Art of Darkness

chapter 33

NATALIA ELYSE DELAVIN

I was about to say something when Aries pulled my dress down, making it fall on the floor along with my underwear. I'm completely naked in front of him, with the lights open.

My eyes left the mirror, refusing to look at myself.

"Your scars are beautiful," he whispered in my ear while his finger slowly traced the visible scars on my body.

Gunshot scars, stabbed scars, cuts, burnt, kicked, and punch marks. I can't bear to look at them. These are my biggest insecurities.

I don't want anyone seeing them aside from myself that's why I haven't gotten a tattoo to cover them all.

Aries already had a glimpse of them before when he was cleaning a wound by my side stomach when it was cut by a glass shard during one of our missions in New York before but he never asked nor say anything about it.

"There's no need to be insecure about it. You'll always be beautiful with or without them."

I don't know if he can read my mind or if I was just unconsciously saying my thoughts out loud but he always knows how to soothe my messy thoughts.

"They look horrendous," I dryly chuckled looking away, facing my head at the window.

Aries just hummed and we both remained quiet for a second before he swiftly carried me bridal style and sat me on top of the bed, my back leaning on the headrest.

He removed his remaining clothes before crawling on top of me until his eyes were leveled with mine. He didn't say anything, making me curious about what he was planning to do.

I was about to ask when he gently pressed his lips to mine before going down onto my stomach.

"What are you doing?" I asked but he didn't answer nor look at me.

He just... started to place kisses on my scars.

"Don't you say they're horrendous ever again, now that my kisses are already marked there."

My hand brushed his hair before traveling down to his shoulders. I was just silently watching him caressing my scars with his fingers and lips.

I don't understand why he's doing these. Hell, I don't even know how we came to this kind of situation in the first place.

"Why?" I unconsciously asked.

Aries went up to meet my eyes once again. He gave me a small, reassuring smile. "Because I want you to feel that there's nothing to be insecure about those scars. It may be a reminder of the hell you've been through but it also serves as proof that you survived it."

UNKNOWN

"Fuck! The whole gang that we hired just died!" I massaged my forehead thinking how much of an imbecile my cousin is. I shouldn't have asked for some ideas from him.

I just want them to threaten her. How the fuck did he manage to track them down? I guess I underestimated her too much.

I raised her well.

The female spy that I hired entered my office. I hope she reports something good, at least.

"Boss, I tried to snoop into the young Ramirez's office but there was a woman there. She s- saw m- me... I- I'm sorry! I'll do better next time!" She bowed her head.

I clicked my tongue and took the gun laying on my table, shooting her directly in the head. "Then it's time to dispose of you first before they could."