THE PERFECT DECEPTION

Chapter 20

Jonathan King

Her honey gaze filled mine with admiration, mingling fear and relief. Petals adorned her hair and shoulders, and her eyes sparkled softly in the divine golden light. My lips parched at her sight, her breath quivering with my uttered vows—vows I never knew I could pledge. My gaze roamed her form, rendering my knees feeble with fervor and need—not merely to consume her essence until she yearned for more, but to cherish and revere her with my flawed touch.

I yearned for her form to shimmer under my adoration, for my lips to extol her beauty—a beauty not merely external but wholly defined by her essence. As I leaned over her bastion of integrity, my heart raced at just the sight of her. Jonathan King, a man who fractures the powerful, now kneels, pleading for her recognition. I, often unable to convey desire through my gaze, longed to murmur the prayer of my soul, beseeching her to remain by my side.

Anupama trembled, her arms quaking and her eyes glossing with emotion. Oh, my dear lord, you've made me a believer. I swept the rose petals from her silken tresses, our gazes locked in a fierce battle of passion, yearning to merge in an embrace. My knees quaked as her eyes implored an end to the madness that has wholly consumed me. Regardless of our beginning's authenticity, my devotion stands true.

My knees succumbed to fragility, and I descended to the earth. Her feet brushed the ground softly as the wind intensified, and my heart thundered. For this blessing, what wouldn't I do?

"Jonathan..." her words faded as a tremble passed softly through her lips. The words rushed through my body in waves, sending me to heaven. Has she already purified my soul, turning me into a man who walks the desert in search of God's feet? My hands shake slightly as they reach for her smooth ones, grazing them with fingertips filled with longing and need. The touch ignites a spark within me, leaving me in the bliss of her tear that gently dripped onto my knuckle.

Never again, my angel of love, will you cry. I brought her tear to my closed eyes, which fluttered at the stained image of her in my soul. How could this be anything but real? When my eyes need her to see, when my soul needs hers to remain tethered to this earth of falsehoods, when my heart needs her warmth. She has become my reason for being, the cause of the simple yet satisfying smile on my face. How could I ever let this fair angel go? My wildcat. Mine, and only mine.

I reached for the water behind me, which spilled over the edges, ensuring the floor was clean for eyes to bestow their blessings. What is the difference between her blessing, curse, and punishment? Her blessing is her gaze, mingling with the sound of her hymns. Her curse is the angelic beauty that captivates you beyond your will. Her punishment would be the void left behind when her gaze shifts to a new diversion. Oh God, may I hold your angel's gaze just a moment longer? If you find me worthy, grant me her life to guard with my own.

Anupama gripped my shoulder, her hands guiding her feet through the waters of my tears that longed for her. My gaze lifted to meet hers, where tears fell from her cheeks like diamonds slipping through a rich man's fingers. How fortunate am I to behold her from this perspective? "Please stop, you're hurting me," she uttered, her voice strained, and my heart crumbled to ash. "How do I cause you pain?" I implored with my eyes, and in that instant, I ceased to be Jonathan; I became a victorious villager in search of his deity.

I clasp my rough hands, softened by the delicate creams of aftershave, over her gentle yet mesmerizing touch from our physical encounters. ''Let me be the things you never wanted. Let me be the thing you always needed. Let me be the one to adorn you in gold and silver so you can sparkle. Let me protect you from envy. Let me the reason you wake up in a smile.'' In desperation, I plead, clasping our hands together while tears stream down her cheeks. Anupama makes feeble attempts to withdraw, as if her hesitance yearns to transport her to another realm. If that is the case, I am resolved to master the intricacies of the multiverse, even at the risk of losing myself.