Bound by Shadows

9 (R19)

Lying beside him, my head cradled in my hand, I traced the lines of his face. The hotel room's soft lighting embraced us as I studied the gentle rise and fall of his chest. His eyebrows, now at ease, added a touch of serenity to his expression.

I let my gaze linger on the subtle details—the faint flutter of his lashes, the morning light playing on his lips. The quiet intimacy of the moment, shared in the cocoon of the hotel room, amplified the warmth I felt for him. As we rested in the stillness of the morning.

Having woken earlier, it seemed that he required more rest than I did. Despite my gentle touch, he remained in deep slumber, undisturbed.

A faint smile played on my lips as I observed his dreamlike repose, his peaceful sleep was a world away from the lively passion he showed in bed last night, leaving me fascinated by the contradictions within him. A flush of warmth tinged my cheeks, prompting me to withdraw my hand, momentarily flustered by the lingering memory of his tender touch.

Silently slipping out of bed, I tiptoed to the shower and returned in a bathrobe. Caelus remained peacefully asleep as I made my coffee. After finishing, I climbed back into bed, gently cupping his face. "Caelus, wake up," I whispered. A groan escaped him, earning a small chuckle from me.

"Hi," he murmurs, eyes still sleepy.

"Hi," I respond, smiling. He sits up, running a hand through his tousled hair.

"You're up early," he notes, and I nod.

"Zavian will be taking me to work with him," he had a surprised expression on. Swiftly clarifying, I added, "I'm not involved in his businesses. Stella will be accompanying me for something else."

"So he told you about what we do?"

"I pressed the details out of him, so yes," I answered, with a thin smile. "Maybe I wasn't that surprised because I knew about it before."

He chuckles, a blend of amusement and relief coloring his expression. "I was wondering how you'd react to that part of our lives. Glad it didn't throw you off," Caelus leans in, placing a gentle morning kiss on my cheek. "You handle surprises gracefully, darling."

My stomach fluttered as he slipped out of bed, heading to the bathroom. While he showered, I tidied up our clothes from the floor.

A few minutes waiting for Caelus, there was someone knocking on the door. I answered it, revealing Stella. Her professionalism stayed intact as she held a hanger with a pristine white dress.

"It's a Versace dress—a stylish long-sleeved shirt mini with a removable elastic belt adorned with Medusa '95 hardware. It has Medusa buttons, a pointed collar, concealed button placket, and buttoned cuffs," she explained, handing it to me.

Impressively, she chose clothes I never thought I'd wear. "It's beautiful. Thank you," She acknowledges with a brisk nod, but as her eyes sweep over my back, I instinctively shield her view.

A suspicious look was plastered onto her face as I gulped.

"Is someone in there, Mrs Hudson?" she questioned, catching on fast. Damn, she was sharp. No wonder she was the perfect assistant for Zavian.

I maintained composure, meeting Stella's suspicious gaze with a forced smile. "No, no one's here. Just me."

Her eyes lingered, scrutinizing the room as if searching for any hidden presence. "I could've sworn I heard something."

With a nonchalant shrug, I dismissed her concerns, "Probably just the usual hotel noises. Nothing to worry about."

Stella hesitated, still not entirely convinced, but eventually nodded and handed me the dress. "Alright, make sure you're ready on time. Mr Bianci doesn't like delays."

As she left, closing the door behind her, I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. Right on time, Caelus came out from the shower, a towel snug around his waist, while he dried his hair with another in hand.

Immersing myself in the moment, I couldn't help but appreciate the sight of him. My gaze lingered on the droplets of water cascading down, accentuating the definition of his toned abs with his erec—

"Who was at the door?"

Snapping myself out of nasty thoughts, I informed him, "Just Stella, my brother's assistant, dropping off a dress." My words hesitated, torn between acknowledging her purpose and the very very good distraction before me.

"Stella's got impeccable timing," he remarked, his eyes twinkling with amusement. My laughter naturally bubbled up in response but with every step he took closer, tossing the shorter towel over his neck, my heart raced, drowning out any attempt to focus on anything but him.

I chuckled nervously, attempting to divert my attention back to the conversation.

"It seems so," I agreed.

Caelus, seemingly attuned to my thoughts, continued, "Well, I hope this dress won't steal the spotlight from the one I'm admiring right now." His gaze lingered provocatively at the peak of my breasts, the loosely draped bathrobe tempting him.

Playing along, I replied, "Oh, I'm sure it won't."

His veiny hands with his wedding ring traced a path from my lips, down my neck, and to my collarbone, finally reaching the peak of my breasts. Softly gliding above them, inches away from the sensitive part, his touch sent shivers through my body.

"Did I mention they brighten like the color of your cheeks when I suck on them?" My breath hitched as he pulled aside the V-shaped robe, exposing my nipple and pinching it between his fingers. I whimpered, surrendering to his touch as he guided me towards the wall, my back straightening upon impact.

Balancing the dress in one hand and the other against his wet chest, I reasoned, "Zavian is waiting for me," my eyes locking onto his piercing blue gaze that I always find myself drowning in.

"Let him."

"He will find out about you being here."

He leans closer, our lips connecting, "Let him."

The two of us lost ourselves inside the kiss, I succumbed myself to the feeling, his tongue caressing mine while he made gentle noises of pleasure. He felt good, everything about him was perfect.

Our interaction persisted until breathlessness enveloped us. He delicately placed his forehead against mine, proposing, "We might want to continue this another time."

I frowned, earning an earthy laugh from him compelling me to blink in surprise. It was an uncommon sight, one that made my chest ache. Something didn't feel right.

"I'm sorry but I just remembered that I got a call from Tadashi earlier. Zavian knows."

Fuck.