After we finished the meal in a silence thick enough to cut with a knife, he slid a dessert plate in front of me-a rich, decadent slice of chocolate pie. The aroma was sweet, almost intoxicating, a stark contrast to the tension that hung between us. He leaned back in his chair, his gaze steady, waiting, like he knew I wouldn't refuse.
"Eat," he commanded. But there was a flicker in his eyes, something darker, more intimate.
As much as I tried to ignore it, I was fatally attracted to that darkness in some sense.
I picked up the fork, and took a small bite, trying to ignore the way his gaze lingered on my mouth. The chocolate melted on my tongue, warm and rich, and I fought the urge to close my eyes, knowing he'd take it as some kind of conquest.
"Good?" His voice was low, his fingers tracing the edge of his own plate, his thumb rubbing over the rim slowly, like he was imagining it was something else entirely. The subtle gesture sent a ripple of heat through me, unwelcome but undeniable.
I nodded, unwilling to give him more than that. But he was relentless. He watched me with that predatory intensity, leaning forward so his hand brushed mine under the table, his touch deliberate.
"Another bite, ptichka." His gaze dropped to my lips as I did, his stare unyielding, a silent promise that he was nowhere near done with me. "You look like you're savouring every bit," he murmured, his voice a rough caress. "But you know… there's something sweeter, isn't there?"
My heart pounded, his implication sinking in, the words rich with a sinful promise that made me shift uncomfortably in my seat.
"You're delusional if you think this is going anywhere," I whispered, hating the way my voice came out breathier than I intended.
He chuckled, low and dark, leaning in close enough that I could feel the warmth of his breath against my cheek. "Tell yourself that if it makes you feel better." His fingers brushed a lock of hair away from my face, lingering against my cheek. "But you and I both know you're a terrible liar."
I looked away, fighting against the wave of warmth that threatened to betray me. But he wouldn't let me go that easily. He reached for my chin, tilting my face back toward him, his thumb grazing my lips, daring me to push him away.
"Why fight what we both want?" he whispered, his voice soft, dangerous. "It would be so easy, little bird. So easy to let go. To let me have you."
I swallowed hard, my thoughts racing. I needed to get out of here, to escape the twisted pull he had on me. But how? My gaze darted toward the window, but his hand caught my wrist, pulling me back into his orbit before I could even make a move.
"Oh, don't even think about it," he murmured, his fingers wrapping around my wrist, firm but not painful. "I'd catch you before you even reached the door." He brought my hand to his lips, brushing them over my knuckles, his eyes never leaving mine. "And then… I'd make sure you'd never think of running again."
"Judas…" My voice was a shaky whisper, but he just grinned, that dark, maddening smile that sent a shiver down my spine.
"Yes?" he said, his tone mocking, like he already knew whatever I'd say wouldn't change a thing. His lips moved to my wrist, brushing over my pulse point, sending a wave of heat through me. "You know, the more you fight me, the more I want you."
"Then you'll be waiting a long time," I bit out, though the way my body responded betrayed me, a shiver running through me as his lips traced the sensitive skin.
"Is that so?" His tone was lazy, amused. His fingers traced up my arm, his touch feather-light, igniting every nerve. "I think you're lying, ptichka. But don't worry…" His mouth moved closer to my ear, his voice a dark, delicious whisper. "I'll give you plenty of time to admit it."
I swallowed, forcing myself to stay still, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a reaction. But his hand moved lower, resting on my thigh, his fingers a warm, possessive weight. Every instinct screamed at me to pull away, but his gaze held me captive.
I clenched my jaw, holding his intense gaze. "I'm not afraid of you."
He laughed, low and dangerous, his hand inched higher. "Good. Fear makes things… messy. I much prefer you like this." His fingers slid up, igniting a fire in their wake. His gaze pinned me down, daring me to stop him, to deny the effect he had on me.
I averted my gaze focusing on the food in front of me as I tried to ignore the growing tension in the air. The way he watched me, that relentless gaze, had my skin prickling with unease. But I forced myself to finish, counting each bite, willing my heartbeat to slow.
The moment I placed the fork down, he leaned in, close enough for his breath to warm my cheek, and without warning, he pressed his lips against mine. It was quick, barely a graze, but the intensity behind it sent a jolt through me.
Before I could react, he wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me effortlessly into his arms, lifting me as though I weighed nothing. His grip was unyielding, his hold possessive. "You've had your meal, ptichka," he murmured, his voice low, laced with that dark, heated tone that made my skin flush. "But I'm still hungry."
My senses spiked, panic curling in my stomach. No, no, he couldn't be thinking-
He nipped at my jawline, trailing his lips down the side of my neck. "You don't know how long I've waited to have you like this," he whispered, his breath sending a shiver through me. "To make you forget everything except the way I feel against you." His lips were hot against my skin, his voice a low growl in my ear. "And I'll make sure you'll be begging me for more."
My heart pounded wildly as he started walking, carrying me down the dim corridor toward the bedroom, his hands tracing patterns on my back, each touch deliberate and teasing.
"Judas," I managed, forcing my voice to steady, though it was barely more than a whisper. But his smirk only widened, dark amusement glinting in his eyes.
If I fight, it'd only get more painful.
"I've given you a taste of my patience, haven't I?" he whispered, voice thick with the kind of hunger that set every nerve in my body alight. "And now, you're going to learn just how little of it I have left when it comes to you." His grip tightened as his mouth hovered near mine, his fingers tracing along my waist, sending a flood of warmth through me.
He hovered above me, his eyes dark and filled with unrestrained desire. Every inch of him radiated heat, and the way he looked at me-like I was something he was starving for-made my pulse race.
He traced a finger along my cheek, down to my neck, his touch featherlight yet possessive. "Do you have any idea what you do to me?" he whispered, his voice thick. "All I can think about is making you feel things only I can give you. The way you'll fall apart… just for me."
He leaned down, his mouth traced along my neck, sending sparks down my spine. "Tonight," he said, his voice a low growl against my skin, "you're not leaving this bed until I've had my fill of you."
His hand slid down, pressing against the curve of my waist, his grip firm. He tilted my chin up, his gaze capturing mine, leaving no room for doubt. "I want you wrapped around me, moaning my name," he murmured, his thumb grazing over my lower lip. "Every part of you… will be mine tonight. Only mine."
He didn't give me time to think. His lips captured mine again, and his kiss was anything but gentle. He was claiming, taking, a rough reminder of his control over me. My breath hitched as his hands roamed over my body, unrestrained, exploring, like he'd been holding back for far too long.
"I-I…" I stammered, feeling overwhelmed, my cheeks flushed with a mixture of heat and innocence. "I've …" My voice trembled, unsure, but he silenced me with a kiss so deep that I felt myself melt under him.
I whimpered, barely able to speak as his touch grew bolder, his hands tracing lines that left me shivering. My body reacted instinctively to him, though my mind was spinning, unsure, nervous.
"W-wait," I whispered, my voice shaky, but he just smirked, his gaze piercing through the haze in my eyes.
"It's too late, sweetheart," he said with that rough edginess to his voice that seemed to choke me, it always left me breathless, clueless… and broken. He pressed close and another thread of my resilience snapped. Warm breath fanned across my cheeks, and several unwanted goose bumps erupted in their wake. "You've tempted me long enough, ptichka. Now, I want you to feel just what that does to me. How it eats me."
He slid a hand down, firmly grinding my body against his, and I gasped at the feeling. "Do… Don't, please…"
I breathed heavily as his other hand cupped the back of my neck, and in the next second, his eyes were staring deep into my soul. Sucking me. Hollowing me. "My every thought, my every fucking moment is consumed by this… insatiable need to make you mine. Does that make me insane in your eyes?" His grip tightened and his fingers traced a slow, almost painful path up my arm. The darkness in his eyes felt like a cage, each glance a lock, each breath a chain.
His voice dropped to a whisper. "Every time you look at me, every time you fucking try to hold back... you're just drawing me in deeper. It's like feeding a fire you can't control. And when it burns, it consumes everything in its path."
My innocence, my hesitance, only seemed to spur him on and then a wicked grin played at his lips as he watched my face.
My heart pounded and my skin heated as he pulled me even closer, every inch of his body claiming me. His lips hovered over mine, his breath hot and steady. "I want to hear those sweet little cries again when I make you beg," he said, and the words alone made my pulse race, and made me feel like I was falling deeper into him.
He held the grudge. I knew it. Judas was not someone who'd let someone let off the hook easily. He kidnapped me and brought me to this island because he wanted to punish me. Make me see how this world revolved around him and so did I. He controlled everything. Even my breaths.
I licked my lips suddenly feeling like caught between fire and smoke.
"I-I don't…" My voice barely came out as a whisper, but he silenced me with another deep, hungry kiss, taking away my words, and my doubts. My everything.
I realized the truth… there was no going back. In his hands, I was both his captive and his willing sacrifice, bound to this flame that would consume us both.