Oh to be loved

14

Amara paced the room, her emotions ricocheting inside her chest like a storm she couldn't contain. Every second in this mansion with Cillian was doing something to her-something she didn't want to admit. She felt like she was losing control, slipping into the undertow of his world.

There were moments when he was cold, distant-reminding her of the power he held over her. Those were the moments she despised him, reminded herself that he was her captor, a dangerous man. But then there were the other moments-the ones that left her breathless and confused. Those fleeting times when he let his guard down, when he looked at her not as a pawn but as someone he cared about.

It was maddening.

Cillian entered the room quietly, his presence like a ripple of dark energy. She tensed, knowing that their last conversation had been intense, full of buried anger and rising attraction. She was already teetering on the edge of her own emotions, and he had the uncanny ability to push her over the edge without even trying.

"You've been avoiding me," he said, his voice even but tinged with something she couldn't quite place.

Amara's back stiffened, her mood shifting from anxious to defensive in a heartbeat. "I needed space. I don't have to report every move to you."

Cillian's jaw clenched slightly, though he kept his gaze steady. "That's not what I meant."

"Isn't it?" Amara snapped, her words coming out sharper than she intended. She couldn't keep her emotions in check anymore. "I feel like I'm drowning here, Cillian. You drag me into your world, you expect me to... to be fine with it, and then you-" Her voice broke, the intensity of her feelings catching her off guard. She couldn't even finish the thought.

"And then I what?" Cillian's voice dropped, quiet but firm. "What exactly do you think I've done to you, Amara?"

His question hung in the air, and the answer was so much more complicated than she could admit aloud. He had kidnapped her, yes. He had kept her here against her will. But somewhere along the way, the lines had blurred. Somewhere along the way, she had started wanting things she wasn't supposed to want. And she hated it.

"You've confused me," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Cillian took a step closer, his presence both calming and suffocating all at once. "I'm not trying to confuse you," he said softly. "I'm trying to protect you."

"From what? From your world? From the people you put me in danger with?" Amara's frustration boiled over, her emotions swinging wildly again. "You're the one who brought me here. You're the one who made this happen. You say you want to protect me, but I don't know if I believe you."

Cillian's gaze darkened, the hard lines of his face softening for a moment. "I made mistakes. But I won't apologize for keeping you safe, Amara. I can't let you leave-not now."

Her heart pounded as she looked at him, his words sinking in. She wanted to scream at him, to push him away. But she couldn't shake the pull she felt toward him, even when everything inside her screamed that it was wrong.
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this is a reallyyyyyyyy short chapter sorry