Chapter 195 Chapter 195
It was true, she usually didn’t come here at night, which was a shame since the river was gorgeous during nighttime. The area was much quieter and calmer than during the day. She hardly saw any people, and nobody bothered them.
“Valerie,” he said to gain her attention, prompting her to turn her head to him. His expression was closed-off suddenly, and she wondered what went through his head. “I have a gift for you.”
Her brown eyes widened. “You got me a present? Really?”
“Of course.” He reached into the pocket of his pants and held his hand out to her. Curiously, she glanced at a slim black box that didn’t give any hints as to what was hidden inside. She took it, holding it in cupped hands.
Feeling his gaze on her, she looked up to find him watching her, anticipating her reaction. His unusual behavior made her curiosity surge, so she lifted the lid of the box and looked inside. A delicate silver ring lay on black velvet, gleaming in the dim light. It had an elaborate design, and she could tell that it had been custom-made since it was adorned with the very same star that she had on her wrist. Tiny sparkling gemstones covered it, the sight making her jaw drop.
Tears welled up in her eyes, spilling over and running down her face. The ring blurred before her. She tried to compose herself, but she couldn’t. Her emotions were all over the place—she couldn’t even speak.
“Wait, why are you crying?” he asked and frowned. “Don’t you like it?” He reached out to touch her, but hesitated.
Valerie sniffled, rubbing her eyes and smearing some of her makeup. “I do like it,” she breathed. Her lips curved up, forming a genuine smile. “I love it! Thank you, Maxwell. This is a wonderful gift, and I will treasure it.”
“Good,” he grinned. “Then it was all worth it.”
She stood on her tiptoes and placed a chaste kiss on his lips. Her arms embraced him as she snuggled up to his warm body. “How did you think of a ring?” she asked curiously, not sure whether he knew the implications of gifting a ring to someone. For a human, this gesture held a very special meaning, but would a demon be aware of that?
He cleared his throat, keeping his eyes on the river. “You know… since we're bonded… and a bond is the same as marriage for humans… I thought you might like to wear a ring.”
She was speechless, flattered by his thoughtfulness. It was no secret that he didn’t know too much about human traditions, but he must have picked up on this one—either that or he had looked into it. Her heart burst with happiness. She couldn’t contain it, lost grip of herself and her magic. It manifested around her body, glimmering and sparkling warmly like the stars above them.
Maxwell smiled, taking her hand and slipping the ring on her finger. He held it for a while, warming her cool hand before he let it go. Valerie gazed at the ring with wide, glossy eyes, and then she hugged him so suddenly, he nearly fell over.
“Thank you,” she said once more, hiding her teary face at his chest. He chuckled and wrapped her up in his arms, shielding her from the cold. “I love you.”
“Anything for you,” he murmured as he rested his chin on her head. “I love you too.”
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The door closed behind them, and Valerie removed her pumps, discarding her purse. She turned on the light in the hallway and intended to walk to the bedroom, but Maxwell caught her wrist from behind and stopped her.
“Aren’t you forgetting something, sugar?” he drawled in a dangerously low tone that sent shivers down her back.
She paused and didn’t turn around. “What would that be?”
“I think you already know,” he whispered, standing so close behind her that she felt his breath fanning over her bare neck, giving her goosebumps. “You left me waiting for half of the night, and I got quite impatient.”
His arm snaked around her stomach, pressing her flush against him so she felt the outline of his abs. Valerie took a shuddering breath as his teasing hand wandered over her stomach and higher. He moved her hair away from her neck, exposing it to him so he could bury his face in the column of her delicate neck. Her sweet scent had him addicted. He wanted to taste her, placing kiss after kiss on her skin, but that was far from enough to sate his greed.
“Sugar,” he growled seductively. “I want you now.”
The soft moan that fell from her pretty lips was music to his ears. He loved coaxing those sinful sounds out of her, was addicted to her voice just like he was addicted to her. And she could never resist him.
He cornered her against the wall, trapping her and holding her jaw with one hand while his other hand lingered on her hip. The possessiveness in his gaze sparked a fire within her. It burned brightly, igniting her. The feeling was amplified by his lust that she sensed deep within her. It melded with hers and became so intense that she threatened to drown in it.
He roughly shoved his thigh in between her legs, forcing them apart and pressing his leather-clad leg up against her most sensitive spot. A gasp left her, followed by a needy whimper. He smirked, knowing that he had her wrapped around his finger. Valerie glanced at him with half-lidded eyes, her gaze moving to his sharp lips, taking in his cocky smirk.
He leaned closer, but he didn’t connect their lips. His hold on her chin prevented her from bridging the gap herself. She pouted at him, not liking this.
“Impatient?” he grinned. “You made me wait for hours, yet you can’t even wait for a minute?”
“Please just kiss me,” she said breathlessly.
His red eyes flashed. “Fine… since it’s your birthday, I’ll let it slide,” he uttered, crashing their lips together. Their kiss was nothing but hungry and wild as he let himself be driven by his desire for her. He let go of her chin, burying his hand in her hair instead, raking his slender fingers through her silky strands. The pressure of his thigh against her core was sweet torture.
He slipped his tongue into her mouth, controlling the kiss and having her bend to his unspoken will. At this point, she would do anything for him. He deepened the kiss, nipping at her bottom lip and eliciting a quiet moan from her. Her hands clutched his elegant black shirt, wrinkling its fabric.