyone to see us like this? Scandalous, wouldn’t it be,” he taunted.

I lifted my knee but he caught my leg and pulled me closer to his tall frame. His fingers holding my leg slid up and I nearly shattered from his touch.

“Stop it!” I demanded. I was falling for his charms. Again. I was melting under his dancing fingers.

His hand shot up and gripped my chin, forcing my face toward him.

“Your mouth says one thing,” he rasped near my ear, his voice low and rough, “but your body says something else… my Queen.”

“It is the mate bond,” I replied defiantly. His eyebrow lifted slightly. “I hate you.”

“Oh? Is that so?” He chuckled. “But I love you,” he simply declared.

Before I could respond, his mouth crashed over mine.

The kiss was nothing like I remembered.

It wasn’t gentle.

It wasn’t patient.

It was fierce, demanding. Infuriating. Like a storm that had waited years to break free.

My first instinct was to fight him. I twisted my wrists, trying to break free, but his grip tightened just enough to remind me how easily he could overpower me.

My pulse roared in my ears.

The worst part?

My traitorous heart recognized him.

Recognized the way he moved. The way he breathed. The way his hand curled possessively against my jaw.

The man unleashed a torrent of kisses, stamping me as his over and over again. He acted like a possessed beast determine to claim back his prized possession.

When his mouth descended again, I was determined to bite him. My teeth grazed his lower lip and the metallic taste of blood spread across my tongue. Instead of recoiling, the bastard groaned—actually groaned—and pulled me even closer. When he finally pulled back, I was breathing just as hard as he was.

“Still as wild as I remember,” he murmured against my lips.

I struggled against him, twisting my wrists, but he only tightened his grip above my head. His body caged mine against the wall, heat pouring off him like fire.

“Let go of me!” I hissed.

“Not a chance.”

His nose brushed against my neck and I froze. The moment his breath fanned over my skin, a violent shiver raced down my spine. My traitorous body leaned into him before my mind could stop it.

“No…” I whispered, horrified at myself.

His low chuckle vibrated against my throat.

“There it is again,” he murmured. “Your body welcoming me home.”

“Shut up.”

His hand slid to my waist, fingers digging into my hip as if he had every right to touch me. My heart pounded so loudly I was sure he could hear it.

“I should throw you out of the window,” I muttered.

“You could try.”

I glared at him. “Don’t tempt me. Stay away from me, you heartless monster.”

For the first time since he appeared, he stilled. Completely.

Then slowly… very slowly… he lifted his head.

The playful smirk on his lips faded into something darker. Something far more dangerous.

“Monster?” he repeated softly.

The way he said the word made my stomach twist.

“Yes,” I snapped. “Who else would break into my room like a shameless—”

“Your love, who else.”

My breath caught.

His hand suddenly released my wrists. Instead of stepping away, he reached up and brushed a strand of hair from my face with surprising tenderness.

“Is that who you think I am?” he asked quietly.

I frowned.

Something in his voice… something in his scent…

Wait.

My heart skipped.

The smell of sandalwood and wild storms wrapped around me, stronger now that I wasn’t fighting him. It was a scent carved into my very soul.

Impossible.

My eyes widened.

“You—”

My words cut off as his eyes locked onto mine.

Those eyes.

Not playful now.

Not teasing.

Dark.

Stormy.

Royal.

And furious.

Before I could finish, he leaned down again, his lips hovering dangerously close to mine. His golden eyes burned into mine like molten fire.

“You know it’s me,” he said quietly.

I lifted my chin, refusing to back down.

“Do I?”

His jaw tightened.

For a brief second, something flickered across his face.

Guilt.

Regret.

Then it vanished as quickly as it appeared.

“Do you really think that I would let you leave my side?” he whispered.

My pulse exploded.

His husky voice.

His alluring scent.

His presence made the air itself bow in submission.

I teared up.

“I hate you. You are a monster. You are cruel. You rejected me.”

“I did not reject you but I am sorry for what I did. Please forgive me, baby.”

“Go away.”

“Nope,” he replied and teased my neck with his tongue. “My Belle!” He softly called out. It suddenly felt like I was back home. Safe. No longer warring with evil. Just back home. Protected and secured in his arms. Suddenly, I felt all worries and fears leave me.

“You left,” I said before I could stop myself. The words came out sharper than I intended. “Without a word. Without even looking back.”

His grip on my wrists loosened slightly.

But he didn’t step away.

“You expected a goodbye?” He murmured.

“Yes.”

The single word hung between us.

Heavy.

Dangerous.

His gaze searched my face, as if looking for something.

Then his thumb brushed lightly along my cheek.

A gesture so gentle it made my chest tighten.

“Careful, Maya,” he said quietly. “You sound like you missed me.”

My heart slammed against my ribs.

“Don’t flatter yourself.”

His smile returned then.

Slow.

Predatory.

“Oh, I’m not flattering myself,” he murmured.

He leaned down again, his lips hovering dangerously close to mine.

“I can hear your heartbeat.”

My breath caught.

“S-Sebastian,” I spoke through gritted teeth.

A slow, wicked smile spread across his face.

“The one and only.”

My brain short-circuited. He was touching forbidden regions.

“Sto— stop— tou-touching… m- mhmm…”

Before I could finish forming a coherent sentence, he lifted me effortlessly and spun us around, pressing me against the bed this time.

The mattress dipped beneath our weight as he leaned over me, caging me between his arms.

My heart slammed against my ribs.

“I love you. And I missed you. You were gone for so long,” he pouted. Pouted! For goddess’ sake, he was a grown man!

“Missed me? Not twenty-four hours ago were you keeping your distance from me,” I snapped. “I thought you were—”

“Rejecting you?”

“Yes!”

Sebastian laughed, deep and rich, the sound sending warmth through my veins.

“Trust me,” he murmured, brushing his thumb across his lower lip where I had bitten him earlier. “I would rather die than reject you…”

His eyes flashed dangerously.

“Don’t say that!” I scolded. “Especially in this filthy room. Goddess knows how many times he cheated on me while I lay here waiting for his return,” I thought, forgetting that the mindlink was still open and my mind had wandered.

“I would tear him apart with my bare hands,” Sebastian mindlinked back.

My breath caught.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

The tension between us thickened, hot and electric.

Then his gaze dropped to my lips again.

“You know,” he said softly, “for someone who claims to hate me…”

His fingers traced slowly down my arm, sending sparks under my skin.

“…you kiss me like you missed me.”

Heat rushed to my cheeks.

“I did not—”

My protest died when he leaned down again.

This kiss was different.

Slower.

Deeper.

It felt like coming home after a lifetime of wandering.

My hands, traitors that they were, slid up his shoulders before I could stop them. His muscles tensed under my fingers and a quiet groan escaped him.

“Careful, Maya,” he murmured against my lips.

“Why?” I whispered breathlessly.

His forehead rested against mine, golden eyes dark with hunger and something far more dangerous—devotion.

“Because if you keep touching me like that…”

His voice dropped to a rough whisper.

“…your King might forget that he came here to talk.”

My heart skipped wildly.

“And what did you come here to talk about?” I asked.

His gaze softened for a fleeting moment.

“War.”

My stomach dropped.

But then his fingers tightened around my waist and he smirked again.

“…after I finish reminding you who you belong to.”

My eyes flashed.

“I don’t belong to anyone.”

Sebastian’s smile turned dangerously confident.

“We’ll see about that, My Queen.”

And before I could argue again—

He kissed me once more.

This time…

I didn’t stop him.