Seduction's Shadow

Chapter 63: The Devil's Embrace

Nikol's gaze bore into Aari with an intensity that made her breath hitch. His features looked almost angelic in the candlelight, but she knew better. There was a demon lurking inside, just beneath the surface.

"What the hell are you thinking, Aari?" Nikol shouted, his voice echoing off the walls. "Do you have any idea how worried I've been? Why did you leave the house? Why didn't you answer my calls?"

Aari's eyes narrowed, and she shot back, "Why are you even here, Nikol? I'm done with this. I resign from your company. I can't do this anymore."

Nikol's eyes darkened with anger. He grabbed her by the neck and pulled her close, his voice low and dangerous. "Who asked you to vanish like that? Can you ever just listen to what I say?"

Aari's anger flared. "No, I don't want to! You can't control me, Nikol."

Nikol's irritation grew, his eyes boring into hers. "Why are you making this so hard?"

Aari trembled but held her ground. "Why do you care if something happens to me? Go back to your home right now. I'm done with you."

Nikol pulled her even closer, their faces just an inch apart. His voice was a low growl, thick with his British accent. "I'm not done with you yet. Do you understand?"

Aari pushed him away, her eyes blazing. "I don't get you. You confuse me, Nikol. So stay the hell away from me." She rolled her eyes in defiance.

Nikol's anger flared up even more. "Did you just roll your eyes at me?"

"Yes, I did," Aari shot back, tense and biting her lip.

Nikol's eyes took on a predatory glint. "Don't ever roll your eyes on me and bite that lip."

"I'll do that again," she challenged, her voice trembling but defiant.

Nikol stepped closer, pinning her against the wall. His hand wrapped around her neck as he whispered, "I told you, don't do that, Aari. I'll consume you. My love is dark; it's not like the Hallmark movie love. I am Lucifer itself." As he spoke, his hand traced her neck and back, sending shivers down her spine.

Aari's heart pounded in her chest, a mix of fear and defiance. "Stay away from me, Nikol," she whispered, her voice shaky but determined.

Nikol's grip tightened slightly, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her breath catch. "You don't get to tell me what to do, Ms. Arison. You're mine, and I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. Even if it means dragging you back from the edge every damn time."

Aari's resolve wavered, her anger and confusion clashing with the undeniable pull she felt towards him. "You can't keep doing this, Nikol. You can't keep treating me like a possession."

Nikol's eyes softened for a moment, but his grip remained firm. "You're not a possession, Aari. You're everything. And I won't let you go, no matter how much you fight me."

Aari's eyes filled with tears, the tension between them palpable. "Then stop pushing me away with your darkness. Show me something real, something I can hold on to."

Nikol's breath hitched, and for a brief moment, vulnerability flickered in his eyes. "Aari, you don't know what you're asking for."

"Maybe I do," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Maybe I want to see all of you, even the parts you hide."

Nikol's hand moved from her neck to cup her face, his thumb brushing away a tear. "Then be careful what you wish for, because once you see my darkness, there's no going back."

Aari's heart ached with a mix of fear and longing as she met his gaze. "I'm not afraid of you, Nikol. I'm afraid of losing myself in you."

Nikol's eyes darkened with a mixture of desire and determination. "Then let's see how far we can go before we both lose control."